Developing competencies for homeowner association boards of directors

Abstract

Since the 1960s, mandatory‐membership housing developments have grown in number. Termed homeowners' associations, community associations, cooperative associations, or covenant communities, these bodies are effectively governing organizations for neighborhoods and communities. Currently, many new housing developments are only approved on the condition that homeowner associations assume many obligations that traditionally belong to local government. However, there is evidence that many association boards of directors are staffed with inexperienced volunteers and individuals who lack the skills to fulfill these obligations, and the volume of complaints against homeowners' associations has continued to rise. Here, we revisit a study of homeowner associations in Fairfax County, Virginia, carried out in 2008 by examining 5 years' worth of publicly available data concerning formal complaints about homeowner associations in Fairfax County to report on progress. We describe the four major categories of complaints and discuss the implications for homeowners' associations.