Monthly Archives: January 2023

HOA Board Meeting

Eight Tips for Getting All HOA Board Members on the Same Page

To get the most from your homeowner’s association (HOA), it is important that all members of the board are working towards the same goals. If you have an HOA in your community, you are encouraged to use the following strategy to ensure your community benefits the most from HOA management.

Establish Roles and Responsibilities for Each Board Member

Your board members should know exactly what to do as a team. When your board members have direction, they can accomplish their goals.

Directly after your new Board members are sworn in, hold an exclusive meeting that details every responsibility the new volunteer has in their position. This prevents any responsibility overlap and, most of all, prevents anything from falling through the cracks.

Additionally, you can assign these members to form committees to organize additional tasks that need special attention. 

Make Sure Everyone Understands the HOA Rules and Regulations

For your board to be effective, they must understand the rules and regulations of the HOA. Knowing all of the rules and regulations will help your board stay focused on what the community wants from the HOA.

Take some time to review your community CC&Rs with your management and legal team. They will help each Board member understand the amount of reach they have in the HOA.

Set an Agenda for Each Meeting and Stick to It

For the best results in a HOA board meeting, you want a written agenda, and you will want to follow it closely. When you go off track, it is easy to get sidetracked, and the meeting closes with nothing accomplished.

Set a Time at Each Meeting for Open Discussion

At the end of your board meeting, have an open discussion. This will allow board members to discuss anything that may have been brought to their attention since the last meeting that should have been included in the current meeting agenda.

This special time set aside ensures that nothing of importance is left in the rearview as your board moves forward on decisions.

Set Up a Standard Form of Communication for Board Members

Board members should be able to stay in touch outside of meeting times. Establish a group email or text that can be used specifically for HOA-related information and discussions. Remember, though, the only place where a legitimate vote can occur is at an official meeting, not via text or private phone calls.

Encourage Collaboration by Setting Common Goals for the HOA

Your board members will be more willing to work towards a goal for your community when they feel included. Taking time to sit down and truly discuss what matters to each board member can lead to a quick sense of common ground. This type of collaboration will always benefit the HOA and the community.

Set Guidelines for Conflicts

Conflicts can arise at any board meeting when members have different views on a subject. Establish a guideline on how to resolve conflicts and follow it at all times. This may include voting on a subject or researching more on the project before committing to an idea or plan.

Follow Up on All Tasks Assigned

Board members should establish how to follow up on any given tasks or projects. This may include a regular check-in with other board members before the next meeting or a follow-up call by a designated board member to see how the task is going or the results.

HOA management techniques are very important to the success of the HOA. Goodwin & Company is a Dallas HOA management firm that works with local HOAs so that its Board can manage its communities more effectively.

People choose to reside within an HOA community because they like what an HOA has to offer. They like the thought of their community being held to a higher standard because it means they will enjoy a higher standard of living. HOA board members are encouraged to use these tools to get the most out of their meetings and the best results for their community.

Contact us today to learn more about our HOA management services.

 

communication in meetings

4 Ways to Improve Communication Within Your HOA

As an HOA board, staying connected to your community is important. Good communication is essential for maintaining a sense of unity and trust among owners. If one of your 2023 resolutions was to grow your community members, communication is critical.

Here are 4 tips to help ensure that communication lines are open and running smoothly and how a property management team can help year-round.

Make Meetings Accessible 

Holding regular meetings is a great way for HOA boards to keep their members up-to-date on important issues and decisions. 

But if access to these meetings is limited, not everyone can attend or stay informed. To improve accessibility, consider hosting online meetings or providing recordings of past meetings so members can watch them at their convenience. This will allow everyone in the community to stay up-to-date on HOA news and discussions regardless of their ability to attend physical meetings. 

Utilize Multiple Communication Channels 

When communicating with members, it’s important to use multiple channels such as email, phone calls, text messages, social media platforms, and newsletters to reach people who may prefer one platform over another. 

By utilizing multiple channels, you can ensure that no one misses out on important information from the board or other members of the community. An HOA management team like Goodwin & Company can help you create and distribute messages for multiple channels. All your Board has to do is provide us with the key information.

When everyone is kept in the loop, your community begins to thrive and make decisions that improve its value for owners.

Encourage Open Dialogue 

Open dialogue is key for building trust between community members and the board and fostering a vibrant community atmosphere. 

Create forums or discussion groups where people can openly share ideas and ask questions about various topics related to the HOA so that everyone feels like they have a voice in the community. Outside of more structured meetings, open forums will give you valuable insight into what people want from their HOA experience, which can be used for future planning purposes.            

Keep Things Transparent 

Transparency is vital for successful communication. So, it’s important that all decisions are made openly and clearly communicated with everyone in the community when appropriate. 

Provide regular updates on financials and upcoming projects or events so that owners feel like they are kept in the know when it comes to matters concerning their home environment.

Making sure people understand how decisions are made within their community will help foster a sense of unity among members, which is essential for any successful HOA organization. 

Create Community Events 

Organizing community events is an effective way for HOA boards to build connections with homeowners and encourage them to get involved in the community. 

These events include holiday parties or potlucks to movie nights or game days. 

It’s also a great opportunity for new community members to meet their neighbors and become more familiar with the area. 

Send Out Surveys  

Surveys are another effective tool that HOA boards can use when communicating with homeowners. Surveys provide an opportunity for HOAs to gain valuable feedback from residents and better understand how they feel about certain topics related to their neighborhood’s operations, such as policies and services provided by the board. It’s important that surveys are distributed regularly so that current board members and HOA management remain aware of any changes in resident sentiment over time.  

Foster Your Community’s Trust With Goodwin & Company

It is essential for HOA boards to maintain good relationships with their residents in order to effectively manage their communities and ensure everyone’s needs are being met properly. Establishing clear lines of communication between board members and homeowners will help ensure that all parties are kept informed and involved in the decision-making process for their neighborhood’s operations. 

Not every board member has the time to improve communication from the inside. So, letting a qualified HOA management group handle communication improvements makes getting to know your constituent needs a breeze. At Goodwin & Company, we put our decades of experience to work for the communities we serve. Contact us today to learn more about our services and how we can make your HOA the best it can be.