we instinctively want to deny the request because their communication is so out of line.

So what does a board do? My recommendation is to consider the request without the ancillary anger. But I also recommend that when the response is sent to the homeowner, the board stresses their desire to remind owners that it is their fiduciary duty to uniformly enforce the rules, consider requests from each owner, and maintain the consistency of the community for everyone’s benefit. Remind owners how difficult it is to receive communications from owners that are filled with vitriol, when the board is volunteering their time for the benefit of the entire community, and on behalf of the entire community.

 line up in opposition to each other. One will gain control of the puck. The faceoff in a community association could be considered to be your hearing for a violation of the rules. WHY is it called a hearing? It is called a hearing,  properly run hearing, or a faceoff in this analogy, the team

that ends up controlling the puck should make sure that the other team understands why it is necessary, has fully listened to the distinct set of circumstances that brought them in control of the puck, and ideally, the other team leaves feeling vindicated on that level. It’s shocking how simple it can be to make an owner feel appreciated, and their circumstances understood, even when we have to ask that they discontinue a particular behavior. When we strive for understanding, the association’s faceoff can end with two happy teams, each acknowledging the association’s role in governance, and each having heard one another’s positions.

Hockey is beloved for a variety of reasons – the fast pace play, the heart of its players and often, for the raw emotion that comes as a result of play. But with community association governance, we need to remember to slow things down a little, remember why each of the teams has their heart in the game, and try to turn raw emotion into a learning experience for both parties.

46 | COMMON INTEREST®

A Publication of CAI-Illinois Chapter