Congratulations! You’ve been selected to serve on the Board of Directors at your HOA. Once the excitement dies down you may ask yourself: Now what? It may seem like a daunting task ahead of you, filled with a lot of joy and a lot of responsibility. Well, we’ve compiled a list of DON’Ts to make sure you DO a wonderful job as one of the new board members.
New HOA Board Members: DON’T control people
It may be tempting to try to influence the behaviors of residents. For example, deciding that a resident has too many get-togethers at their home or where your neighbor’s children should play, but DON’T fall into this trap. While you could issue a warning, you shouldn’t use your power for that. Associations are meant to control property, not people. You have been selected to enforce the rules of the community, not your opinion on the residents inside. All personal feelings need to be put aside as you talk to and help all the residents in your community with the same fair, polite and calm attitude.
New HOA Board Members: DON’T be too hasty with changes
New HOA board members normally decide to join the board because they want to make changes. This is great, new ideas and ways of doing things ensure your community association stays current. However, before you undo policies and make big changes, ensure you examine the old one first. Understand what it’s for and what it does, before you make any big decisions.
New HOA Board Members: Learn before you DO
It’s understandable if you didn’t like or agree with past board members’ decisions that you would think it pointless to review them. But, this can be a huge mistake. Learn the history of the association and the ‘why’ behind the policies. Read through old meeting minutes and notes. This can help you to understand the effects the previous policies had on the community and allow you to see the possible impact (positive or negative) of your decisions. Again, the Board exists for the greater good of all within the community. So understanding the past and seeing the bigger picture, financially and socially, will ensure the success of your community.
New HOA Board Members: DON’T only think short term with finances
Thinking only in terms of, “The community really needs this now” could land you in financial hot water in the future. It’s best to look ahead fiscally 5-10 years before spending to see how the proposed changes will affect the community in the long run. Ensure you know how much money your community association has and can prepare for financial success in the future by staying in the budget and increasing reserves. You need to communicate with the board and residents about what’s best for your HOA or condo now, and in the future.
New HOA Board Members: DON’T treat the Board like a secret club meeting
You were elected to serve your community by your community, so DON’T make the mistake keeping meetings and other Board decisions secret. Focusing on transparency between the Board and the residents from the start will build trust that the Board is acting in the best interests of the residents. All board meetings should be publicized ahead of time and open to all association members. HOA meetings are very important, and it’s important that the board is open about what is going on.
Conclusion
Now that you have all the DON’Ts, you are on-track to DO what’s best for your HOA. Just by following these few simple steps, you will ensure that you will be a successful and productive board member.
If you’d like help to improve your HOA’s communication and management, Neigbrs by Vinteum provides a portal and websites for HOAs, book your free demo and find out how we can help you.
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