In this special LA Fire episode, host Tom Freeley talks with Senior Professional Public Adjuster Steve P. Severaid about how victims of the LA County fires can begin rebuilding their lives. The devastating wildfires have impacted thousands of families, homeowners, business owners, HOAs and managers. With over 30 years of experience, Severaid offers practical advice on starting the recovery process, from keeping receipts and tracking expenses to accepting help. This episode aims to provide guidance for those affected and prepare other listeners for future disasters. For more information on ways to help, visit cacm.org/member-relief-la or email CACMmemberrelief@cacm.org.

Guest host Alia Saouli of CACM sits down with Korinna Peterson, CACM Education Events Coordinator, to explore the pressure of New Year’s resolutions—or the decision to ditch them altogether. For community managers, the start of the year can feel overwhelming with so much already on their plate all the time. Instead of setting unrealistic resolutions, this episode focuses on achievable goals and celebrating small wins. With years of experience in the events industry, Peterson shares insights on being your own toughest critic, while emphasizing the importance of recognizing progress and having the courage to keep moving forward. Tune in for this refreshing conversation, designed to inspire and refresh you for the new year!

CEO and host Tom Freeley brings some end-of-year holiday cheer and good tidings in this festive episode. One recent update that brings good news is on the Corporate Transparency Act. At the time of this recording, HOAs and managers responsible for filing on behalf of their client boards were relieved of the requirement to provide beneficial ownership information to the U.S. Treasury Department. Without our commitment to working together as a community, this change wouldn’t have been possible. Speaking of community, in 2024 CACM supported numerous charity organizations with your help. Including the Ronald McDonald House, Second Harvest Food Bank, Compassion Planet, Bill Wilson’s Center for Unhoused Youth, Redwood Empire Food Bank, and One Warm Coat, and multiple donation drives are planned for 2025. How are you spreading cheer and happiness? Make sure to stay to the end of this episode for a heart-warming and funny HOA holiday poem.

Guest host Alia Saouli of CACM sits down with Becky Jolly, CCAM, Senior Community Manager at Professional Association Services, to talk about dealing with hoarding in your communities. Hoarding is something that both you and the resident don’t intend for and especially don’t know how to navigate. With 20 years of experience under her belt, Becky dives into tips on dealing with the clutter while also remaining compassionate and understanding of homeowners (and not just with hoarding, but in every situation). Tune in for fresh insights on handling hoarding with empathy and learn how to manage both the mess and the personalities that come with it!

Guest host Alia Saouli of CACM sits down with Shawn Hill of Storm Water Innovative Solutions to discuss the reality of storm water in Southern California. Though it may not rain much down here, community managers and homeowners should be aware of the potential damages of storm water. Storm water can affect not only your home but other belongings as well, such as a Volkswagen Bus (which Shawn shares). And with every unique property, there is a specific storm water filtration system to pair with it. Providing the proper maintenance and care to these systems can either make or break your property and your wallet. With education at the forefront of this conversation, tune in to hear how you can save your property in the long run!

This week, guest host Alia Saouli of CACM talks about the importance of gratitude in everyday life. On a day-to-day basis, most people are thinking about themselves, their to-do lists, their families and more. But what if you could begin to rewire your brain just by expressing gratitude every day? Studies show that being more grateful and optimistic in the little things can ultimately improve your daily life. Tune in to hear some of Alia’s tips and tricks on gratitude this holiday season!

CEO and podcast host Tom Freeley talks about the qualifications and the qualities of leaders. Leaders set goals, provide guidance, surround themselves with talented people and have a clear vision for teams and organizations. A leader also is an influencer of people, who can coach a group to achieve a common goal, and who is willing and able to ask for help. Trust and communication are key. Difficult and tough decisions are part of the job. Embrace them! Listen in for more of Tom’s thoughts on leadership.

The deadline to comply with the Corporate Transparency Act is quickly approaching (December 31, 2024). What does that mean for homeowners’ associations, which are included in the BOI reporting requirements of the act? Which communities are exempt? What must beneficial owners file with the Department of Treasury and what are the penalties for non-compliance? Dawn Bauman, Senior Vice President, Government & Public Affairs, for the Community Associations Institute and Executive Director of the Foundation for Community Association Research, provides an update on the legislation and CAI’s lawsuit to exempt community associations. While CAI continues to work with the Federal Government to repeal or delay the act, Bauman advises HOAs and boards to be prepared to comply by January 1.

This week guest host Alia Saouli of CACM sits down with Stephanie Romero of Aeroscopic Environmental to discuss all things health and wellness as it relates to community managers and the buildings they help look after. Tune in to listen to the topic of water damage like mold and how to look for signs. Plus, tips on how to prevent water damage and mitigate risk. Romero recommends insurance is reviewed and updated regularly to ensure proper coverage in the case of having to file a claim. In addition to keeping buildings in good shape, Saouli and Romero share ideas on how community managers can stay healthy and the importance of having a peer community to share both the ups and downs of their daily jobs.

The HOA industry is in a very active phase of consolidation with mergers and acquisitions. But even as larger management corporations take over longstanding medium and small businesses, newcomers are entering the scene. Host Tom Freeley sits down with Laura Hurtado, CCAM-PM.CI, who recently launched Synergy Management Group in San Diego. After working many years in the industry managing all types of communities—from onsite self-managed to high rise, large scale and commercial associations—Hurtado broke out on her own to start a small business. Hear about her journey to becoming an entrepreneur, and what she’s doing to set her company apart.

Homeowners’ associations should set aside anywhere from 15 to 40 percent of their annual budget to adequately fund reserves, says Reserve Specialist Matthew Swain. However, many boards and associations kick the can down the road and avoid setting aside money into their reserve fund because they don’t want to increase assessments. But if you treat reserves like an impound account on a mortgage, it will be easier for boards and associations to pay expenses when components fail or need to be replaced or repaired. In this episode, host Tom Freeley and Swain discuss how to approach a reserve budget, what a reserve study should cover, the three- part test for reserve studies, and national reserve study standards.

In part two of this 2024 legislative update, community management executive Joseph Price weighs in on the balcony bill, the CID repair bill and the electronic voting bill, all which were recently signed into law. What now? How do you start to implement at the association level? It’s not going to be plug and play. Plus, the deadline to comply with the Corporate Transparency Act looms large and association boards have to act sooner rather than later. As it currently stands, there are no exemptions for homeowners’ associations. Take the time to learn about new legislation and the steps you will need to take, host Tom Freeley advises.

The 2024 legislative season is over in California, but it was an action-packed thrill ride with many bills introduced that targeted common interest developments, or HOAs, in the state. Host Tom Freeley and attorney and CACM’s Legislative Advocate Jennifer Wada analyze the impact of three bills specifically: SB 900 (CID Repair and Maintenance), AB 2114 (Balcony Inspections) and AB 2159 (Electronic Voting).

The pink flamingo ban that turned into a temporary art installation at a community. A community manager that calls the authorities on a trespasser sleeping in the clubhouse, just to find out he’s the association’s board president. Plus, how a community manager tried to avoid serving a violation notice to Lorena Bobbitt. These are just some of the weird stories that will make you chuckle. You can’t make this stuff up! CEO and host Tom shares some of the crazy stories of managing and living in homeowners’ associations. You don’t want to miss this one!

“Don’t fake your budget.” Hear this and other great advice from guest Lorena Sterling with Community Association Financial Services in Palm Springs. It’s budget season, so tune in for insights from Sterling on how to create and present an association budget. This episode also presents tips on how to read and present a financial statement to the HOA board.

California’s fire season is in full swing. CEO and host Tom Freeley talks about preparing for emergencies and natural disasters including fires, floods, earthquakes, landslides, storms, and more. In the HOA industry, the term often used is: Fire, flood or blood. Reserve funds can be easily or entirely wiped out to cover the cost of unplanned disasters. In an oceanfront LA community, more than 200 homes have had their gas and power cut off by a long-running ground shift, which is threatening utility lines. Most HOAs, however, have no formal plans or training to respond to disasters. Listen in for ideas on how to address an emergency at an association. 

Burnout is a common symptom for community association managers, aka, Personality Managers, and it manifests both physically and mentally affecting job performance. Insomnia, digestive issues, grumpy mood are all signs of burnout. It’s hard to avoid when subjected to constant negativity and bullying from clients.

Who is CACM, what do we do and why are we launching a podcast? Our first episode gives you a glimpse of what our purpose is: to elevate the community association management industry by providing resources, education and certification to HOA managers in California and beyond.