Welcome to WSCAI!

The novel coronavirus compelled communities to confront a number of new challenges with legal implications. The overarching challenge has been for an association to figure out its role in a completely new type of environment.

Management companies and other vendors hit hard by the coronavirus may have some relief headed their way. On Friday, April 3, 2020, the application process opens for the Small Business Administrations’ Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”). This $350 billion emergency program is part of the federal government’s $2 trillion federal coronavirus relief package, officially known as the CARES Act.

Washington’s 2020 Legislative Session ended on March 12. The Washington State Chapter of Community Associations Institute (WSCAI) had a very successful year. The bills described below and outcomes noted are a small snapshot of the hundreds of hours of work by WSCAI’s Legislative Action Committee (LAC) and the Chapter’s professional lobbyists to advance the interests of homeowners living in community associations in Washington State.

In Washington State, at least 19 people in King and Snohomish counties had been diagnosed with COVID-19 (as of noon Monday), and 9 people have died. CAI is monitoring the outbreak of the COVID-19 coronavirus and its impact on community associations on a national level, while WSCAI is monitoring on the local level.

I hear it all the time, the board gets a stack of paper reports but doesn’t look at them. The reason why? I suspect information overload and not knowing what to look for in each report. It can be overwhelming for a community board member that isn’t used to looking at financial reports.