ECHO Journal Article Index

Many boards have a difficult time with "good standing" issues in their elections. What exactly is the definition of a member in "good standing"? This article will help you understand the meaning and give you guidelines for using "member in good standing" to implement your election rules.

Many associations are looking to solar energy to help keep their building competitive in a growing market, while also seeing the long-term benefit of increased reserves due to decreased energy bills. Going solar isn't always easy but benefits the environment and may be a great financial decision for you as well.

A recent California Court of Appeals case, Heiman v. Workers' Compensation Appeal Board, sheds light on the potential liability that associations and their managers face when contracting for on-site service and repair. It highlights the importance for every association to obtain a workers' compensation policy.

Almost all associations use fines to address violations of their governing documents. This article aids managers and boards to develop or revise a policy on monetary penalties (fines) and to apply that policy in the day-to-day management of the association.

Rising energy costs are driving the trend in solar-reflective coatings for walls and roofs. This article shows how energy-efficient "green" paints and roof coatings can provide a high return on investment.

Record retention is a difficult issue for most associations, often compounded by the lack of professional guidance as to what records need to be retained. CPA Walt Grady has prepared this common sense guide for determining what records to keep or destroy.

Learn how new civil codes effective January 1, 2008, affect how associations conduct their meetings.

One of the most daunting tasks for boards is maintaining the common property - a responsibility that the board may be sued for failing to perform properly. This article outlines a process to help develop an effective plan for maintaining a property.

Attorney Jeff Barnett provides his annual summary of case law and legislative developments, which distills these activities for the 2007 calendar year. California law consists of the statutes enacted by the Legislature, and the common law, which is made by the courts in the form of published decisions of the Courts of Appeal and the California Supreme Court.

The importance of keeping and writing minutes of meetings of an association board of directors requires knowledge of the purpose and content of meeting minutes. Is there a common sense approach to board meeting minutes? This article by an experienced association manager offers some helpful facts and information to guide those who take on the important responsibility of preparing minutes.

There is a need today to provide affordable middle-income housing in areas that are already built up. Many of the old suburban cities in the Bay Area provide perfect locations for new urban cores. They have transit, they have services, and they have space. Old apartments and community associations are stealth locations for providing new housing for middle-income people.

Community associations will no longer be able to play favorites, at least when it comes to the selection of companies providing cable services. A new ruling prohibits contracts giving cable companies the exclusive right to provide services to multi-unit properties.

Foreclosures have quadrupled during the last 12 months, making it likely that California community associations will suffer financial loss resulting from owners who lose their property through foreclosure. The authors recommend directors to seriously consider allocating bad debt in their budget.

New board members want a primer that states what are their duties and by what authority they operate. In this article, the author explains exactly what a board is supposed to do and how it should do it, making an ideal primer for new board members.