C.J. from outside of Connecticut writes:
Dear Mister Condo,
My board is very reluctant to spend money. There the 12 units here that are having drainage issues that are causing flooding and other problems. Can we compel the board to correct the situation?
Mister Condo replies:
C.J., I am sorry that unit owners in your association are suffering with poor drainage issues. You really can’t compel the Board to do anything. You can, however, change who serves on the Board by simply electing new leaders who understand that their inaction will not be tolerated by their fellow unit owners. That is unless a majority of unit owners prefer that their elected leaders let the drainage issues go unchecked because they don’t want to spend any of the association’s money on repairs as it would likely force them to raise common fees. Democracy in action at your association requires that a majority of unit owners elect the right kind of leaders to represent them and handle the business of the association. If unit owners are happy, things rarely change. My advice is that you look for new volunteers to run for office and figure out how to pay for the repairs needed. Then, and only then, are things likely to change. Perhaps you are ready to volunteer your time and energy to make things change, C.J.? Good luck!
Several years ago when my husband was Treasurer of our high-rise condo Board and another man was President, both men announced that they were leaving the Board and both, separately, wrote a letter to the Association members stating why. The remaining five Board members had refused to raise our monthly fees, much needed for repairs of the building. Exposing problems to all of the homeowners can sometimes push Board members to take better action. Also, there are legal obligations Board members have to the HOA and the Association’s legal council can be of assistance under these circumstances.