Board members are community leaders. They volunteer their time to make decisions on the well-being and financial health of their association. Every homeowner has a right to know what’s going on in the community and the board should embrace that.

Fun Fact: Homeowners can and should attend regular board meetings to know what’s going on in their community.

However, it’s important for homeowners to understand the structure of board meetings and only participate at the designated time on the agenda.

Transparency is key to neighborhood harmony. For boards, this is your chance to shine and show the amazing work you are doing for your community. Post the meeting minutes on a bulletin board or on the association website. This will allow all owners to quickly see what is being discussed. Make sure all topics of discussion are covered in the minutes, not just the ones that pass. Some projects take time to develop and some owners might have expertise in an area the board does not.

At a minimum send out a community newsletter or mailing twice a year. This should consist of seasonal information, neighborhood reminders, insurance information, budget updates, and include a letter from the board or the board president. Let the homeowners know what you are working on and what projects are up on the regular maintenance calendar.

Finally, make the annual meeting an event worth attending. Talk about your accomplishments as a board since the last annual meeting. Brag about replacing the roofs on schedule without having to special assess because there are adequate reserves. Talk about your future goals and projects. Let the homeowners know next summer is the planned sealcoating of driveways to extend the life of the asphalt and pave you all money in the long run. Express that you understand what a pain and a disruption these projects can be, but focus on the reason behind them.

The more you can positively contribute you your board, the greater the chance your board will be a happy and well-run community with less bickering and dysfunction. Lead by example: follow the association rules and the rest of your community will follow your lead.

An HOA of a condo or housing development generally has the duty to represent the best interest of all tenants or homeowners in the association. But if the HOA fails to do its job, it could be targeted by a lawsuit. See how we can help your board against lawsuits – contact us today for more information on our legal services for condominiums and homeownwers’ associations. The experienced HOA attorneys at Stevens & Goldwyn, PA can help protect your HOA.