Every homeowners’ association (HOA) community needs to have a disaster management plan in place. But preparing for disaster can be challenging as board members have other regular tasks to tackle while being community residents themselves. Thankfully, Scottsdale hoa management companies can help HOAs make an effective plan and simplify the process.
HOA disaster planning has many moving parts that should be considered. The protocols and requirements are contingent on where your HOA is located. A disaster management plan allows your association to curb liability. Without property disaster management, your association can face different issues such as lawsuits. A resident may take legal action against your association claiming it acted negligently in its emergency planning and execution. Thus, your HOA must continuously find ways to improve its disaster management schemes to ensure all residents are protected. Here are some tips to help you when you create or update your HOA’s disaster management plan:
Consider the Location of Your Community
Your disaster management plan mainly focuses on where your community is located. For instance, if the community is an area that is prone to wildfires, a fire disaster plan must be in place. Similarly, a flood management plan must be established for a community in a flood-prone area.
Take the Residents’ Age into Account
Your HOA should think about the age of the residents. Every community is unique, so a community with many young residents can have a different disaster management plan than one with aging residents. The idea is to match your plan to the needs of community members. Elderly members can have difficulty evacuating their houses than younger ones. Likewise, you should also consider children.
Build a Disaster Relief Plan
Once you have examined the dangers your community can face given its location, you must make a disaster relief plan. Such a plan must include related information like the level of involvement from insurance companies. Also, it should address certain issues such as inhabitable units, the potential of property owners to save their belongings, and necessary professional inspections before you let residents return to their houses.
Your HOA must carefully review such plans and clarify misunderstandings. Any unclear guideline can result in severe injury or harm, leading to legal trouble for the HOA. In addition, the relief plan must indicate the board members’ responsibilities when an emergency arises. This ensures that everyone understands their roles when a disaster strikes. Mention what residents must do before, during, and after a disaster. When you create these plans, consult with emergency planning experts.