After Hours, What Do I Do?   

Contacting Your Association Manager

Your community association management office has after-hours availability for good reason and depends on residents to be its eyes and ears at night. But what constitutes an emergency, how dire that emergency is, and which agency is best qualified to handle it can often be murky.

A general rule of thumb is to rate your potential after-hours call on a common sense scale of 1 to 3. "1" being a life-threatening emergency or violent crime, "2" a threat to property, and "3" a "Can it wait?" issue.

1. Is someone's life or health in danger because of a fire, accident or crime in progress? Call 911. You know when you need immediate police, fire department or medical services. Don't delay with an interim call to your community manager. 

2. The severity of property damage is a judgment call. Essentially, however, if the property damage is in progress and threatens additional significant damage, then yes call and rally the troops. A burst pipe washing away a home foundation, for example, can't wait until the next morning after tens of thousands of gallons of water has continued to flow all night. A landscape professional, on the other hand, is unlikely to dispatch late at night to take care of a fallen tree in a neighbor's yard. Which brings us to No. 3:

3. "Can it wait?" issues are best described as issues about which 9 of 10 ordinary people would agree. A barking dog keeping you awake, for example, is a nuisance and perhaps even a crime to some degree. And if you're the one lying awake with an early schedule slated for the next morning, it might even seem at the time like a dire emergency. But chances are not one of those 9 ordinary people would mobilize in order to intervene on your behalf. Can it wait? It not only CAN wait, but it's very likely that no one will respond at that time anyhow. Save yourself the aggravation and address the issue the following day.  

Regardless of whether or not you choose to contact your community management office after hours about a nighttime issue, it's always a good idea to follow up the next day with your manager. Your board wants to know about the property it manages 24-7, and you are your community's eyes and ears. 

Hurricane Season Planning     NOAA Prediction & Making a Pre-Plan Now       In April, NOAA predicted 7 hurricane-strength storms in 2018 (sustained winds of 74+ mph). Recently, however, the number predicted dropped to 4. Apparently, the tropical Atlantic is colder than normal for this time of year. While this is welcomed news, especially following the wake of devastation last year left by Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria, it's only an educated guess. So stay vigilant and make a plan now.     At CAMS, we recommend a little "Hurricane Pre-Planning" by following three basic courses of action. Then later if a named storm sets its sights on South Florida, you can proceed with preparing your home for an imminent strike. For now, however:                    ASSEMBLE A HURRICANE KIT:  A direct hit by a hurricane can mean loss of power and essentials for a long period of time. We recommend assembling your Hurricane Disaster Kit now, and stowing it in a closet or attic. Think of your kit as what you might require for an extended camping trip. You'll need flashlights, a battery-powered radio and extra batteries, toiletries and other non-perishable essentials, a change or two of clothing, a few basic tools, a camp stove if you have one, a first-aid kit, and anything else you think you can't do without if and when the time comes. The key here is to really put one together now while you're thinking clearly. Later, if a hurricane strike is imminent, you can supplement at that time with food, water and other last-minute items. REVISIT YOUR INSURANCE COVERAGE: It's never a bad idea to periodically check that your home and belongings are adequately insured. But in Florida, during hurricane season, the stakes for homeowners are high. And when a storm is zeroing in on your neighborhood, it's generally too late to start worrying about coverage. Revisit your homeowner's insurance now. If you need to extend your coverage or list new items and shoot photos, etc., you have the luxury of time on your side. Also, while you're getting organized, file all your important financial, medical and personal papers all in one spot. That way, when your hurricane preparation becomes the real thing, you can quickly access, waterproof and protect those documents before the storm hits. Post-storm is a bad time to chase a paper trail. READY YOUR STORM SHUTTERS: Every window and otherwise penetrable entryway to your home should be equipped with protection, whether it's storm shutters, fitted plywood sheets or other devices. Now is the time to take them out of long-term storage, move them nearby where they're quickly accessible, check that they function properly, and take inventory of the components necessary to install them. Speaking of installation, if you require help putting up your shutters, now is also the time to make arrangements for that assistance. Oh, and while you're digging things out of storage, do you plan to park your vehicles in your garage if a storm is pending? Is there room? There's a good chance you might not have time to clean out your garage in the event of an approaching hurricane, not to mention the obvious problems associated with throwaway items piled near the road. Get busy now!  Waiting in long lines to purchase gasoline, canned goods and drinking water; clearing your yard of ornaments, garden hoses, trash cans, outdoor furniture and the like; and all the other necessary short-term preparations prior to an imminent hurricane strike are nerve-wracking enough. However, if you take the time now to pre-plan with the suggested items above, it can greatly reduce the anxieties experienced in an already highly stressful situation. See Ready.Gov for more hurricane planning information.

The Science Behind Picking Up After Your Pet

The Science Behind Picking Up After Your Pet   Who hasn't experienced the nose-pinching displeasure of having to hose off a shoe after stepping into a pile of a neighbor's thoughtlessness? But the inconvenience left behind by folks not picking up after their pets is only a small part of the story. Did You Know: ∙ Giardia, salmonella and E. coli are only some of the contaminants that can flourish in animal waste, and can be transmitted to both humans and animals via storm-water runoff and ingestion of infected groundwater.   ∙ Animal waste contains high levels of nitrogen, which following a rain often gets into nearby ponds, lakes and canals, and depletes oxygen. This toxicity can wipe out fish and underwater grasses and promote algae blooms.   ∙ Remember warnings not to run barefoot outdoors or suffer "worms"? While as kids our imagined version of the offending critters might not have been entirely accurate, round- and hookworm can thrive for long, long periods in waste and surrounding grass, and can transmit to humans.   At CAMS, we thank you for picking up after your pet and know your neighbors appreciate it too.

Electricity: The Power in You  Universal Precautions for Staying Safe Electricity is one of the most helpful resources in existence. It's also one of the most dangerous. But if you follow the following safety measures, your chances of suffering a home fire or electrical shock and injury drop dramatically.   Never overload electrical outlets or extension cords. Never plug in any cord that is cracked, frayed or otherwise damaged or that gets hot to the touch. Never allow cords to crimp against walls or furniture, or run them under rugs or across doorways, and never hang them over nails. Replace old or damaged outlets with modern, grounded, 3-wired, polarized receptacles. Never cut off or bend the ground pin of a three-pronged plug. Never alter the wide prong of a polarized plug to fit a narrower outdated outlet. Always protect young children from electrical shock by installing plastic safety inserts in unused outlets.

Are you prepared in the event of a major storm?

Article Written BY:
Jayme Gelfand, PCAM

Vice President, Relationship Market Manager

BB&T Association Services

19631 State Road 7

Boca Raton, FL 33498-4766

(561) 251-1980

jgelfand@bbandt.com

Preparation is the hallmark of good management practices.  The official hurricane season runs from June 1 through October 31. To prepare for storm related events it is best to have a plan in place prior to hurricane season for your communities. To help you take this import step, we have created a checklist of some preparation items you should include. Take the time now; if a disaster affects your community, you will be glad you did.

Having a line of credit is one of the most important actions you can take to allow for available resources to make quick decisions on repairs and fund unplanned expenses.

FINANCIAL

• Fund reserves at least partially; the absence of any cash reserves will hinder an association’s ability to make a deposit to an available contractor Consider a special reserve to fund insurance deductibles and/or items not covered
• Consider making arrangements for a line of credit with your bank, so that you will have available cash to meet emergencies and secure contractors
• Consider applying for an association credit card to allow managers to purchase preparations or recovery items
• Seek a loan from your bank for reconstruction or upgrades to property including storm proof windows and shutters
• Review current investments in CDARS, ICS or Certificates of Deposit; know the maturities and consider shorter terms or non-renewals during recovery if funds might be needed to avoid early closing penalties
• Communicate with your banker if your association or management company is closed  
• Know all of the available payment methods for your homeowners and remind them in the event one of the methods is unavailable:
• US Mail – Local post offices may be closed or mail not delivered
• Local Branch – If power or internet is out in certain areas, does the local branch accept payments?
• Online payments by credit or debit card or eCheck – Are you enrolled to allow your homeowners to pay online to avoid mail delays?
• ACH – Encourage automatic payment to avoid mail delays and internet outage interruptions
• Bill Pay – Advise homeowners to use their bank or a bill-pay vendor to initiate payments online
• Recognize that because of storm related damage including post office delays and power outages, you may receive fewer payments during this time or homeowners may be late on payments
• Use online banking services to transfer funds, monitor account balances and retrieve bank statements – Be sure you know your online access information
• Keep a printed copy of the banks contact information to use in the event you cannot obtain electronically

INSURANCE

• DO NOT UNDERINSURE;
• Request your insurance carrier to conduct an engineering review of your facilities
• Gain a clear understanding of items not covered by insurance
• Require an annual board review of the deductible amounts of all insurance policies and consider informing all unit owners of the results
• Remind owners of the limits of the association’s responsibilities

OPERATIONAL

• Develop an emergency plan to contact board members and managers immediately should a dangerous situation develop; remember, the first responsibility of the association board is to take the appropriate steps to secure the property
• Prepare alternative means of communication; phone, text, email

• Prepare staff
• Monitor school closures for their impact on staffing levels
• Reassign staff from closed offices to assist other functions
• Secure important papers and sensitive information and back up records
• Create a hurricane or storm preparedness guide for homeowners that includes reminders of insurance, evacuation, pet arrangements etc.
• Consider allowing board members emergency board powers in the event of a disaster
• Know your bylaws and your state statues regarding rights and claims

PROPERTY

§  Conduct regular roof inspections

§  Inquire if roofing contractor offers annual inspection/maintenance program

§  If your association is facing roof replacement in the near future, consider alternative style and materials

§  Consider an independent engineering study of your buildings, especially if the building is more than 10 years old; schedule updates on a recurring basis

§  Pay attention to carports, which typically are not as stable as other structures

§  Develop a building evacuation plan

§  Prune large trees and shrubs before hurricane season arrives

§  If your association has rules covering the allowable parking locations for boats, trailers, golf carts, etc., police rules regularly

§  Protect association machinery, equipment, and business records

§  Consider rules concerning personal property on lanais and decks

§  Prepare common areas such as club house or pool and secure items

§  Create an open lot to stockpile tree debris

§  Energy failures are one of the biggest results of a storm. Electrical power outages can compromise elevators, air conditioning and other critical systems

§  Take pictures or video of the facility and preparation conditions

BUSINESS PARTNERS AND VENDORS

§  Review your business partner and vendor contracts and know what to expect

§  Maintain a healthy business relationship with your service providers and vendors.  Courteous behavior and prompt payment of their bills will go a long way to assure their timely response when you really need them

§  Engage a tree-trimming company with an agreement that the association would be its top response priority in the event of hurricane or storm related damage. 

§  Secure appropriate vendors that can aid immediately after a storm

§  Obtain bids if major reconstruction is necessary.  This process could take months working with engineers and contractors before actual cost is determined. 

Being proactive is the best way to show an association you are working in their best interest. Don’t wait until there is no water, no electricity and trees are falling all around you.

It's HOA Annual Meeting Time  To Stay in the Know, You've Got to Go! At CAMS, we highly recommend attending your community's annual meetings. Staying engaged gives you knowledge about your community, which gives you power.   Often, important items addressed at HOA meetings include election of board directors, budget ratification, annual assessments and other votes critical to the year ahead.   You may not be particularly fond of meetings. But if you can manage the time and gumption to attend your HOA's annual meetings, you'll be more knowledgeable about your community and quite possibly afforded the opportunity to effect change in the place in which you live.

Fifth Annual Readers’ Choice Award Winners Announced

March 1, 2018—Florida Community Association Journal magazine announced its fifth annual Readers’ Choice Award winners in the March 2018 issue of the magazine with an expanded section profiling notable winners for the year.

One of the more notable Dimond level winners was:

Community Association Management Systems, Inc.

1037 S. State Road 7

Suite 302

Wellington, FL 33414

The FLCAJ Readers’ Choice Awards is a unique recognition program that shines a spotlight on the positive and productive contributions by community association service providers across Florida. They are presented to service providers that demonstrate through their commitment to the community associations they serve an exemplary level of proficiency, reliability, fairness, and integrity.

Since being founded in 2013, the Awards have grown every year, with more than 390 service providers nominated for this year’s awards and more than 7,500 votes cast.

There is no fee to enter the Awards and the entire submission process is done online. Winners are chosen based solely on the total number of votes.

For more information, please visit fcapgroup.com.