How to become an HOA board member

Date Published : Apr-17-2023

Written By : Phillip Livingston

Whether you live in a condominium development or a single-family home, your desire to become an HOA member shows a real commitment to participate in the well-being of your community.

Although HOA boards members don’t get paid for the work they do, they play a very important role in maintaining a high standard of living for the communities they serve.

For the most part, a successful HOA member should be knowledgeable about the laws that pertain to the association. Having a practical and impartial outlook will also serve you well when it comes time to make hard decisions on behalf of other members.

The following article aims at helping you realize your goal of becoming a great HOA member.

     

Table of contents

     

How to become an HOA board member

We know that the prospect of becoming an HOA member can be exciting, but daunting as well.  You may even feel overwhelmed by the responsibilities that come with the role. But with the right guidance, almost any owner can become an HOA member. The following tips and guidelines will help to improve your chances of getting elected to your HOA’s board of directors so that you can start making positive changes for your community.

     

Attend HOA board meetings regularly

This shows that you have a genuine interest in the inner workings of the association. Over time, you’ll be knowledgeable enough to contribute to meetings. Just remember to always be polite and courteous when asking questions and making comments. Strive to make a positive contribution to the meetings, and always be punctual.

     

Study relevant documents

Knowing your legislation is a critical aspect of becoming an effective and successful HOA director. It’s important that you read relevant legislation that governs planned development communities, condominiums, and cooperatives. Study the governing documents of your HOA as well, including the CC&Rs, rules, and bylaws. This will give you proper context into the inner workings of the organization while improving your ability to make relevant contributions to HOA meetings. 

Make sure to read through the contracts your HOA has with its property management company and other stakeholders as well.

     

Review and understand financial statements

You need to understand the basics of where the money’s coming from and where it’s going. It’s not enough to take the Treasurer’s word that everything is alright. Take it upon yourself to review the statements as well and learn to identify variances.

The best place to start is in the monthly financial statements. These should have an annual budget amount compared to actual revenue and expenses.

     

Take a class

Look out for free HOA seminars or courses in your area and attend them to increase your level of knowledge on how HOAs work. Make the most of your visit to these events by asking relevant questions and take note of interesting facts and data. It’s also a good idea to learn about HOA software that will add value to your association and help you streamline tasks.

Once you become an HOA board member, the association’s welfare will be in your hands. Keep in mind that the HOA board is legally responsible for many of the things that happen to the association. This position puts you in a place of power, but you also take on a heavy responsibility.

Your decisions will have a direct impact on the lives of residents. You’ll be responsible for deciding whether they can have pets, how much noise they can make, what kinds of vegetations they can plant, etc.

That’s why it’s important to ensure the decisions you make as an HOA member are based on facts and made with the best interests of the entire community in mind.

     

Ask questions

If you’re not sure about something, feel free to ask someone who’s more experienced than you to explain it. Speak to current and past HOA board members to get a better understanding of how the association is managed. Most will be more than happy to share what they’ve learned with you, and this will make your job so much easier once you’re elected.

     

Get yourself out there and meet your neighbors

Show an interest in their concerns and be upfront about your desire to run for the HOA board. Your social skills can give you an upper hand if you’re able to show that you’re a detail-oriented and civic-minded individual. The most important thing is to develop a reputation as someone that is genuine, caring and concerned. Remember that people are more than happy to vote for someone whom they know is looking out for the best interests of the community. Show your neighbors that you’re the person for the job.

     

Be prepared for hard work

As a representative of a non-profit corporation, you have a fiduciary duty to the association, and it’s essential that you understand what that duty entails. Generally, the HOA board is responsible for the replacement, repair, and maintenance of the common areas. The common areas may include grounds, recreational facilities, buildings, roads and even an aspect of the condo units as well. The HOA documents should describe these assets in detail to give you a clear understanding of what they cover. As an HOA member, your responsibility will be to protect, preserve and enhance the value of the property.

If a building needs repair, the board must see to it that it is done, even if it means increasing the fees to accomplish this.

The HOA board is also responsible for building a sense of community. Doing this fosters a sense of unity and togetherness within the association. The association can do this by hosting special events on holidays like Independence Day, Thanksgiving, and Halloween.

Fee collection is another less glamourous, but essential task that board members must oversee. Without assessments, the association cannot operate, so you need to be diligent about collecting fees owed. Many boards prefer to have a property manager handle this responsibility though.

Finally, things might happen that could put the association at risk of losing money or tarnishing its reputation. A disgruntled member could bring forth a lawsuit, for example. As an HOA member, you’ll play a key role in identifying potential risks and overseeing the management of them. It’s virtually impossible for any organization to completely avoid risk, but it is possible to manage it with the proper tools.

     

Follow the proper nomination process

When it’s time for candidates to declare their intentions to run, make sure you follow the process laid out by the association.

Associations will normally call for candidate nominations at the start of each election season. This will often be a couple of months before the annual meeting. A notice calling for candidates will be distributed. The notice should include nomination guidelines, candidate qualifications, and the deadline for submissions.

You may also wish to deliver a short solicitation letter to members of the association. Provide owners with enough information so that they understand how voting for you would help them.

     

Create a platform that speaks to your community

When creating a platform for yourself, bring up topics or issues that are currently plaguing the community. Some of those issues might include:

  • Problems with delinquent assessments
  • Special assessments that are caused by a failure to create an accurate budget
  • The state of the common areas
  • Violations of CC&Rs by board directors or other association members
  • Lack of communication or transparency
  • Operational inefficiencies

This shows that you have a genuine understanding of what’s slowing the association down, and why these problems could impact its future success.

     

Conclusion

Being part of a homeowners association is a difficult job and it can be very time-consuming. Although it’s a thankless and even frustrating job at times, it benefits the entire community. You get to help your neighbors and affect real positive change in your their lives.

It’s also a great way to protect your investment because the decisions you make as an HOA board member have a direct impact on the future value of your asset. Plus, it places the responsibility of improving your community in your hands. It’s up to you to make sure that your community is functioning harmoniously and according to a shared vision.

 

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