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EDUCATION
SAVES MONEY!
By
Jan Bergemann
Published
November 16, 2012
We
hear daily about the need for good education – and we
taxpayers are constantly being asked to pay more taxes for the
education of our kids.
So,
why is it that our
Florida
legislators are unwilling to create the necessary legislative
provisions to require education for HOA board members? Let’s
make no mistake: Most homeowners voted into such a position of
power have not the slightest idea how to deal with the daily
issues of managing a homeowners’ association. Many of these
board members (and owners) are not experienced business folks
who have no problem dealing with million-dollar budgets. Not
even considering that there are quite a few bad guys willing to
enrich themselves, many well-meaning board members cost their
neighbors lots of money – caused by their ignorance and lack
of knowledge about the rules and regulations that govern these
community associations.
KNOWLEDGE
IS POWER – and
can save lots of money. Lots of association funds are wasted
daily in
Florida
’s community associations because board members don’t
understand the basics of running such a business.
Already
in 2001 we had tried to push for mandatory education of these
owners who are responsible for the financial welfare of their
neighbors. Many good proposals were rejected, proposals that
wouldn’t have cost the board members/owners a dime. PBS was
willing to create a series of 30-minute segments about HOA
education to be aired on their networks. But The Powers That Be
rather opted to give an education contract worth $500,000 (from
the Condo Trust Fund) to the CAI (Community Associations
Institute) – the trade organization of the community
association service providers, an obviously biased education
provider.
Over
the years many good proposals for education were rejected in
Tallahassee
. The opponents fighting our suggestions were always the same:
Service providers who are obviously under the impression that it
is easier to fleece the associations if they are run by people
who have no clue what they are doing.
In
my opinion the only motive to fight education of board members
is greed. There is no other explanation to fight against the
education of board members! Over the years we have often
discussed why certain people are so adamant about fighting
education for HOA board members. After an especially frustrating
session in
Tallahassee
one of our CCFJ members suggested that one of the most outspoken
opponents of education was just afraid that his book wouldn’t
sell so well, if good board member education were easily
available.
With
our economy and Florida’s real estate market in limbo it is
more important than ever before to create mandatory education
for the board members -- owners should participate in this
education system as well. In many associations money is scarce
and every penny saved helps to overcome the budget deficits
caused by non-payment of dues and foreclosures. Education surely
helps to save money!
Education
for condo owners (required since 2010) has been a huge success.
The many seminars providing education for condo board members
are always well attended – and despite the fact that these
seminars are aimed at condo association law (FS 718) we have
seen many HOA board members and owners participating – eager
to learn the basics of community association rules and
regulations, even if there are still no education requirements
for HOA board members.
Why
are our
Florida
legislators still allowing a few special interest folks to kill
attempts to create education options for the board members of
HOAs? Too much money involved in fleecing the owners of about
2.5 million homes located in
Florida
’s homeowners’ associations?
It’s
about time to change the legislative requirement of HOA
education in 2013. 2.5 million homeowners deserve better than to
be left in the dark when it comes to knowing the rules and
regulations that govern their daily lives!
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