The last time the public read about a Gilbert homeowners association, a board was trying to foreclose on the home of Evelyn Lyles, a mother terminally ill with breast cancer. So as Kevin Bishop said Thursday, the timing couldn’t have been better for Gilbert’s first HOA leadership forum, which was designed to help members run a successful, positive association.

Bishop’s Renaissance Community Partners management company, the Leadership Centre and Gilbert sponsored the three-hour event at the Southeast Regional Library in Gilbert, which requires an HOA for every new subdivision.  "Our objective is to change things from focusing on the negative to focusing on the positive," said Bishop, who started his company after bad experiences as a homeowner and board member.

About 70 people — from board members to property managers to interested residents — attended the event. Similar themes resonated during the evening from participants and the five-person panel — which included Leadership Centre founder and former Gilbert Mayor Cynthia Dunham, HOA attorney Charles Maxwell, The Manors HOA board president Wayne Hatch, Morrison family member Dawnie Stewart, whose family is developing Morrison Ranch, and Gilbert Councilman Les Presmyk.

Board members cited a number of issues facing them — resident apathy, compliance, delinquencies, maintaining property values, changing negative perceptions and parking.
To help solve or avoid these problems, board members were encouraged to communicate with residents, knock on doors, hold social events, write welcome letters and avoid seeking out violations.