It should come as no surprise that homeowners and condominium associations have a negative reputation. No one likes being told they are breaking the rules and even board members don’t like assessment increases. You could also argue that all associations suffer when one association behaves poorly - a rotten apple spoils the whole barrel. That said, you don’t need to worry about the reputation of associations in general. You only need to worry about your association’s reputation. The good news is that there are some simple things you can do to foster some good will between the board and your membership.
Hold a Community-Building Event
One of the easiest ways to raise your association’s standing with your membership is to look for ways to build community. Holiday parties are an obvious suggestion - events such as a 4th of July pool party or a Labor Day barbeque are great ways to get members together. You could also host movie nights or a community talent show at the clubhouse. You could devote some of the association’s budget to community events, or encourage them to be potluck or member-funded to keep costs down. Another option is to schedule a food truck to be on-site for the vent. With a little creativity and some effort, you should be able to come up with two or more community events to put on your association’s calendar.
Building Community in HOAs and Condominium Associations Through Giving Back
Another way to improve your association’s reputation is by regularly hosting charity events. Here are some easy ideas that shouldn’t require too much effort:
Canned food drives to be delivered to local food pantries
Used clothing collections for local homeless shelters
Community clean-up events
You can host your own event or encourage your members to attend established events in your area. For things like canned food or used clothing drives, board and committee members could go door-to-door to collect donations.
Giving back to your immediate community can make the most impact. Here are some ways that you could help members of your association directly:
Compile a list of volunteers that can help elderly or disabled members of your association when they need it with things like yard maintenance and snow shoveling
Create a fund to assist with assessment payment for members who can demonstrate temporary financial hardship
Whatever you decide to do, the board may need to encourage participation by leading by example.
Create a Committee
Of course, boards are busy and you may not have the ability to take on additional tasks. If that’s the case for your board, consider creating a committee of volunteers who will generate some ideas. The board should set expectations up front - how many events you are willing to host and whether the association is able to provide financial support. Creating a committee and then declining to approve or fund any events can create frustration and undermine the board’s credibility.
Participate But Don’t Co-Opt
While the board is hosting the event or even participating in it, it’s important that it remain a “community” event. As a result, don’t use it as an opportunity to advertise upcoming board meetings or lecture members about the new parking policy. A brief mention is probably fine, but remember that the purpose of the event is to create good will - not have a meeting outside of your regular meeting.
Communication Is Key
In order for people to attend, they need to be aware of the event. In this day and age, we’re all competing for each other’s attention. People after very little bandwidth to begin with, and association communications probably sink to the bottom of their inboxes immediately. But if your community is serious about improving its reputation, consider what you can do to amplify your communication with the members about these events.
Contact The Herndon Law Firm to Discuss Your Community Association Needs
As a community association law firm, we are typically focused on providing legal services to HOAs and condominium associations. Talk to a board long enough, however, and you start to see the issues that lurk beneath whatever legal issues they may be facing. Whether your problems are big or small, we can help you address the issue and work toward building a better community. Call or email us today to schedule a free consultation.
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