A wide range of disasters affect a community association’s property, infrastructure, financial stability, and the safety of its residents. Natural disasters that can impact condominium, homeowner (HOA) and townhome community associations include fire, hurricanes, tornados, earthquakes, flooding, wildfires, landslides, and storms. Negligence and accidents can also create or contribute to a disastrous consequence.
This article will address owner education, board member best practices, communication, emergency plans, and more.
Disaster Preparation: Owner Education
Proactively educating community association owners/tenants on risks and preventative best practices can include:
- Safe minimum unit temperatures
- Weather-stripping around windows and doors
- CO2 and smoke detector inspections
- Furnace and chimney cleaning
- Replacing filters (HVAC, dehumidifiers)
- Arranging for inspection of vacant units (ex. seasonal residents)
Disaster Preparation: Board Member Best Practices
Associations should outline board member roles and responsibilities during a potential disaster, ensuring they are prepared to take swift and effective action to protect the community. Also account for the community’s professional team including property management, engineers, contractors, insurance agents, and the association’s attorney.
Effective communication involves maintaining an up-to-date owner census, ensuring owner/tenant contact information is current, and utilizing various channels (ex. association’s website, email alerts, social media) to disseminate important community-related information.
An effective disaster response can include an emergency plan that covers:
- Evacuation procedures
- The use of elevators and stairways
- Regular drills
- A detailed property map
- Designated meeting areas
- Special considerations for elderly or disabled members and pets
- Coordination with local emergency services
For more information, also read “When Disaster Strikes Your Community Association: Property Damage and Risk Assessment” here: https://www.ksnlaw.com/blog/disaster-strikes-community-association-property-damage/
Disaster Preparation: Emergency Powers
Associations can also consider utilizing emergency powers in the event of an immediate emergency (ex. fire, burst pipes) including:
- Allowing access to units in event of emergency
- Facilitate entry to emergency services (ex. firefighters, paramedics, plumbers)
- Conducting emergency repairs to prevent further damage (ex. shutting off water to a burst pipe, securing areas damaged by fire)
Legal Resource
Educating association owners, refining board member protocols, establishing clear communication channels, and rehearsing emergency plans are the cornerstones of a resilient community. These proactive steps can help an association navigate a disaster and safeguard their community’s well-being.
Do not hesitate to contact our law firm if your association has questions regarding the board’s fiduciary duties, association policies, property maintenance responsibilities, or other legal concerns.
Please call 855-537-0500 or visit www.ksnlaw.com.
Since 1983, KSN has been a legal resource for condominium, homeowner, and townhome associations. Additionally, we represent clients in real estate transactions, collections, landlord/tenant issues, and property tax appeals. We represent thousands of clients and community associations throughout the US with offices in several states including Florida, Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin.
Please note the material contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. No attorney-client relationship is established by your review or receipt of the information contained in this article. You should not act on the information discussed in this article without first obtaining legal advice from an attorney duly licensed to practice law in your State. While KSN has made every effort to include up-to-date information in this article, the law can change quickly. Accordingly, please understand that information discussed in this article may not yet reflect the most recent legal developments. Material is not guaranteed to be correct, complete, or up to date. KSN reserves the right to revise or update the information and statements of law discussed in the article law at any time, without notice, and disclaims any liability for your use of information or statements of law discussed on the article, or the accessibility of the article generally. This article may be considered advertising in some jurisdictions under applicable law/s and/or ethical rules/regulations. © 2024 Kovitz Shifrin Nesbit, A Professional Corporation.