The Role of the Community Manager

Author: Brandi Head, CMCA, AMS

Now that you are acclimated to living in a deed restricted community you may wonder what the responsibilities of your Community Manager are.

Your Community Manager has two primary responsibilities:

1. Manage your associations daily/weekly/monthly operations

2. Facilitate policies created by your Board of Directors

Your Community Manager is very familiar with the governing documents for your association and works closely with the association's attorney to stay abreast of any new legislation. This is to ensure your Board of Directors and association are acting within the parameters of local, State, and Federal legislation.

Your Community Manager communicates with the various service and repair vendors to ensure the work is being performed to the expectation of the Board of Directors. An example would be informing the landscaper if there is a reported irrigation leak or broken sprinkler head. Additionally, the manager would communicate with the pool vendor if there were an issue with the pool water or a reported leak with the pool equipment.

The Community Manager performs routine deed restriction and common area inspections. This is to ensure the community is being maintained to the highest standards possible which can directly impact your property values.

The Community Manager works very closely with the Board of Directors to make sure your common areas are well maintained; past due assessments are collected; guide them through the process of creating policies when necessary. The manger makes sure any applicable meeting notices are sent out within the legally required timeframe, prepares the meeting packets, and attend all Board meetings and Annual Membership meetings.

The Community Manger may also assist any association committees such as a social committee needing assistance locating vendors for a social event; work with a crime prevention committee and the local police department to reduce potential crime in the community.

Additionally, the Community Manager works with homeowners to resolve any issues they may have pertaining to violation letters they may have received; works with an owner to settle a past due account through creating a payment plan when necessary; reviews requests for architectural changes and ensure the request falls in line with the governing documents for the association.

A few misconceptions of a Community Manager’s responsibility are:

• Resolving neighbor to neighbor quarrels. Although your manager is trained to deal with conflict, they are not permitted to become engaged in an issue you have with your neighbor. This is a civil matter that must be resolved between the parties involved.

• Making the rules. Community Managers do not create any policies for your association. If you have an issue with a community policy, it will need to be discussed with your Board of Directors, as only they have the authority to create rules and regulations and policies.

• Supervising the landscaper/pool company, etc. Your Community Manger should monitor a vendor’s performance, but it is not their duty to supervise their personnel.

• Makes the decisions. Your Community Manger works with the Board of Directors in an advisory capacity only. The Community Manager does not have a vote or make any decisions for your community, they simply facilitate the decisions made by the Board of Directors.