Greensboro/Winston-Salem HOA and Condo Management Company Hires Cole as Assistant Community Manager

Association Management Group - Greensboro (AMG), one of the Carolinas’ largest professional homeowner association managers with five offices in North and South Carolina, recently hired Candace Cole as Assistant Community Manager. Her responsibilities include partnering with current community managers to work with volunteer boards, assisting with contract negotiation and budgeting, helping manage maintenance issues and supporting community communications. “I’m excited about working for a great company where I can put my skills and knowledge to good use. I look forward to learning how to be an effective community manager so I can contribute to the amazing AMG team,” she said. To enhance her contribution, Cole plans to pursue the rigorous CMCA credential (Certified Manager of Community Associations) from CAI (Community Associations Institute), the professional and educational organization serving the community association industry. 

Previous to AMG, Cole performed administrative and customer service duties for the Marine Corps Junior Reserve Officer’s Training (MCJROTC) Program Headquarters in Quantico, Virginia. Prior to that, she served as a Marine Corps Training, Education and Outreach Specialist for military members, family members, retired military and Department of Defense civilians, and was responsible for facilitating Franklin Covey courses, providing information about Community Outreach services at public information fairs and delivering exceptional customer service.

According to AMG President Paul Mengert, Cole brings important skills to the Greensboro office. “Candace is expert at dealing with the public.  She’s committed to making a difference in people’s lives, which is invaluable in our business,” he said. “Her extensive knowledge and expertise in delivering world-class customer service will be a big benefit to AMG.”  

About AMG:  AMG is a professional community association management company dedicated to building effective community associations. AMG guides and assists executive boards to help protect the association's interests, enhance the lives of community members and improve the property values in the community. With offices throughout the Carolinas in Greensboro, Winston-Salem, Charlotte and Raleigh, NC, and Greenville and Aiken, SC, AMG is a knowledgeable partner in enforcing community governing documents with a proven set of processes and techniques, and supporting communities with a broad range of services which can be tailored to individual community needs. Association Management Group, Inc. is a locally Accredited Business by the BBB and is a nationally Accredited Association Management Company (AAMC) by the Community Associations Institute. For more about AMG, visit www.amgworld.com.

Associations, Board Members and Community Managers Earn High Ratings

 Falls Church, VA, May 6, 2016—Americans who live in homeowners associations and condominiums remain overwhelmingly satisfied with their communities, their homeowner leaders and professional managers, according to a national survey conducted in March by Zogby Analytics for the Foundation for Community Association Research.

“No matter who or when you ask, the answer always comes back basically the same,” says CAI Chief Executive Officer Thomas Skiba, CAE. “A large majority of Americans who live in community associations are happy and satisfied in their communities. This is a testament to how much the community association model has evolved in recent years. The concept has grown up, become well established and become an increasingly successful form of community governance and an essential component of the U.S. housing market. Not surprisingly, it represents a growing portion of our housing stock.”

Almost 70 million Americans live in close to 340,000 common-interest communities, from city-sized, master-planned communities and multi-building condominium complexes to urban cooperatives and small homeowners associations built into small tracks of open suburban spaces.

Pollsters have asked the same fundamental question as part of six surveys of randomly selected association residents in the U.S., beginning in 2005: On a scale of one to five, with one being very bad and five being very good, how would you rate your experience living in a community association? 

The answers have been strikingly consistent. In the March survey, almost 9 in 10 respondents are either satisfied (4 or 5) or neutral (3) on the question. Sixty-five percent say they are “very” or “somewhat” satisfied, with 22 percent neutral and just 13 percent expressing dissatisfaction.

The findings from the six surveys rarely vary more than the expected standard margin of error for national, demographically representative surveys. Community association residents are equally clear with respect to other questions:

• They say their association board members serve the best interests of their communities and that they are on friendly terms with these elected homeowner leaders.
• They say their community managers provide valuable support to residents and their associations.
• They overwhelmingly support community association rules designed to preserve the nature and appearance of the community and protect property values.·        
• By a two-to-one margin, they believe they pay about the right amount—some even say too little—in association assessments, versus paying too much. Assessments cover services, utilities and amenities provided to residents by the association.
• They want to see less, or at least not more, government oversight and control of community associations

 Findings from the six surveys can be assessed at www.caionline.org/validation

“These surveys are not conducted to prove a point. We know that most community associations function very well, thanks to the skills dedication of homeowner leaders, community managers and others who provide professional services to associations. We also know that all communities do not operate as well as they should,” says Skiba. “We’re never happy when we see a community in the news for the wrong reasons, but it’s reassuming to know we know struggling communities are the exception to the rule. We will continue to work with our members and other stakeholders to help Americans build and sustain better communities.”

The keys to successful associations, Skiba notes, are open communication between residents and association leaders, a commitment to transparency in governance, dedicated volunteers and adherence to best practices for association governance and management. Many time-tested best practices are delineated in From Good to Great, a free, downloadable document that includes CAI’s initiative, Rights and Responsibilities for Better Communities. Visit www.caionline.org/good2great.

With more than 34,000 members dedicated to building better communities, CAI works in partnership with 60 chapters to provide information, education and resources to community associations and the professionals who support them. CAI’s mission is to inspire professionalism, effective leadership and responsible citizenship—ideals reflected in communities that are preferred places to call home. Visit www.caionline.org or call (888) 224-4321. 

The Foundation for Community Association Research provides authoritative research and analysis on community association trends, issues and operations. Its mission is to inspire successful and sustainable communities. Visit www.cairf.org.

________________________________________________________________

For members and general inquiries, contact the CAI member service team:
Community Associations Institute
Phone: (888) 224-4321
E-mail: CAI-info@caionline.org

MEDIA CONTACT: Frank Rathbun
Phone: (703) 970-9239
E-mail: FRathbun@caionline.org

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Posted by: Frank Rathbun <frathbun@caionline.org>

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Ways Neighbors Can Help Neighbors During a Hurricane

We will soon be entering the 2016 hurricane season. In past years the Carolinas have fallen victim to devastating storms. At AMG we want to help homeowners keep their homes safe and reduce injury from storms. Hurricanes and tropical systems can cause serious damage on both coastal and inland areas. Their hazards can come in many forms including: storm surge, heavy rainfall, inland flooding, high winds and tornadoes. To prepare for these powerful storms, AMG is encouraging families, businesses, and individuals to be aware of their risks; have a community preparedness plan; prepare your home, workplace and community.

When you live in an area where hurricanes are a risk, planning is essential. Here are some ways  you might be able to help your neighbors.

If you live in a community, your neighbors can be a great help in case of an emergency, and you can also be of service to your neighbors. Working together can help keep everyone safe. A community working together during an emergency makes sense. 

"When a storm hits, there are no strangers—only neighbors helping neighbors, communities rallying to rebuild," says President Obama,  Here are some ways you can help neighbors (and they can help you) in case of a hurricane:

1. Get to know your neighbors. Think about people in your neighborhood who may need your help, for example:

·         Older people living by themselves;

·         People with physical or sensory disabilities;

·         People with a chronic illness or with a mental illness; single parents with young children; large families; 

·         People newly arrived, including tourists, refugees or immigrants.

·         Talk to your neighbors to identify those who may need assistance

If you are an HOA board member or leader of your community association you may want to consider a community plan and getting the information out to the residents:

• Where to go for community resources
• How to prep your home, close and lock hurricane-proof windows, seal all openings, secure rooftops and yard items
• Emergency phone numbers

Community associations can get residents involved and working together by holding safety and preparedness events. Use the space in your association newsletter to communicate preparedness information to the residents of the community. Here is a list of items that might be helpful in the event of a hurricane.

·         Lanterns ·         Batteries (in different sizes!)   ·         Matches  ·         First aid kit ·         Duct tape ·         Rain gear ·         Candles ·         Battery operated radio

·         Clock (wind-up or battery-powered) ·         Plastic garbage bags ·         Fire extinguisher ·         Scissors ·         Can Opener ·         Clean clothes ·         Extra blankets ·         Heavy gloves

If your community association becomes aware of impending storms, it is helpful to notify residents of some home preparedness items they can do to get ready. Here is a list to share with the residents of your community:

·         Remove outdoor items ·         Trim dead branches from trees ·         Board up windows ·         Fill gas tanks and extra containers ·         Get extra cash	·         Move furniture away from windows ·         Store important documents in waterproof containers ·         Extra supply of medicines ·         Prepare for the needs of pets
·	·

Another great way to get your residents involved is holding a canned food drive to collect items to distribute before the big storm arrives. Here is a list of items residents should have on hand during any emergency.

·         Bottled water (1 gallon/person/day)  ·         Bottled juice ·         Two coolers:  One for drinks & one for food	·         Canned foods ·         Manual can opener ·         Dry pet food  ·         Medic-alert tags
·         Insect-repellent sprays ·         Feminine hygiene items ·         Sunscreen ·         Soap ·         First aid kit ·         Prescription medication	·         Over-the-counter medication ·         Children's medicine ·         Bandages ·         Adhesive tape ·         Antiseptic solution ·         Thermometer ·         Tweezers

If you are having an actual emergency please dial 911 immediately. Please be aware and publish all emergency contact numbers.

For more information on how AMG helps serve community associations visit our website at http://www.amgworld.com