HOA meetings are a cornerstone of sound association governance. This is where important issues affecting your community are discussed and solutions sought.
However, these meetings can only be effective if there is active participation from everyone (or most people) who needs to be there. If your Topeka HOA meetings usually have low participation, it's time to act. This article fleshes out practical tips for enhanced participation.
Plan a Calendar for Your HOA Meetings
In the workplace, it's not uncommon for meetings to be held on short notice. In an HOA community, impromptu meetings will not work. Residents have busy schedules, so convening an urgent meeting will have one inevitable outcome: poor attendance.
This is why it's prudent to plan the calendar of your HOA meetings early, at least one year in advance. Send the schedule to all residents for annual meetings and to every board member for HOA board meetings.
As the day of the meeting gets closer, send reminders so those who had forgotten about it are well-informed.
Set a Clear Agenda
Nobody wants to attend a meeting which can easily have been an email. Attendees will get frustrated for wasting their time and won't be so enthusiastic about attending future meetings.
For HOA meetings agenda, ensure it's clear, focused, and relevant. Attendees need to feel their presence is valued.
For example, you shouldn't be holding an annual meeting with residents to discuss the performance of a front office employee. However, for weighty matters such as amending the bylaws or increasing the HOA fees, residents have to be involved. Structure your meetings around such agendas.
Provide Attendance Flexibility
Even after planning for an HOA meeting for a whole year, it's still possible some residents won't attend it. Not because they don't want to, but because their schedules don't allow it.
The good news is such people don't have to be left out. All you need to do is leverage online conference technology and allow them to join from wherever they are. An in-person meeting combined with online attendance is the best solution for HOAs keen on improving participation.
Get Professional Support
Planning and holding homeowners association meetings isn't a walk in the park, especially if your full-time job isn't to be an HOA manager. Boards, which are tasked with the responsibility of hosting these meetings, are comprised of volunteers who have other obligations.
With this in mind, it's advisable to hire an HOA management company to help run the affairs of your community, including planning and organizing HOA meetings.
Make Your HOA Meetings Count
Your Topeka HOA meetings can be lively and engaging, but that's not going to happen out of the blue. It takes proper planning to hold a meeting with high attendance. These tips will help you prepare for the next one, but don't shy away from getting professional help.
PMI Advisory Group, a full-service real estate asset management company offering association management services, stands ready to help your HOA hold successful meetings. Our locally owned and independently operated office is part of a global franchise that has been refining the property management industry for over 20 years.
Get in touch to learn more about our services.
