Code Red Water Drive

The newly created PDS Philanthropic Board is announcing the first opportunity to give back to our community: The Code Red Water Drive

We are teaming up the Phoenix Rescue Mission to bring water to the homeless during the HOT Phoenix summer.

Did you know?

In extreme heat our bodies need 4 liters of water a day, twice the normal amount.
In 2015 at least 56 people died from heat related deaths.
The Phoenix Mission started their Code Red program with the goal to bring that number down to 0.
In 2016 there were 2 heat related deaths.

Starting Monday May 1st, 2017 we will be collecting water bottle donations here in our Peoria, AZ office. Spread the word!

We have an online link for monetary donations. Please pass it on to your HOA Boards and Communities: Link to Phoenix Rescue Mission

More information will be coming. Be sure to check the PDS website in the next few weeks for some exciting ways to get involved.

Thank you,
Your PDS Philanthropic Board

May 1, 2017 by Courtney Schwartzel/Building Community, HOA Neighborhood Watch Group

Why Your HOA Needs a Written Collections Policy

Some Homeowners Associations are lucky enough to have minimal collections concerns. However some, are constantly dealing the delinquency of homeowners falling behind on dues. No matter where your HOA sits on this spectrum, it is vital for your community to have a written collection policy documented for the HOA, and a managing partner to handle the day-to-day tasks.

Why Your HOA Needs a Written Collections Policy in Place

A written HOA collections policy partially removes the HOA board from having to manage the day-to-day aspects of collecting dues (by delegating to their managing partner) allowing the board to act impartially with their homeowners. Board members can not give leniency to friends in the neighborhood, or vice versa, act harshly with community members they may dislike. Think about this, if you know some of your neighbors personally or see them on a regular basis, do you really want to be the one in charge of collecting past due balances from them?

A written collections policy, in addition to a managing partner, makes the process easier for the HOA board and ensures all homeowners are treated fairly.

Additionally, without a written collection policy, the board may not recall the precedents set with each new collections scenario, forcing them to dig up records of how they’ve handled other past-due assessments, in order to make a decision on present collection situations. And what if they can’t find record? Now we have a situation with no precedent being followed at all.

How to Create an HOA Collections Policy

First, we suggest you review our 5 Ways to Ruin Your Collections Process blog, which gives our top five big “no-no’s” for HOA collections policies and procedures.

Next, contact your Planned Development Services Community Manager and an Arizona Collections Attorney, to make sure you follow the correct process according to Arizona law for collections.

Many times, it is impossible for a policy to cover every circumstance, but your new HOA collections policy should be able to address frequently-encountered scenarios. Your Community Manager (and attorney) will create a list of questions for you to review. Once your board has decided and agreed on the responses, a formal collections policy can be drafted and approved at your next HOA board meeting.

Once the HOA collection policy is in place, the board’s involvement in regular collections actions is minimized, leaving more time to accomplish other community goals and projects.

While a collections policy can’t keep your homeowners from falling behind on payments, having a firmly documented plan for how past-due assessments will be addressed, will allow the HOA to collect those fees sooner and with higher success. Regardless of a homeowner’s individual financial circumstances, it isn’t fair to the rest of the community that pays on time, to end up paying more to cover expenses and attorney fees incurred because of a delinquent payer.

March 25, 2017 by Courtney Schwartzel/Beginners Guide for Rookie Board Members, HOA Accounting, HOA Law

5 Free Activities for Arizona Water Conservation Fun

Unless you live under a rock, you know that water is a serious subject in Arizona. The availability and quality of our water supply is vital to our quality of life. This precious resource was recognized by Arizona’s Governor in 2008 with an Executive Order that designates April as Water Awareness Month.

In our Arizona HOA communities, we should always be discussing and encouraging awareness of about this precious resource on a local community level.

We have culled this list of free tools for parents, so teaching at home is quick, easy and fun. There’s also some “lead by example” tools for you at the end! Be sure to check those out.

5 Free Activities for Arizona Water Conservation Fun:

The Arizona Department of Water Resources has a couple free downloads you can print right from home! Download them here.

The US Environmental Protection Agency offers some fun, at-home tools for water conservation. Move the water-efficiency hero Flo through water pipes and answer water-efficiency questions while avoiding water-wasting monsters! Here’s the quick link to Flo’s Water Efficiency Game.

Try out Thirstin’s Water Cycle activity experiment! All you need is a jar, some water, and a little bit of time to spend with your kiddo talking about water!

One of our favorite websites, The Water Use it Wisely website, has an entire section dedicated to KIDS! Play interactive games like Water Busters with fun characters like Phil Dumpster and Bert the Salmon from Seattle.

As always, lead by example! The Water Awareness Month website has a calendar layout for a water conservation task you can do at home each day. A perfect way to show your children what you are doing for their future, and water conservation for Arizona.

Please visit our previous article Best Arizona HOA Resources for Water Conservation & Allotments for more HOA specific information.

March 25, 2017 by Courtney Schwartzel/Building Community, HOA Spring Landscaping, Rights and Responsibilities

Best Arizona HOA Resources for Water Conservation & Allotments

Sure, April is known for taxes, but the Grand Canyon State also spends this month celebrating the most precious of resources – WATER – with Arizona Water Awareness Month!

Make sure your Arizona HOA community stays smart, sustainable, and responsible with these water conservation and allotment resources:

Arizona Water Awareness Month (waterawarenessmonth.com): The official website of this holiday is full to the brim with news, tips, and special events all centered on building awareness of water’s value – this month, and every day.
Arizona Municipal Water Users Association (www.amwua.org): The nonprofit Arizona Municipal Water Users Association (AMWUA) has four-plus decades of experience in helping to “provide assured, safe, and sustainable water supplies” to local communities. “Residents and businesses play an important role in helping to manage water supplies sustainably,” according to AMWUA. “Converting to drought-tolerant landscaping, learning how to water landscape plants correctly, and changing out old fixtures and appliances with WaterSense labeled models now will start saving water and money that much sooner.” Check out their page for a host of resources for homes, businesses, and landscaping, as well as details on informative public meetings in Arizona.
The City of Scottsdale (http://www.scottsdaleaz.gov/water/home-owners-associations-multifamily-residences): “The HOA’s water use in December, January and February determines the sewer fees for the next year,” says Scottsdale’s website, which includes more helpful tips, including information on water rebate programs.
The Water Use It Wisely Campaign (wateruseitwisely.com): The Water Use it Wisely Campaign offers terrific resources – one of our favorites is the 100+ Ways to Conserve, tips and (free) colorful, downloadable posters that can be shared with homeowners and community members on social media or displayed throughout the community.
Arizona Department of Water Resources (azwater.gov): This government site, dedicated to “securing Arizona’s water future,” might just be the best place to understand laws and policies related to water use and conservation, including an interactive timeline map of the state’s water management efforts.

March 20, 2017 by Courtney Schwartzel/Common and Exclusive Areas, HOA Spring Landscaping

2017 Top Ten List on Arizona Open Meeting Law

Here it is! The list you’ve all been waiting for! We have compiled the absolute “need to know” bullet points about Open Meeting Law for Arizona Homeowners Associations.

Arizona Open Meeting Law is in place to protect the health of the homeowners association, by protecting members from being excluded and deterring any “secret” decision making by the HOA Board.
The law requires the homeowners association has at least one meeting a year, and take place in the State of Arizona.
All meetings of the homeowners association, board of directors, and regular committee meetings are open to all members of the association (notwithstanding any provision in the association documents).
As long as it is in writing, a member may send any person they designate, to the meeting as their representative
The homeowners association must give at least 48 hours advance notice of the meeting date, time, and place. The information can be posted by newsletter, conspicuous posting or other reasonable means.
Persons attending the meeting may tape or video record any portions they wish, during an open meeting.
A portion of the meeting can be closed, only if it meets criteria of an executive session.
The agenda of the meeting shall be available to all members attending.
An emergency meeting of the HOA Board may be called only to discuss business or take action that can not wait until next regularly scheduled meeting (minutes must be recorded and read at next regularly scheduled open meeting).
Any quorum of the HOA Board that meets informally to discuss association business, shall comply with the open meeting and notice provisions, without regard to whether the HOA Board votes or takes any action, on any matter, in the informal meeting.

Thank you Mulcahy Law Firm for contribution to this blog article. Please share our “Top Ten List on Arizona Open Meeting Law” with your HOA Board! Download Mulcahy Law Firm’s detailed Community Association Cheat Sheet on this topic, here.

February 8, 2017 by Courtney Schwartzel/Beginners Guide for Rookie Board Members, HOA Board Meetings, HOA Directory and Officer Liability

I Don’t Know My HOA Board. So What?

If you are like any one of us, it’s tough to put down the smart phone or tablet after a long day of work. And it sure doesn’t take long to find any article, whether in mainstream media or self published bloggers, to discover the staggering statistics of how more and more we are disconnected with one another. The importance of that dwindling connection however, continues to grow.

Now apply this specifically to your HOA. When a problem arises in the HOA, we typically think “our HOA board will handle it.” Which is true, in part.

Situations will arise, such as consistent vandalism to common areas and theft or break-in’s in the neighborhood, that impact everyone in the HOA (of course we hope this doesn’t happen, but it could). If there’s a certain problem everyone in the community is experiencing, change can come easily when there is strength in numbers. The more you can communicate with residents, the more effective problem solving occurs, thus you may achieve more as a group, when approaching the HOA board for change or a solution.

Conversely, get to know your HOA Board and how it functions! If you are not going to understand how the HOA board functions and makes decisions, then you should expect frustration ahead.

For example, you may have a personal property issue such as a violation or fine. Maybe you are waiting for approval of an architectural request to build an Arizona room off your home. If you understand how the board functions, and how and why fines are assessed, you can avoid problems and fines. By having a good relationship with the management you’ll be able to get things approved much easier! Your HOA Board is on stand by to be responsive and answer questions, so get to know them.

We hope you found this Arizona HOA Blog helpful about increasing connections in your HOA. Stay tuned as we send our next series on tips for introducing and maintaining those connections! Subscribe to our monthly newsletter here.

November 14, 2016 by Courtney Schwartzel/Uncategorized

How Well Did You Communicate The HOA Rule?

Every HOA has rules. Every HOA Board has to create rules, and get compliance from community members.

Seems easy, right? Usually never.

Why? Because communication falls through or falls flat.

Hopefully, when HOA rules are written they are not overly intrusive to begin with. But, more importantly they are clearly communicated. When the rule is made, explaining the NEED for it and the GOAL for having it, can go a long way towards encouraging support and compliance from residents in the HOA.

Here’s some other vital steps your Arizona HOA Board should take when creating, then communicating, rules:

1) Before a new rules is introduced, the HOA board should always solicit member input. This tactic reduces the likelihood of challenge, but also encourages those HOA connections between residents and board members.

2) Consider the best medium for communicating the rule, and cover many bases! Don’t just send it in a letter. Post it on your website, newsletter, social media pages, include discussion in meetings (if applicable). You could even post signs in common areas before the new rules are in affect!

3) When it comes to effective communication, less is more. Avoid long winded communications that involve emotion or illicit some type of reaction. Without a careful selection of words, communications can be misinterpreted or ignored. Remember, that in some cases, the audience reading the new rule you’ve so carefully articulated, may have prejudice towards the writer, so keep this in mind! #knowyouraudience

As many Arizona HOA Boards are running board elections during the last quarter of the year, this is a great refresher for veterans, and great advice for the new board members who may be challenged with communicating their first “new” rule or “rule change” this year.

October 25, 2016 by Courtney Schwartzel/Beginners Guide for Rookie Board Members, HOA Board Meetings, Uncategorized

HOA Budgets – The Right Way (An Insiders Guide)

It’s that time again. BUDGETS. Arizona HOA Management Company, Planned Development Services, starts the upcoming year budgets, in August (of the preceding year).

Planned Development Services works in tandem with our Arizona HOA boards on their upcoming budgets. Here’s an inside look at the steps we follow, so you can prepare your HOA and understand the concepts and process thoroughly.

Step 1: Review this year’s January through June income and expense, plus the last 2 years income and expense items to track trends. Be careful to note line items that are higher or lower than previous and or current year.

Step 2: Contact vendors and contractors to inquire about contract or materials increases forecasted for the upcoming year. Here are some typical contractors/vendors: Landscape Maintenance, Tot Lot Maintenance, Insurance, Swimming Pool and Spa Maintenance, Parking Lot/Asphalt Sweeping Service, and Entrance Gate Maintenance Service.

Step 3: Contact utility providers to inquire: APS, SRP, City Water provider, trash pickup services if this is included on the HOA budget. (PDS handles this for our communities. If you are self-managed you may have to contact providers).

Step 4: What are the community’s needs and wants. i.e. Do the common areas need renovating and refurbishing? Do the community members want more social events? Factor in the cost for upcoming projects and community extras, such as a “Movie In The Park” and other social events.

Next, start the annual budget with the income anticipated for the year. It is not recommended that income from fines or fees is included in the budget as these items are volatile and are difficult to quantify, or predict.

Lastly, allocate for Reserves Contributions. The Reserves Contribution allocation will be identified in the Reserves Study (PDS provides our communities with their Reserve Studies, so that the HOA board is able to make informed decisions for construction projects, upgrades and renovations to common areas).

HOA Income, minus HOA expenses, should equal zero. If not, the HOA budget will need to be revised. If there is a budget shortfall, an increase in assessments may be necessary. If there is a budget overage, Reserves Contributions may be increased with the anticipation of future common area renovations.

And that’s all! Ready to get started? Your PDS team will be working with your Arizona HOA board soon!

*If you are a self-managed community and would like assistance with budgets, visit our Accounting page to learn more about our services*

July 27, 2016 by Courtney Schwartzel/Beginners Guide for Rookie Board Members, Common and Exclusive Areas, HOA Accounting

Help! How Do I Fix our HOA Volunteer Burn-Out?

“Looks like you’ve been missing a lot of work lately.”

“I wouldn’t say I’ve been MISSING it, Bob.”

The exchange between a by-the-book HR consultant and burned-out employee in 1999’s cult classic “Office Space” may be one of the best illustrations of burnout in recent cinematic history.

And though the movie brings laughs, it’s only funny because it’s so relatable: Who hasn’t experienced that all-too familiar feeling defined by Merriam-Webster as the “exhaustion of physical or emotional strength or motivation usually as a result of prolonged stress or frustration?”

It’s funny to see on the big screen, but the issue can be serious – particularly for any organization that relies on volunteer effort, like your HOA board.

Once you start seeing red flags of burnout in a volunteer – like a lack of engagement or communication, increased absenteeism at meetings and special events, an apathetic attitude towards board work, and/or incomplete tasks and responsibilities – in a single board member or the entire group, it’s time to take action.

The first step to fixing the problem is starting a positive, constructive dialogue with the board member/s in question. Keep some of these tips in mind during your discussion:

Find out if they’re looking for a new challenge. The board member in question may be interested in serving but have grown bored with his or her current roles and responsibilities, especially if the volunteer has been in the same position for some time. Find out if they are looking for new, different challenges and responsibilities.
Be open and adaptable. It’s possible that a burned-out board member may have some frustrations to air, or even construction criticism on how the HOA board operates. Be willing to hear his or her concerns, and open to change or evolution when appropriate. Perhaps your board could work on better defining its goals, vision, and expectations – both now and for future volunteers.
Ensure that you are respecting boundaries and schedules. Volunteers have full, busy, and active lives outside of their responsibilities on the HOA board. Make sure that the board is not asking an unreasonable amount from current volunteer board members.
Consider recruiting. If there is simply too much work shared by too few people, it may be time to launch a recruitment effort among your homeowners’ association.

Burnout in your HOA leadership can be avoided – start the conversation! In case you missed our previous blog, please review “How To Recognize Volunteer HOA Board Burn-Out” to start proactive measures.

July 25, 2016 by Courtney Schwartzel/Beginners Guide for Rookie Board Members, HOA Board Meetings

How To Recognize Volunteer HOA Board Burn-Out

It would be hard to overstate the importance of volunteerism: it’s quite simply how a lot of work gets done, from large, national programs to smaller and more localized organizations. According to the National Corporation for National and Community Service in a 2015 report, “over the past 13 years, Americans volunteered 105.9 billion hours, estimated to be worth $2.1 trillion.”

That’s a significant amount of value, but it’s probably no surprise to HOA board members. You know what’s required to run an efficient, ethical, and effective homeowners association with a board made up entirely of people who donate their time to the cause.

Because of that, it’s disheartening – maybe a little scary – when you suspect a fellow board member may be burning out.

Do you know how to recognize some of the red flags of HOA board member volunteer burnout?

Absence: Is the board member – typically one with a history of solid attendance – beginning to consistently miss meetings and other board events? (This does, to clarify, not apply if the board member is going through work, family, or other temporary life circumstances that they have mentioned to the board.)
Lack of engagement: Does the board member suddenly seem uninterested or mentally and emotionally distant during meetings, particularly if he/she has been involved and engaged previously?
Avoiding communication with board members: Is the individual unresponsive to phone calls, emails, or other requests to communicate?
Incomplete tasks: Does the board member have a reputation of seeing tasks through, and executing them well, but recently become unreliable or unable to finish responsibilities?
Apathy: This might be described as a general attitude of “meh”- does the board member seem to approach his or her board responsibilities with the equivalent of a shoulder shrug?

If you notice these or other signs of concern, it’s possible you’re dealing with a case of volunteer burnout with the board member in question. The good news is that there are things you can do to combat burnout, and retain the volunteers that are valued and vital to your board. Follow our Arizona HOA PDS blog in the coming weeks for ideas on how to deal with burnout!