Shanghai Homeowener Committee Standardized Development Research

The establishment and execution of the homeowner and condominium associations and elected boards of directors play an important role in the construction and development of communities across Shanghai, a cosmopolitan city, and promote the self-government of individual real properties by resident owners. However, such institutionalization is not normative. The supervising and monitoring system is incomplete with no effective resolution. Relationships between parties as owners, owner association, board of directors of the owner association, real estate maintenance and management vendors, local urban residents committees, state supervising agencies and etc. are complex and intrusive. The absence of an effective administrative and coordinative network presents considerable social conflicts and impedes harmony within communities and healthy estate management.This article discusses the role played by local boards of directors of the homeowner and condominium associations, existing issues in their establishment, operation and development. It then explores the reasons from theoretical and practical perspectives based on which suggestions and solutions on how to standardize the founding and operation of the boards, the decision-making rules, the self-supervising system, the resolution for conflict reconciliation and harmonious community are made in an attempt to integrate social resources, leverage involved parties and optimize owner self-governance mode.