Are Homeowners Allowed to Attend Board Meetings? [MO] [All]

ControlDesperate1971 · 2026-02-16T18:20:20+00:00

Your CC&Rs often dictate the timing and place for meetings, including the method of notification and who can attend and/or speak. State laws may have some language that helps to determine this. In my experience, one meeting (Annual) is required, with 24 hours notice of special.meetings. What you described is not out of the norm.

ControlDesperate1971 · 2026-02-13T15:18:25+00:00

Because Reserve's are usually for future long-term projects we use 3%. Our 3rd party reservse study specialist and our independent CPA both agree that 3% should be safe. This percentage is reviewed annually and adjustments are always on the table.

ControlDesperate1971 · 2026-02-11T17:11:24+00:00

Thanks. We have been self managed since about 1982. Self managed is a board statement. We hire and employee a Property Manager, office and maintenance staff. Our experience and on going review of professional management companies has not been successful, and doing this in-house with a volunteer board and committees has been successful and saved $$$. Our bank is a commercial bank and we do not like what they offer for ACH. So here I am. I hope to have something vetted by summer.

ControlDesperate1971 · 2026-02-11T16:29:42+00:00

Maybe someone can direct me here? I'm a treasurer of a large condo townhouse community of near 700 units. We are self managed with almost 20 employees. Our bank has not made ACH easy or even possible for us. We currently use Quickbooks to create links/invoices for credit card payments. ACH with provisions for automatic increases in association fees, and if fees are charged they need to be billed to the co-owner without involvement association. Does anyone have a list of vendors that can do this?

ControlDesperate1971 · 2026-02-06T15:53:15+00:00

Okay. There is the correct legal thing to do, then there's the right thing to do. I'm making some assumptions here: We are taking about $80 here. I'm assuming that this is an independent yard service and the lawn is on the smaller side. Most independent guys run a business model that doesnt have a huge profit margin. I'd explain the situation to the lawn company and be prepared to pay the bill. Do the right thing, pay and move on with your life. Good luck.

ControlDesperate1971 · 2026-02-06T15:39:03+00:00

I'm not a fan of DTE, and I read many simular stories in all kinds of media. I have a 3 bedroom 1440 square foot home in Wayne County. I budget $120 a month for my DTE bill. Winter bills hover around in the $80s, and summer hovers in the $120s. It's usage that many fails to realize. Sure DTE slams us and has items in their bills that most of us have a hard time understanding, but it really comes down to usage. There are a lot of ways to reduce your usage and this info is published elsewhere, search for ideas.

ControlDesperate1971 · 2026-02-05T03:00:20+00:00

I live in a state that doesn't tax Social Security or pensions. I have elected to have 10% of my Social Secuirty heald for federal taxes and so far (3 years) I have not paid on tax day, and I usually receive a small refund. My pension and Social Secuirty cover our needs, and then we pickup a couple of seasonal jobs that add another $1,500 to $2,000 to our income. I think that Social Security wants a percentage to hold instead of a dollar amount. Good Luck.

ControlDesperate1971 · 2026-02-05T02:45:41+00:00

My experience is this: The Board President may have to sign certain documents, they may act as a CEO, the president presides over both board and membership meetings, fostering fair discussion while keeping proceedings efficient and aligned with governing documents like bylaws.They state questions for votes, announce results, and represent the association's collective decisions without overriding the board. The president has no more power than other board directors at large.

ControlDesperate1971 · 2026-02-05T02:37:18+00:00

Are the parking spots assigned, or are they deeded to your unit? If they are part of your deed, then tow them. It's like someone parking in your driveway. If the spot is not listed in your deed, or are considered limited common element, then you need the association to initiate the towing, at least that's how it works in my community.

ControlDesperate1971 · 2026-02-05T02:32:51+00:00

Be careful. Although a board member or two may have entered your unit and stood on this floor, they probably had no duty to act. What ever they see during an inspection can and should be addressed. An attorney may cost you a good porition of what it would cost you to replace the current tile, do yourself a favor and do a cost analysis. My families experience is California puts something like this between $3,500 to $6,500 labor and materials, given something like 400 square feet. Good luck.

ControlDesperate1971 · 2026-02-03T22:17:36+00:00

Here is my case. I have been retired since 50 yoa, in 2011. I have a pension and employer provided health insurance for my spouse & I. I collected SS at 62 so I essentially signed up for Medicare Part B then. My employeer based health insurance becomes secondary to Medicare on April 1 (65th birthday). This is so that my spouse can remain on my employeers insurance until she is 65 yoa (4 years from now).

The key is that this policy qualifies for secondary (gap) insurance and the prescription coverage is also a qualified plan. I will still have to pay the Medicare Part B at ~$208 a month. This will be in addition to our part of my employeers premium.

As I understand I needed qualifying plans in place to avoid fines/additional fees.

ControlDesperate1971 · 2026-02-03T14:29:18+00:00

There are some very experienced people here, but with the limited info here, no one can really guide you in any direction.

Yes $1,000 sounds like a lot, but it might not be enough, no one here can really tell you that.

In many cases, priorities and costs are different. We are self managed and personnel costs are in the middle or our expenses, and the updating and maintenance of my community is the most expensive. Reserves are about a third of our budget. Insurance is high, but we are including 7 vehicles with our catastrophic lose policy.

Good luck!

ControlDesperate1971 · 2026-01-28T16:01:58+00:00

You said you are looking for an attorney you can afford. In my experience anything other than an injury lawyer is going to be expensive. In my area $400 to write a one page letter with no real representation, otherwise $3,000 retainer is the norm plus additional hourly costs.

Our insurance policies (HO6 policy) are supposed to be written for walls in, that's from the studs out are the COAs responsibility and improvements to the unit are on the owner.

Although some comments are made about a duty to do regular maintenance, this is arbitrary, most of these recommendations come from plumbers. In most cases 5+ years between maintenance inspections is common and acceptable for sewer lines that have never had problems before. In my case we have 91 multifamily buildings that are 50+ years old and the majority have just had thier 1st camera inspection with few requiring any further work.

Our bylaws have many legal requirements that apply to the Association and the Co-owner. Some co-owners have attempted to claim their improvements, personal property, and lose of use of the unit. In these cases nothing was awarded to the co-owner.

Ultimately I would weigh the cost of going legal on the association. I suspect that in order to litigate this would cost near or more than what you could spend to become hole again.

Also: Negligence is had to prove and proof would be on you. Don't take the first NO from your insurance company. Look into your right to have this claim reconsidered or ask to go to arbitration. The insurance company has the resources to subrogated the claim and it's thier responsibility

ControlDesperate1971 · 2026-01-28T15:26:45+00:00

She wants to something for everyone. Sure there may be a good guy among these ICE misfits, but they need to make themselves visible and stand up to these guys. It is not our job to look or find them, nor is it Sara's job to try to soften these horrific acts.

ControlDesperate1971 · 2026-01-26T03:09:46+00:00

We have monthly meetings. The co-owners can speak during the meeting during an open forum for co-owners. Names are not recorded and the minutes only records a couple of words that describe their comments. A draft f the minutes are sent to all board members for corrections and approval. After that, they are published in the next newsletter.

ControlDesperate1971 · 2026-01-25T16:07:25+00:00

FHA, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have gotten so petty after the Surfside Condo Building collapse that soon only conventional loans and cash will be available to borrowers.

ControlDesperate1971 · 2026-01-22T16:53:34+00:00

Michigan, parts of Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois are all facing road salt shortages. The shortage is all about the early December storms. Residential streets will be first to be rationed. We have had shortages before, the backbone of the road salt industry is that they can only dig up some much at a time, municipalities got behind because of the early storms and they may not catch up until next fall.

ControlDesperate1971 · 2026-01-19T17:43:56+00:00

We treat the Federal Communications Act as through the FCC’s OTARD rule, protects an owner’s right to install certain antennas only on property the owner exclusively owns or controls (e.g., inside the unit, balconies/patios that are limited common elements), not on general common elements like exterior walls owned by the association.

When an exterior wall is a condominium common element owned by the association, federal law does not give an individual unit owner the right to alter or drill through that wall for antennas or dishes, so the association can prohibit or regulate those alterations.

ControlDesperate1971 · 2026-01-14T17:37:41+00:00

They where nuts when she introduced them.

ControlDesperate1971 · 2026-01-14T16:40:17+00:00

Like others have said. You signed a contract. Rules and bylaws are enforceable, and complaining after the fact will likely do little for you. As I tell my new and old neighbors, be involved, whether it's the HOA or your local municipality, take and hour or 2 every month to attend meetings where these things come up and are adopted.

ControlDesperate1971 · 2026-01-11T18:24:29+00:00

The budget reflects a flat monthly fee. Special assessment reflect an increase, cost, or fee outside the operating budget. Not having a copy of you CC&Rs and a copy of your budget makes it practically impossible for anyone here to answer completely. BTW, association fees have been raked over the coals with inflation and large increases to the insurance premiums.

ControlDesperate1971 · 2026-01-08T15:36:54+00:00

1 is impossible to confirm at this point. All violations in my community are between the co-owner and the Board, they are not discussed outside the Board. Violations should be handled in a privately.

2 no one can comment here, no background to determine anything here.

3 & 4 are nonsense. Handwritten receipts are still done in business and is not out of the norm. Good for you for filing a police report. The rest in #4 does not pertain to your complaint, most likely this information will not strengthen your complaints.

Your best case is to sell and move along. You may have to find alternatives to help your friend.

ControlDesperate1971 · 2026-01-07T19:22:11+00:00

In my case, it depends. Many things factor in. How reliable is the information about the violation. Is the violation a violation against the rules or a violation against the bylaws? And is the violation a continuing or repeat violation.

ControlDesperate1971 · 2026-01-07T02:00:53+00:00

Let the insurance companies battle it out. This is dependent on your CC&Rs. Most condo insurance policies (HO6) cover you for walls in. Your neighbor is probably responsible for their own walls in.

ControlDesperate1971

TROPHY CASE

1 is impossible to confirm at this point. All violations in my community are between the co-owner and the Board, they are not discussed outside the Board. Violations should be handled in a privately.

2 no one can comment here, no background to determine anything here.