Comments: Comments Off on HB 1203: LOTS OF NEW PROTECTIONS FOR MEMBERS LIVING IN HOAs MAKES IT HARDER FOR CAMs
HB 1203: LOTS OF NEW PROTECTIONS FOR MEMBERS LIVING IN HOAs MAKES IT HARDER FOR CAMs
House Bill 1203 and SB 7046 merged to eventually create a huge bill for the protection of homeowners in HOAs. It starts by placing lots of responsibilities on community association managers.
A community association manager or community association management firm that is authorized by contract to provide community association management services to a homeowners’ association must do all of the following:
(a) Attend in person at least one member meeting or board meeting of the homeowners’ association annually.
(b) Provide to the members of the homeowners’ association the name and contact information for each community association manager or representative of a community association management firm assigned to the homeowners’ association, the manager’s or representative’s hours of availability, and a summary of the duties for which the manager or representative is responsible. The homeowners’ association must also post this information on the association’s website or application required under s.720.303(4)(b). The community association manager or community association management firm must update the homeowners’ association and its members within 14 business days after any change to such information.
(c) Provide to any member upon request a copy of the contract between the community association manager or community association management firm and the homeowners’ association and include such contract with association’s governing documents.
So what do you think so far of the new protections for members of an HOA?
Comments: Comments Off on HOA Parking Lot Flooded over the weekend? Now is the time to give Allstate Resource Management a call!
HOA Parking Lot Flooded over the weekend?
Now is the time to give
Allstate Resource Management a call!
Our schedule is filling up fast for storm drain cleanings, the rain that occurred this past weekend was a preview of what this summer will look like for your HOA community.
Contact us to talk to a Stormwater Specialist today!
Comments: Comments Off on Top 7 Reasons to Introduce Lake and Pond Aeration by SOLitude
Top 7 Reasons to Introduce Lake and Pond Aeration
Pond aeration is the simple, yet effective, process of increasing oxygen levels in a pond and can not only greatly enhance the aesthetic beauty of a pond, but can also improve the natural systems taking place beneath the water’s surface.
Aeration creates destratification of the water column, as lakes and ponds typically consist of stratified layers separated mainly by different temperatures and oxygen levels. Natural resource and environmental managers are often challenged by problems caused by lake and pond stratification.
Boost Oxygen Levels with Pond Fountains or Aerators
Through surface aeration with floating fountains, surface aerators, or bottom-diffused aeration, with a compressor pushing air through weighted diffusers, the main purpose of aeration is to increase and stabilize the amount of dissolved oxygen in the entire water column. Aeration systems can have a widespread effect on many different aspects of pond and lake health and can be operated by solar or windmill power if running electricity to your waterbody is not feasible.
Here are 7 Reasons to Add a Floating Fountain or Pond Aerator
Aeration can help balance water quality, thus reducing water quality problems faced by lake and pond owners and helping “clean” the water of cloudiness and odors.
Submersed aerators help circulate the water column, introducing oxygen throughout.
Aeration helps reduce the amount of free-reactive phosphorus in a pond through oxidation.
Floating fountain aerators are aesthetically pleasing, providing distinction and splendor.
Aeration decreases mosquito activity by creating ripples and moving water.
Aeration provides an oxygen-rich environment in the pond, promoting a healthy habitat for fish and other aquatic life.
Aerators help reduce the overall accumulation of organic sediment on the bottom of the pond.
Create Healthy, Beautiful Water with Fountains and Aerators
Implementing the use of an aeration system is a proactive, and cost-effective approach to controlling a variety of challenges when it comes to pond and lake management. Aeration can drastically improve the health of an aquatic ecosystem. With more balanced water quality, troublesome and hazardous issues like algae and aquatic weeds are less likely to develop.
If a healthy pond is a goal, then aeration is one of the first steps one should take toward achieving a beautiful and balanced ecosystem.
SOLitude Lake Management is a nationwide environmental firm committed to providing sustainable solutions that improve water quality, enhance beauty and preserve natural resources.
SOLitude’s team of aquatic scientists specializes in the development and execution of customized lake, stormwater pond, wetland and fisheries management programs. Services include water quality testing and restoration, algae and aquatic weed control, installation and maintenance of fountains and aeration systems, shoreline erosion control, muck and sediment removal and invasive species management. SOLitude partners with homeowners associations, golf courses, private landowners, businesses and municipalities. SOLitude Lake Management is part of Rentokil, a leading business services company, operating across the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico.
Let’s Talk Fountains & Aeration: An Interview with Our Aeration Expert
March 21, 2023 11:00 am
We often talk about the importance of fountains and aeration, but what exactly is aeration and what does it do for lakes and ponds that makes it so vital? With…
Allstate Resource Management has over 25 years of experience in maintaining the health of lakes, ponds, wetlands, and stormwater systems. We have continued since our inception to be the leader in resource management. Our services include lake management, wetland management, stormwater drain cleaning and maintenance, erosion control, fish stocking, native plantings, debris removal, water quality, aquatic pest control, and upland management. All of our technicians are thoroughly trained and certified in order to meet the strict standards imposed by governmental agencies. This ensures that your property will be treated by only the most competent individuals who are proud of the services we render.
In addition to providing a healthy habitat, we specialize in the installation and maintenance of beautiful color lit fountains, bringing beauty and enjoyment to any lake or pond.
We also offer support services for property managers and HOA’s including educational presentations and CEU programs. Our approved courses offer continuing education credit to CAMs.
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Comments: Comments Off on SFPMA NEWS: Our Website will be down for a System Reboot Feb 29, 2024
On Feb 29, 2024 SFPMA Website will be down.
We have a total reboot of our system on our server, while adding many new members our IT dept had to add new code to advance our search. We will try to conduct this late night but it might fall over to the next day…due to caching.
In the last month we have found some of the articles, and the New listed Members were not being shared from our system Feed to our Website, there was a disconnect between our Server. Since we have our own dedicated Server and Files. We can reboot and move to a new section and pair this with our hosting provider.
Upgrades will not stop search results from showing but it will make them better. Our IT Dept has found some of the Inner workings through the WordPress CMS Plugins and our System were not linking up properly. ie: as of Feb 22, 2024 New Member Companies were added yet did not show on the website. It came to our attn. when one of our members were sent their log in details and once they did they could not view their Membership listing.
It took a week to make all the changes, to the System, Calendar, Company Listings, and Plugins So the end of the week the system is being upgraded to a faster dedicated server.
We recently published an article on how communities can speed up maintenance projects. In this article, we’ll look at how long some common maintenance jobs should take to complete.
HOAs have an obligation to maintain certain parts of the development. They must set aside a portion of the dues or fees collected from owners to pay for big and small maintenance projects. If the association fails to meet those obligations, it not only creates safety problems for members, but legal issues for the association as well.
If members feel that the board is not properly caring for the property, they can write official complaints, vote to remove board members, or even sue the HOA.
Maintenance must be taken seriously, but it is far easier to manage when you have a system or solution that enables you to organize components, schedule/assign work, and track tasks.
Defining maintenance obligations
The maintenance responsibilities of an association versus those assigned to individual owners depend primarily on whether the item or equipment is classified as part of a common area, exclusive use common area, or separate interest.
Common areas typically refer to shared spaces such as pools, sidewalks and roads. Exclusive use common areas are spaces or elements used by one or more, but fewer than all, of the owners. Separate interests are the separately owned lots belonging to members.
While some maintenance obligations are quite clear, others can be a little murky. This is especially true with exclusive common areas since they tend to be things like patios and windows. Roof maintenance may also be confusing; some HOAs cover roof repairs while others do not.
The association’s CC&Rs should detail maintenance obligations and define who is responsible for what. But if there is some uncertainty, boards are advised to refer to civil codes and/or consult with the HOA’s attorney.
Why timelines matter
There are several reasons why time matters when it comes to maintenance projects. The main one is so staff and management can plan for disruptions and costs. However, there are times when maintenance work will impact owners, and they will also need to know approximately how long the work will impact their day-to-day lives.
For example, if a parking lot is being repaved, owners will need to be informed of the work, they will need to move their vehicles before the work begins, and know how long they will have to find temporary parking.
Contractors can’t know for sure how long maintenance work will take to complete, but they should be able to provide an educated estimate. Tracking the time it takes for professionals to complete routine and unplanned maintenance is another good way to predict future repair timelines. Having this knowledge allows those responsible for setting up maintenance work to complete projects with more confidence (plus they’ll know if a vendor is taking too long to complete certain jobs).
How long should HOA repairs take?
There is no way to know for sure how long any maintenance project will take. Even a standard preventative maintenance job can become lengthy if a contractor discovers additional damage to an element. Other factors, including availability of materials, permit requirements, complexity of the project, size of the community, and weather will all impact the timeline of a project.
That being said, below are some estimates of how long common HOA maintenance work takes to complete.
To get a more accurate time estimate, speak with a contractor or repair expert. They will be able to look at the specific qualities of your community and provide you with a realistic timeline.
Pool repairs
There are many different types of pool repairs. Some can be completed in a couple of hours while others will take several days.
A simple structural leak generally takes a day or two of work. Half a day is needed to complete the first step of a crack injection repair, and another half day is required to “staple” the cracks together and plaster the damaged area.
If your pool has a heater and the warming system breaks, the entire pool may be shut down for a week. The heater can be replaced in a day, but it could take longer. After the new pool heater is installed, it might be another three days before the pool is warm enough to use again.
Most plumbing leaks can be resolved in two days, but the time it takes to fix a pool leak from plumbing can vary according to the extent of the damage.
Pool resurfacing involves the removal and replacement of the top layer of the pool surface. This may be done to give the pool a clean fresh look, or to address several small cracks. In general, this renovation process takes one to three weeks.
Water/electricity lines
A water line is an underground pipe that transports water from a water source to a home’s or building’s service pipe. These pipes typically run beneath sidewalks and streets.
A water line pipe might crack, allowing water to spill out. This can cause many issues, including unsanitary water, higher water bills, low water pressure, and floods.
Due to the severity of this problem, a water main break needs immediate attention. Plumbing technicians will need to turn the water off while they repair the break. Once the pipe is in working order, they will flush it before reconnecting it to the plumbing system.
The good news is this type of repair only takes between four and eight hours.
If an electricity line goes out due to weather, it can generally be restored in a couple of hours. However, if an entire pole comes down, the outage could easily last a full day.
Roofs
In many cases, HOAs have delegated the responsibility of maintaining roofs to the individual owners. But if the association covers the costs of repairs, expect each home to take up 1-3 days of the contractors’ time. More complex designs and materials will add time to that estimate.
Gutters and downspouts
Routine maintenance of gutters and downspouts prevents more serious water damage from occurring. Like roofs, many HOAs have stated that owners are responsible for maintaining these items.
Minor gutter repairs can be completed in as little as one to two hours. Partial replacements can take two to four hours, and full replacements can take two to three days of work.
The timing is similar for downspout repairs and replacements.
Parking lots
Most HOAs can complete routine parking lot maintenance in two to three weeks, but timing will vary depending on the size of the lot and weather conditions.
Paving can take less than a week, but keep in mind that proper curing (letting the asphalt cool and settle) is an important part of the process as well. Depending on the size of the parking lot, thorough curing can take anywhere from one to two weeks.
General landscaping
While not a traditional repair, landscaping is a maintenance job that can be hard to plan for, at least the first couple of times. The size of the property, availability of materials, and weather conditions can greatly impact the time it takes to finish the job. Once you have found a landscaper that you like, you will become more familiar with the time it takes to do certain jobs.
From start to finish, most projects fall into the two- to three-week range, but cutting grass or trimming plans can take half a day.
Conclusion
HOAs have an obligation to maintain certain areas of the development. By scheduling routine maintenance, associations help prolong the useful life of elements and components, and keep the community safe and attractive too.
It’s important for staff, board members and management to have repair timelines so that they can budget for costs and time accordingly. While projects don’t always go according to plan, just having a guideline allows them to manage expectations more effectively.
SFPMA works throughout the State of Florida, we are a multi-member organization for the Condo, HOA and Property Management industry. Through knowledge based Articles, Events and our Members Directory, Clients find the right information to make an informed decisions for their Florida properties.
