As design styles and resident types change, the common area may need to change with it, so the property stays relevant. For instance, a lobby area for a building built in 1950 may not be fitting for 2020. Other scenarios could be that it doesn't make sense to have a pink building because it makes the building feel dated. While many Boards feel overwhelmed with the thought of getting 75% of the owners on board, to make such a change, it boils down to the strategy and approach you put together.

Communication is key to any project's success, so before you dig yourself into a rabbit hole, I would suggest you send a survey to the residents.  In the study, you can ask questions that will give the board an idea of the interest that exists.  Something as simple as "The Board is considering changing the color of the building, would you like to see the color change?

"As a tip, I would strongly urge you to do the online survey with an online voting platform.  Most online voting companies provide the survey feature at no additional cost. One of the significant benefits is that as the owners complete their survey, they can opt into online voting.  Hence you will be prepared to take the votes online should the material alteration idea come together.

"A picture is worth a thousand words and a video is worth a one point eight million words." As an example, we recently took on an association in Ft. Lauderdale, where the committee and board did a fantastic job presenting all the changes. They wanted to change the color of the building, and they decided to upgrade all the common areas and lobbies as well.  They obtained the buy-in by presenting the owner with storyboards of the materials they would be using. They even created a YouTube video that reflected what all the upgrades would look like once completed. Because of these efforts, they obtained the votes needed to make these significant changes.   

Do keep in mind that Section 718.113(2)(a), Florida Statutes, requires 75% of the total voting interests to approve a material alteration unless the declaration provides an alternative approval method/standard. Many condominium association declarations contain a provision that explicitly establishes a unit owner approval standard for material alterations to the common elements. However, other documents allow material alterations to be approved by the board as long as it doesn't exceed a specific dollar amount.  You must consult with your attorney throughout your process and have them prepare an opinion letter outlining the steps your association must take to have such material alterations approved.

In closing, projects take time for them to come together, and you must understand that.  You can't allow the small obstacles to get you tripped up because the long-term benefits will outweigh all of that.  As such, it's essential to have the right partners in place, so the board's objectives are accomplished.