Which Legislative Changes Would You Like To See? Your Turn To Give Us Your Input
It seems that the last legislative session just ended and here we are getting ready for the next General Assembly.
In the upcoming weeks, we will be meeting with Connecticut leaders who have influence over legislation as well as getting input from our Advisory Council.
Most importantly, we want input from you – our members.
Please keep three things in mind:
1) The ombudsman is a dead issue. Many condo owners don’t want it, the General Assembly won’t appropriate funding for it, and based on the research George Gombossy did in Nevada, where they do have an ombudsman program, it has more negatives than positives.
Thousands of complaints have been filed in Nevada and the dozen staff members can’t keep up with the inflow, meaning that complaints are months behind from being even heard.
2) Proposing legislation that will cost the state money will be a hard sell. In April of this year, it was reported that the State was facing a multi-million dollar deficit. Further, the governor and legislators will be looking to initiate more budget cuts.
3) Having 20 plus proposed bills on a legislative agenda is not viable. Learning from past mistakes conveys the message that we should place the considerable firepower of CCOC behind the issues that could make the most sense in leveling the playing field for condominium owners.
However, that still leaves a lot of possibilities in our efforts to review and perhaps correct existing legislation.
In the next two weeks, please submit your thoughts and suggestions. We will present ALL emails to the CCOC Executive and Advisory Committees for review and input.
Once that assessment process has been completed, CCOC present major fundamental issues to key legislators for their insight. CCOC will report back to you, our membership, to advise what has transpired and what the probability is for proposed legislation by CCOC as well as, hopefully, determining who will be our key allies in the legislative assembly.
In addition to submitting your suggestions, if anyone has an opinion to make this process more effective, please let us know.
Please either leave comments under this post or email your suggestions to george@ctcondoowners.com.
I would like to see legislation that would limit terms
on condo e-boards to two terms, and then you are off the board for one term. Our association they finish there term and switch to another, such as going from president to treasurer. It isnt right that the same people rule for years. I would also like the two terms in Hartford
to apply to, No more career politions
Thank you Larry for your excellent suggestions. Keep them coming folks, either as comments or email to George Gombossy at george@ctcondonews.com.
I agree with term limits for politicians in Hartford and Washington D.C. HOWEVER, keep in mind that the aforementioned politicians are PAID FOR THEIR POSITIONS. That’s where my term limits ends.
Condo boards are UNPAID volunteers who serve on their own time. There are some boards that should change–however, when it comes time to replace the members–who will you find? When we have elections for directors each year we always solicit nominations from the floor and–right–NONE. We ask folks to come on board to replace members who are leaving, it’s easier to ask for their firstborn. It seems easier to complain about board members than to replace them and spend the amount of time that they do making sure the rules & regulations are enforced and budgets and maintained. Since the State law changed opening monthly board meetings to residents, out of a complex of 70 units, just twice have residents appeared to participate in the meeting. Condo residents not only like freedom from cutting lawns and outdoor repairs, they seem to like freedom from participation in the community. Term limits for Hartford & Washington D.C. ABSOLUTELY!
Term limits for condo boards–ABSOLUTELY NOT!!
The absolute power that a condo board has, especially when it comes to interpretation of the community’s by-laws can be judged as an act of retribution rather than enforcement. Condo associations that have board members sitting for extended periods of time are symptomatic of this problem. As such, some boards with members who have consecutive or extended terms must be considered as a cause of violating unit owner rights.
Corrupt elections may result in the same incompetents running over and over again blocking new candidates from getting elected.
I support the establishment of a new law setting term limits for condo board members. I would also suggest an exception be added to the law allow an existing long-standing candidate to hold office for an additional term if there are no other board candidates available.
CORRECTION to second paragraph above:
Corrupt elections may result in the same incumbents running over and over again blocking new candidates from getting elected.
Be careful what you ask for. There needs to be some balance between experienced and new people. There are good and not so good aspects of term limits for any board and legislative body.
Some here have mentioned one, that is others may not be available to serve. But also consider:
– The owners can always reject/not elect a current board member for the next term
– Just because there is a candidate available does not mean that candidate would be better than reelecting someone else.
– If you have a good President, Secretary, or Treasurer, you are fortunate, it could be a huge loss of experience, expertise and work.
– Too short a term and in a legislature the staff ends up with even more control – in a Condo Board the manager ends up with more control with less experienced and perhaps a lower quality, less involved board.
– Once somebody is off a board they might not return.
I have been on two boards, one a condo, the other a non-profit. One board member warned against a clause of term limits in new bylaws, years later the Board eliminated it, after never being able to get new members that would stay and do the work, and needing the long-term, involved individuals. Once somebody is off a board they might not return. On both those boards I was/am the longest serving member – I cannot count how many problems I solved or prevented based on institutional knowledge.
I think Larry has it exactly right!!!! Only 2 terms. And then you must leave the board. Here we had a case where the president was out as president after many years, but then became vice president and ruled as if she were still president.
Everything else would fall into place if we got rid of the current board by the end of 4 years…..2 years for half the board to be replaced ahd 2 years later the rest of the board replaced. Since the board chooses and pays the condo manager…..you would see a lot of changes. And a lot more owners would be heard.
Larry: The major problem is that all too many owners do not wish to serve on the board and their reasons for this are many and multi-facited. Initially, serving as a board member sounds exciting and important, but most who serve look at their service as a position of power rather than that of a position of responsibility. I have served many terms and with many other board members. Simply stated, many owners cannot break away from the power mode to the responsibility mode. They cannot think in terms of serving the entire community. Instead, they lean to the squeaky wheels and do not know how, nor have the fortitude to challenge those squeaks. My position is to always take the high road and to always treat each owner the same. And when some owner attempts to treat me or any other board member with disrespect, they are put in their place.
I would like the CCOC to back the proposal by Sen O’Neil in the initial bill HB5511 which changed the voting procedures which allowed non votes to be recorded as yes votes thereby assuring passage of Condo budgets…
To pass this law because a few condo residents are unhappy about their condo fees is to commit an act of gross injustice. State law requires that proposed budgets are distributed to all unit owners prior to an annual meeting at which residents vote to approve/disapprove of the budget. When notices of the annual meeting are sent with the budget, proxies are also included for those unable to attend. Budgets are set according to costs incurred and anticipated for the upcoming year. Most vendors (landscapers, snow removal, carpentry, electricians, trash removal) have incurred increased costs in doing business and pass this along to associations. Insurance coverage for condos has increased by 30% in some instances and some companies no longer write coverage for condominiums. All of this must be considered when proposing a budget. If residents understand a budget increase (which is usually explained by a cover letter) and have no objection to the increase, they usually stay home &/or send their proxie. If folks object or need further clarification, they should attend the budget meetings and voice their objections and/or ask questions of the board to help them understand–not seek a change in law for the entire State.
It seems to me “Sandy” that you have a vested interest in continuing a system that deprives individual condo owners of their “RIGHTS” as condo owners and delegating them to a management Co. or an oligarchy of owners who may or may not represent the “Will of the People” (owners) they supposedly represent!!! It is time to place the control of the investments that the individual owners have in condominiums back into their hands!!!!!
I fully agree with Mr. Conti.and the fact that the aforementioned bill was unanimously passed by the CT. General Assembly and strongly supported before at public hearings would suggest that a newer broader based version of budgetary voting needs to be re-addressed by the CGA so individual owners RIGHTS are not trampled!
we are in 2016 any news about the proposal of bill HB5511,I would like to know, anyone ????? Thank you in advance
I would like to see a requirement that repairs that are made are signed off on and the unit owner recieves a copy of that repair. In other words, if a necessary repair is made to a unit, inside or out, once that has been completed, the condo owner recieves in writing that the repair in fact has been done.
Also, I would like to see a bill that requires
the removal of snow off roofs immediately after the Governor sends out a notice to do so as in 2011.
Legislation to limit terms could be a disaster for small condos. Can’t even get enough owners to serve on committees.
Assoc. that feel a need to limit terms should work towards amending their by-laws to reflect that restriction.
It would be nice if the laws were changed so that a developer can be held more accountable then they presently are.The llc,inc, instances by the developers are a dime a dozen and should not provide sheilds for the developer.They can desolve them to easily and more often then not get away scot free even in a case where they are legally found guilty .They can some how still stay in business with unpaid judgements being ignored
Please continue to report on HR5511
Please continue to report on HR5511, let the world know that there are some, like Rep. Arthur O’Neill and Sen. Rob Kane, who introduced the bill, who care for their constituents. Right now there is virtually no vote — that is, the stacked-deck ballot procedure we have cannot reject a budget.
I would like to see more unit owner rights where association insurance is involved. Now the unit owner cannot even talk to the insurance company. The association collects the money and then decides whether the work will be done or not. It has taken me two years to get the work done. The association collected $4,200 and paid out less than $1,000 on the work.
I agree with Josea. I had to get my own estimate and file a small claims suit to get the money the condo association received for a claim on my unit.
Limiting terms would be a disaster for an association of 25 units. We have not had a volunteer for more than 2 years so we have no choice but continue
Several thoughts. Term limits would be nice, but probably not workable since you can’t force people to serve. In lieu of that, we should hold the Association and Board members financially responsible for legal fees if they lose a legal case. If I have to litagate and lose, I should pay. If the Association loses, the association should pay legal costs plus any damages the court assesses (all ready happens). I understand that in Europe, if you start a legal case and lose, you pay legal costs. Our legal system is probably not ready to do that wholesale, but can the legislature provide that relief just for condo’s? I’m not an attorney, so don’t know. Equal access under the law? Condo’s are special cases since the owners pay the legal bills through their fees. That is not true if you sue a company.
Under those conditions, it would be very hard to recruit anyone to serve as a board member. Nobody should risk their fortune to serve as a volunteer. It is the same for directors of businesses and non-profits and their employees.
I feel for many who have situations where boards are not meeting and conducting business in secret. There are remedies and they take a lot of work, but if it is bad enough the simplest, low cost way to solve the problems would be to enlist owners to remove and replace the current board. If you cannot convince other owners there is enough of a problem, then either there is apathy, nobody else cares about the problem, or you are being treated unfairly and should consult a lawyer.
As others have pointed out some boards do not follow all the laws in place, so new laws for what they should do, would not help in those cases.
So many condo boards ignore the CIAC law about having meetings that are not open to the units owners which is against the CIAC Law and the legislative should enact penalties for breaking the law. As of now there are no penalties for secret meetings for board members only. Also I thinks any decisions about spending association money should be voted on by the unit owners especially major purchases
I agree. Our Board won’t post meeting dates, times and agenda as required. Times for owners complaints are by appointment only, that way is 5 board members + the manager against you alone. The minutes are sterilized that way no one else knows what is going on.When I sent notice that a meeting would be going on they threatned me by saying their(paid by us)lawyer would contact me.
2013 Proposals to the General Assembly
CONDO ASSOCIATION RECORDS and PROCEDURES
•Owners shall be allowed two hours per quarter free of charge to review association records whether the records are maintained on-site or at the property manager’s office. Copies of documents created electronically shall be available to owners electroncially free of charge. An owner is not required to demonstrate any proper purpose for the inspection or state any reason for the inspection.
MANDATORY RULES
•Association must publish a topic agenda for each board meeting and send it to all unit owners no more than 14 days prior to a meeting and no less than 7 days before a meeting.
•Owners shall be given up to 10 minutes to speak at the beginning of each board meetings; unit owner inquiries shall be included in board meeting minutes
•Final minutes available to all unit owners at least electronically within 45 days after of meeting, even if still in draft form
•Include basic content of condo owner issues raised at meetings in meeting minutes including owner name and unit #. Attach any hardcopies provided to board
•Bylaws, Declaration, Rules and Regulations, and Addendums shall be made available free of charge online and all owners shall be informed of its online location and how to access.
•All documents, including, but not limited to, Insurance Policies, Manager’s Contract, Landscapers Contract, Auditor’s Contracts, Attorney’s Contracts and all other contracts, and involving financial consideration, as well as bylaws, declarations and meeting minutes, shall be made available free of charge in the same online location as the bylaws.
•Manager’s Report, President’s Report, Treasurer’s Report, and all other committee reports and materials presented at meetings, including meeting minutes, and check register shall be made available online free of charge in same online location.
•Condo association rules, regulations and procedures must be sent to all unit owners in writing, the board must call a meeting to discuss the rules and any proposed changes, and a vote of owners (including in person at meeting, absentee ballots and electronic voting by email) and approved by a majority of owners. Results of how each unit owner voter shall be published and made available to all owners free of charge. Approved rules must be distributed to owners bi-annually. Rules must include election procedures and dispute resolution procedures.
•Association must have all new documents, including contracts, available electronically to send free of charge to owners. It shall be available online for free owner access.
•Allow owners a certain number of copies and time from property manager free of charge per year.
•Advocate that both DCP and Attorney general to post condo issues on his website under Consumer Assistance section?
•Legislature should give Attorney General, Dept of Consumer Protection, Small Claims Court and Municipal Housing Authority and Secretary of State’s Office more regulatory authority over condo owner matters in dispute.
PROPERTY MANAGER’S CONTRACT:
•For those communities that hire a property manager, the association shall email a copy of the property manager’s contract electronically to all unit owners and mail a copy to those unit owners who request a hard copy free of charge.
CONDO ELECTIONS: (add to Sec. 47-252. Voting at meetings of association)
•It shall be mandated that all associations publish a written procedure approved by unit owners how to conduct elections which shall be held annually. If it is reported to the Secretary of State that no election was held, the Secretary of State shall give notice to the Association that an election must be held within 45 days with the results reported back to the Secretary of State. If no report is received within 50 days, the Secretary of State shall revoke the incorporation registration of Association and no sales or purchases of units can be made.
•It shall be mandated by law that any challenges to the votes cast should be verified by an independent committee of owners prior to announcing the final vote count.
CONDO ASSOCIATION BIDDING PROCESS
•It shall be mandatory that all homeowner associations obtain at least three qualified bids from independent sources for all projects over $5,000 ($2,500). A majority of unit owners voting must approved the contract over $5,000. ($2,500). In person or absentee ballot signed and voted on by unit owner, verified/confirmed electronic voting…. Information concerning all bids shall be given to unit owners in writing.
FUND ACCOUNTING – Association shall segregate funds for special projects
•Condo associations shall be mandated by law not to co-mingle any of the entity’ funds.
•Any reserve funds and or Assessment fund accounts shall not be used for any day to day operating expenses unless the expense is a regularly approved, budgeted item, approved by the unit owners, such as insurance premiums that can be repaid to the reserve fund within 90 days or less. In no instances shall any assessment funds be used to finance or pay for any budgeted items or for any new capital improvements other than for which the funds were originally approved for by the unit owner vote.
•The monthly reports and associated bank statements shall be made available to each unit owner via a property management or association web site or by mail depending on the unit owners’ choice, no later than 15 days after the end of the each calendar month free of charge.
ESTABLISH AN INDEPENDENT CONNECTICUT CONDO COMMISSION under the office of the Attorney General:
•To review condominium unit owner complaints concerning violations of condominium bylaws or state condominium laws by the association’s board of directors, officers or professional managers; Attempt to mediate disputes, hold hearings and issue orders to resolve problems; If mediation fails, refer matters to the attorney general for civil action in court to enforce provisions of condominium bylaws or state laws. These measures would help empower unit owners who are fighting for their basic rights under the state’s condominium laws. In some cases, there are blatant violations of state laws or bylaws by condo association board of directors, but no state office exists to assist these owners.
BOILER PLATE BYLAWS:
•Create sample boiler plate by-laws for condo unit owners (one for self-managed and one where management firms are used) that can be adopted by associations within a very short time. They could be set up to show existing state laws and recommended by-laws in different fonts. I believe that many condo unit owners would benefit from this and it might just be a good way to get them on board. It would have saved me a lot of time and effort when I needed to get up to speed (and I have a wonderful research librarian). When ready for distribution, it could be used to get media attention.
CONDO INSURANCE:
Establish new law that mandates that the Dept of Consumer Protection or Dept of Insurance has authority to compel a condo association and/or its property management company to deliver insurance documents to a unit owner. A copy of the association’s master policy shall be made available to unit owners online for owner review free of charge; liability limits and coverages must be clearly shown. A simple easy to understand summary document shall be provided annually to unit owners by the association regarding what coverages the association maintains and what additional coverages a unit owner may want to purchase, as well as an annual owners meeting with the association’s insurance agent to answer any unit owner questions.
•Unit owners shall be able, upon written request to receive a hard copy of the policy once per year from the association or property manager per year free of charge.
•If the insurance policy is not provided to owner, owner may file a complaint with the CT Dept of Consumer Protection, who shall order the property manager and/or association to provide a copy of the insurance policy to the unit owner free of charge within 10 business days.
•If not received, the unit owner may report back to DCP who shall inform the Secretary of State the association is acting unlawfully.
•The Secretary of State shall then withhold renewal of the Association’s incorporation certificate until the matter is resolved.
I hope these laws can be enacted. I own a condo in Naugatuck Ct. We have not had a meeting in about three years! When investigated by the CCOC, the management assured the CCOC there would be a annual mtg. in early August….still no meeting! I was told to go to city hall to look at the ratio of owners vs renters I did. I was then told to write and send them a registered letter demanding to see the records of finances for the past three years. I received a conformation in the mail that the management company signed for my request but never answered my request. Now we just found out on Sunday 10/7/12 , we have black mole on the outer wall of our bathroom ( our regular insurance co) told us after coming out today 10/10/12, that part of the damage should be taking care of by the association’s insurance policy they have refuse to contact us. When will there be any real laws against this in Connecticut?
The Members at Stonybrook Cooperative in Stratford,
recently received a newsletter from the Board of Directors. The decision on when a member will be asked to provide the board with additional information or coments outside the members comments agenda item is strictly up to the president and will be determined by the president during the members comments of the agenda. It certainly sounds to us that this is a form of control. Recently the Board ask the consumer protection if the office manager fell under the new public act regarding his having to be certified. As I recall this certifcation included persons in this catagory. No exceptions they must be certifiled of be a licensed real estate agent or broker. I do not feel they whould make an except for an office manager. If this type of action continues we the member of the corporartion will be treated as employees and the officer manager as a superior being to the corporate members. If the law as passed overlooked an office manager having to be certified then it should revised and made a mandate regarding certification.
Per CCOC survey results published during the 2012 legislative session, 90% of respondents favored the establishment of an Office of Condominium Ombudsman in Connecticut.
Per Connecticut’s Office of Legislative Research (OLR) Research Report in 2009, Nevada’s Ombudsman “program acknowledges that the most significant number of complaints are assessment of fees and fines – noting that foreclosures have raised a lot of complaints about assessment.”
The OLR report further notes that ombudsman program for Connecticut, proposed previously by former Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal, was “not intended to address assessments and fines, rather it would address areas of governance such as holding public meetings, providing access to condominium records, convening annual meetings and conducting fair elections. Further, all associations must establish a local mechanism for dealing with these complaints and the complainant must first submit the complaint to the association, thereby encouraging resolution at the association level.
Unfortunately, there are still some condo associations, despite newer laws intended to help unit owners, that violate these laws to this day.
Enforcement of condo laws can be achieved without adding significant cost by giving regulatory authority to various existing state agencies.
Enforcement of these laws would help those unit owners who still have significant issues with their associations and property managers.
Unfortunately only a tiny portion of the condo community in Connecticut responded to the survey and most of those who favored an ombudsman did not realize the following facts:
Most Ct condo owners oppose paying for an ombudsman
The state of Connecticut does not have the money to pay for an ombudsman
The ombudsman program in Nevada – which proponents point to as the model – is a large broken bureaucracy.
Hundreds of ct condo owners joined CCOC after the new Executive Committee announced it would not support an ombudsman.
The cause for an ombudsman is supported by only a few people, based on the reaction we are getting from our CCOC members.
I challenge CCOC and state legislators to be more creative in developing legislation that enforces existing condo laws and in crafting new legislation to better protect condo owners.
All solutions do not have to be costly.
Oftentimes, surveys and polls, even political ones, include small random samplings of a much large population. The data is extrapolated to make broader statements about how the larger population’s opinion.
Many Connecticut condo owners have an interest in establishing a condo ombudsman, even if it a smaller, less costly office than previously proposed.
As of 12/1/11, CAI reports that the following states have an Office of Condominium Ombudsman or similar information centers:
Colorado, Florida, Nevada and Virginia.
It was reported last year the following states had pending Legislation to create a Condominium Ombudsman:
Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania and Utah.
The Colorado Homeowner’s Association Information Officer:
– Shall act as a clearing house for information concerning the basic rights and duties of unit owners, declarants and associations under CCIOA. He or she will track inquiries and complaints and report annually to the Director of the Division of Real Estate regarding the number and types of inquiries and complaints received.
Funding: Every unit owners association is to register annually with the Director of the Division of Real Estate. Annual registration must be accompanied by an annual fee which will not exceed $50. However, the following associations are exempt from payment of the fee: (1) an association having annual revenues of $5,000 or less, or (2) an association that is not authorized to make assessments and does not have any revenue. If the association fails to register, it is ineligible to impose or enforce a lien for assessments under Section 316 of CCIOA or to pursue any action or employ any enforcement mechanism otherwise available to it under Section 123 of CCIOA until it is validly registered. However, a previously filed lien will not be extinguished by a lapse in the registration – it just will not be enforceable during any lapse in the registration. The lien will be enforceable, and applicable time limits will be extended once the association is again validly registered.
i am in conflict with the board of directors over repairs to the interior of my codo due to a hole in the roof. this has been ongoing for 1 year because they refuse to allow me to use my own contractor. i have submitted all documents they have requested. they put bids out and one bidder had never even been in the condo to see the damage. my bid was the lowest and they then withdrew one of their bids and put in a bid lower than mine. i have had to hire an attorney. the insurance company told me they were allowed to keep any excess funds. is this a conflict of interest? the bidder who withdrew, come to find out later, had a problem or did not have “insuance”.
Stiffer laws for less control of board members in Condo Associations. Deciding and making important decisions for the whole community for numerous unit owners affects everyone when you have two control freaks on your board who can only think for themselves and not for a whole community. Once that is lost with board members the community falls apart.
I am living it here. Three people should not decide the fate of our monies. There should also be laws that can state polls be taken with all unit owners and vote on everything that is of importance as monies spent, investments. Everyone has a percentage of investment in their condos. thank you
I’d like to see some type of requirements that protect unit owners when damage outside of their unit occurs and damages the inside of the unit.
Right now it seems like so many of us have had some horrendous experiences, and in our case we had to fight with the management company for months to get repairs done, and only got results by contacting an attorney who guided us on what to do every step of the way.
They also tried to shortchange us on repairs (along with other neighbors who expereienced damage.)
Doesnt seem that this should be allowed legally.
After years and years of trying to exercise the fundamental rights that CT claims to accord me under our current condo law (mainly freedom of information), I can come to only one conclusion…the law fails and I am denied the basic civil right of discerning whether I have grounds to question the integrity of how my home is managed or run.
I can only recommend then to band together, hire a lawyer specializing in constitutional law and, at the very least, get advice if our state can be challenged to solve some of our more egregious problems.
Good article: http://www.laventanavista.com/METCALF_ESSAY.pdf
Ooops! The link above should be
http://www.freedom.org/news/200705/24/metcalf.phtml
The state law that forbids condo owners from knowing the salaries of managers and employees should be removed. As a condo owner a portion of my maintenance goes to pay those salaries. When a select group or committee are the only ones who know the salaries that to me as a condo owner is taxation without representation. We don’t know if anyone is overpaid or underpaid or have any special costly perks. Managers contracts are not for the unit owners to see, that is wrong. In my development the managers’s contract is negotiated by a committee of some of his close friends. I would like the unit owners to see, evaluate, and the vote on the managers contract, employee salaries and benefits. That way we have some control over how our money is spent. Now it is all a secret process. We can know the salaries etc. of our politicians, our teachers, and school administrators, and they are all published in our newspapers or are public information. That’s fair, but in state and/ or condo law it is unfair, we are not entitled to that information.
I have a very limited detailed understanding of how condos are structured in the law. However, I do know one thing: they are considered corporations. There, I believe, is the rub and the source of many a problem! Would it not be better that they be classified as investment firms. I assume, by law, investment firms are required to inform their investors of pertinent information about their “accounts.” My “account” is my home. Therefore, it should follow that any pertinent information regarding my “account (my vested interest in a community)” should be, provided to me, in reasonable layman’s terms by the Board or property manager at the very least annually. This might include a statement of over or under budget status flushed out with actual expenditure explanations, statement of reserves held and spent and the firms handling them, investment strategy employed, policies employed to cut expenses, and within a reasonable framework how expenses for the future are being projected and underwritten. With this, you lay a foundation any unit owner can use as a tool to question and verify that their rights under current law are upheld.
And this report should mandatory and be filed each year with the state…otherwise there is no enforcement.
How about legislation requiring Condo Assoc. to budget for mandated seminars that board members must attend for basic knowledge.
Also, would like to see some regional seminars focused on existing unit owners as well as prospective buyers.
Education is key!
I agree totally but it isn’t the only key. Enforcement of the right to get information is also needed so that those unit owners who are educated and willing to be educated further can act intelligently and persuade others to act intelligently in their respective common owned property/investment.
Regarding the Common Interest Ownership Act, I would like to see Subsection 47-250(b) “Right of the Unit Owners to Comment at Board and Committee Meetings” expanded. Currently it states that “at each board meeting, the board must provide unit owners with an opportunity to comment on any matter affecting the community and the association.” I would like to see the addition of: Owners must have a reasonable opportunity to comment on ANY matter affecting the community and the association during ANY portion of the board meeting except during the Executive Session.
I would also like to see the use of “Petitions” legislated. Example: Petitions signed by 50% of all unit owners within an association or condo community, brought forth to the board MUST be
accepted and acted upon by the board as being the majority of the voice of the people.
If I’m not too late…
A new law should make the following mandatory:
– All associations must employ an auditor.
– The association should be required to send the required notices of all
owner and board meetings to the auditor.
– The auditor should be required to attend at least two board meetings
per year but may attend more at his discretion.
– The minimum number of legally required board meetings per year
should be increased from 2 to 6, as there’s no way condo business
can be conducted in two sessions, one of which has to be convened
after the AGM for the sole purpose of electing officers.
The condo I live in holds no properly noticed board meetings at all.
They are thus filing minutes which are false. The auditor we employ has
severely criticised the minute keeping for several years, totally unaware
of this!
I would like to see legislation passsed that
1. Establishes which agency we file our complaints with,
2. a. Who do the Corporate Members Files belong to and b. Who has the authority to go into the files
and c. what documents are allowed to be put into the Corporate members files.
and d. Notification to member that document/documents are going to be placed into the file and that a copy must be provided to them haveat that time.
The reason we need legislation regarding who the files belong to is becasue the attorney for the cooperative who is suppose to represent the membership as a whole, keeps telling me the files belong to the corporation meaning the Board- I say why have a file that a members correspondance goes into if it belongs to the Board if it blocks a members right a fair hearing and to rebuttle? If we only have access to the file once a year and then there is a charge, how do we know if what is being placed needs to be replied to in a timely manner.
I would like to see Board members held accountable for thieir actions by law. Certain board members are using thier board powers to target certain owners that they do not like and they shut their eyes to owners they like. 5 people on the board should not control rules, bylaws, etc. Also stop board members from secretly putting someone on the board to block other owners they do not want on the board.
I totally agee with June. Board Members need to be held accountable for their actions by law. Certain board members are using thier board powers to target certain owners that they do not like and they shut their eyes to owners they like. 5 people on the board should not control rules, bylaws, etc. Also stop board members from secretly putting someone on the board to block other owners they do not want on the board.
I live in a small condo association of 18 units. Since 2006 the majority of unit owners wanted to fire our property manager and be self managed. Since then we have had inexperienced people/unit owners (some quit and someone else thinks they can do better) spending condo fees outrageously while they call it a “learning experience”. We have had so much of our money wasted, on patch jobs, bad decisions, 2nd layer roofing jobs with no inspections leading to leaking roofs and more damage costing the association 3x the amount it would of cost to just simply get a new roof. This past winter and spring was a nightmare with deck repairs. With that in mind, I would like to take this opportunity to express that CT needs to have some kind of law (s) for properties that are self managed. First I would like to see mandatory audits done and people who are noble enough to step up to the dual potions as an executive board and property manager should have some training/certification in property management. The turn over with our president, vice, secretary, treasurer turns over every 1 to 2 year and sometimes sooner. I would like to see law to protect CT condo owners with self managed properties. Please feel free to contact me. I have plenty of stories and so do some of my neighbors who are opposed of self management. Not to mention the bulling and power control issues some folks have. Its harsh but its the truth. Please! Thank you.
I would like to see a law that returns responsibility for what happens INSIDE a condo unit TO THE OWNER, effectively repealing the newly (and WRONGLY) made legislation that makes the association responsible for damage/liability. When did personal responsibility die?
what happened to the bill HB 5511 backed by Sen H. O’Neil and Sen R.Kane anyone? I very much would like to know, Thanks in advance. As a condo owner am I allowed to participate to every board meetings.
I would like to se bill HB5511 PASSED