A new resident recently moved in to Berkley Court from another state. She was notified shortly afterwards by her landlord that the Board had complained about her presence in the community.
As a responsible individual, she thought it best to contact a Board member to see if she and they can speak directly and address all concerns. Here’s how our new neighbor started the conversation:
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Here’s how the board member responded to a new person in our community:
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And finally, the response back to the board member by the tenant in question:
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Now, we understand that serving as a board member is a volunteer position, on top of all the other responsibilities one may have in life. Board members may not have the time or energy to be able to welcome every new resident when they arrive, provide them an orientation of where things are in this community and how they work, and point them to resources that would come in handy like a welcome packet with codes and a comprehensive list of regulations and customs.
However, is it too much to ask for board members to exercise professionalism and civility, to not assume that folks are guilty before being found innocent, especially upon the first interaction?
We want our community to be full of responsible individuals, and welcoming to all. If we needlessly harass those living in our spaces, the quality of folks seeking to buy or rent in our community diminishes, as no tenant wants to remain under hostile conditions.
The above also leaves us open for lawsuits, which affects all of us (as assessments and insurance costs rise to cover the risk), even if it is just a few people engaging in bad behavior.
As homeowners, do we want this board of directors to be our representation to the world?