By Sean Erik Andersen, RS
This article first appeared in the CAI Coachella Valley Chapter’s HOA Living Magazine, March 2026 Issue.
Modernism Week highlights communities and can also put them under a microscope.
Unlike many special events, the audience Modernism Week attracts is generally highly visual, design literate, and detail-oriented. Architects, preservationists, real estate professionals, designers, and media walk neighborhoods slowly and deliberately. They look closely. They photograph freely. And they notice everything.
As professionals working with Community Associations, this leads to the question: How should an Association use its Operating Funds and Reserve Funds when preparing common areas for Modernism Week? This becomes especially important when addressing deferred maintenance.
Using the wrong funding source can undermine the strength of the Reserve fund, create audit issues, and expose the board to owner challenges.
During Modernism week, Operating Funds should be used for routine maintenance, appearance-based preparation, deferred operating maintenance, and short-term enhancements. If the work restores appearance or functionality without replacing a reserve component, it belongs in the operating budget.
Common expenses typically funded through Operating Funds include:
• Landscape refresh and enhanced maintenance
• Pressure washing and spot painting
• Lighting repairs, such as bulbs and timers
• Signage cleaning and repainting
• Pool, clubhouse, and hardscape touch-ups
Reserve Funds should only be used if a component passes the National Reserve Study Standards three-part test. To be a Reserve Component, the project needs to be:
• The Association’s Obligation
• Reasonably anticipated
• A high cost to the Association
That will ensure the funds are used for major component replacement, lifecycle-based expenditures, and projects specifically identified in the reserve study. Reserve funds should not be used simply because an event is approaching; strategic planning with components can help elevate the community’s appearance during Modernism Week. If the Association has been planning a Monument refurbishment, doing that project in conjunction with landscape replacement would be an excellent use of Reserve Funds that would elevate the community’s look for Modernism Week.
Handled correctly, Modernism Week preparation enhances the community image without compromising long-term financial health. Strategic use of funds will elevate the community’s appearance during Modernism Week and improve its quality of life.
