Views on Settling Condo Conflicts

Having served on several awful homeowner association boards and a rare good one, I’ve found that association problems (“Condo Association Abuses Are on the Upswing” By Bradley Inman, Nov. 5) are primarily caused by two conditions: (1) passive owners and (2) lazy/unqualified board members.

Bad boards cannot persist with abuse, harassment and restrictive actions if owners step up at election time and put forth the effort needed to vote in a new board.

With regard to lawyers and property managers who “make a living off homeowner associations,” they, in fact, can provide valuable services, and an effective board whose members invest the time to properly perform their responsibilities will be able to make smart use of lawyers and property managers while still retaining management control. Too often boards allow themselves to be puppets of the management company and attorneys.

SHEL KAPLAN, President, SeaGate Homeowners Assn.