HOAs and Electronic Communications

There’s no question that the sea change in the way we communicate over the past 20 years has made life a lot simpler in a lot of different ways. If you grew up in a world before cell phones, e-mail, and electronic documents, you can truly appreciate what a fundamental shift it’s been that affects all aspects of our day-to-day lives.

Of course, there’s no reward without risk. Data breaches have become commonplace of late, and hacking scandals continue to make headlines. Every time it seems that technology has found a way to make data secure, something happens to shatter that illusion.

Because of the sensitive nature of condo association documents, they have, for the most part, remained hard copy and offline. That’s good news for security purposes, but it can make it a challenge if residents wish to review any of the information, or if they need to get in touch with whoever is keeping the documents safe.

Condo associations that have voted to institute electronic transfer of information are able to keep residents aware of any relevant information in real-time, and all at once instead of piecemeal. Another advantage is electronic voting for officers and on important condo-related decisions. Usually, these votes have to take place in person at condo association meetings, which not everyone is able to attend.

When weighing out whether or not electronic communications are worth it, many condo associations test the waters first with an opt-in, hybrid version first. They maintain the hard copy, in-person model that they’ve always had, but add an electronic option for those who prefer it. Still, the security risks are very real, and a disgruntled resident can cause major havoc and even lawsuits with a simple “Forward to All” e-mail.

If your condo association is considering moving into the digital age, be sure to do plenty of research first. It will be a much easier sell if you can address any and all security concerns right up front.

Pilera is a best-of-class, easy-to-use, comprehensive online property management solution for apartments, condos, and associations. Pilera provides the easiest, most comprehensive data management capability available to property managers, leasing agents, boards of directors, and back-office personnel. Quickly and easily access whatever you need, whenever you need it, from wherever you need to be with office or mobile phone connectivity. You are never out of touch. Act on the document/information accessed from the office or “on-the-road” with Pilera-supported mobile capability. Contact us today!