HOA Management Blog

On a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being the best, how well do HOA board members in your homeowners association communicate with members? Take a moment to think about that, or even discuss it with your fellow board members. Be honest. If you’re like many other HOA boards, communication with members can be a challenge, especially without the help of a manager. So what can you do to get your messages read or heard?

Making positive touch points in your homeowners association is an important job of HOA board members. It helps foster relationships with residents in the community so that if an issue arises – either positive or negative – they feel comfortable and confident that they can bring it to the attention of the Board. There are many different ways to make these positive touch points. A newsletter, whether written or electronic, is a great way to communicate with each member of the Association. Below are 8 rules to follow when creating effective newsletters.

Governing a homeowners association is no easy task. There are budgets make, reserve studies to do, laws to understand, meetings to prepare for, and day-to-day tasks to tackle. Below are some helpful resources every HOA board member should know are available to reference.

Whether you have a majority of first-time homeowners or long-time residents in your homeowners association, everyone has a hefty investment in where they live. It’s important that the HOA board has a program in place to preserve the value of residences, as well as the surrounding common areas shared by all. 

Your homeowners association has tax reporting and filing requirements it must adhere to. It can be difficult for an HOA board to understand what these are all on its own. It’s important that your HOA board contacts your Association’s accounting professional for details but below is a brief summary of California HOA tax return deadlines.

How much does your HOA board know about the community associations industry? Learn some basic facts and numbers, and what they mean for the members of your HOA board and Association community.

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.

What’s the difference between a homeowners association board meeting and an annual meeting, or an executive session and an emergency meeting? Confused? Here’s some clarification.

It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s a drone! Camera-mounted private drones are becoming increasingly popular. However, the technology and problems that come with them are still new, and enforcing this violation in your homeowners association will bring unique challenges, as well as the ability to locate the operator.

As the holiday season approaches, people will often be traveling out of town to spend time with extended family. This could mean more owners than usual in your homeowners association might be leaving their homes empty while on vacation. There are precautions that your community members can take to provide that homes are not enticing to thieves, susceptible to fire, and the Association's crime rate be kept at a minimum.