How to Make Your HOA Community Even Better

Most people have heard horror stories about HOAs that are only out for the money, or ones that go bankrupt, or ones that spend way too much on services because they don’t know any better. However, most people don’t realize that most HOAs are okay, if not exceptional, places to live.

If you’re on your HOA board or on a committee, there are a few things you can do to make your community better. This elevates you above the vast majority of HOAs and helps the people who live in your community love their lives there.

Show People What You Want From Them

It’s easy to tell people what you want from them, but it’s much harder to be a role model and show them what that means. This can involve a number of different behaviors, depending on what you’re trying to get the people in your community to do.

For instance:

• If you want people to participate in leadership, make sure that all board members are at all meetings and gatherings, and that they seem excited and happy to be there.
• If you want people to follow certain rules, make sure that homes owned by board members take the lead and follow the rules first.
• If you want people to get to know each other, make sure that board members are visible and active when it comes to getting to know their neighbors.

Carve Out Time to Listen

It’s easy to say that you hear people’s concerns, and much harder to actually take the time to listen to them. Have open hours or make yourself available in some other way, and spend time just listening to the people in your community.

Note that this is not your chance to defend board practices, apply rules, or give your own opinion. It’s simply your time to hear what the people around you have to say. You might be surprised at what people are willing to share when they realize that you truly want to hear them and don’t have your own agenda.

Value Integrity Above All

When you’re a board member, it’s easy to let things slide. After all, you’re a volunteer and you have a lot of other things on your plate, too. However, when you let things slide too often, you may find that your integrity has slipped, as well.

Prioritize integrity by:

• Having minutes, budgets, and other paperwork ready on or before their deadlines, every time.
• Making fair decisions, no matter who they involve or what is at stake.
• Being consistent in the way you do — or do not — apply the rules in your community.
• Sticking to decisions once they have been made.
• Admitting your mistakes, or mistakes that the board has made, and working to rectify the situation.

These simple steps can take your community from an okay place to live to an amazing one, and they can keep you from being one of those horror stories. If you need help managing your community, contact us at Advanced Management Inc today!