Our current HOA board of directors decided to manage our pool facility rather than hiring a property management firm. By doing so, the HOA board has indicated to the homeowners that they have saved the association thousands of dollars.

I and other homeowners thought the HOA board volunteered to save the association money compared to an outside property management service.

Certain HOA board and spouses and friends are compensating themselves for the services provided and claim they are not.

Can the board members (in particular, the board president and vice president, their spouses, etc.) be compensated for their management services?  Can the HOA board president do this?

What actions can the homeowners take to address this issue? I believe there is no mention of compensation in the HOA bylaws. I also believe that our HOA association may not have HOA rules and regulations in place. At least, I have never seen a copy.

There has also been other questionable spending habits by this HOA board, such as using funds for restaurant board meetings, sandwiches and treats, giving bonus dollars to pool attendants and friends that volunteer, etc.

What measures can we take to stop these practices?

Our condo association consists of 10 townhouses classified as condos. Each of the upper decks need work some estimated at $1200 and others $4300. All of us are willing to pay the estimate to fix each individually with the contractor.

The president says because we are a condo association we have to divide it equally at $3,400 ...each all paying the same. All of us were in agreement to pay the amount individually.

How do we do a special assessment of each unit to make the repairs paying the contractor for the work done to his/her own unit and not a blanket assessment all parts being equal? Shouldn't we do a special assessment so units are charges their proportioned amount?  Anyone dealt with this before?

At our annual condo association meeting in August, the condo board presented the next year's association budget. We have 32 owners. The income was $23,000 more than the expenses. The board said this excess will be added to our "savings" to be available for "whatever may come up."

All of our roofing needs to be replaced in 5-7 years. (In 2007 the estimate for that was $88,000.) No estimate was given for that future cost. I wanted a reserve account set up for this. This board said no.

The condo board does not want to "tie up" our savings in any reserve accounts specified for any particular purpose. Our master condo association insurance policy deductible is increasing from $1,000 to $10,000. The condo board wants to be sure money is available in case there is a loss. I wanted to see a reserve account set up for this. The board said no.

We have not had a reserve study done since 1994 either professionally or on our own. I don't want my savings floating around with no purpose so the board can spend it on anything they want without telling the owners first. Do other condo associations have one or many more specified reserve accounts, and if so, what are they designated for? (We do have two months worth of operating expenses set up in a separate designated CD account as per our Bylaws, so at least we have done that right.)

I have been trying to get copies of my condo association financials including the condo association budget and monthly statements from our condo board and property management firm. They continue to ignore me. Please tell me where I can find my rights as a condo association member.  Some of us are holding back our condo fees. One of the board members is managing the place with his daughter controling the money. Now crazy spending on trees etc with nothing being done about the leaking roofs. Please tell me how I can get a copy or report these dishonest people.

I am an owner of a condo unit but not on the condo association board. I am worried that our developer will never pay his back condo association dues from the units he owns and rents ( a considerable amount) extending to the condo association. The developer formed a shell corporation from which we bought our condo. (We assume that all owners in our condo building had the same experience.)

The condo association board seems scared to take any action in the fear that the shell corporation will go bankrupt. With proxies, the shell corp. has control of the voting for condo board members. Any suggestions for action?

Our condo association just had our developer transition after many unsucessful attempts to get quorum.

Although most everything is ok with the condo units themselves, the developer cut corners on asphalt and concrete. Our asphalt drives are sinking and developing huge cracks and potholes, beginning at only 2-3 years old.

In addition, concrete sidwalks and porches are severely pitted and/or laminating where large flat pieces are crumbling off the tops. Several have more missing concrete than remaining. One townhouse has had its entire front porch break away from the building and slowly sliding away, others have their sidewalks sinking. This subdivision is only 3-6 years old, but this has been ongoing for years.

The matter was addressed with the condo developer previously and they made some insufficient patches. We had a civil engineer look at our dilemma and as for the common drives, he estimated that the asphalt is less than 2" (closer to 1") thick, and poured on ground that was not properly prepared.

Illinois has a 10 year structural construction defect law. Does this apply to asphalt and concrete? Do we have any legal recourse to go after the builder on these issues?

How can a condo association enforce owner occupancy requirements in today's economic circumstances?

Owners may need to go else where to seek employment so they can pay their mortgage and condo fees. I personally relocated with my job and I am unable to sell the condo because the value has depreciated to less than 50% of what I owe on the mortgage. My complex has a huge rate of foreclosures as well.

Can the condo board force me to quit my job out of state and return to my condo to find a new job becaue they may not approve my Mother to occupy the condo for me? This is so silly, this owner occupany requirement is doing more harm than good.

When establishing the proper reserves for a condo association, do condo associations or HOAs generally assume the future cost is equal to the current cost and that investment income will cover inflation or should the condo association inflate the base price and reserve for that?