The Importance of Staying Engaged with the HOA

Life gets busy, and it can be easy to skip out on HOA meetings or events now and then. You tell yourself you’ll go back and read the newsletter, but it quickly slips down your inbox or gets lost in a pile of other papers. You’re getting ready to repaint your front door, but you can’t remember what colors are permissible, so you just pick one, only to discover later it’s not the right one. All of these situations and more make it important to be vigilant about staying involved with the HOA and keeping abreast of essential information.

Why should you make your engagement with the association a priority?

1. So you know what is happening.

Taking the time to read HOA communications when they arrive, attend meetings, and check in with the association website or social media can help you stay in the loop. You’ll know whether the pool is open or closed, when your street is being repaved, what the landscapers are doing at the entrance of the neighborhood, if changes have been made to community services, and much more. This is the neighborhood where you live, so knowing what is going on can make your experience a more enjoyable one.

2. So you can support decision making.

If the HOA does not achieve quorum at meetings, no official business can be conducted and decisions that require a vote cannot be made. Your presence matters. Plus, you can hear from both sides of an issue and understand what considerations have been made when coming to a decision. The board likely looked at a situation from multiple angles that you may not have thought about. And, if there is something that you want to say, you have the opportunity to make your voice heard.

3. So you can reduce violations.

Understanding the governing documents is key. However, sometimes changes are made to existing rules, or new ones are added (or eliminated). By staying engaged, you know what is expected of you and your fellow homeowners and can ensure that you’re following established guidelines. “I didn’t know” is not an excuse for breaking the rules, especially when it has likely been communicated across several mediums. Read the emails, newsletters, meeting minutes, and other notifications that the association sends.

4. So you can get information.

Being an active member of the association means you know who the board members are and where to go for information. If you have a question or concern, you know who to contact or where to look. Remaining distant means you may not be sure whether you should go to the community manager, a board member, or someone else for answers, and that can delay the process and cause unnecessary work for you. Stay in the loop and up-to-date on what is happening and what resources are available.

Members are an important part of the association. You don’t have to serve on the board for your opinion to count. Do your part to be an active and engaged member and support the HOA in operating as effectively as possible. If your association needs more guidance or assistance, don’t hesitate to contact Kuester to learn more about how we can help.

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Bryan Kuester

Bryan Kuester

Bryan is the CEO of Kuester Management Group. He has over 15 years of managing community associations throughout North and South Carolina.

His specialties include Community Association Management - maintenance, budgeting for operational and reserve funding, long-range planning, covenant enforcement, amenity management, onsite management, large scale management.