HOA Best Practices for Board Members and Managers
Arizona HOA Board members and managers play a vital role in keeping your community associations running smoothly. At PDS, we’ve found that the most successful Board members have a willingness to help keep your community thriving and are persons of integrity and good judgment who strive to keep the best interests of your community at the forefront. When such a Board member is paired alongside a Community Manager who is a good communicator with a sincere concern for the community, the combination equals a formula for an incredibly successful HOA!
So, what do these HOA Board members and Community Managers do that makes them so fabulous? Below we have provided some best practices for both Board Members and Community Managers:
5 Best Practices for Board Members of Your Homeowners Association
- Plan Financially for the Long Haul
When making financial decisions, consider your Association’s overall financial position in the future and not just the present moment. What will your decisions mean for the community in 5, 10, 20, even 30-years. Know what your community’s assets are as well as their maintenance schedule. Your Association’s assets will age necessitating repair or replacement. Skipping regular maintenance does not save your HOA money … in fact, it is costly! Complete a Reserve Study and keep it updated (every 2-3 years). Don’t be fearful of raising assessments, if needed.
- Make Informed Decisions
Make continual learning a top priority. Sure, some aspects of being a good Board member come from trial and error; but, you can minimize mistakes and save time by checking out our blogpost 7 Pillars of HOA Board Education, attending Board trainings, reading your HOA’s governing documents, and relying on the guidance of experts. Always ask questions if there is something you don’t understand. And,
- Be Reasonable
Yes, as a Board member, you have a lot of responsibility, but remaining committed to the community doesn’t mean that you have to be tyrannical or inflexible. Try to avoid snap decisions, be proactive instead of reactive, and discern the real problems from community drama.
- Be Transparent
Honesty is always the best policy and it helps to build trust between HOA members and the Board. Although you may sometimes be tempted to keep difficult or unpopular decisions secret, secrets never stay that way for long. When the truth comes out, homeowners will be left with feelings of betrayal and mistrust. Are there times when certain issues need to be kept confidential? Sure. But, for the most part, HOA Board business is public information and it must be accessible to homeowners.
- Communicate, Communicate, Communicate
No one likes being caught off guard. Good communication helps to establish “unity” within your Homeowners Association. Use the tools available to get information to your members and have a process in place that enables members to communicate with you! You have easy ways to be communicative in this era of interactive technology: HOA website, email, text messaging, social media platforms, etc.
5 Best Practices for Arizona HOA Community Managers
- Be Proactive
Anticipate needs or opportunities and act on them in order to solve problems before they happen. Preventing issues is easier than fixing them.
- Share Information
You can never provide too much information. Remember to ask yourself: “Who else needs to know this?” If you find yourself wondering “Should I share this information?” Share it.
- Respond Promptly
One of the easiest ways to be a great Community Manager is to respond quickly to questions and concerns, whether by phone, email, or in person. Even if it will be an ongoing discussion, acknowledging that you have heard the question/concern and are working on it, is still replying. Be sure to continuously keep those involved updated until the issue is resolved.
- Pay Attention to the Details
Whether you are finalizing a contract, working on a proposal, or writing up an email, details matter. Always make sure to double check for errors or typos. Silly mistakes make you look less competent..
- Look for Ways to Be a “Can-do” Person
Make good things happen for your community. Think “how can we make this happen” rather than immediately saying that it can’t be done. Show initiative and resourcefulness instead of coming up with excuses. Try to take the extra step to solve a problem.
As your Arizona HOA Management company, PDS knows that a successful Homeowners Association is a collaborative effort … and we are here to help! Please do not hesitate to contact us for more information on how to be an effective, efficient, and excellent HOA Board member or Community Manager.
