Being on the Board of an HOA can be quite a difficult task. If you are volunteering it requires commitment and involvement of time. With so much on your plate, you want to make sure that your community is the best place to live. Residents of the complex, townhome or building should feel at ease. So, what can you do this summer to increase your HOA’s efficiency?
While the HOA plans a year-round schedule, and understands what the requirements of the community are, here are a few suggestions that you should include in your HOA calendar this summer:
1. Community Maintenance and Repairs
Community maintenance and repairs need to be put on the calendar so that they are done routinely and in a timely manner. In different seasons of the year different repairs and routine maintenance is necessary. The summer hot days cause several inconveniences, like common sprinkler system repairs, pool cleaning, clubhouse air conditioning, common area landscaping and grounds upkeep and other tasks. As an HOA board member, you must work with board members and committees to ensure that these repairs are made as soon as possible. During the winter months repair and routine maintenance may involve pipe repairs from cold weather or snow removal. There are year-round tasks that the HOA needs to be on top of. These may involve security, common area trash, pools, clubhouse cleaning, golf course grounds maintenance, playgrounds or other amenities your community offers. Everything a community offers will require upkeep, maintenance and repairs. These maintenance and repair tasks are paid for and budgeted from the funds receive from member’s dues and fees.
2. Community Landscaping and beautification day
Scheduling the community landscaping or beautification day is a great event to put on the calendar in advance to gain volunteers and participation. The community entry landscape sets the first impression for guests who visit your community which is why it is important. Moreover, better surroundings have positive effects on residents and enhance property values. When there are high temperatures, plants start to die. To make sure that the community place looks healthy and beautiful, the HOA must inspect and replace any dead plants and trees. You can lighten the board member work load by asking residents to participate in this endeavor by making ‘cleaning’ a community event. Your board might offer snacks and cool drinks to volunteers. An annual community clean up day is important for the overall beauty and enhancement of the community.
3. Fun activities and events
The HOA should have meetings and appoint volunteers to committees for these community events to be a success. For best results, these events should be on the HOA calendar well in advance. Every community loves the family annual and holiday events where the entire family can get involved. By organizing fun events, such as a bake sale to collect funds for a cause, a future event, movie night, one-dish dinner party, BBQ, garage sale, summer book club, workshops by members to help other members, learn a new skill for free, you can make an effort to increase friendliness between members and allow them to unwind. You can also have kids’ friendly events during their summer break. All of this will enhance community engagement.
4. Update and Evaluate Community Amenities
Every HOA should schedule an event where board members walk around or drive through the community to make assessments. Careful evaluation of all common area buildings and grounds are essential to the safety and protection of the residents and reduces liability and accidents. The HOA board will want to schedule this well before summer which gives an HOA ample time to update amenities such as the hot tub, pools and playgrounds etc. Whether it is the gym equipment that’s worn out or the pool flooring that needs to be replaced, including amenity update to your summer calendar will save you from the hassle of updating them when everyone wants to use them.
5. New season planning session for the Board
An efficient HOA always plans ahead of time. This practice will create a sense of security within members of the neighborhood when they will see how focused and dedicated you are. As an HOA Board member, it is your responsibility that all members connect during seasonal events. Whether it is Thanksgiving or Christmas, bring the community together by planning ahead. To make residents participate more, you can ask them for suggestions in the summers and start formulating a budget for the next season.
By adding these 5 things to your HOA calendar, you will be able to plan and chalk out annual activities better and make living in a community easy, simple, convenient and fun. Moreover, members will also start to value your efforts even more!
