Serving on an HOA board can be a thankless task. Board members typically do not receive compensation. Their efforts to keep an association well organized often go unappreciated while any perceived shortfalls in an HOA’s management can draw extreme ire from homeowners and even give rise to liability concerns. Keeping an HOA’s membership actively involved in its activities is a good way to ensure that its management is up to par and homeowners can play an active role and what goes on. Here are some tips that can help HOA clients recruit and retain board members while also positively engaging its membership.
How Do I Increase My HOA Participation?
Some people are reluctant to serve on the board of an HOA or condo association simply because they are uncertain about the time commitment that it may involve. Structuring meetings and sending communications in a predictable and regularly scheduled manner can help to ease homeowners concerns.
Concerns about potential liability involving board service are another understandable hindrance to board recruitment. Board should ensure that their HOA insurance coverages include a policy indemnifying directors and officers. This type of safeguards can protect the individuals who serve on the board from personal liability relating to claims against the HOA.
How Do You Engage Homeowners?
It is understandable that a lot of homeowners do not really want to take on the work involved in running an HOA. Even when you have a professional management company handling many of an HOA’s day-to-day operations, board members may still need to be able to allocate a fair amount of time to managing the associations activities and obligations.
Establishing a good relationship with a reputable management company helps to build a membership’s confidence about what they are getting into by participating in association governance. If an HOA is entirely self-managed or is not currently receiving adequate service or attention from its present management company, engagement may not seem like a winning proposition. It is imperative that associations feel satisfied with their managerial representation as well as other key relationships. They should work with trusted providers for essential services such as HOA insurance and grounds maintenance.
How Can Officers and Directors Play a Key Role?
Direct outreach is a highly effective way to invite participation. Board members should approach individual homeowners, tell them about the board’s activities, and explain how they can help.
HOAs don’t run themselves. Keeping a membership engaged is necessary to sustain an association’s fiscal health, prepare for projects, and plan improvements. Furthermore, inviting homeowners to participate in basic management functions and special projects makes it possible for the HOA to benefit from everyone’s collective knowledge and experience. Ultimately, everyone has something to contribute, so HOAs need to be strategic about encouraging them to do so.
About Kevin Davis Insurance Services
For over 35 years, Kevin Davis Insurance Services has built an impressive reputation as a strong wholesale broker offering insurance products for the community association industry. Our president Kevin Davis and his team take pride in offering committed services to the community association market and providing them with unparalleled access to high-quality coverage, competitive premiums, superior markets, and detailed customer service. To learn more about the coverage we offer, contact us toll-free at (855)-790-7393 to speak with one of our representatives.