Articles
E-Mail; Pitfalls and Precautions
By: Alexander N. Rouhani
04/04/2013
Takeaway: Boards of Directors will find it useful to set up and maintain an email service for the Board members to conduct their business, but should make an effort to educate users to limit their communications to relevant business topics to avoid violating any open meeting requirements.
The Group Ruling Questionnaire - What is it and what does it mean to your organization?
By: Jerome C. Schaefer
03/28/2013
IntroductionFirst of all, if your organization has no affiliates, you can skip this article entirely.
FTC Guidelines May Require Disclosure by Conference Speakers Using Social Media
By: Stephen M. Schaefer
03/28/2013
Takeaway: If a nonprofit organization asks its conference or meeting speaker to use social media to promote the organization’s event, the Federal Trade Commission’s "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising" may require the speaker to disclose his or her...
"Class action plaintiff's effort to avoid CAFA jurisdiction goes up in smoke in Standard Fire case"
By: Dennis M. Robinson, Jr.
03/20/2013
On March 19, 2013, the U.S. Supreme Court held in Standard Fire Insurance Co. v. Knowles, 568 U.S. ___ (2013) that a named plaintiff cannot avoid federal jurisdiction by stipulating that he and the class will not seek more than $5 million, the threshold amount for jurisdiction under the Class...
Coming to a Locality Near You - Stormwater Remediation Fees in Maryland
By: M. Trent Zivkovich
03/12/2013
Highlight: Maryland has new stormwater fees that are being implemented county-by-county.
Foreclosures in the District of Columbia - What Can Condominium Associations Do?
By: Jane Saindon Rogers
03/04/2013
The good news for District of Columbia residents is that the real estate market is strong, prices of condominiums, in particular, are rebounding, and the foreclosure rate is low. All these things are true, but they do not tell the real story about foreclosures and the underlying effects on...
FHA Certification and Recertification
By: Kathleen A. Waldy
03/04/2013
Takeaway: FHA certification makes it easier to sell units in your condominium association. Applying for FHA certification has become more straightforward recently.
Energy Benchmarking of Privately Owned Buildings in the District of Columbia
By: Martha L. Perkins
02/20/2013
Background: In the past several years the District of Columbia has instituted many proactive green initiatives and has become a national leader in developing and implementing innovative sustainable strategies. One such important initiative is the energy benchmarking requirements: the...
"Let it Snow!" Practical Advice for Handling Ice and Snow in Community Associations
By: Tiffany M. Releford
02/06/2013
In 2010, D.C., Maryland and Virginia were paralyzed by historic records of snowfall. In addition to the general headaches of traffic jams, school closings, and lack of power and services, community associations had to deal with snow removal. Snowstorms in community associations often...
Enforcing Covenants in Maryland and the District of Columbia
By: Jennifer S. Jackman
02/06/2013
Summary: Having good rules is one thing; enforcing them is another. Particularly if your board has the power to impose fines on violators, you need to be careful to follow the correct process. In effect, your board is acting like a judge and jury, so local laws may require...
