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For those community associations bound by the Illinois Condominium Property Act and the Common Interest Community Association Act, both Acts have recently been amended. Effective May 27, 2022, owners are entitled to inspect, examine, and copy the reserve study. In addition, the Condominium and Common Interest Community Ombudsperson Act was extended and now is scheduled […]

It is best for all community associations to review their delinquencies on a regular basis. Staying ahead of delinquencies not only helps the association but also can help the delinquent owners. After all, it is always easier for one to “catch up” on what is owed when the balance due is not overwhelming. While it […]

Over the last two (2) months, Gabby and Dawn have conducted a two-part webinar entitled “Electing the Board of Directors.” Part I focused on the steps to be taken before the election. Part II focused on the actual annual meeting and thereafter. The webinars identified mistakes to avoid and best practices to ensure that your […]

Every day, community associations are faced with various issues and problems. When something occurs, it is not uncommon for a unit owner to immediately call management. It is not uncommon for a member of the board of directors to call the association’s community association manager. It is also not uncommon for the community association manager […]

Join Dawn and Gabby on Tuesday, April 5, 2022, from 12:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m., for Part 1 of 2 in our series related to “Electing the Board of Directors.” Whether you are new to the industry or have been involved in community associations for decades, you will benefit from this presentation. After all, through […]

As we begin a new year, it is a good time for boards to review their collection procedures. A community association’s ability to collect unpaid assessment from unit owners will generally be outlined in its recorded declaration. However, most declarations only discuss the board’s authority to collect common expenses, including delinquent assessment. Therefore, it is […]

As we ring in 2022, it is a time for us to review the new changes for the year. In this newsletter, we review recent changes to the law and the impact on community associations. To learn more, click here.

As 2021 comes to a close, we let out a sigh of relief. 2021 was better than 2020, but it still was a year full of challenges. We did our best to carry on with our lives and stay healthy. For many, it was a year with a new perspective on life. For others, it […]

Over the past year, we have said many times, that community association living has become very tense. It is unfortunately a time when community associations which never experienced any issues are now dealing with many personality challenges. People are less respectful to one another and quick to “fight” with one another. Perhaps it is a […]

From COVID-19 to the Surfside tragedy, a number of things have occurred over the past year and a half, which have taught us new lessons to be applied to community living. In this seminar, Dawn and Gabby will discuss those lessons and how to apply them to your communities (either as a community association manager […]

The city of Chicago announced today an indoor mask mandate for all individuals two (2) years and older, regardless of vaccination status. This mandate will become effective on Friday, August 20, 2021. To learn more, click here.

On July 21, 2021, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (“CDC”) updated its public health regulations, due to the increase in transmission of the COVID-19 Delta variant throughout the United States. To learn more, click here.

The State of Illinois is prepared to move into phase 5. What Does this mean for community associations? To learn more, click here.

In our last email newsletter, we discussed recent changes to masking guidelines announced by the Centers for Disease Control. At that time, Illinois had not officially taken a position on masks, other than to vaguely indicate that new orders consistent with the CDC guidelines would be forthcoming. On May 17, 2021, Governor Pritzker issued Executive Order 2021-10. Shortly […]

New COVID-19 Mitigation Measures Affect Associations in Cook and Collar Counties Due to a spike in COVID-19 cases in Illinois, new mitigation measures have been implemented in many areas of the state, including all of Cook County, DuPage, Kane, Kankakee, Lake, McHenry, and Will Counties. The new restrictions affect community associations as they limit gatherings to 25 […]

In light of an increased number of confirmed COVID-19 cases, and an increase in the COVID-19 testing positivity rate in the City of Chicago, Mayor Lori Lightfoot has announced new guidelines for Chicago.  These new guidelines are designed to reduce transmission of COVID-19 from sources that contact-tracing has identified as contributing to these increased metrics, […]

A condo’s governing documents control much of the relationship between the association and the individual members. In referring to condo documents, one may be referring to one of four different sets of legal documents.  Here, our Chicago condo lawyers highlight four key types of documents, which govern condos in Illinois. Condo Governing Documents: Explained The […]

A homeowners’ association (HOA) is a private association with common interest rules.  The board of the HOA is responsible for keeping running the affairs of the community.  Among other things, this duty often involves hiring vendors, suppliers, and other contractors.  This raises an important question:  How do you make sure you have reliable and effective […]

A homeowners’ association is a type of private association community. Along with several other tasks, it is the HOA’s job to enforce its own recorded and unrecorded governing documents.  This occasionally involves determining what individual property owners (members) can and cannot do. This raises an important question: How much power does an HOA have? The […]

A community association board has a duty to act in the best interest of the community. Many of the issues boards/managers need to handle are complex. In certain circumstances, there are sensitive issues that need to be addressed — and a closed-door meeting may be appropriate. In Illinois, HOA boards and condo boards both have […]