About the Palm Springs HOA Presidents Council
The HOA Presidents Council was conceptualized in the Spring of 2007, when some may remember the headline in the local section of The Desert Sun screaming out: HOAs bilked; 60-year-old arrested (read story).
In fact, I was one of 13 HOA presidents who became aware that our property manager had been forging checks and had a kick back scheme with those that provided services to us.
Several HOA presidents worked diligently to assist a detective in building the case against Mary Clark/Covenant Management. She was prosecuted and sentenced to a four-year term.
It became clear to me that had we had a council of HOA presidents we could have shared information and, at the very least, cut our losses. It was also plain to see that there was a need for a forum that would better inform HOA leaders on the complexities and responsibilities that they were elected to deal with.
I had a good friend and talented reporter at the Desert Sun, Stefanie Frith. She understood the need and value of such a group, writing a local section front page story, "New Group Caters to Concerns of HOAs." Quite frankly, had that story not run, there would not have been much of a meeting as there was no roster of HOAs with phone numbers and contact information.
Pacific Western Bank generously offered their large conference room which quickly became inadequate, as 85 HOA presidents appeared, mostly from Palm Springs but a few from as far away as Indio and La Quinta.
We have come a long way since that first meeting with frequent meetings over the past two years that have featured a plethora of forums, including earthquake & general liability insurance; reserve funding and annual budget preparation; self management; and discussions on new HOA law.
We now have 117 member Palm Springs HOAs, a well run chapter in Cathedral City, and a new one being formed in Palm Desert. The future holds many challenges and we, as a collective voice and body of information, will be better prepared to do what is so well stated in our original Articles of Incorporation at Los Pueblos, "protect the health, welfare, and safety of the residents."
