Once your association’s Condo Ally site is created, you can use it however you’d like. In case you want guidance, below are our suggestions for getting started.
1. Upload your most important documents
Do you have your CC&R’s, by-laws, or meeting minutes handy? Upload them now and
feel good knowing they’re securely backed-up on Amazon’s servers. That’s right, Amazon, so you know
they’re not going anywhere.
Quick Description of the Governing Documents
- CC&R’s: (Covenants, Conditions & Restrictions) This is a legally binding document that is officially recorded and filed with your state that covers the rights and obligations of the HOA to its members and vice-versa.
- Bylaws: The bylaws govern how the HOA operates and how to run the HOA as a business.
- Declarations: Also called Declaration of Covenants, just another name for the CC&R’s.
- Rules & Regulations: Explain, clarify, and define the broad protective standards and restrictions contained in the CC&R’s, in greater detail. Also a catch-all for things that aren’t covered in the CC&Rs or Bylaws.
2. Add a brief history of your building and vital information to the FAQs section
If your building has timed lights, how do you set them? How do you update the callbox? What company provides garbage service and when do they pick up? This is general information residents occasionally need. By adding info like this to your site you provide a central location for all your useful info for today’s and all future residents.
3. Add you most recent major maintenance to the maintenance log
How old is your roof? When was the last time your exterior brick was tuckpointed? What year were your windows replaced? What was the last plumbing issue your association encountered? The answers to questions like these will give a quick idea to future residents to the health of their association and buildings. It also can provide invaluable information to problems that may be forming and could become serious. For example, one association had a few instances of slow water drainage and it turned out the current board was not aware that they needed annual cleaning of their grease trap.
4. Add all of your association’s residents and launch the site
Go to Manage -> Residents and make sure all of your residents are listed. Fill in as many of their e-mail addresses as possible because an e-mail address is required to log-in to Condo Ally and HOA Ally. Once all their information is entered, click the “Launch Site” button near the bottom of the page. This will send an e-mail to all of your residents containing instructions on how to log-in and use the site.
