HOA Management BlogRecent Posts
Have you, as a member of a Board of Directors for a homeowners association, ever had a special meeting called for your Association? Special meetings are unscheduled meetings called from time to time by the HOA board or others for a specific purpose. Special meetings usually address issues that need immediate attention or that need more time and discussion than can be handled in routine meetings.
Associations have rules to preserve the appearance of the community, protect the value of the common property and individual homes, and make the neighborhood more harmonious for all. What you may not know is that in some rare instances, the homeowners association will waive some rules and regulations.
In homeowner’s associations, you and every board member are considered a fiduciary and are duty bound to act in the best interests of all residents, not your own best interests.
Does your homeowner’s association allow pets? Many associations do and it goes without saying how much owners love their pets, so keeping them safe in the warmer months is most likely a top priority for those owners. See below for some friendly reminders to pass along to owners in your association - ways to help keep pets happy, healthy, and out of harm’s way…even on the warmest of days.
Are you reviewing and updating your homeowner’s association’s strategic plan?
A strategic plan outlines priorities and projects for the immediate future and for years to come. It can accommodate revisions as changing circumstances dictate—without conflicting with the vision behind its creation. It also helps determine what the year’s budget will include and suggests what future ones might feature.
A good number of Board members understand that being a leader within their homeowners association can be a very rewarding yet sometimes thankless job. If they have been on the Board for any length of time, they also know that change is inevitable. Rules and regulations governing homeowners associations are consistently being reviewed and evaluated, and keeping up on the changes is just one responsibility of the Association board.
Making and sticking to a budget is not a hard concept for someone to understand. You bring in X amount of dollars each month and you have X amount of bills to pay. The amount of your income is spread out to cover your monthly expenses. Theoretically your income determines the expenses you can afford, although in America we tend to take this too far. But your HOA Board doesn’t have to!
It’s required by law that time be set aside at each HOA board meeting for members to address the Board. This time for open comments allows members to have a voice about issues in the Association; however it’s important to understand what can and cannot be done during this time.
Helen Keller said, “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” In order to effectively run a homeowners association, an HOA board, even if it has a manager, can’t do everything. It needs the help of members getting involved and forming committees. While the Board is ultimately responsible for the decisions in the Association, it can give authority and responsibility in some areas. The key is defining clear guidelines for the committees and getting people involved in areas that interest them.
Why would a homeowners association hire a management company? It’s a question that each individual association answers differently because each association has specific needs. Sure, there are common reasons, such as helping with finances, understanding the laws, and day-to-day functions of the Association the HOA board just doesn’t have time to do.
