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Discover the Power of HOA Websites! From simplifying admin tasks to enhancing community engagement, learn why every HOA needs a website.

Discover the Power of HOA Websites! From simplifying admin tasks to enhancing community engagement, learn why every HOA needs a website.

5 examples of HOA websites (plus important features)

Almost every company and business has a website today – and for good reason. Anyone who wants to know more about you, or the products or services you provide, is going to search for you online. A well designed, user-friendly website helps ensure prospective clients convert to long-term customers.

Download our free HOA website template/guide

Now, a homeowners association isn’t exactly like a business, but there are many similarities. HOAs must keep homeowners informed, collect payments (in the form of fees or dues) and  advertise the community to prospective homebuyers. These are just a few of the many reasons why HOAs are strongly encouraged to have their own community website.

Table of contents

 

How a website can help HOAs operate with fewer glitches

An HOA website acts as a secure platform for sharing and receiving essential information like news, announcements, notices, forms, governing documents, resources, directories, and more.  Instead of having to ask management or the board about upcoming member meetings or request an architectural change form, owners can log on to the association’s website and immediately get everything they need from one place.

The best websites will have a secure portal or page that only members can access. This helps with information sharing while being mindful of security and privacy.

Public photos of events, amenities and the HOA can also be shared to showcase the best of your community and entice prospective buyers. It’s an affordable and effective way to advertise.

Administrative tasks, such as maintenance requests or payments, can be streamlined and automated when they are brought online. Best of all, having an online system keeps everyone more accountable. Once a payment is made or a request is submitted, proof of that action is immediately available to management and owners.

 

Some states have made websites mandatory for associations  

In some states, websites are actually required for larger communities. In Florida, if your condo association has 150 or more units, then it must have a website that complies with specific requirements (timeshare units are excluded).

Texas just put a similar rule into effect for HOAs with at least 60 lots, or any association under contract with a management company. These HOAs must make the most current version of the association’s “dedicatory instruments” relating to the association or subdivision—and filed in the county deed records—available on an internet website. Information must be maintained by the association or management company working for the HOA; it must be made available to all members.

When it comes to maintaining a happy and efficient HOA, communication is key. User-friendly technology has given HOAs an opportunity to improve connectivity and engagement. A website is one tool that will help HOA members to stay informed and involved. Apathy can lead to a fractured and stagnant HOA; a website encourages the opposite.

 

 Why don’t more HOAs have websites?

Websites have come a long way, and with so many DIY platforms available, it’s become much easier to make one. But some boards may still be apprehensive about having a community website, while others may be worried about the time or costs involved in maintaining it. These are valid concerns, and it is important to discuss the following points with your HOA board before you move forward with getting a website:

  • What problems will the website aim to solve for owners, board members and management?
  • Can (and should) the HOA maintain the website on its own?
  • How much can the association afford to spend on a website? There are hosting fees and maintenance fees to consider in addition to the initial cost of the site
  • Has the board spoken with an attorney about the website and what information should be gated?
  • What are the requirements of the association? What features would it like the website to have?
  • Does the state or municipality have any requirements when it comes to HOA websites?
  • Can the website integrate with any of our current online systems?
  • Is there an HOA software company that could offer more options and features?

 

Getting a custom website

If the budget is available, many HOAs will elect to have someone else build their website for them. It’s usually a less stressful process when there’s a professional taking care of the hard stuff. While there are dozens of exceptional web designers out there, it can be hard to find the right one for your community.

Consider taking a less traditional route and hiring an HOA software company to build a custom site for you. Condo Control has a professional in-house designer available, and we work exclusively with residential communities. That means we’re in a better position to build an HOA-specific website than other developers.

Furthermore, we’ll make sure that owners have a password-protected section where they can easily find community news and information. Owners also have the option to login to their personal Condo Control account directly from the HOA website. From there, they can make online payments, book amenities, submit service requests/ architectural change forms and much more.

 

Make sure you get these 5 features

Your HOA website should be built based around the specific needs and goals of your community. That may mean you only need a few pages. Conversely, you may require multiple pages if your owners prefer to get documents and information online.

That being said, most communities will want to have the following features available to owners:

 

Desktop and mobile-friendly design

Your website must be available through mobile and desktop. Mobile traffic accounts for almost half of web traffic worldwide. According to Statista, In the first quarter of 2021, mobile devices (excluding tablets) generated 54.8% of global website traffic. Basically, more and more people are visiting websites through their phones. The convenience and ease of access means this trend will continue.

 

Community calendar

One of the best ways to ensure your owners show up to events is to integrate a community calendar right into the website. This is an easy way to keep everyone in the loop. When used collaboratively with HOA management software, admins can add events from the system and include details for meetings, social activities and even things like garbage pickup. These activities will then appear on the website calendar. Plus events can be added ahead of time or as they come up – it’s a flexible and simple solution.

 

Document storage

Giving owners 24/7 access to forms and governing documents, or board members a place where they can store and review every item relating to HOA business, is a gamechanger. Trying to keep papers organized is a lot of work, and trying to locate that one item you need in a file cabinet of folders is even harder. With online document storage, owners simply need to log in to the password protected area of the website, enter a keyword and they should be able to find what they’re looking for in seconds.

 

Resident maintenance requests

Since we’re keeping with the theme of simplifying and streamlining processes, online resident maintenance requests is another must-have website feature. Digital forms can be submitted by owners, and they can do this while they’re watching tv or commuting to work (since your site is mobile friendly). Management can see when new forms are submitted and request to receive notifications if they forget to follow up after a certain number of days.

 

Digital bulletin board and announcements

Communication is often the biggest issue impacting HOA communities. Sometimes, management thinks they are sharing enough, but owners still want more. Having an online system to post updates, notices and other information is an effective, cost-efficient solution. Messages can be created and shared in seconds, and associations forgo the print and mailing costs. Management can include links and attachments with these messages, too. Set expiry dates for time-sensitive announcements, or keep them up on the board for the entire year.

 

5 examples of great HOA websites

Below are some great examples of simple, user-friendly websites:

 

Lake Linganore Association

About the association

Lake Linganore is a very large association located in Maryland. It has dozens of private amenities available to users, including beaches, basketball courts, a dog park and even an events tent. Lake Linganore water is used as the primary source of drinking water for the City of Frederick, and it’s the emergency back-up water supply for Frederick County. It holds over 500-million gallons of water!

 

Why we like this website

The Lake Linganore site is very easy to navigate. There is contact information listed on the site, and a few small dropdown menus so as not to overwhelm the user. The visuals are also “on-brand,” or representative of the association’s qualities and characteristics. The interactive sections, such as the amenities map and historical timeline, is a great way to attract prospects.

 

Solano Grove

About the association

Solano Grove is a well-established community located in Jacksonville, Florida. It is an older condominium community, but that just means the units are more spacious than some of the newer builds.

 

Why we like this website

Solano Grove’s website offers users a clean and visually appealing space. There is just enough information; everything you need is easy to find. Owners won’t have a hard time figuring out where to login or register for the password-protected section.

 

Surfsong Condos

About the association

Surfsong Condos has 72 condominium units, a lovely clubhouse situated next to an oceanfront swimming pool and hot tub, and two tennis courts. Located in San Diego, atop a ninety-foot bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean, it is a truly beautiful place to live.

 

Why we like this website

Surfsong’s website sets the tone for the community. It is organized, but has a fun, laidback feel too. Not only are there photos of the area, but the website also offers visitors a breathtaking video of the condo community as well.

The site encourages new owners to sign up for an account using information they would have received in their welcome letter. Moreover, it has a small list at the bottom of the website informing owners of the information they will be able to obtain on the password-protected section.

Detailed contact information for the management team can also be found at the bottom of the website so that anyone who wishes to speak with them can get in touch quickly and easily.

 

Deering Bay Marina

About the association

Deering Bay Marina, located in South Miami-Dade County, is a pristine marina community that caters to lovers of boating, nature, and outdoor sport. Members have access to some of the best fishing spots around.

 

Why we like this website

Beside the beautiful photos of this stunning marina, Deering Bay Marina’s website has lots of helpful information readily available. For example, you can check local tides and weather, and any slips that are for sale or for lease. Members can access a password-protected section of the site as well where they will get to see information and updates released exclusively for them.

 

The Willows HOA

About the association

The Willows HOA Resort Living boasts the perfect climate with tranquil and beautiful landscapes bordering the Bay. The Willows’ 201 homes are adjacent to Alameda’s shopping mall. There is a large clubhouse, perfect for parties and a gym as well as an inviting pool.

Why we like this website

The design is ideal for HOAs looking for a simple, straightforward layout. Updates to the community are posted on the landing page for ease of access and immediate viewing by community members. Important HOA documents are accessible with a login from the home page. Tabs at the top take you directly to the specific page, without a long dropdown menu to scan.

 

Bonus: An HOA website template created by Condo Control

Condo Control offers all of the must-have features that we highlighted earlier on. Our HOA management software supports and works directly with the websites our team creates. We build professional, user-friendly websites for HOAs that want to improve communications and augment the association’s brand. Click here to see an example.

Note that we can customize even simple templates. On this one, we include amenities and information about board meetings and board members. You will also see how the events calendar looks from a resident’s perspective. Admins can update monthly calendars directly from their Condo Control account. Our goal is to showcase the very best of your community.

 

What makes a great website

It’s really important that your website is aesthetically pleasing. To put it bluntly, an ugly site isn’t going to encourage owners to use it. But – looks aren’t everything. A great website is fast, user-friendly, current and secure. Some of these qualities will overlap with must-have website features we mentioned earlier.

 

Mobile-friendly

We’ve already talked about the importance of making sure your HOA website is mobile friendly.

 

Fast

Our attention spans are shorter than ever, and people expect fast load times. Your website should be capable of solving problems for owners, not creating more frustrations for them. If you hire someone to build your website for you, they will be able to take the proper steps to ensure your site loads quickly without compromising on the quality of images or functionalities.

 

Informative

The website should have all of the resources that owners frequently ask for. This saves you and your staff time since owners will be able to do more for themselves. Announcements, governing documents, and events should be available on the password-protected section of the site.

 

User-friendly

The website should be easy to navigate and allow visitors to find what they are looking for right away. Simplicity trumps complexity when it comes to websites.

 

Secure

Security must always be prioritized. Personal and sensitive information is invaluable; HOAs must take every step possible to ensure only authorized individuals have access to this information. In addition to creating a section just for residents, be sure to Secure your site with HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure).

 

Costs                                                                        

The last aspect of HOA websites we will discuss is the costs. While you could probably find a free website template, we strongly recommend investing in a site that will offer you the most value for your investment. Free sites will be slow, may have tons of ads and they are not very customizable. Free websites will not provide a great experience for you or your owners.

If you are fortunate enough to have a board or committee member who is comfortable with something like WordPress and a bit of code, your association might spend anywhere from $150 – $600 per year. Costs will depend on whether you build from scratch, or pay for a website builder like Wix or Squarespace.

This cost estimate takes into account things like the domain name, hosting, premium themes and add-ons. The downside here is that you are responsible for updating and maintaining everything.

Prefer to hire a professional instead? You could be charged anywhere from $3,000 – $20,000 (or more). That’s a huge range, but there are a lot of variables to consider. The skill of the developer, whether you hire a freelancer or agency to do the work, the custom features you require, add-ons like quarterly updates and any additional services will all impact the price.

 

Conclusion  

HOA websites can act as a central resource hub for associations. Even if your owners aren’t tech-savvy, almost anyone can navigate and use a well-designed website. Plus, it doubles as an efficient advertising tool. With so many features and functions, having an HOA website just makes sense.

 

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276 5th Avenue – Suite 704, New York, NY 10001

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Toll-Free: 1-888-762-6636
Sales: 416-961-7884
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How long should HOA repairs take?

How long should HOA repairs take?

How long should HOA repairs take?

We recently published an article on how communities can speed up maintenance projects. In this article, we’ll look at how long some common maintenance jobs should take to complete.

 

Table of contents

 

The obligation to maintain the property

HOAs have an obligation to maintain certain parts of the development. They must set aside a portion of the dues or fees collected from owners to pay for big and small maintenance projects. If the association fails to meet those obligations, it not only creates safety problems for members, but legal issues for the association as well.

If members feel that the board is not properly caring for the property, they can write official complaints, vote to remove board members, or even sue the HOA.

Maintenance must be taken seriously, but it is far easier to manage when you have a system or solution that enables you to organize components, schedule/assign work, and track tasks.

 

Defining maintenance obligations

The maintenance responsibilities of an association versus those assigned to individual owners depend primarily on whether the item or equipment is classified as part of a common area, exclusive use common area, or separate interest.

Common areas typically refer to shared spaces such as pools, sidewalks and roads. Exclusive use common areas are spaces or elements used by one or more, but fewer than all, of the owners. Separate interests are the separately owned lots belonging to members.

While some maintenance obligations are quite clear, others can be a little murky. This is especially true with exclusive common areas since they tend to be things like patios and windows. Roof maintenance may also be confusing; some HOAs cover roof repairs while others do not.

The association’s CC&Rs should detail maintenance obligations and define who is responsible for what. But if there is some uncertainty, boards are advised to refer to civil codes and/or consult with the HOA’s attorney.

 

Why timelines matter

There are several reasons why time matters when it comes to maintenance projects. The main one is so staff and management can plan for disruptions and costs. However, there are times when maintenance work will impact owners, and they will also need to know approximately how long the work will impact their day-to-day lives.

For example, if a parking lot is being repaved, owners will need to be informed of the work, they will need to move their vehicles before the work begins, and know how long they will have to find temporary parking.

Contractors can’t know for sure how long maintenance work will take to complete, but they should be able to provide an educated estimate. Tracking the time it takes for professionals to complete routine and unplanned maintenance is another good way to predict future repair timelines. Having this knowledge allows those responsible for setting up maintenance work to complete projects with more confidence (plus they’ll know if a vendor is taking too long to complete certain jobs).

 

How long should HOA repairs take?

There is no way to know for sure how long any maintenance project will take. Even a standard preventative maintenance job can become lengthy if a contractor discovers additional damage to an element. Other factors, including availability of materials, permit requirements, complexity of the project, size of the community, and weather will all impact the timeline of a project.

That being said, below are some estimates of how long common HOA maintenance work takes to complete.

To get a more accurate time estimate, speak with a contractor or repair expert. They will be able to look at the specific qualities of your community and provide you with a realistic timeline.

Pool repairs

There are many different types of pool repairs. Some can be completed in a couple of hours while others will take several days.

A simple structural leak generally takes a day or two of work. Half a day is needed to complete the first step of a crack injection repair, and another half day is required to “staple” the cracks together and plaster the damaged area.

If your pool has a heater and the warming system breaks, the entire pool may be shut down for a week. The heater can be replaced in a day, but it could take longer. After the new pool heater is installed, it might be another three days before the pool is warm enough to use again.

Most plumbing leaks can be resolved in two days, but the time it takes to fix a pool leak from plumbing can vary according to the extent of the damage.

Pool resurfacing involves the removal and replacement of the top layer of the pool surface. This may be done to give the pool a clean fresh look, or to address several small cracks. In general, this renovation process takes one to three weeks.

 

Water/electricity lines

A water line is an underground pipe that transports water from a water source to a home’s or building’s service pipe. These pipes typically run beneath sidewalks and streets.

A water line pipe might crack, allowing water to spill out. This can cause many issues, including unsanitary water, higher water bills, low water pressure, and floods.

Due to the severity of this problem, a water main break needs immediate attention. Plumbing technicians will need to turn the water off while they repair the break. Once the pipe is in working order, they will flush it before reconnecting it to the plumbing system.

The good news is this type of repair only takes between four and eight hours.

If an electricity line goes out due to weather, it can generally be restored in a couple of hours. However, if an entire pole comes down, the outage could easily last a full day.

 

Roofs

In many cases, HOAs have delegated the responsibility of maintaining roofs to the individual owners. But if the association covers the costs of repairs, expect each home to take up 1-3 days of the contractors’ time. More complex designs and materials will add time to that estimate.

 

Gutters and downspouts

Routine maintenance of gutters and downspouts prevents more serious water damage from occurring. Like roofs, many HOAs have stated that owners are responsible for maintaining these items.

Minor gutter repairs can be completed in as little as one to two hours. Partial replacements can take two to four hours, and full replacements can take two to three days of work.

The timing is similar for downspout repairs and replacements.

 

Parking lots

Most HOAs can complete routine parking lot maintenance in two to three weeks, but timing will vary depending on the size of the lot and weather conditions.

Paving can take less than a week, but keep in mind that proper curing (letting the asphalt cool and settle) is an important part of the process as well. Depending on the size of the parking lot, thorough curing can take anywhere from one to two weeks.

 

General landscaping

While not a traditional repair, landscaping is a maintenance job that can be hard to plan for, at least the first couple of times. The size of the property, availability of materials, and weather conditions can greatly impact the time it takes to finish the job. Once you have found a landscaper that you like, you will become more familiar with the time it takes to do certain jobs.

From start to finish, most projects fall into the two- to three-week range, but cutting grass or trimming plans can take half a day.

 

Conclusion

HOAs have an obligation to maintain certain areas of the development. By scheduling routine maintenance, associations help prolong the useful life of elements and components, and keep the community safe and attractive too.

It’s important for staff, board members and management to have repair timelines so that they can budget for costs and time accordingly. While projects don’t always go according to plan, just having a guideline allows them to manage expectations more effectively.

 

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Simplify Your Accounts Receivable with These Proven Tips! by Condo Control

Simplify Your Accounts Receivable with These Proven Tips! by Condo Control

  • Posted: Aug 09, 2023
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We help condominiums and HOAs establish better processes so that they can operate more efficiently and effectively.

Simplify Your Accounts Receivable with These Proven Tips!

Struggling with managing accounts receivable in your condo or HOA? We’ve got you covered! Discover effective strategies to streamline your financial processes and ensure timely payments.
We’ve seen it for ourselves. We harnessed the best of technology to create software that streamlines and automates almost every aspect of community operations.
…………………………………………

There would be no Condo Control without Brian Bosscher. Brian had no professional property management experience, but he did understand the frustrations that plague condo communities after purchasing a unit in 2006. Looking to help improve operations, Brian joined his building’s finance committee immediately. He started volunteering on the Board of Directors as Treasurer the following year, and then became the Board President.

It was through volunteering that he learned about the challenges and roadblocks that property managers encounter on a day-to-day basis, and witnessed the inefficiencies that prevented them from reaching their goals. It was this experience that inspired Brian to build a long-term solution, and Condo Control was born.

How to simplify accounts receivable for your condo/HOA

When residents pay their fees or fines, these payments are documented under accounts receivable (AR). Vendor credits are also logged under AR. This element of accounting tracks the money coming into the corporation or association.

But like most things related to community finances, it’s much easier to talk about accounts receivable than manage them. Collecting payments is always a challenge because they come in at different times, and in different formats. Documenting this information is equally tedious and time consuming.

While we can’t eliminate this responsibility for you, we can suggest some ways to simplify the AR workflow for you and your team.

Table of contents

Regulate billing practices

Without structure, rules, or established expectations, anything goes. But spontaneity isn’t exactly ideal when you’re trying to get money from 200 owners. That’s why it is so important to implement consistent billing practices. Not only does this create a routine for you and/or your staff, but residents aren’t left wondering when they might receive their invoices or how they should make payments.

By creating a sustainable AR workflow, condos and HOAs will find that late payments become less common. By sending billing statements in the same format, at the same time each month, your residents become familiar with a routine. As a result, they’ll become more accustomed to making payments the same way at the same time.

Use electronic billing and online payments

Online banking has become almost ubiquitous in North America. Mobile apps make this option accessible to all age demographics, and the convenience cannot be overstated. So doesn’t it make good sense to offer online payment options to residents?

Not only does it make the payment process far easier for the people who live in the community, but it creates less work for you.

Teams that are still documenting accounts receivable payments manually are more prone to making mistakes. Between writing down payments, updating balances, and creating receipts, it’s understandable why someone might forget to fill in a field or add an extra “0.”

But even a small mistake can lead to bigger problems, and can even create conflict between residents and staff. Furthermore, time is wasted when someone has to go back and review the numbers.

Then there’s the issue of storing and locating physical records. Paper can easily be misplaced or lost, and aside from the obvious problems associated with losing documents, missing information can lead to costly compliance violations.

Electronic billing and online payments reduce manual data entry work for staff, and create records automatically. If you decide to use a cloud-based system, you’ll have the ability to access records from any computer. That way, you aren’t tied to the office.

It’s important to note that not every resident will want to make online payments. Your condo or HOA could install a secure lockbox so that you don’t have to arrange a meeting with these individuals to receive a payment on time.

Set up automations

With a digital AR system, you can also create automations to bypass some of the most tedious AR tasks. This typically includes email automation (late payment reminders, confirmation of payment) as well as sending out invoices.

Remove “information silos”

A cloud-based AR system ensures that anyone who needs access to accounts receivable information can get it, no matter where they are working from. Conversely, when team members have to wait for information because it is siloed off, it slows down the entire process.

Follow the process when collecting late payments

Inevitably, there will be residents who are consistently late with payments, or who avoid them altogether. Instead of having to figure out what to do next each time this happens, follow the condo or HOA’s rules/ procedures laid out in the governing documents.

Make sure all actions are in accordance with local laws. For example, you are probably required to give residents written notices and a reasonable amount of time to pay fees before more severe actions are taken.

Corporations/associations do have the power to pursue residents for unpaid fees, and to recover any legal expenses incurred while trying to collect money owed from delinquent owners.

These are some of the actions that communities are permitted to take while trying to secure outstanding fees:

  • Send the resident a notice of arrears
  • Apply interest to outstanding arrears after a certain amount of time has passed
  • Revoke the owner’s right to vote
  • Revoke a resident’s access to shared facilities
  • Contact collections
  • Contact legal counsel
  • File a Notice of Lien
  • Register lien

Conclusion

Accounts receivable is an ongoing responsibility that requires a great deal of time and resources. The less you and your team have to do by hand, the happier you’ll be.

It is recommended that condos and HOAs look into AR software to simplify and speed up workflows. The money you invest in this solution will be less than the costs associated with conducting this process manually. Not only can it help keep processes more consistent, but you will probably find that you make fewer errors.

Your time is valuable; spend it wisely.

 

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A Condo/HOA guide: How to effectively communicate with owners and residents

A Condo/HOA guide: How to effectively communicate with owners and residents

How to effectively communicate with condo/ homeowners

Written By : Phillip Livingston

While there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to condo communication, there are some basic principles and strategies that can help you maximize communication. For instance, we can all agree that using digital communication tools is faster and more efficient than outdated paper and mail.

Read on to find out how technology and sound communication strategies can facilitate smooth operations and cohesion with homeowners.

  • Communicate as frequently as possible

One of the best ways to capture and maintain unit owners’ attention is to communicate with them frequently. Property management software such as Condo Control Central simplifies the process for you. It offers a discussion forum where unit owners can voice their opinions in a safe and confidential manner.

Residents can use this feature to report property damage in the common areas, and you’ll be able to moderate the forum by adding pre-defined topics.

The event planner tool also makes it easy to inform and update residents about upcoming community events such as get-togethers and AGM meetings.

Tired of printing documents and posters every time you update community bylaws? Say goodbye to printing costs and upload updated documents straight to your community’s file library. It has quick search functionality and allows you to seamlessly notify residents when you upload a new document. Now you’ll have no excuse but to keep unit owners updated on every move.

Make sure your state allows for the electronic transfer of large documents because it’s not legal in every state.

  • Simplify communication

People generally don’t like to actively seek out information so you need to make it easy for them. Otherwise, no-one is going to go out of their way to read the rules unless they’re made visible. Going digital will not only help you to cut costs while captivating people’s attention, but it also simplifies the communication process. Using property management software forums means that you don’t have to rely on residents to open an email, or log in to a website.

But, it’s important to modulate the information you make available to residents online. Intelligently designed communication strategies speak volumes and will help you manage and reduce conflict.

  • Hold regular meetings

Like most condo associations, your condo declaration stipulates how often your board should meet. It’s important to include residents in HOA meetings to promote transparency and honesty. The minimum requirement in most state regulations is for the HOA board to meet annually to plan the yearly budget. But, it helps to hold regular meetings in-between to keep residents in the loop about important issues.

If you want to find out how often your condo board should meet, check the association’s bylaws for detailed information. Most bylaws have a minimum meeting frequency of five to six times a year. It’s important to note that this is merely a suggestion, and the board can choose to meet more or fewer times than that, based on the needs of the community.

Granted, things like weather conditions can contribute to the frequency of board meetings.  Associations that in areas with extreme winters may hold regular meetings to deal with issues like snow removal or lawn maintenance. Some associations need to hold frequent meetings to deal with tenant disputes and other kinds of drama. Larger condo associations with 30, 50 or more units may also meet frequently due to unique circumstances.

The important thing is to address problems as they arise and do so publicly. Don’t allow things to fester as this may lead to detached involvement from homeowners. For instance, if an HOA board holds six meetings in a year, then homeowners should be present for at least half of those meetings.

  • Leverage your online presence

Every association should have a website and social media presence. This makes it easier to raise awareness about the latest association news, meeting minutes, etc.

Plus, you can control the amount of information included on the website and who has access to it.

Most associations use social media platforms like Facebook and LinkedIn as well as association blogs as a way to keep community members in the loop about important news and happenings. Through private groups within these platforms, you can safely and effectively share meeting minutes, community alerts, invitations, and announcements.

The only downside to using public social networks is that you don’t have control over the platform itself. Facebook or LinkedIn’s community and privacy rules can change at any moment. This can affect the way you communicate with association members and compromise privacy. After all, social media doesn’t offer the level of confidentiality required when sharing certain information.

Since these platforms aren’t designed with condo associations in mind, they may not have certain functions you’d find in dedicated property management software.

Social media also comes with issues like out of control comments that cause misunderstandings and communication barriers. For instance, it’s easy for comments posted by board members to be misconstrued as a representation of the board itself, when it’s only the perspective of a single board member. Situations like this can create a hostile environment and lead to unnecessary strife.

This is just one example of how Facebook can instigate controversy trough miscommunication. It’s difficult to moderate comments and conversations that happen on the platform, hence the fighting that often happens on Facebook and other social media websites.

It’s better to communicate with homeowners using an internal platform. That way, you can moderate the conversation and address questions in an orderly fashion. An open forum is a great way to do th
is, along with Control Central’s dedicated announcement feature.

The website builder feature from Condo Control Central is ideal because it allows you to create a customized platform for your community. Here, you can safely share important and mundane information alike. This includes things like your pest control schedule to your recreational event calendar, board meeting schedule, planned improvements and parking requirements to name but a few.

It’s the best way to ensure confidentiality and privacy when communicating with unit owners electronically. It also encourages ongoing interaction between unit owners and can foster a strong sense of community.

  • Encourage disinterested unit owners by showing the financial upside

Are you having trouble with disinterested unit owners? Then you should point out a few reasons why they should take an interest in association affairs. Most absentee unit owners are that way because they don’t live in their units and simply rent them out as an investment property.

In such cases, it helps to incentivize meeting attendance with something like a free gift card or a percentage off from their assessments. At the end of the day, these types of owners are interested in the financial value of the property. So, they will take part in association meetings and affairs if it means maximizing their bottom line or investment.

  • Be transparent

We can’t stress this enough. Transparency is paramount in a condo association because you don’t want unit owners to ever feel alienated or unheard. Transparency is the easiest way to avoid disgruntled unit owners while making sure that you’re sharing all the right information with them.

For the best results, we recommend you consult with state regulations to see what the requirements are. Most states call for regular association board meetings that involve unit owners in every major decision.

The last thing unit owners want is to find out about an important decision via email or text notification. Especially if it affects the value of the property or their quality of life, which it probably will. Everything should be discussed in an open board meeting, and the board should give unit owners due notice before each meeting.

Unfortunately, association boards have been coming up with new ways to exclude board members, much to their detriment. One popular approach is to hold “working sessions” which are board meetings meant to exclude homeowners. The argument commonly used by board members is that they don’t want any interruptions from unit owners.

Even if the board is not planning to make motions during the meeting, community members must be informed of the meeting so they can attend if they want to.

This is the basis of transparency and the first step to building trust and open communication with your community.

  • Share more

Lack of communication is one of the biggest challenges HOAs and condo associations face today. This usually happens because the board fails to share decisions made on the backend. But, it’s important to share as much as possible with homeowners, keeping in mind that that the more transparent you are the more they will trust you.

It might be helpful to distribute regular newsletters either on a monthly or quarterly basis to keep community members in the loop about important issues. Even when an HOA board is experiencing problems with unauthorized renters, it’s important to share these issues so community members know what the board is dealing with.

Don’t forget to distribute the meeting minutes as soon as possible. This could be anything from a few days to a few weeks from the meeting depending on how fast the board approves them. Meeting minutes are a form of communication too and can help to shift perceptions about board transparency.

HOA boards should go beyond legal requirements when it comes to transparency and make financial records available to unit owners. That’s because financial transactions are often a leading cause of suspicion in condo associations and HOAs.

We recommend a yearly audit to improve transparency and the budget mail-out feature from Control Central is a lifesaver. It offers customized mail-out templates that you can use to digitally and automatically mail-out condo fees to residents.

Solutions inspired by the real needs of property managers and self-managed associations.

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