The Community Connection - August/September 2022

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No r t h e a s t F l o r i d a C h a p t e r C o mmu n i t y A s s o c i a t i o n s I n s t i t u t e

THE COMMUNITY CONNECTION

IN THIS ISSUE: Drones Bulk Services for Technology Cybersecurity The Future Social Media

THE TECHNOLOGY ISSUE

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contact information 10950-60 San Jose Blvd., #182 Jacksonville, FL 32223 ced@neflcai.com

2022 board of directors President - Jesse Martinez-Skinner, CMCA, AMS, Manager Associa CMC Jackonsville President-Elect - Leslie Pragasam, Business Partner Angius & Terry

upcoming events October 13 - Navigating Florida's New Safety Laws Affecting 3-Story Condominiums and Cooperatives November 10 - TBA December 1 - Winter Gala

Secretary - Zenzi Rogers Manager Lennar Treasurer - Bob Chamberlain, Volunteer Leader Edgewater at Sunbeam Director/Past President - Pilar Willis Dixon, CIC, CIRMS Business Partner Brown & Brown Insurance Director - Cindy Dunlop Business Partner Cogent Bank, SVP, Commercial Relationship Manager Director - Catie Marks Manager May Management Chapter Executive Director - Robin Miller NEFLCAI NEFLCAI provides education, networking, resources, and advocacy for Community Associations in Northeast Florida and the professionals who serve them.

Membership Cindy Dunlop - Board Liaison Kate McAdams- Chair Social Catie Marks - Board Liaison

Program Pilar Willis Dixon - Board Liaison Ed Ronsman - Chair

2022 committees If you're interested in being on a committee for 2022, we'd love to have you.

Please reach out to our Executive Director Robin Miller to get EXPO connected.

Robin Miller - Executive Director/Chair ced@neflcai.com COMMUNICATIONS Robin Miller - Executive Director/Editor Leslie Pragasam - Chair GALA Robin Braddock - Chair

letter from the president WRITTEN BY JESSE MARTINEZ-SKINNER, CMCA, AMS ASSOCIA CMC JACKSONVILLE

Hi everyone Or, rather, should I say Aloha and Mahalo? What a great time we had at our luau EXPO a few weeks ago. That is always a great opportunity to connect with all of our members and watch business in the making as our exhibitors shared their resources with our Community Association Managers and our HOA/Condo Association Leaders.

(Plus, it was a lot of fun!) Many, many thanks to all of the Volunteers and our Executive Director who helped make this happen.

We continue to monitor the effects of the Condo Safety legislation and in fact, our October program will focus on just that.

We're also gearing up for our Winter Gala on December 1, which this year will have a Starry Night theme. More to follow on that.

As an additional sponsor benefit, click on each sponsor's ad to be taken to their website and learn more about their company.

This issue is thought-provoking about the role technology plays in our industry.

There is a feature article in here written by speakers we heard from at the national conference in May. It was pretty fascinating so we asked if they would write an article for us. Hopefully you find it interesting as well.

Please drop us a line and let our Executive Director, Robin Miller (ced@neflcai.com) if there are topics you'd like to see in future issues, at future events, or if you would like to contribute somehow.

Best, Jesse

Articles in this publication are courtesy of individual and company contributors and are independent views of that company.

HIGH-TECH CREDENTIALS? MEET OUR EDUCATED BUSINESS PARTNERS (NEWEST ONES IN GREEN) CAI Business Partners are indispensable to the community associations they support with their guidance, products and services. CAI education helps these businesses and professionals differentiate themselves in the competitive community association marketplace.

Business Partner Essentials is an online course designed to help CAI-member product and service providers better understand CAI, community associations and the industry at large. Individuals who pass the course and maintain CAI membership earn the CAI Educated Business Partner distinction, gaining special recognition among thousands of companies and professionals who support commoninterest communities—accountants, attorneys, bankers, insurance professionals, landscapers, painters, reserve specialists, software providers and many others.

Craig Aron, iMail Tracking Nathan Branz, Down to Earth Michael Coleman, Pacific Premier Bank Bryan Davis, Esq., Jimerson Birr Kellie Dickerson, CMCA, Fifth Third Bank Cindy Dunlop, Cogent Bank Molly Hime, Popular Association Banking Paul Knuth, Alliance Association Bank Kate McAdams, Fidus Roofing Construction and Pavers Ryan McBeth, Axos Bank

Lisa McConnaughey, Boral Roofing Evan Nadeau, SERVPRO of Jacksonville South, SERVPRO of Arlington/Jacksonville Leslie Pragasam, Angius & Terry Austin Rice, Martex Landscape/The Greenery Inc. Hannah Rullo, Ansbacher Law Mark Seymour, The Lake Doctors, Inc. Charlie Sheppard, Community Advisors, LLC Robin Storey, CINC Capital, LLC Michael Strynkowski, Down to Earth Alanda Williams, Rapid Response Team Pilar Willis Dixon, Brown & Brown of FL Maegan Woytek, Vantaca, LLC

MORE THAN JUST AN IP ADDRESS . . .

WE WELCOME OUR NEW MEMBERS Welcome to our new members for May, June, July and August.

Michael Armstrong, Volunteer Leader Carl Ashauer, Volunteer Leader, Oceania Condo Association of Jacksonville Beach, Inc. Suzanna Balula, Manager, CMC-Jacksonville Rob Bluffington, National Member, Gordian Staffing Kristen Corrigan, Manager, Vesta Property Services, Inc. Kay Davis, Volunteer Leader, Edgewater at Sunbeam Condo Association Shirish Doolabh, Volunteer Leader, Oceania Condo Association of Jacksonville Beach, Inc. Jennifer Gamero, Chapter Business Partner, Asphalt Restoration Technology Kelly Gibson, National Member, AvidXchange Steve Gudewicz, Chapter Business Partner, Centennial Bank Reese Henderson, Jr., Business Partner, GrayRobinson, P.A. Lou Huntoon, Manager, CMC-Jacksonville Barry Jeskewich, Manager, CCMC Lisa Jones, Manager, CMC-Jacksonville David Jorgensen, Volunteer Leader, Oceania Condo Association of Jacksonville Beach, Inc. Heather Karamitsos, Chapter Business Partner, Oceania Condo Association of Jacksonville, Inc. Susan Knowles, Volunteer Leader, Oceania Condo Association of Jacksonville Beach, Inc. Valerie Lauson, Manager, CMC-Jacksonville Steve Mason, Chapter Business Partner, Altieri Insurance Consultants Sharon McShurley, Manager, CMC-Jacksonville Geoffrey Moyer, Manager Amy Newhouse, Manager Diana Payne, Volunteer Leader, Edgewater at Sunbeam Condo Association Emily Polatas, Manager, Priority Community Management Melissa Ramsey, Manager, CCMC Rami Rawdah, Volunteer Leader, Oceania Condo Association of Jacksonville Beach, Inc. Tracee Roberts, Manager, CMC-Jacksonville Terrence Roese, Manager, FirstService Residential Cathi Sleight, National Member, VoteHOA Now Kristine Spirt, Manager, CCMC-TX Pat Torpey, Volunteer Leader, Edgewater at Sunbeam Condo Association

2022 OUTSTANDING NEIGHBORHOOD OF THE YEAR NOMINATE YOUR OWN OR ANOTHER HOA TODAY Visit www.neflcai.com/events to apply Deadline: November 15 Winner will be recognized and celebrated at our Awards Celebration & Gala on December 1

NEFLCAI - 2022 Platinum Sponsors Click their logo to go to their website.

NEFLCAI - 2022 Platinum Sponsors Continued Click their logo to go to their website.

NEFLCAI - 2022 Platinum Sponsors Continued Click their logo to go to their website.

NEFLCAI PRSENTS

A Starry Night Holiday Gala!

December 1 Save the Date!

Deer Creek Country Club

Sponsorships Available

Thanks for joining our EXPO this year!

Enjoy some of our photos!

k n a h T u! yo Presenting Sponsors

Registration Sponsor

Breakfast Sponsor

Happy Hour Sponsors

Tote Bag Sponsors

Lunch Sponsors Photo Booth Sponsor Centerpiece Sponsor Booth Postcard Sponsors A/V Sponsor

Lanyard Sponsor Coffee Station Sponsors

Tote Stuffer Sponsors

With a bird’s-eye view of the site, professionals are better able to map target areas and identify safety challenges such as difficult terrain, flooding, infrastructure damage, or dangerous wildlife.

Managing Nuisance and Invasive Vegetation with Drones Written by: SOLitude Lake Management

Enjoying waterbodies, lakes, and ponds is a wonderful benefit of living in many communities.

When invasive vegetation species creep in, those water bodies and the pleasure that people get out of them, can be spoiled and leave community managers feeling like they are fighting a losing battle against Mother Nature. Luckily, new developments in drone technology are allowing community managers to take back control.

Also known as unmanned aerial systems (UAS), drones are changing the way that aquatic management professionals approach controlling nuisance and invasive lake weeds. This advanced technology plays a key role throughout the process, starting with data collection and surveillance.

Drones can be utilized to manage many different nuisance or invasive plant species. Some of the most common floating aquatic weeds include water hyacinth, giant salvinia, water chestnut, and crested floating heart. Common emergent wetland plants include cattails, phragmites, Brazilian pepper, and flowering rush.

Drones have the ability to make highly-targeted applications, making it easier to access sensitive or hard-to-reach areas without putting the environment or aquatic experts at risk. Because they are able to make applications from above, areas that are normally inaccessible by human experts, either via walking or ATV, can now be effectively managed with precise applications.

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Tackle Vegetation Problems with Less Fuss HOAs and golf courses take pride in cultivating beautiful landscaping around their water resources. As any community manager can attest, excessive activity on the ground can draw unwanted attention and questions from residents.

In addition to optimizing the treatment process, drones are discreet and less intrusive in residential and recreational locations. Drones eliminate the need for experts to interfere with these areas and help ensure flowers, turf, and other ornamental growth remain untouched.

Critical Drone Technology Features to Ask About As with any innovation, it is critical for community managers to understand drone technology, its features, and experts who use it in order to select the best aquatic management partner for your business. So what should you look for or ask about? Here are 4 critical capabilities and features that you should consider.

Pilot expertise. In an age of fast-moving technology, it may seem like drones can be used by anyone. However, running afoul of airspace regulations can result in significant fines and unwanted publicity. Drones should be operated by experienced pilots licensed through the Federal Aviation Agency (FAA).

Mapping technology to protect the environment. Look for an aquatic management partner that has the ability to not only perform site surveillance, but those that use geographic information system (GIS) software to preprogram custom treatment routes and ensure precise herbicide applications to avoid impacts to nontarget zones.

Drone programming and carrying capacity for cost-efficiency. Unlike recreational drones used for casual photography, those used for invasive species and vegetation management are significantly larger.

Those used by SOLitude Lake Management, a sponsor of the NEFL CIA, have a 6ft wingspan and advanced battery capacity. These larger drones can transport approximately 35 pounds of liquid or granular herbicide during an application route. Once emptied — often in just 2-3 minutes — the drones are returned to a designated reloading station. Reloading can be completed onshore, in a boat, or from a truck bed. This efficient technology is an excellent tool for wide-area coverage in difficult-to-reach or ecologically sensitive environments as it can treat up to 200 acres a day, making it a cost-effective solution for large or remote areas.

Privacy software. It is critically important to ask questions of any potential aquatic management partner about privacy. To protect the privacy of those living and enjoying your community, drones should be configured with software designed to block recording near living spaces.

Drones have changed the game for invasive species and nuisance vegetation management, adding to professionals' toolbox to support healthy, beautiful, long-lasting waterbodies. If your community is searching for a solution, ask your aquatic management partner about their drone application capability. ###

WRITTEN BY: BRYAN M. DAVIS, ESQ., JIMERSON BIRR

It is common practice for developers of an eventual condominium association to enter an agreement with service providers to provide bulk services to the development. Typically, the purpose here is to allow a developer to offer units for sale with incentives for cable and internet services ready to go. The agreements are permitted under the Florida Condominium Act, (the “Act”) so long as those agreements are “fair and reasonable.” See Fla. Stat. § 718.302(4). The costs of these agreements are included in the association’s annual budget and paid by each of the unit owners through regular assessment payments.

Unit owners have the ability to terminate these pre-turnover agreements. The agreement is canceled with a vote of seventy-five percent or more of the voting interest less any interests still held by the developer. See Fla. Stat. § 718.302(1)(a). Florida courts have routinely held that this statute applies to services for technology including cable television service agreements. See Comcast of Florida, L. P. v. L’Ambiance Beach Condo Ass’n, Inc., 17 So.3d 839 (Fla. 4th DCA 2009).

In addition to developers, owner-controlled condominium associations may enter bulk services agreements. If the declaration permits, the cost is a common expense of the association. See Fla. Stat. § 718.115(1)(d). Even when the declaration does not include the costs for such services as a common expense, the board may enter such a contract with the costs of the service being a common expense pursuant to the Act. Id. These types of agreements must be for at least two years and any contract made by the board may be canceled by a majority of the voting interests present at the next regular or special meeting of the association. See Fla. Stat. § 718.115(1)(d)(1).

If an owner is receiving broadband media services and has failed to pay for that common expense, the association may use its lien enforcement authority pursuant to the Act and its governing documents to enforce payment of such costs. See Fla. Stat. § 718.115(1)(d)(2). These bulk services agreements must provide that any hearing-impaired or legally bling unit owner who does not occupy the unit with a non-hearingimpaired or sighted person may discontinue the cable or video service without incurring disconnect fees, penalties, or subsequent service charges. The unit owner is exempt from paying common expense charges related to these services under these conditions. Unit owners are also exempt from payment if they supplemental security income under Title XVI of the Social Security Act or food assistance as administered by the Department of Children and Families. See Fla. Stat. § 718.115(1)(d)(2). If fewer than all owners share the expenses of cable or video services, the expense should be shared equally by all participating unit owners. Id. If an association has entered into a bulk service agreement, an owner may still obtain the services of another service provider of their choosing. ###

ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT USING SOCIAL MEDIA TO BUILD COMMUNITY WRITTEN BY: FIRST SERVICE RESIDENTIAL

Social media can be a phenomenal marketing and communications tool for your community association! It’s a great way to inform residents, keep them connected and strengthen their loyalty.

But you need to put a strategy behind your community’s social media presence.

“Why? What’s the big deal? This is kid stuff!” may well be what just ran through your mind seeing the words “social media strategy” and “your community” in the same sentence. And that’s okay. But there are risks to not having a social media strategy.

A few sporadic Facebook posts and tweets at most aren’t going to achieve the results you’re after, for one thing. Social media needs to be consistent, or people stop looking at your pages and you drop out of newsfeeds. Beyond that, you can run into real trouble – legal trouble – if a resident without the right guidance responds to an irate homeowner, for example, or violates another business’s copyright. To avoid wasting time and other potential pitfalls, read on for some guidelines to running effective social media for your community:

Know your goal.

Before you dive in, consider the goals you want your social media efforts to achieve. Perhaps you want to build community spirit. Maybe you want to keep owners informed about what’s new and exciting in the community. You can use social media to build your community’s brand. Or you could use it for all the above! No matter the purpose, make sure everything you post and tweet furthers those objectives. For example, to achieve all the goals above, you can tweet about an upcoming parking lot resurfacing project, post a message on Facebook about an upcoming community meeting, share photos from your latest Yappy Hour social – or all three.

Establish ownership.

Maintaining your social media presence is an important task, so it should be assigned to a specific person or small group (2 to 3 people, no more!) to manage. This role goes beyond mere posting... remember, social media is just that –

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“social” – so your social media manager should be monitoring your channels for comments and feedback and responding promptly and appropriately or alerting those who need to know.

The social media manager could be part of the property management team or you can choose a resident or committee member (or one of each), so you don’t miss posting great event photos because someone is on vacation, engaged with other responsibilities, etc. Need guidance? A good property management company can help you define this role.

Choose your channels.

There are so many social media outlets to choose from that sometimes it’s hard to determine which are best for your community. From Facebook to Twitter to LinkedIn to Instagram to Pinterest, there are many options that cater to different groups and interests.

Generally speaking, Facebook and LinkedIn are best for community associations, but you may find that Twitter is also useful for emergency updates and event reminders or that event photos on Instagram may appeal more to your residents if they are largely younger.

Know the law.

Be aware that copyright infringement, plagiarism, causing emotional distress or violating privacy rights can land your association in legal hot water if you engage in those activities through social media.

Remember that anything you post remains online in perpetuity – even if you delete it – so carefully consider every item before you hit “Enter.”

Engage your residents.

You don’t want to be talking to yourself, right? That’s why it’s important to have an audience of fans and followers. You can start building this by including links to your social media on your website and other communications, and by promoting your social media presence at all events. But there’s even more you can do:

Polls: Facebook offers this tool, and it’s a great way to get residents’ thoughts on events and topics. You can use this feedback to build your whole calendar, if you like.

Events: Again, Facebook allows your community to create events that people can RSVP to directly. Promotion to your residents is really easy too. Remember that Twitter is a great tool for reminders, as well.

Photo albums: Give participants the chance to upload and view photos from events.

Photo updates: This is a great way to mark the progress of a big community project.

Cross-promotion: Feature resident posts in your other communications, like your community newsletters.

Recruitment: Social media is a great way to recruit volunteers.

Contests: They’re both fun and functional!

Photo-captioning contests and other contests bring people together and invite engagement.

Star-making: If you have residents who are celebrating achievements or milestones, share it on social media (with their permission, of course).

Requests: A direct appeal for feedback may get you a lot of response and engagement.

Plus, it lets residents know that they have a voice in the community.

Clubs: Your social channels are great tools for bringing together residents with common interests.

Define a policy.

A defined social media policy will help protect you from liability and make your program more effective. Your policy should do the following: define who has access to the sites and who is allowed to post information, prohibit negative or defamatory comments, re-assert residents’ privacy rights regarding published information, establish the right of the board to remove user comments that violate standards and put in place a procedure for screening content prior to publication.

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On your Facebook page, you can post guidelines that outline your policy, including the fact that you will remove posts that violate it. For Twitter, consider setting your account to “protected” or “private,” which will allow only select users to see your tweets. As for LinkedIn, your official page won’t allow much interaction, but if you form a LinkedIn Group, you have more options – the site allows you to post some overall rules for engagement, along with a limited ability to manage your group settings.

Editor's Pick: Technology Roundup

Consider special groups for committees.

Social networking is a great way to improve communication and collaboration among committee members. Encourage your committee chairs to establish dedicated, private groups for members to brainstorm, to share ideas and to plan events.

There are lots of tools that can help you run the operations of your selfmanaged association, or even your managed one (though your association company or manager likely has some tools of their own).

Keep some things offline.

It’s critical to keep formal board decisions and communications out of social media. No actual board action should ever be undertaken based on discussions that occur online. Remember, social media’s role is in community building and communication of public information and events.

Here's our list of some tools we like.

Most of these have a free version as well.

Board members beware.

Board members and community managers should avoid connecting directly with community members on social media sites. Favoritism (perceived or real) can create real pitfalls when an association is trying to accomplish its goals, and personal relationships formed via social media can be a contributing factor. So, if you’re a board member, carefully consider whom you agree to “friend” or connect with on social media. Board members should never respond to angry homeowners in a public forum like Facebook page comments. Instead, contact the homeowner offline with a phone call, email or even an inperson visit. That personal touch may help diffuse a delicate situation and make resolving an issue easier.

Like most things, social media has its good and its bad sides. By following the above tips, you can make social media a powerful tool for good in your community association while avoiding its pitfalls. ###

SignUp Genius - a web app that helps you organize the sign-up process whether for volunteer slots for the landscape clean-up, or soliciting baked goods for the block party.

Doodle - A scheduling tool to help you find consensus for meeting dates and times.

Canva - An easy-to-use graphic design program to make flyers and social media posts, along with presentations Google Forms - A great way to capture information for your directory, create a survey or have people register for an event Change.org - A free online petition tool ###

Emerging technologies like the internet and cell phones have shifted how we function in most aspects of our lives and created heightened expectations towards effectiveness and efficiency.

And although the impact of technological advancement can be felt in pretty much every industry, many community associations are reluctant to leverage it to improve the way they handle community duties like printing statements or paying dues—citing cost and complexity as two of the main deterrents.

But, the truth is, management companies offer many technologies—from software to hardware— that are affordable, easy to implement and can still help bring your community up to speed. Here are five ways that technology can improve the community experience for board members and owners: Create more transparency.

Homeowners want to know that their board is actively working to better their community. Rather than leave document access to chance, create an overall sense of trust and transparency by using online document storage so homeowners can easily access important information and communicate with key stakeholders.

Bringing HOAs into the Future: 5 Ways Technology Can Improve Your Community WRITTEN BY: ERIN BAKER FOR ASSOCIA

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Increase security.

Community associations are responsible for protecting sensitive information about homeowners, so any opportunity to improve data security is always welcome. Technology platforms that provide guest authorization and customizable account access for different types of community management team members like attorneys and maintenance vendors gives residents peace of mind that their homes and data are secure.

Execute faster payments.

One of the simplest changes you can make to improve your community experience is simplifying the payment process for residents and vendors.

Offering online payments streamlines the payment process for you by reducing paperwork plus when you make payment transactions easier, you can reduce delinquencies from residents and ensure vendors are paid on time.

Meet homeowner expectations.

Because of technology, everything – from grocery shopping to visiting the doctor— has become more efficient and convenient. With community living platforms that allow online service requests, account management features and community poll options, community associations can now offer the same convenience homeowners experience in all other areas of their lives.

Reduce liability.

Many local laws require the board to ensure residents can access HOA documents. Without digital storage options, residents may not be able to find minutes, records from annual meetings, proxies and other important documents and information. With online document storage, records and processes can be tracked and accessed by current residents and future board members—ensuring the community continues to run smoothly. ###

Home-Improvement Apps: Tools You Need - In Your Pocket WRITTEN BY: CAI NATIONAL

Ready to tackle a few home improvement projects?

There’s an app for that.

Houzz Interior Design Ideas This highly-rated app—4.5 out of 5 stars in the Apple store—lets you discover ideas for your home through a large database of design ideas. You can browse photos by style, room and location, and save them to a virtual idea book. You can also find product and local professionals, and read articles by renovation experts.

You can save your ideas for offline access and ask for advice from the app’s community. Available free in both Apple and Android stores.

MyPantone There are many paint color apps, but this one lets you save colors based on their PANTONE ID and create colors palettes from inspiration. You’ll be able to share the exact hue you like with designers, manufacturers, family and friends. It suggests complementary colors too. Available for $9.99 in the Apple store and $7.99 in the Android store. iHandy Carpenter This app turns your phone into the tools you need to complete your improvement project. It features: -A surface level -A bubble level bar -A protractor to measure angles from 0 to 180 degrees -A ruler with both inches and centimeter readings -A plumb bob to verify the verticality of lines or walls Once calibrated, the plumb bob, surface level and level bar also can be used as an inclinometer/clinometer by reading the angles on the screen. Available for $1.99 in both Apple and Android stores.

Cybersecurity WRITTEN BY: TARA TALLAKSEN, VESTA PROPERTY SERVICES

Cybersecurity is a necessity for anyone who stores information on computers, software, the cloud, and other technological devices. It’s especially vital for community associations as there are many valuable board documents that must be stored within computer files for reference. Cybersecurity applications, when activated, can help protect computer systems and programs from having their data leaked, stolen, or deleted by hackers. With many board member documents being privately secured from the public, it’s important for community associations to fully understand and immerse in what cyber-attacks are, the different types of cyber-attacks, and how cybersecurity can be used as a tool for protection against hackers.

A cyber-attack can be defined as an internal attack made by hackers to purposely access private documents and destroy any computer information. There are many different reasons as to why hackers engage in these actions, however, the two main adaptations revolve around motive and opportunity.

Community associations provide a motive for cyber-attacks by storing personal documents of board members and other residents. In other words, the access to a vast range of personal documents, like a board member’s social security or bank account may motivate hackers to conduct cyber-attacks.

Community associations may also portray opportunities for cyber-attacks by having limited resources. For example, a community may not have sufficient technological support, therefore, creating an opportunity for a cyber-attack to take place.

With technological devices constantly advancing, hackers are always adapting their cyber strategies to reach a greater audience. With this in mind, there are many different types of cyber-attacks. The most prominent types of cyber-attacks consist of, but are not limited to: phishing, ransomware, malware, and social engineering.

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Phishing is the most prevalently seen type of cyber-attack. This involves hackers sending fake emails to people that look identical to other trust-worthy emails. The purpose of this tactic is to collect private data, like login information, to access as many personal documents and other resources as possible.

Ransomware is a computer software created by hackers for the purpose of malicious intent. This software can hold private documents and files saved on a computer system for ransom, until a specified money amount has been paid. In other words, this software is mainly used for extorting money. However, even if the ransom has been paid, hackers may continue the ransom and block access to the important documents or files.

Ransomware is a computer software created by hackers for the purpose of malicious intent. This software can hold private documents and files saved on a computer system for ransom, until a specified money amount has been paid. In other words, this software is mainly used for extorting money. However, even if the ransom has been paid, hackers may continue the ransom and block access to the important documents or files.

Another type of cyber-attack software is Malware. Malware’s only purpose is to obtain access to all secured documents and ultimately damage the entire computer system. However, there is a multitude of inexpensive Malware protection software available that can help keep your documents and computer system safe from this situation.

The last type of cyber-attack is social engineering. Hackers can use this tactic to manipulate people into providing their personal information for the sole purpose of accessing one’s private documents and computer software. Social engineering poses as a great threat as it can be used alongside with the other types of cyber-attacks.

With cyber-attacks increasing every year, it’s crucial to implement cybersecurity within computer systems to ensure data safety. Cybersecurity applications can be programmed to have the authorization to block hackers from accessing all secured documents and files within a computer software. The most used cybersecurity applications within technology are firewalls, antivirus software, encryptions, email security, and network and web scanning tools. Each of these applications are designed for a specific purpose with the same goal of detecting cyber threats and protecting sensitive data information.

In addition to technology software, community associations can reduce cyber-attacks through basic cyber hygiene. This can include utilizing strong passwords, consistently changing old passwords, using different types of logins for every account, implementing an authentication factor, and constantly educating board members along with staff on updated cyber practices. Also, it may be in the best interest of a community association to invest in IT Support Specialists to provide professional services regarding setting up cybersecurity and analyzing overall technology issues. ###

LEGISLATIVE REVIEW: How Can An Association Pay for Necessary Repairs to the Condominium Property?

WRITTEN BY: ELIZABETH A. LANHAM-PATRIE, BECKER

There have been big changes in legislation for condominiums in Florida. Effective, May 26, 2022, the Building Safety Act went into effect. This legislation requires a Phase One Milestone inspection within 30 years from the date the Certificate of Occupancy (“CO”) was issued for the building. However, if the building is within 3 miles of the coastline, the milestone inspection must be performed within 25 years of the CO date.

For pre-1992 buildings, the milestone inspection must be completed by December 31, 2024.

A Milestone Inspection Report is a written report, under signature and seal of a Florida licensed architect or professional engineer. The milestone inspection report must: Indicate the manner and type of inspection conducted Identify and describe the severity of any substantial structural deterioration State whether unsafe or dangerous conditions exist Recommend any remedial or preventive repair for items which are damaged but are not substantial structural deterioration Include an “inspection prepared summary.”

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Phase One involves a visual inspection and qualitative assessment of the structural condition of the building.

If the Phase 1 inspection reveals “substantial structural deterioration,” then a Phase Two inspection is required. When a Phase Two inspection is required, the inspector shall determine the extensiveness of the additional testing required, which may include destructive testing or nondestructive testing (for example, xrays).

If the Phase Two inspection requires repairs to the condominium building, many associations do not have the funds to pay for such unexpected repairs. If that is the case, condominium associations have a few options: levy a special assessment, if the governing documents permit; or obtain a loan from a private bank.

Condominium associations have long been able to obtain private loans from banks; however, these loans generally must be repaid in five (5) to ten (10) years and the interest rates are based upon the current market rates. In order to assist condominium association with financing, federal legislation has been introduced by Florida Representatives to allow the U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Federal Housing Administration to insure loans for building repairs. More specifically, the Rapid Financing for Critical Condo Repairs Act of 2022 would allow condominium associations to obtain FHA-insured loans for the costs of rehabilitation, alteration, repair, improvement, or replacement of any common systems, infrastructure, facility, feature, portion or area serving a condominium project and the loan would be secured by future lien based mandatory unit owner payments.

Historically, FHA-insured loans were collateralized by real property, and a condominium association is prevented from mortgaging common elements. This legislation would allow the loans to be collateralized by assessments, which is the collateral private banks use for loans to condominium associations. Further, the legislation would allow for longer term loans, such as a 30-year loan with a fixed interest rate.An FHAinsured loan also has the added benefits that they often have lower interest rates and the terms of such loans do not provide for a pre-payment penalty, as there often a pre-payment penalty with private bank loans. Therefore, if this legislation passes, it will be very beneficial to condominium associations in Florida.

In most cases in order to obtain a loan, the bank will require an Opinion of Borrower’s Counsel, which is a written opinion from the condominium association’s attorney. The attorney must review the loan documents and opine that the condominium association has the authority to enter into the loan agreement and has followed the proper steps, pursuant to its governing documents, to obtain a loan. Further, banks often require that the association levy a special assessment to repay the loan; therefore, the attorney must also determine and opine if the condominium association has the authority to levy a special assessment and if the special assessment was properly levied.

Therefore, prior to meeting with a bank, we recommend that the condominium association contact its attorney to make the initial determination of whether member approval is required to obtain a loan, and if the condominium association has the power to specially assess. Prior to providing loan documents, banks provide a loan commitment letter that must be executed by the condominium association.The terms of the loan commitment letter are binding terms that are incorporated into the loan documents.Therefore, if an Opinion of Borrower’s Counsel will be required by the bank, the loan commitment letter should also be reviewed by the condominium association’s attorney prior to it being executed. ###

Is the Community Association Industry Ready for 2030?

WRITTEN BY: BRUCE GRAN, CMCA, AMS, PCAM PMG SERVICES DANIEL TEKUNOFF, OWNER OF TECHRESIDENTIAL

Technology is ever evolving. 2030 is not that far away, but we can see the writing on the wall —the pieces of technology that are already being placed together to create the image of what will likely be the norm in just a few years. We would like to give you a look at not only the technology that we forecast to be readily available, but also what community associations and professional management companies need to do to maximize leveraging that technology.

Recently there was an article entitled “Man Completes First-ever Commute in an $83K Spaceage Flying Car.” Tomasz Patan, co-founder and CTO, said: “Our long-term goal is to democratize flight. We firmly believe the 'eVTOL' is the future for mass transportation.” What this means is that the first commercially available flying car “of the future” is here today. So, how will this impact your communities? We will take a brief look at present technology innovations that are driving development in order to understand what will become commercially available products and services. These developments will fuel tremendous change for the community association industry.

The way people get from here to there is changing. Autonomous vehicles (also known as self-driving cars) are already hitting the market. We can already book autonomous vehicle READY FOR 2030?, CONT'D NEXT rides in Phoenix, although I haven't yet tried it out yet.

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Some potential challenges presented to communities by autonomous vehicles are: Navigation systems funneling large amounts of traffic through inadequate roadways within a planned community or using maintenance routes that were not intended for normal transit Issues with community gates and other access control mechanisms Inadequate road conditions.

As these vehicles become more popular, HOA boards and managers will need to learn how to submit navigational issues to autonomous vendors, upgrade gates and access control systems with license plate readers or RFID systems to provide autonomous vehicle access, and make sure community-managed streets are being properly maintained.

VTOLs and flying cars are also making great strides toward becoming part of our everyday life.

The pathway for mass-scale production and adoption is a bit slower for these types of vehicles versus autonomous vehicles due to pending safety concerns, stringent regulations, and technological challenges. However, some of these vehicles have price tags below $100K which could put them into the hands of a significant number of owners.

The questions community associations need to be asking are: Where will homeowners park or land these?

This question will need to be answered once the FAA has provided guidance for these types of vehicles.

Do we need to adopt any rules or regulations to ensure a peaceful and successful adoption of these new vehicles?

Will any landscaping changes need to be made to common areas to avoid interfering with the operation of these vehicles?

There are higher consumer expectations Other industries such as retail, entertainment, and healthcare have invested heavily in technology to cut costs, boost sales, and provide better customer service experiences. The fierce competition and innovation in these industries has raised the overall expectations that consumers have for websites and apps that are provided to them. Association technology vendors need to keep this in mind when building products for homeowner use and ensure that the user experience meets or exceeds the experience that consumers have with other commonly used apps.

Apps need to be user friendly and efficient— providing clear benefits to the customers. Rather than a convoluted after-thought, community associations need to consider their technology and app an integral part of their services.

What is driving development Historically, there have been two fundamental computing limitations: Koomey’s and Moore’s Laws for computing size, speed, energy. But the evolution of technology is now even surpassing our technological laws as we have exceeded Moore’s Law in particular with faster processing chips that are smaller and more efficient. This is fueling the surge in Artificial Intelligence which is driving most development presently, for example: Games with a Purpose (GWAP), artificial intelligence, Google Glass, 3D printing, reengineering the human body, Brain Wave Control, autonomous vehicles.

Artificial Intelligence will be the driving force moving forward. As this is just now coming to market with certain everyday applications, the future is wide open.

Artificial Intelligence will be the driving force moving forward. As this is just now coming to market with certain everyday applications, the future is wide open.

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Artificial Intelligent Personal Assistants By 2030 we expect to see advanced versions of this technology in the form of Microsoft’s Clippy and Apple’s Siri. But in future, the development of these AI’s could mean that we have personal assistants customized to our needs that are able to communicate and understand our idiosyncrasies.

These AI’s could even have a certain degree of general intelligence that will allow us to have conversations with them.

Picture this, conversational AI combines natural language processing (NLP) with traditional software like chatbots, voice assistants, or an interactive voice recognition system to help customers through either a spoken or typed interface. This can be done via an application, phone, text, or chatbot on a web site.

Industry specific software and applications will start utilizing AI within their programs. Advanced AI is a game changer in every industry—but will certainly change the way the community association industry communicates with and manages communities.

The Metaverse What if a community manager could walk into a community clubhouse and immediately see all the reservations for the day and open work orders displayed on the lenses of their smart glasses? Or what if board meetings could be held in a virtual meeting room in a virtual world attended by board members and homeowners participating as 3D characters?

The Metaverse is a vision that many technology companies are pursuing to provide a way for people to immerse themselves in virtual digital experiences in a connected, collective, and collaborative virtual environment. The Metaverse will alternate between providing experiences that diverge from reality and experiences that enhance reality. The Metaverse will influence society and

culture dramatically in a similar manner to the way smartphones changed the way we access data and interact with others.

In order for the Metaverse to become mainstream, it needs more innovation in the following areas: augmented/mixed reality and virtual reality devices, next generation internet speeds, and new ways for computers to interact with the human senses.

Virtual reality usually takes the form of a headset in which the user is completely immersed in a digital experience. Augmented reality is when digital content is mixed with reality through means of a digital screen. Some familiar examples of augmented reality would be Facebook or Snapchat filters. Mixed reality is when digital content is overlaid optically with reality by interfering with the light that travels into a person’s eyes. Some examples of this would be Google Glass or Microsoft Hololens.

Next generation internet will require the deployment of significantly faster cellular networks, such as those proposed by the new 6G standards. Cloud computing and datacenters will also need to accelerate innovations in order to handle the monumental bandwidth and accompanying workloads.

New methods for humans to interact with computers will be needed in order to fully immerse users in the digital environment. For example, brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) currently under development such as Neuralink will provide a way for people to control devices with their minds. Other devices from companies like Ultrahaptics have been developed to simulate sensations and touch using ultrasonic sound waves. Still others have even succeeded in simulating smells (iSmell) and tastes (Norimaki Synthesizer).

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Since the Metaverse will likely redefine some aspects of what people currently understand a community to be, the community association industry needs to monitor this emerging technology in order to best accommodate the needs of associations and members alike.

Legislation needs to stay up to speed with virtual meeting technologies so that boards can legally hold important meetings using emerging virtual meeting technologies.

Management companies need to watch how metaverse use develops over the next several years and determine whether certain services should be offered to homeowners and board members through a metaverse platform.

So, is the Community Association Industry ready for 2030? It needs to be—and getting there is up to us. ###

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Speaking of technology, did you know CAI National has a whole section of their website with data, statistics and studies? Click the image below for their Technology Report, called "Wired".