Thursday, September 28, 2006

Condo and townhouse boards must enforce bylaws and rules or change them

One of the hardest things boards of directors of home owners associations have to do is enforce their condo and townhouse home owners associations' bylaws and rules.

It is just uncomfortable to enforce some rules. Others are pretty easy to enforce.

This brings up the question, what does a board do about rules that its members don't feel like enforcing?

Bite the bullet and enforce the rules, sue people and make people mad, regardless.

Or change the rules?

Why change the rules? If a board member feels a rule is unenforceable or shouldn't be enforced, the board should consider eliminating the rule.

Why not change a rule? Two reasons come to mind.

You enforce a rule because the rule involves safety and you enforce the rule that is essential to maintaining the appearance and the value of the community.