Home Owners’ Association
On Saturday 13 April 2013, a dormant Home Owners Association (HOA) met,
in the basement party room in 320 Dixon, to elect a new executive and
to form a set of policies.
Levar Saul was elected interim president and Jagvir Gehlaut was elected
vice-president.
The owner-residents are concerned that their board of directors were
failing to
communicate with them, failing to be transparent, failing to maintain
the property, failing to deal with the vandalism, failing to install an
adequate security system, failing to keep the property clean and
failing to deal with the overcrowded units.
The association wanted authorization to attend all the board
of director meetings to be able to assure the owners that the board is
acting in their best interests.
This is the second owners association that appealed to the owners and
residents in YCC #42. The Association of Condominium Owners (ACO) was
still
active, although had few members.
Purpose
The HOA had to decide whether it would become a political association
that would educate and support candidates to replace the present board
of directors—being an organized political opposition to the present
board or become an independent committee that will work with
the board by becoming a communicator and advocate between the owners
and
the board.
The HOA decided on the later. Any member of the HOA executive would
have to resign if he or she became a candidate in an election for the
board of directors.
Spring
cleaning
The HOA announced a spring cleaning of the garbage and litter than was
scattered around the property on Saturday 27 April 2013.
Less than a dozen residents, include a couple board members assisted in
cleaning up the trash. Unfortunately, this poorly attended event made
no lasting difference to the cleanliness of the property and preventing
rubbish
being
tossed off the balconies.
Monthly
meetings
The HOA monthly meetings with the owners and the board are continuing.
Examining
the documents
After months of not seeing the corporation's records, the board
released some documents to
the HOA. However, since the HOA has decided not to be a political
vehicle for change, and only two to three dozen owners attend their
meetings,
it is hard to determine what use examining these documents can do.
All
candidates meeting
Prior to the 2012 AGM, an All Candidates Meeting was held on Saturday
20 July 2013 from 5:00
pm to 7:00 pm. This was so the owners could meet all the candidates who
were running for the two director positions whose terms had expired.
Less than a dozen owners showed up to hear the candidates talk about
their vision for the condo corporation. A very poor showing.
It didn't matter as the AGM was was scheduled for 27 July 2013 was
postponed until September.
HOA gains
credibility
Home owner groups often takes time to become effective and as the
revised HOA came close to its first birthday, it has gained credibilty
among the residents.
Leadership
Its first president, Levar Saul, has moved west and the association
elected a new president, Jagvir Gehlaut and the HOA has welcomed new
members to
its board. This demonstrates that this association is far more than a
one-man band.
Since then, the association has held elections to elect new directors
as required.
The association is also successful in attracting support from all
segments of the condo corporation.
Electoral victory
At the September 2013 AGM, Sandeep Gosal, an ex-HOA director, was
elected to the corporation's board
of directors as an independent candidate defeating Ataul Malick, the
incumbent board president.
Making gains
The association has received copies of the corporation's records and
was successful in getting the owners observer status at the
corporation's board meetings.
Communications
The HOA holds monthly meetings with the homeowners where they discuss
the issues that the owners have. Attendance can be as high as 40-50
owners (January 2014) which is a respectable attendance.
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