The New Year is a time when most of us start thinking about our personal goals and changes we can make in the upcoming year. Reflecting on the last year and thinking about what should be changed is not only a good personal strategy, but something all HOA board members should be doing.
Were there disputes with homeowners or board members that could have been avoided? Miscommunications? Changes you made last year that positively influenced your community?
Here are some resolutions your HOA could benefit from in the new year.
1. Review your governing documents
It’s always important for board members to have an understanding of your association’s governing documents, but it’s easy to forget a few things along the way. The new year is a great time for the board to sit down and go over these documents and take note of any new amendments or old rules that might have slipped through the cracks. This is also a great time to determine if any of your documents need an update.
2. Review your repairs
We’ve said before that it is important to review your past expenses to see what kind of patterns your community seems to follow. Improvements and repairs are inevitable in any community, especially if you have amenities and common areas. The new year is a good time to go over the repairs and replacements you made in the past year, as well as some that might be needed in the near future. Taking note of these patterns is also a good habit around budget season so you can account for any expenses you might not have anticipated last year.
3. Increase Board Education
There are many opportunities for old and new board members to increase their skills and knowledge to better serve their community. This is a good time to look out for education seminars, conferences or to join your local Community Association Institute chapter. Vesta frequently hosts education seminars for board members and those looking to become board members, so keep an eye out for those!
4. Be more open about board meetings
When it comes to the politics of keeping an HOA running smoothly, homeowners can sometimes feel left out. It can help them feel more included when boards post their meeting schedules, send meeting reminders and post their meeting minutes on the community website. Keeping residents in the loop when the board discusses community matters can increase the sense of a close community and encourage involvement. You can also include a small amount of time at the end of meetings to address owners’ questions and concerns.
It can be stressful to think about all we have to accomplish at the end of the year and look into what is coming our way in the new one, but setting some time aside to discuss these things with your fellow board members is a good way to ease that stress and work toward a common goal.
Happy New Year from Vesta Property Services!
