Holiday decorations are an easy way for an association to spread some seasonal cheer and add a cozy, communal vibe to the neighborhood. And they’re a big part of Florida communities: 80 percent of associations choose to decorate, per a recent survey from the Community Association Leadership Lobby. But, what was once a practice limited to a couple lights, ornaments and a menorah or two has migrated toward a decorating empire complete with 10-foot tall blow-up Santas, multi-color lights that pulse and twinkle and even moving reindeer and elves, synchronized to holiday music. While not all associations chose to outfit their buildings with such elaborate décor (or want the super-sized energy bill that comes along with it), navigating the community decorating scene can be tricky at times. Decorating can be more complex than just stringing together a bunch of lights—it involves issues of culture, timing, quantity and quality. Before decking

Whether you live in a suburb or in the heart of the city, an HOA or high-rise condominium, things can get pretty expensive. The holiday season compounds the issue: there are gifts to be bought, travel to be booked, parties to attend and the stress that many Boardss feel when trying to figure out what kind of bonus to give the people who (hopefully) make their everyday life a little easier: the building or HOA staff. A reward for work well done is a welcome gift, especially at this time of year. Property Managers, chief engineers, maintenance personnel, front desk staff, housekeepers and pool & spa attendants all work diligently throughout the year to deliver the lifestyle that you expect. An association’s staff in Florida spend most of the year dealing with heat, humidity, and the merciless southern sun as they go about their duties. Regardless of the temperature, your

Condominium Associations, Homeowner Associations and Co-Ops are increasingly at risk of experiencing a Cyber event, leading to costly lawsuits, government fines, and data breach response costs. Associations may not realize the extent of their vulnerability when it comes to cyber crime. Just as with any other small to mid-sized business (SMB), associations can be the target of malware infections and other cyber threats. In fact, SMBs suffer 58% of malware infections, according to a recent report released from Verizon. Furthermore, not only are small businesses being hit by hackers, the attacks are costing them a lot of hard-earned cash. In 2017, average malware-related costs for small and medium-sized businesses included $1,027,053 due to damage or theft of IT assets, and $1,207,965 due to disruption to normal business operations. One of the reasons SMBs are so vulnerable is because they simply don’t have the same resources large corporations do for cyber