The best thing—and the worst thing—about community-association living is The Rules. Rules do more to enhance property value and promote community harmony than any other factor, but they can also create division in a community.
Community Association Press™ has just released "Reinventing the Rules: A Step-By-Step Guide for Being Reasonable" by Virginia attorney, Lucia Anna Trigiani, which shows communities how to increase the harmony and decrease the division. Trigiani, who specializes in community association law, offers practical advice on how elected boards of the nation's homeowner and condominium associations can fulfill their duty to the community while still being reasonable about drafting and applying rules.
"Reinventing the Rules" covers all aspects of dealing effectively with rules—from taking preventative actions to facilitating compliance. It explains how to make truly reasonable rules and when to make exceptions. It reveals what people really think about rules in their communities, and it provides interesting insights into the hidden costs of battling with residents instead of being flexible.
"Words like 'enforce,' 'penalty,' and 'punishment,' are associated with getting people to live by rules, but they actually cause problems for community associations," according to Kris Cook, CAE, Sr. Vice President of Community Associations Institute, the parent group of the book's publisher. "Unlike other books on this topic, this book tells readers how to get results, not how to get tough."
Not only does "Reinventing the Rules" review the basics of how to start off with good rules, it also contains useful pointers on assessing the reasonableness of existing rules and changing what's unacceptable to rules that everyone can live by. Professional Community Association Manager,® Judy Burd Rosen of St. Louis stated, "It's a challenge to put your community first and get residents to comply with the rules that make the community a desirable place, but this book goes a long way in meeting that challenge."
Author Trigiani has been an active leader in the community association industry at the local and national levels for many years. She's well qualified to offer excellent advice after dealing with rules issues in dozens of associations.
"Reinventing the Rules" retails for $30 (CAI members receive 40% off) and is available by phoning 703-548-8600 (M-F, 9-5 EDT), or order online at www.caisecure.net. The table of contents and preface are also available at this location online. Industry discounts are available to retail book sellers and authorized dealers.
Community Associations Press™ is the publishing division of Community Associations Institute (CAI), a nonprofit association created in 1973 to provide education and resources to America's 231,000 community associations—condominium associations, homeowner associations and cooperatives. CAI members include homeowners, associations, and the professionals who provide products and services to them.