HOA Management Blog

There seems to be one in every homeowners association. That one HOA board member that consistently disagrees, goes against the majority, or at the very least enjoys playing devil’s advocate. Do you have a Scrooge – a mean spirited, miserly person – on your Board? There are ways you can deal with them.

Some HOA boards have the need to discuss things ad nauseum and yet never come to a decision. It can be extremely frustrating when the same topic comes up on the agenda month, after month, after month, and after hours of discussion, nobody's willing to say either yes or no. They either need more information, want to hear from so-and-so who's not there, or avoid the topic altogether. So how can decision-making be improved for your Board?

Board meetings, executive sessions, and membership meetings are the most common in an HOA. They require a quorum to be present to qualify as an official meeting. The governing documents for each association define a quorum, typically in the Bylaws.

One of the first things you learn as you enter the world of homeowner’s association management is all items must be discussed at a board meeting and all decisions must be made in a meeting. In my eight years as an HOA Portfolio Manager, I’ve never had a Board who hasn’t met on a regular scheduled date, until recently. I took over an association and they haven’t had a meeting in over a year! That’s just crazy! Let me explain the importance for you.

Sometimes what seems like a simple item on the agenda that will receive an overwhelming vote can end up taking the whole meeting because Board members and homeowners keep hashing out the same issue over and over again.

More precisely, does an HOA’s Board of Directors have authority to make important decisions for the community without seeking input from their homeowners – either informal consultation, a survey or a formal vote?

The short answer to the question is “Yes.”  The HOA board is established to oversee the governance of the association on behalf of the homeowners/members.  While HOAs are quasi-governmental in nature, they are not pure democracies in which members vote on every issue. The long answer to the question is more complicated.

Successful communities, governed by successful Home Owners’ Associations (HOAs), typically have strong, effective boards of directors.  An effective HOA board of directors conducts their HOA’s business in a professional manner, including having regularly scheduled meetings.  Problems can arise, however, when one or more directors fail to attend those meetings consistently.

Sometimes, a director is absent frequently because of medical or family emergency issues.  In the short term, these can be tolerated or special arrangements (like attending by speaker phone) can be made.  In the longer term, when the director’s absence impacts major decisions such as budget-setting or major projects or legal matters, it may be necessary to ask the director to step down.

It’s a new year, and that means a new round of board meetings.  Since the Davis-Stirling act requires that HOA board meetings take place, you might as well take part in achieving the best and most successful meeting possible.

HOA board meetings are a golden opportunity for community members to know the issues that impact one of their most treasured investments…their home.  The following six tips for meetings can help. 

Have you ever attended a meeting and had no clue what was going on? It’s an awkward position to be in, especially if you're trying to understand and contribute to the conversation. Be in the know and wow your board members when you attend your next HOA board meeting by reviewing these common terms that are sure to come up.

A quorum is the minimum number of HOA board and members who must be at a meeting before business can be transacted. Homeowners can usually find quorum requirements within their Bylaws. You might be surprised but reaching a quorum to run a meeting is actually a common problem in many homeowners associations.