Articles

You might be wondering what “committees” and “commissions” have to do with community associations. The quick answer is that they are both administrative/advisory bodies to which the board may delegate some of its work. Think of them as a way for non-elected...

Many boards struggle with whether to put up holiday decorations in association lobby or common elements and the best practice for regulating those displays. Questions include: Should we put up only secular decorations? Is a Christmas tree OK? Or a Menorah? A Kwanzaa...

A common problem in the age of Amazon delivery, Instacart Grocery, and Pea Pod, and especially around the holidays, is what an association should do with all the packages that arrive on an hourly basis for the residents. While many larger associations have receiving...

We are often asked how a board should handle non-owners, such as tenants, visitors and guests attending (and disrupting) board meetings. Whether or not to prohibit non-owners from attending board meetings is purely a judgment call for the board to make. Technically,...

Budgets are required and, if using a good template, not very difficult to prepare, distribute and adopt. While your association’s governing documents will include some basic requirements, most of the process is dictated by the Illinois Condominium Property Act...

Here’s the situation – a unit owner has leased his/her unit to a problematic tenant. The unit owner lives elsewhere, so it’s become the board job to “babysit” the tenant, dealing with violations, loud parties, or destruction of common elements, etc. Despite the...

How do Illinois Condo Associations Properly Adopt New Rules? Here’s the scenario: the board has been getting an earful about occupants leaving bikes parked in the hallways. The board decides, in the interest of safety (the bikes create a trip hazard in case of a fire)...

Executive (Closed) Session Meeting Minutes and Evidence in Violation Hearings Required “Business as usual” for Illinois condo boards has now changed. A very big decision by the Illinois appellate court (First District) makes number of Illinois condominium board...