When Community Association Elections Go Too Far CONDOGATE By: Magazine Committee Staff Writer
What Is It About The Simple Process Of Anf
of leaders, at any level of governance, that turns perfectly normal people into extraordinary zealots? It’s easy to think about partisanship and loyalties at the national, state and municipal level. Every day, and particularly in an American presidential election year, we are bombarded with stories related to elections, polls and campaigns, and stories on the merits and detriments of candidates.
Election...
While we might choose to ban political discussions from the dinner table, refuse to participate in the office water cooler chat, and eschew social media until an election is over, it may be argued there is one type of election that has more impact on our immediate quality of lives than any other: the inescapable and often dreaded homeowners association election. If you live in a condominium association, a townhouse community, a single-family homeowners association or a planned urban
42 | COMMON INTEREST®
development, there are homeowners that will somehow, someway and someday be elected to govern our lives at the most basic level of home ownership. You will be voting for your neighbors, or your neighbors may be voting for you, to make decisions on everything related to your home’s common property; everything from the color of the common hallway carpeting, to the selection of tulips over daffodils, or approval of a multi-million dollar elevator modernization or exterior renovation. What happens if or when the association electioneering and campaigning go too far? One high-rise condominium unwittingly provided a case study on the question. Real names have been omitted from this article in order to protect the guilty.
The Wonderland Condominium Association Was Seemingly
A Relatively Normal Place... After a few decades with the same management company and a relatively consistent cast of property managers, the Wonderland board made a thoughtful decision to make some changes in an effort to address certain deficiencies and improve building life. The six-person board of directors was a mix of long-time residents, all of whom were truly committed to the best interests of the community.
A Publication of CAI-Illinois Chapter
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