Melissa Garcia

(she· her· hers) Shareholder - Transaction & Business Development Dept. Head

Phone: 303.991.2018
Melissa Garcia is a shareholder at Altitude Community Law P.C. and an HOA enthusiast! With over 20 years of experience, Melissa loves the community association law arena because it allows her to work with a variety of people to develop real solutions to challenging problems. Her practice emphasizes transactional law, including amending governing documents, issuing opinion letters, and assisting with general counsel representation of HOAs. Melissa heads the business development department and actively posts on social media to help develop, foster and promote successful associations. A frequent lecturer and participant in seminars on community associations, Melissa speaks nationally as well as locally on all issues facing associations. She presents an annual series of HOA workshops exclusively for several cities in Colorado, regularly teaches for the Community Association Institute (“CAI”), and is a frequent presenter for HOALeader.com. In 2012 Melissa received the Educator of the Year Award and in 2018 Melissa received the Committee Chair of the Year Award, both for the CAI Southern Colorado Chapter. Most recently Melissa received the CAI – RMC 2021 Excellence in Education Award and the CAI-SOCO 2021 Chair of the Year Award. Melissa’s teaching and prior retail experiences have honed her people skills so she understands different approaches and communication styles, which makes her an effective part of each association's team.

Education:
B.A., University of Reno Nevada- 1996
Juris Doctorate, California Western School of Law- 1999

Professional Organizations:
Community Associations Institute- Since 2002
Community Associations Institute, Rocky Mountain Chapter, HOA Council Chair – 2017 to Feb, 2019
Community Associations Institute, Rocky Mountain Chapter, Northern Colorado Committee Chair – Feb, 2019 to Feb, 2021.
Community Associations Institute, Southern Colorado Chapter, Technology Committee Chair – 2017 to 2022
Community Associations Institute, Southern Colorado Chapter, Special Events Committee Member – Present
Council of Community Association Professionals-2018 to 2020

Publications 

When Third Parties Ask for Condo/HOA Owners’ Records

E-Vehicle Charging Stations in Common Condo Garages: Is There a Risk of Fire?

How to Trigger a Condo/HOA Discrimination Lawsuit in One Easy Step

Would There Ever Be a Reason for an HOA to Get This Involved in Its Owners’ Personal Lives?

Can Land Be Donated to a Condo/HOA? Would You Even Want It?

Condo/HOA Experts’ 5 Best Tips for Small Communities

California’s New Condo Inspection Law: Early Lessons That Reach Beyond the State

How to Ensure Your Condo/HOA Retains the Holiday Spirit

Who’s the Grinch Here, the Owner, the HOA, or Nobody?

Virtual Meetings: The Pros, The Cons, and the Legal Requirements In Between

Common Interests Magazine, Volume 40, Issue 5 – Tech and Modernization

Community Connections Magazine, Q1 2023 – Everything You Need to Know About EV Charging Systems in Community Associations\

Trend Watch: Are Condos/HOAs Under Attack?

The Most-Violated Rules Driving Condo/HOA Boards Around the Bend

Can You Guess the Rules Condo/HOA Owners Ignore Most Often?

What Condos and HOAs Are Doing to Combat Inflation

Does Your Condo/HOA Need an Anti-Harassment Policy?

Colorado Governor Signs More-Restrictive Condo/HOA Law

Reader Reports that Insurer Asked for HOA’s Anti-Harassment Policy

What Could Go Wrong? Allowing Nonowners to Store Cars in Your Condo Garage

 

Upcoming Speaking Engagements:

2023

06/08 City of Greeley – Necessary Evils: Collections, Foreclosures, and Covenant Enforcement

07/19 Feuding Directors – What Do You Do?

08/23 City of Longmont: Legislature Update and HOA Rules

09/07 Committees Gone Amok!

09/13 City of Greeley – A Smorgasbord of Legal Stuff for Association Governance

10/25 City of Longmont: Community Liability: Are You Protected During Activities? + HOA Trivia Night

12/07 City of Greeley – Silent Documents – What Authority Do We Have?

Recent Publications by Melissa M. Garcia

Need More Money for Your Association? Here’s How to Get It!

Last month I had the privilege of teaching the webinar “Help We Need More Money,” which was all about generating more income for associations. Whether an association needs more money because it has unexpected repairs, or insurance costs have quadrupled, or just due to inflation and other uncontrollable costs, many boards fall into the rhythmGo to Resource

Solar Panels and Satellite Dishes: Can an Association Regulate Them?

[This Article has been updated to include changes in law effective 2021.] Short answer: Yes, an association can regulate solar panels and satellite dishes. However, an association cannot ban them in certain areas as solar panels are protected by Colorado law and satellite dishes are protected by federal law. And, the scope of the association’sGo to Resource

Veto HB22-1137 Before It’s Too Late

Collection of delinquent assessments and enforcement of governing document violations are two of the most difficult actions tasked to an association. If HB22-1137 becomes law, they are about to become infinitely more difficult and certainly costlier in both time and expense. As of this posting, the bill has not yet made it to Governor Polis’sGo to Resource

Top 5 Things Board Members Should NOT Do in 2022

ONE: Your Reserve Fund Is Your Friend. Don’t Ignore It. It used to be that I would periodically field questions on financial problems due to inadequate reserves. Today, I am constantly preparing special assessment letters, reviewing loan documents, drafting reserve study policies, and generally advising on all questions related to associations experiencing financial crisis. Why?Go to Resource
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