Homeowner association communities come in various sizes and styles, but they have one thing in common. At the helm is an HOA board responsible for the community's governance and management.
The performance of a board has a direct impact on the state of affairs in a community. Thriving communities have effective boards, while the problems of a failing or troubled community can all be traced down to an ineffective board.
As the leader of an HOA board, you're tasked with finding ways to ensure the board excels in delivering on its mission. Read on to find a few helpful tips for unlocking HOA board success.
Develop a Board Leadership Structure
An HOA board comprises members, the number of which varies from community to community, but ranges from 3-9. These members are typically homeowners who volunteered to be elected to the board and will serve for a specified period.
An HOA board is led by a president or chairperson who is elected by either the board members or the community at large. Beyond this, there needs to be a leadership structure so that there's delegation of duties.
For example, the board can have committees, with each committed tasked with a certain responsibility. Examples of committees include:
- Budget committee
- HOA architectural committee
- Covenant committee
- Communications committee
- Events committee
- Maintenance and landscaping committee
This way, the workload of the board is not only shared among the board members but also members are allowed to take on tasks they're good at. A member who is a communications professional, for example, would naturally be more effective in the communications committee.
HOA Board Member Training
HOA board members are volunteers who may not have any specialized training or experience in board governance. Yet, once they join the board, they are expected to fulfill certain responsibilities.
It's not wise to let the members learn on the job. Investing in member training will help equip them with relevant knowledge and skills, making them more suited to their roles.
Since board members hold their positions for a specific period, the community needs to make plans for routine training by, for instance, partnering with a training provider.
HOA Management Outsourcing
There's only so much an HOA board can do to govern and manage an association community. After all, the members aren't employees of the community and only dedicate a small portion of their time to the community's affairs.
This is why most communities find it suitable to outsource the board's duties to a full-service association management company. These companies offer services such as accounting and reporting, vendor coordination, and compliance and inspections.
As a board, focus on finding an experienced outsourcing partner. Together, you'll work toward the betterment of your community.
HOA Board Success Is Good for Your Community
An HOA board is at the heart of the operations of an association community. A successful board begets a successful community, and there's a lot that goes into making your board highly effective.
Outsourcing HOA management is key to the success of a board, at PMI Peachstate, we're ready to help your community thrive. We are a full-service property management company that specializes in homeowners associations, condo owner associations, and property owner associations.
Contact us to learn more about what we can do for your McDonough community.
