To Self-manage Or Not To Self-manage

To self-manage or not to self-manage? Now that IS a question. And it is a question only the Board can answer after much consideration and honest reflection. Let’s face it, as volunteers, you do not get paid to manage the Association. Managing an Association is hard work. Some Associations can pull off self-management without any issues, but many have trouble and create problems for themselves when they do.

When considering self-management, you need to take a good, long, hard look at the board members and answer honestly if you have the time, energy, the will and the right people to self -manage. It is important and vital to the Association that records are kept properly. From minutes, to assessment payment records, to enforcement proceedings, to budgets, to contracts and bids, and owner information and complaints. Records must be carefully kept to keep the Association from facing liability. It’s a big job and someone has to do it. Do you have people who are willing to undertake that challenge?

The Board members will be the “go-to” people for the members when they have complaints or repair requests, or better yet, for the emergency calls in the middle of the night. The Board members have to be willing to undertake that responsibility.

It is also even more important for a self-managed board to educate themselves as much as possible. This means education on your own governing documents and rules, as well as Ohio law that covers your association. It is important that you educate yourselves as much as possible so that you can recognize potential issues as they arise.

Even more important is to remain neutral and even handed when it comes to management and enforcement. You cannot become lax in your duties because you like your neighbor and don’t want to bug them about their improper shed or their unpaid assessment. If you don’t want to pay a property manager to do these things, you must be willing to do them yourself.

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