A community association gives its members the power to communicate effectively with property managers and homeowners associations. A community association is a collection of generally like-minded homeowners, property owners, and renters who share a geographic area and often live in the same neighborhood. Many live in the same housing development and formed a community association to provide residents with a unified voice.
A community association has more power than individual residents would raise issues with a formal community management company or other organization in charge of where they live. For example, 60 percent of property management personnel say their tenants desire fitness centers and pools among local amenities. A community association is the kind of organization that can help to make those kinds of desires become realities for local residents.
No Elected Members or Leaders
A community association is very different than a homeowners association (HOA). An HOA has elected leaders and board members who have some authority over local residents in the geographic area that the HOA controls. An HOA could establish common areas, rules for property appearance, and hire a community management company to oversee residential properties and help to enforce HOA codes.
A community association does not have a formal structure. There are no elected members of leaders. And the community association does not create or enforce local housing codes and similar issues. Instead, the community association is a counterbalance to the power of the HOA and gives residents the ability to present a unified front regarding important matters that might arise.
Address Many Issues that Affect Residents
The community association derives its power from the many local residents who participate and use the association to present a unified front regarding issues of importance to them. Those residents also have voted for HOA elections and similar events. And their unified positions on different issues help to get the attention of HOA officers and leaders.
A variety of issues could trigger action by a community association. Anything that the residents find especially important could be addressed. If there is a local crime spree that results in a high rate of burglaries and car thefts, a community association could raise the issue with the HOA. If the residents are upset with a community management company and want to force a change, a community association might have the leverage to make that happen.
