BY: BARBARA SAXTON, CMCA, AMS, PCAM | THE GALMAN GROUP


Managers and board members oen nd themselves dealing with problems that seem more suitable for a kindergarten class than an associaon occupied by adults.


Community associaon members oen have the percepon that the associaon is responsible for everything, including the behavior of the residents. The associaon has rules and regulaons, as well as governing documents, and if these are violated, the associaon, usually through the community manager, has a responsibility to respond. The associaon is not there to arbitrate disputes between neighbors who, for whatever reason, simply can’t get along.


Somemes determining if a violaon exists can be elusive, especially when the complaints concern levels of


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noise. Insisng that a complaint be made in wring helps avoid charges of harassment or discriminaon, and is necessary should the dispute rise to the level of a hearing. A log, nong the mes of day when the noise is excessive, and what kind of noise it is, is very helpful. Somemes this is enough to convince the complainer that they really are being unreasonable. If pung a complaint in wring is “too much trouble”, then the complaint usually is either unfounded or extremely pey.


Some municipalies oer arbitraon for dueling neighbors, as do some private, nonprot enes like churches and other faithbased groups. One manager stopped the pey griping among three neighbors (one above the other) by researching and referring them to a mediaon service oered by a local notfor


prot (they didn’t go but the complaints stopped); in another case, the police, red of responding to dueling stereos, referred their complainers to a mediaon service oered by the municipality (they went – problem solved).


Complaints about underage drinking, drug use, or other criminal acvies must be reported to the police by those making the allegaons. It’s amazing how people will speed dial their management company before they will call 911.


Somemes people just need to vent. Be a sympathec ear, and try to nd something to oer of a posive nature. Always ask if they have spoken with the oending neighbor. Most oen, they have not.


When the noise from a TV or stereo is


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