I’d venture to say that an overwhelming majority of condo owners have probably never attended a HOA and Condo meeting. I’m in the minority, as I served as HOA president for several years, but since “retiring,” I admit my visits have been few and far between.
Why don’t more owners attend HOA and Condo meetings? It might be because much of the business is mundane, but when a “hot button” issue is on the agenda, people will come out of the woodwork to be there. Our meetings often had no owners in the audience or perhaps one or two, but when we talked about issues like changing our community’s exterior color scheme, it was standing room only.
The issues that arise from low or no participation are akin to what happens when people fail to vote; you might not end up with the best outcome. So, what can be done to encourage attendance and ensure those who attend have a good experience?
Suggestions for HOA & Condo meetings:
- Choose a convenient location and time. Not all HOAs & Condos have a meeting room, so a lot of HOA meetings take place at a hotel across the street. If you have an onsite facility at which to gather, that’s even better. As for time, scheduling meetings at 6 p.m is a good idea. As this offers 9-to-5ers the opportunity to attend. If your meetings don’t take place in the evening, you’re almost broadcasting that you don’t want anyone there.
- Post the agenda where people will see it. Meeting agendas should taped to on communal mailboxes or on the notice board. You should also email it out, and post it on your website. It’s important to be transparent and give homeowners enough lead-time to plan to attend if they wish.
- Lean on the manager. HOA Boards consist of owners from all walks of life, most or all of whom have no previous experience in condo management. While the Board president will run the meeting, the community association manager can provide invaluable guidance when issues come up that are outside the Board’s expertise.
- Provide adequate homeowner time. As part of the structured agenda, it’s important to include what most HOAs call homeowner time — time allocated to hear from those who wish to speak. Setting ground rules, such as a time limit per comment, is a good thing to do, but you can’t give the impression that you’re not really interested in hearing what owners have to say.
- Eliminate extraneous commentary. Committee reports should be kept short and issues for which further research is needed should be tabled so the meeting keeps moving. This will be especially important if a big crowd is present to weigh in on one agenda item.
- Keep calm. The Condo Board must be an oasis of calm, even when owners are angry or upset about something. When I was HOA president, it never failed that as the swimming pool was used more regularly, owners whose units were adjacent would complain about noise; it took all the strength I had not to respond with a snide comment reminding them that they chose to buy by the pool.
- Encourage participation. Most HOAs have committees made up of owners who have interests in areas like landscaping, architectural improvements and finance. Since it can be like pulling teeth to get people to serve on committees, always be in recruitment mode. If you notice an owner often comes to meetings to express concerns about shrubs and trees, for instance, suggest that person join the landscape committee.
- Follow up as necessary. If owners bring up concerns that need to be researched, be sure someone circles back with them once the answers are known. Communication outside of the meeting is as important as it is during that short time everyone is together.
Rules to Follow for your HOA & Condo Meetings
Whether your HOA and Condo Meetings has well-attended or not, always act professionally, follow Roberts Rules of Order, and treat owners with courtesy and kindness. Also never lose sight of why you chose to serve on the Board: you care about your community and want to do all you can to ensure it’s a great place to live (as well as a place with rising home values).
Conclusion
Following our suggestions to improve your condo meetings, and you should slowly improve participation.
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