Remind Your Residents Why the HOA Matters!
Every now and again you read in the paper, or hear on the local news, about a homeowner and an HOA that come into serious conflict with one another. Sometimes, in fact, it can almost seem like a knock-down, drag-out skirmish—typically over something seemingly trivial, like lawn decorations. Those who serve on the HOA board know the reality—that these ugly situations are far from the norm, but that they do happen from time to time.
It is less common to hear media coverage of an HOA that really does its job well. That’s why it’s important for you, as a member of the HOA, to occasionally remind your residents of the good work being done on their behalf. Call attention to the positive actions of the HOA in community newsletters, and publicly praise hard-working community servants at your regular meetings. Doing these things will go a long way toward making your community members receptive, even welcoming and supportive of what the HOA is doing.
More than anything, it’s important simply to keep community members aware of the things the HOA does for them—among them:
- The handling of maintenance issues, even ones that might seem small. When the HOA sees to things like the removal of a potentially dangerous tree, or the basic maintenance of an abandoned/foreclosed home, it makes community life much more pleasant for all parties, and it requires no effort from your residents.
- The resolution of disputes between community members—which, contrary to how it’s portrayed in the press, often happens very peacefully!
- The upkeep of important paperwork, including things like community-wide FHA insurance, all of which homeowners will be most grateful for should natural disaster strike!
Keeping community members up to speed on what you are doing for them is a vital way of keeping them on board with the general activities of the HOA—and of keeping those ugly disputes to a minimum.