Homeowners are the Key To A successful HOA

July 19, 2017

Homeowners are the Key To A successful HOA

A Homeowners Association is a gathering of property owners within prescribed perimeters, with shared goals and common interests, and a governing body to protect and promote these interests. Often at the start of a new residential complex, the rules, guidelines and expectations for the residential members are established right at the outset.

These are usually documented in what is called Covenant, Conditions & Restrictions (CC&R’s.) All homeowners are required to follow the (CC&Rs) governing the residential complex and pay association dues. The association then provides the framework for the maintenance and upkeep of the development's common grounds and amenities, arrange for all landscaping, all repairs, and the maintenance of shared areas: club house, pool, access roads, public utilities, etc.

The secret to the effectiveness of this arrangement is in every single HOA member’s proactive participation and involvement in protecting and promoting their shared goals and interests. This shared collective purpose – strengthened by each individual member - is in fact the key to this success.

But how can we describe more specifically what this success looks like, and the role of each HOA member in achieving this success?

Let’s start with the benefit and value of an HOA membership. Here are just a few of the benefits that HOAs can provide:

The first has to be solidly maintaining the value of the property – this by and itself is reflected in every other benefit listed.

Safety and security – close surveillance of common areas, and 24/7 monitoring assures the safety of residents.
Upkeep of common areas – residents don’t have to worry about keeping the aesthetics and functionality of the common areas; management is in charge of that.

Architectural control and consistency – the uniformity of the residential complex is maintained, again supporting the property value. You won’t have a neighbor arranging all his pink flamingos around the radius of his property, or opening up a hotdog stand.

Community building and engagement – this is when members strengthen their community by sharing time with each other in many HOA hosted event and activities: festivals, sport matches, holyday celebrations.

After appreciating the responsibilities of the HOA, we return to the title of this blog: Homeowners are the key to a successful HOA, and this starts by:

Adhering to the Covenants, Conditions, and Restrictions (CC&Rs): Residents are expected to follow the CC&Rs. These rules and regulations govern the use of shared amenities, common grounds, acceptable conduct and standards that strengthen a sense of community and respect of everyone’s rights.
Participating in meetings: Residents are encouraged to attend and participate in meetings of the Board of Directors and general membership meetings, and actively offer input, which in turn promotes a sense of community, and members to have “a skin in the game.”
Electing Board Members: HOA residents get to select, via vote, the members of the Board of Directors. This guarantees a consensus across all decision making in all association affairs.
Serving on committees: Residents will have the option in serving on committees, giving them an input in the decision-making process: whether is a landscaping committee, vendor selection committee, adoption of new rules committee, or architectural review committee, among others.
Maintaining their property: as part of their HOA membership, residents are required to keep their properties in good condition and according to established standards. This again sustains the value of the property.

The success of an HOA rests on the perfect balance between the set of responsibilities described above. Understand that each property in the association represents a significant financial investment by its owner, and it behooves each member to be the KEY for the success of the HOA through his or her cooperation, support, and involvement. Without this, the Homeowners Association cannot succeed.

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