S.B. from outside of Connecticut writes:
Dear Mister Condo,
Are trustees supposed to follow the same rules that home owners get letters for? And do all condo places have to center their cars from side to side and from front to back but trustees don’t have to?
Mister Condo replies:
S.B., unless your association has some very unusual clause that exempts trustees from following the rules of the association, they most certainly do have to follow the same rules and by-laws as every other member of the association. However, unlike everyone else who resides in the association, they are often the ones who decide if rules have been broken and what action, if any, should be taken to enforce those rules. In other words, there exists a potential for selective enforcement of the rules where they may decide to be more lenient with themselves. The good news is that trustees are voted into office by association members. You and your fellow association members can simply vote them out of office at your earliest convenience, usually the annual meeting. For truly bad offenders, the recall election can also be employed to throw them out of office sooner. The decision to serve as a trustee is an altruistic one. The good of the community and the protection of association assets is at stake; not the ability to supersede rules and practice preferential treatment for one’s self. Of course, you need to also find and elect trustees that have this altruistic spirit. If you can’t find the right people you will continue to have what you have now. Perhaps you will answer the call to server yourself, S.B.? I wish you good luck!