Why Quorum Matters to the HOA

As HOA meetings roll around, you may find that there is a significant increase in communications urging members to attend. This isn’t just to raise awareness and help homeowners to be more informed. In order for an official meeting to even take place, a quorum must be reached. In simpler terms, that means that a certain number of board members or homeowners must be present depending on the type of meeting.

In some cases, the quorum is a simple majority, while in other instances, it is a certain percentage of members. The specifics are detailed in the HOA’s governing documents, along with timeframes for notifying members about meetings, how often they should be held, and so on.

What happens if a quorum is not achieved?

If there is no quorum, there is no meeting. The meeting must be rescheduled for a later date where the HOA will try once again to rally up enough attendance. As one may guess, this can put a serious damper on association business. Having to reschedule means voting on issues is postponed, and sometimes even electing new board members is delayed. It can make it increasingly difficult for the board to get things done, which is frustrating for them and for members who care about their community and want to see it improved.

Can low attendance rates be overcome?

While the goal is to get more homeowners to physically be at HOA meetings and involved in decisionmaking and staying up-to-date about what is happening in the community, that doesn’t always happen. Fortunately, the board can help to offset low attendance by getting members to sign a proxy. A proxy assigns their vote to someone else, and it counts toward the quorum. The governing documents also outline how proxies and proxy voting work.

Ways to boost meeting attendance

First and foremost, make sure that members understand the importance of their attendance. Oftentimes homeowners don’t realize the impact that not showing up can have; they don’t know what a quorum is or why it matters. They may be frustrated with how long it is taking for changes in the HOA to occur, so let them know that their participation matters when it comes to voting and moving projects along.

Second, ensure that meetings are well advertised far enough in advance that members have time to plan to attend in case they need to book a sitter or make other arrangements. Send follow-ups as quick reminders so homeowners don’t forget. Also, make sure they know that they can sign a proxy if they’re unable to attend—and make it easy to do so!

Third, maintain productive, effective meetings so homeowners know that it will not be a waste of their time and that work is being done. If meetings are recognized for being well-organized, orderly, and to the point, it can make attending more appealing.

If the HOA is struggling to achieve a quorum or send out timely communications to members about meetings and issues, Kuester can help. We’ll work with your HOA to create a plan and manage a variety of administrative tasks so the board can focus on preparing for meetings and running the HOA. Contact us today to learn more!

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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.

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