Hurricane Preparation for Community Associations – Part 1

What should your community association do to prepare for a hurricane? We already know about the pool furniture and protecting the lobby windows.
Take advantage of technology. Preserve the Association’s Official Records. The community association should be sure that all important Official Records have been downloaded on a CD or a flash drive.

This would include: all current insurance policies; emergency contact information for the owners so you can reach them when they evacuate; current contracts and contact information for contractors; bank account numbers and copies of financial records, including accounts receivable for each unit; inventory lists and photos of the common property, the clubhouse, the office, the pool area, parking areas, driveways, furnishings and equipment, etc. for possible insurance claims.

Associations, don’t forget historical documents such as: Minutes of meetings, a set of the governing documents, and anything else that is required under the applicable law. Then, make sure copies of the disk or drive are kept somewhere off site for future reference. Update the Records periodically, so you always have the most current information.

Enter into contingency contracts for debris removal, tree cutting, and window replacement services, in case you need them after the storm, so you have priority consideration for immediate help.
Set up a website so owners can check on the status of the community from a distance, particularly if there is government-mandated evacuation. This will all help ensure things run a little smoother this hurricane season.

Have you heard about Florida’s hurricane preparedness tax holiday?

By Ellen Hirsch de Haan, Esq.