Three elements will guarantee a homeowners association’s success: stable finances, effective communication, and happy owners.
Having a productive HOA with just one or two of these things is still possible, but there will be significantly more problems to solve if you can’t check off all three boxes.
To help you set your community up for long-term success, we’ve created a list of must-have services that HOAs should provide to members.
While you don’t need to offer every service, aim to incorporate a few of them in order to improve any weaknesses that are currently impacting the association.
Table of contents
- Online payments
- Two-way communication system
- On-demand access to HOA documents
- Recreational facilities
- Regular social events
- Hybrid meetings
- Prompt maintenance
- Fair and consistent rule enforcement
- Website
- Resource list
- Security/access control
- Dedicated board
1. Online payments
An HOA needs adequate revenue in order to maintain operations, and keep owners happy and safe. Without it, the association cannot pay for repairs, upgrades, insurance, staff, etc.
Collecting fees or dues from owners can be a tedious task, especially in a larger HOA, but it is absolutely necessary. HOAs create their annual budgets before the beginning of the calendar year, and count on receiving every penny from owner fees. Even if 5% of owners fall behind on payments, the HOA might struggle to pay for a planned project or a legal bill.
Online payment options won’t completely eliminate late payments, but they have been proven to reduce late payments. That’s because paying a fee online is easier and more convenient than writing a check or coming into an office to make a payment.
Depending on the payment processing system made available to owners, they can pay with debit, credit, ETF or ACH. In most cases, owners can access the payment system through their phones, and can even set up recurring payments if they worry they’ll forget to pay on time.
Not only is this option more convenient for owners, but it means less work for admins who are responsible for managing and recording payments. Plus, the online payment system automatically creates payment records, making it far easier to verify when a payment was made.
2. Two-way communication
Just like poor financial management, poor communication can be detrimental to an HOA. Board members need to be able to communicate with management, staff and owners in order to host meetings, get feedback, give directions, and make the best decisions for the association.
Owners also have a right to know how their money is being spent. They need to be informed about member meetings, votes, projects, reports and more.
While mailing notices and documents is a relatively reliable way of communicating, it is slow and can be costly over the course of a year. Plus, some owners might not live in the community full time, which means it could take days or even a week for them to receive a notice.
Having some type of digital communication system can transform the way HOAs communicate. Condo Control, for example, specializes in improving communication for HOAs by allowing boards and managers to send information and announcements through a variety of channels including email, text and voice message. Announcements can be sent to the entire community, or just a select group of individuals.
Not only can announcements be delivered instantly, but it is a more cost-effective way to communicate.
Owners can also have their say on private community forums or through surveys. It’s important to give them a dedicated space to share ideas, concerns and preferences.
If they feel like their opinions matter, owners will be more eager to attend meetings, stay informed, and even volunteer.
3. On-demand access to HOA documents
There are so many benefits to giving owners barrier-free access to HOA documents. For one, they can review CC&Rs, bylaws and rules whenever they need to.
Education is one of the best ways to prevent owners from breaking the rules. While no one can be expected to remember each one, having the governing documents readily available makes it easier for owners to know what is and what is not allowed.
Having an online storage area for HOA forms is also a must. Instead of having to walk or drive to an office to secure a form to book an amenity or request an architectural change, fill the form out, and drive back, owners can simply go online to access the form they need, fill it out and hit send.
If the HOA charges fees for amenities, owners are much more likely to use them if they can book and pay online.
Finally, the HOA can keep members in the loop by posting financial reports, meeting minutes, newsletters, and more.
4. Recreational facilities
Owners pay a lot in HOA fees, so they expect some nice perks in return. People are more likely to purchase a home in a community with practical, well-maintained facilities. Gyms and pools are always a hit, but a spacious dog park, modern playground or fresh pickleball court creates value too.
As long as the facilities are safe and clean, members will use the spaces to work out, relax or socialize with other members of their community.
5. Regular social events
There have been studies that suggest a positive correlation between community engagement and living in an HOA. That’s why it is important for associations to host regular community events.
Whether it’s a potluck, a movie night, or a contest for the best Halloween costume, social events bring HOA members together and make them feel like they belong. And when they care about their community, owners are more likely to do things to preserve the peace.
6. Hybrid meetings
Combine in-person and virtual meetings to accommodate all preferences. While many HOA members do prefer to show up in person, some will appreciate having a virtual attendance option. This is particularly true for members who live elsewhere for part of the year.
Hybrid meetings do require some additional technology, but once you get the hang of them, your entire community will appreciate how simple and effective they are.
7. Prompt maintenance
Preventive maintenance and regular upkeep go a long way. Again, owners pay a lot in monthly fees and expect that their hard-earned money will go towards maintaining the value of the property.
If your HOA is responsible for things like snow removal and lawn maintenance, it’s important to ensure the job is completed correctly, and on time. This helps prevent accidents from occurring, and keeps the community looking its best.
The same is true when it comes to preventive maintenance. Repairing sidewalks or cleaning gutters on a regular basis will not only extend the useful life of the HOA structures and elements, but it helps to prevent major breakdowns or accidents from occurring.
8. Fair and consistent rule enforcement
Rule enforcement sounds more like a punishment than a service, but keep in mind that fair rule enforcement helps maintain property values and peace within the community.
For example, imagine an owner comes home to find that her neighbor has painted her front door flamingo pink, and has put fake flamingos all over the front lawn. The owner can take a photo of this violation and send a complaint to the board or manager. Once the complaint is submitted, the owner would expect the HOA to resolve this matter.
She would not have the ability to do anything about this pink nightmare if she didn’t live in a governed community.
Each member of the community should be held to the same set of standards for the upkeep of their home, as well as the adherence to noise and nuisance policies, parking restrictions, and any other rules they agreed to when they moved into the community. HOAs must enforce rules so that those standards prevail.
9. Website
HOA websites can act as a central resource hub for HOAs. Even if owners aren’t tech-savvy, almost anyone can navigate and use a well-designed website.
The best websites have a secure portal or page that only members can access. This makes it easy to protect sensitive information from the general public.
Websites can be used to share announcements, notices, forms, governing documents, local resources, and more.
In addition to helping owners stay connected to the HOA, websites also double as efficient advertising tools. Associations can showcase the best of their community to attract qualified candidates.
10. Resource list
Your HOA probably has a preferred plumber, mechanic and landscaper. Why not create a list of trusted service providers to share with the community?
Not only will the companies appreciate the extra business, but your members will appreciate that they don’t have to spend time searching the web for a qualified professional when they have a sink or fridge that requires immediate attention.
11. Security/access control
Just because your HOA isn’t a gated community doesn’t mean that the public should have access to every area within the development. Members expect certain amenities to remain semi-private, and an access control system can help achieve that goal. Create passcodes or give members fobs so that only they can access the pool area or tennis court.
12. Dedicated board
Last but certainly not least is the board. These volunteers usually set the tone for the community, so it’s critical to have a team that’s committed to serving the best interests of the community. Want to encourage someone in your community to run? We’ve got some tips to help them win.