Summer is almost here, and as the weather outside gets warmer, people want to spend more time outside and make home repairs. Get your HOA or Condo ready for the summer season with these tips on amenities, maintenance, landscaping, and communication so the whole community has a fun-filled HOA summer. 

Summer amenities

In summer, amenities become residents’ new homes! Your pool, grill, and any other outdoor spaces need to be perfect.

Summer Safety Checks

During the summer people spend a lot of time outdoors. It’s not an HOA summer without grilling, swimming, outdoor games, backyard marshmallow cooking, and sunbathing. All of these changes in routine bring about safety concerns.

The board needs to make sure that there is a lifeguard on duty when the pool is open. The grills need to be at least 6 feet away from buildings and trees to avoid anything catching fire. Consider reminding residents about sun safety, pool safety, and grill safety as the weather gets warm. They shouldn’t swim without a lifeguard present, and if there is a grill fire they should cut off its oxygen source. They should always wear sunscreen when outside, and drink lots of water!

HVAC for a hot HOA summer

Your air-con probably hasn’t been in use for a good six months or more, and it may have some issues. A faulty HVAC system can cause serious issues, so you need to take care of it. At the very least, you should replace the filters. It’s a good idea to get it properly inspected before the weather gets really hot and the residents want to use it.

You should recommend residents do the same if they have HVAC in their houses or units so that they don’t suffer in the heat.

Summer maintenance

Summer is a good month to do maintenance or repairs. Make sure that your landscaping and maintenance contracts are up to date.

Post repairs and maintenance in your community’s online calendar, so that everyone is on the same page.

Summer contracts

Make sure that all your contracts for summer service, such as the pool, lawn mowing, and/or fertilizing services, are up to date. Make the payments to ensure that all these service providers can be at your association at a moment’s notice if needed. You have to stay on top of all maintenance and sunny weather isn’t a reason to fall behind. 

This is especially important if you live in a state that has hurricanes during summer. If there is an emergency, you need to have a plan in place to deal with it.

Repairs

Summer is the perfect season to do any major work in your community association. This could include repaving the roads, painting the exteriors of the houses, or community buildings. All repairs are easier when there’s less rain and more daylight. There’s still time to book in some summer repairs, but only if there’s enough in the reserve fund to justify the expense. 

These need to be planned in advance, and residents need to know what’s going on. That way your community will be in the best shape when temperatures drop.

If you’re concerned with your HOA’s budget, you can use our calculator for HOAs and Condos to work out how much you’ve spent.

Check-In With Maintenance

Your maintenance department will likely be busy during the summer season. Consider checking in to see if they need any more supplies or staff before the summer season gets into full gear. If your maintenance department takes care of lawn mowing, pool cleanings, or other landscaping tasks- it’s important to check that all machines needed are running properly.

If you work with contractors, then you should ensure that you are in their schedule and that your issues will be solved.

During summer, you need to make sure that workers that they’re not at risk of heat-related problems.

Landscaping

Take a look at your plants, shrubs, flowers, and trees and see if they’re happy and healthy. Have a look at what needs replanting or replacing and call your gardener or landscape designer so that your lawns look fresh for your HOA summer.

Having good landscaping improves the whole look of your community. It doesn’t require a large budget to make your landscaping nicer.

Communicate with residents

It’s always important to stay in touch with residents. During summer, you need to let them know about any maintenance that’s going on. You should also remind them to secure their homes if they’re going away. Finally, if your HOA is having a 4th of July party, get the word out!

Update Rules for Outdoor Decoration

With warm weather also comes lawn gnomes and growing grass. Be sure that your residents know the HOA regulations on gardens, lawns, and outdoor decoration. If there are complaints from neighbors, be sure the staff knows how to best address these concerns in a professional manner.

You can use Neigbrs by Vinteum, to send emails with the rules on decoration. If you post that document in the portal, then residents can always refer to it.

Remind residents to secure their homes

If residents go away during the warmer months, they need to secure their homes. That includes locking doors and windows, if they have alarms they should be set. Even if their home is empty, residents could ask neighbors to collect their mail so it doesn’t pile up. Thieves do keep an eye on houses before breaking in, so make sure that your residents take all the necessary steps.

Send an email, text, or call to remind residents to keep their homes and possessions safe. If you have a communication policy in place, this will make your job easier.

Pets and fireworks

If your community or town has an annual 4th of July party with fireworks, pet owners need to keep their pets calm.

Dogs should be kept inside, and if they do get frightened and run away they should be microchipped and has a GPS device so they can be found. Pet owners can also create a calm space for their animals to run to. Put them somewhere where they can’t see or hear the fireworks with their favorite blanket and toys.

HOA Summer Party

Get your HOA together to celebrate summer! If you’ve made some changes to the outside then have a picnic so anyone can appreciate it. It’s always fun to have a barbeque, or a craft afternoon to keep kids entertained. 

You could have a 4th July party or a different summer event, which can be a socially distanced event if necessary. This is a great way of getting your community together and enjoying the summer.

Conclusion

During summer, there is a lot going on. Residents may be away, the board needs to organize maintenance and make sure amenities are working. If you’re organized with a checklist, you can get everything done and enjoy the warmer months.

If you need help communicating with residents and scheduling maintenance, then get in touch with us!