A Beginner’s Guide to Community Association Management

/by

If you’re a member of a Tacoma, WA, HOA board, you’re likely familiar with the extensive list of duties and responsibilities that HOAs have to undertake to care for their communities. From creating and enforcing day-to-day rules to maintaining shared amenities, a lot goes into managing an HOA of any size. If your HOA board feels overwhelmed with their duties and needs assistance managing day-to-day operations, consider hiring an HOA management firm. 

Reputable HOA management companies can take a lot off your plate, handling the day-to-day financial and administrative duties so you can focus your time on bonding with your residents and creating long-term plans for the success of your community. If your HOA board may be in need of community management services, here’s a beginner’s guide to all things community association management.

What Is HOA Management?

If your HOA board wants to ensure the best care and maintenance for their community, they may hire an HOA management firm. A community management firm is a company hired by the HOA to oversee day-to-day operations in the community.

Your community management firm can perform administrative tasks including answering homeowner inquiries, vetting and scheduling vendors, and collecting dues from residents. They may also comprehensive financial services such as tax filing assistance, annual budget preparation, vendor billings, escrow services, and audit coordination. 

While the HOA board is still the exclusive decision-maker in the community, laying out the rules and fees, the HOA management company works to effectively execute the decisions made by the board while ensuring residents’ happiness and satisfaction. It’s also important to note that an HOA manager focuses on the community association as a whole, not specific properties, so they shouldn’t be confused with property managers.

Who Needs an HOA Management Firm?

Properly managing a community association — especially a large one — requires an enormous amount of time, knowledge, and dedication to your community. Despite many HOA boards’ best efforts, sometimes members become overwhelmed by the responsibilities required, especially when many aspects of community association management are specialized industries, including monitoring of local laws and financial accounting.

If your HOA board is struggling to keep up with day-to-day operations, lacking clear leadership, suffering from communications issues, or allowing administrative tasks to slip through the cracks, you’re likely in need of community management services. Even if you feel your HOA board is managing well but is looking to expand or wants more free time to focus on the bigger picture of the community’s success, an HOA management firm can help ease the burden on board members and help your community association operate more efficiently.

What Do HOA Management Companies Do?

The responsibilities and functions of a community management company are entirely different from those of the HOA board, so it’s important to know what services your community management company can and will provide. In general, HOA management firms will help execute any aspect of the community’s operations, from collecting dues to enforcing bylaws. They can help organize community events, perform financial administrative tasks, and coordinate vendors for amenity maintenance. Your HOA management company is also a great resource for anything you want an expert opinion on. From providing legal guidance to offering advice on board decisions, your management team is there to support your efforts and improve the overall well-being of your residents. 

What your community management company will never do, however, is make decisions on the board’s behalf. Your board retains all decision-making power and is responsible for finalizing budgets, brainstorming events, and passing new laws. Your HOA management company simply works to execute and implement these ideas for you. The community management company will enforce any rules set in place, but the HOA board itself is the only party that can create new rules and determine the penalties for violating them. 

Utilizing a reputable and full-service HOA management firm can help you focus on the bigger picture, so your community can fulfill its full potential. If you want a community management partner dedicated to building a community you love through whatever means necessary, look no further than The Management Trust. We’ve been an industry leader for over 30 years, with more than 1,500 communities served nationwide. To learn more about our full range of community management services for Tacoma, WA, HOAs, including HOA financial management, call The Management Trust at 253-472-0825 or fill out our online contact form today.

4 Significant Challenges HOA Board Members Face — And How HOA Management Firms Can Help

/by

HOA board members in Aurora, CO, and beyond have a very difficult job. They have to run every aspect of their community’s day-to-day operations, finances, rule enforcement, and more, all as a volunteer donating their time to the community. Board members aren’t employed — they’re simply residents of the HOA that have volunteered and been elected as board members who run the very communities they live in. As such, not all board members know how to handle the many complex aspects of community association management. Luckily, HOA management firms can help guide and assist HOA board members in almost all aspects of community management.

1. Lack of Education & Experience

Since HOA board members are residents of the community who volunteer their service, they don’t always have the education and experience necessary to perform all required tasks at the start of their term. After all, these board members generally all have jobs, families, and outside responsibilities, and their skills in these regards may not always transfer to community management.

Luckily, board members can easily overcome this problem through resources such as online courses, training from more experienced board members, and assistance from their HOA management company. If your HOA board is incurring avoidable challenges due to one or several members’ inexperience, ask your community management company about available training courses and guidance to help them step up to the plate.

2. Enforcing Community Rules

While some homeowners may not be familiar with the rules and regulations associated with HOA homeownership, community guidelines are among the most significant factors in raising property values. Rules and regulations are adopted with the community’s values and well-being in mind; they are in place to assist residents from unintentionally neglecting their home’s exterior, which left unattended could affect property values for neighboring homes.

Enforcing these rules can be difficult for HOA board members, however. Whether a board member doesn’t want to penalize their friend or they’re bending the rules to suit their own interests, inconsistent enforcement is a pervasive issue amongst community associations throughout the country. Upset residents can also cause conflicts that, if not handled correctly, can escalate to personal attacks, physical violence, or lawsuits. 

HOA board members should always remain steadfast in the face of these conflicts and apply the rules fairly and uniformly among all residents. If this is an area of concern for your HOA board, your HOA management company can take this task off your plate by enforcing your CC&Rs in a consistent, objective and timely manner, ensuring that your neighborhood remains looking its best while taking the pressure off of board members who may fear angering their friends or neighbors.

3. Proper Financial Management

Financial management can often be one of the most challenging areas for HOA board members. After all, accounting and financial management are specialized areas that require trained CPAs or accountants in most fields. However, this responsibility is left up to the HOA, even if they don’t have someone with a background in financial management on the board.

If you don’t have a board member with financial management experience, it’s always best to outsource your bookkeeping and other financial responsibilities to a trusted third party such as your HOA management firm. If your board fails to adequately handle the community’s finances, it could have devastating consequences such as shortage or bankruptcy. Inexperienced or untrained board members put your community association at risk for large financial penalties and upset homeowners. Luckily, most HOA management companies such as The Management Trust have financial experts on staff and offer HOA financial management either as an independent service or as part of their general community management services.

4. Evolving Legal Requirements

Federal, state, and local laws dictate how your community association runs, and when these laws change, your HOA needs to change with them. However, it can be difficult to keep up with ever-changing ordinances across all government bodies. This issue leads many HOAs to fall behind and unknowingly violate local laws or regulations. The board also needs to unfailingly act in the best interest of the community, or the HOA becomes vulnerable to a lawsuit claiming a breach of fiduciary duty. 

In order to avoid any potential legal issues, board members should be thoroughly trained in all legal matters surrounding community associations and their daily operations. Your HOA management company can also offer advice about your state laws and regulations and keep you up-to-date with new legislation that affects your community. Your HOA management firm will also be responsible for implementing new association laws and enforcing them among residents. By hiring an HOA management company, you can ensure that your residents and board members live comfortably without worrying about out-of-date legislation or other legal trouble.

If your Aurora, CO HOA is in need of HOA community management services, trust the industry-leading experts at The Management Trust. We provide full-service community management as well as independent financial management services to best suit your Aurora community’s needs. To find out more about our wide range of community association management services, give us a call at 303-750-0994 or fill out our online contact form today.

How To Ensure Your HOA Is ADA Compliant

/by

Signed into law in 1990, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires that fair access be granted to all individuals with disabilities to ensure that they can access all public services, facilities, and amenities. As part of the ADA, reasonable accommodations must be made to allow those with disabilities to access various areas of public life.

Ensuring ADA compliance for your Tacoma, WA, HOA is essential to providing equal access and opportunity for those living within your community. No one should ever be excluded because of a disability, and your HOA is responsible for making sure that certain areas of your community association are compliant and welcoming for everybody. Although professional community management services can better assist you in handling all aspects of ADA compliance, here are some of the primary steps to making sure your HOA is ADA compliant.

How the ADA Applies to Common Areas

Since homeowners associations are considered private entities, the ADA does not apply to all of its facilities and common areas. Specifically, the areas which require membership to access do not have to be ADA-compliant if no resident requires accommodation on these grounds.

However, most areas that are used by the public in some capacity must be made ADA compliant or are otherwise subject to ADA guidelines. This can include the main office, public sidewalks, any common areas that host public events, or any facilities leased out for public use. For example, if your HOA clubhouse can be leased out by the public for birthday parties, the clubhouse would fall under ADA guidelines, even if it’s technically a facility intended for residents. The same would apply to the swimming pool if it was used for a public school swim meet. When opening your HOA’s facilities to the public, it’s important to consider what accommodations and changes will need to be made in order to comply with ADA guidelines.

How the ADA Applies to Individual Homes

The ADA doesn’t require that individual residences be made fully accessible, but there are certain accommodations that must be made if requested by a homeowner. Although HOAs often have rules surrounding what renovations a resident can make to their home, renovations required for a disabled person’s quality of life would be exempt from these bylaws.

For example, ramps must be permitted to be installed for wheelchair access. Your homeowner may also be permitted to widen doorways or install chairlifts or grab bars to accommodate their needs. Pet-free HOAs will also be required to allow service dogs depending on your local laws. If you’re ever in doubt about what community guidelines must be legally circumvented to accommodate a resident with disabilities, your HOA management firm can help advise you.

HOAs and the Fair Housing Act

When considering your community’s ADA compliance, it’s important to keep in mind that the Fair Housing Act (FHA) also applies in this area. The FHA prohibits housing discrimination against individuals based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability and familial status. More specifically, the law requires that disabled occupants must be provided “reasonable accommodation.”

Under the law, an HOA must make exceptions and allowances to the rules for disabled residents or make policy changes necessary to accommodate them and their needs. The law doesn’t require that common areas or individual homes be made fully ADA-compliant, but any reasonable requests from disabled residents must be taken into consideration.

Making sure that your community association is ADA compliant is a crucial step. It’s not only required from a legal perspective, but it also helps create a more inclusive and welcoming environment for all residents. If you need further assistance to ensure that your HOA is compliant with ADA regulations and all applicable laws, a professional HOA management firm can help. 

At The Management Trust, our expert team can help guide you in legal matters as well as assist with day-to-day operations that free up your HOA board members to focus on the bigger picture. From recommending trusted local vendors to providing counsel based on local laws, The Management Trust’s Tacoma, WA, office allows us to remain the No. 1 resource for professional community management in Washington. If you’d like to find out more about HOA management companies such as The Management Trust and exactly how we can benefit your Tacoma, WA, community association, give us a call today at 253-472-0825 or fill out our online contact form today. 

Why Is Data Security an Important Part of HOA Management?

/by

Data security is an increasingly important issue for HOAs in Aurora, CO, and throughout the country, as it can significantly impact the effectiveness of the organization and the privacy of its members. However, it’s a relatively new area of concern with a lot of unanswered questions and confusion surrounding how much responsibility HOAs have in protecting member information.

It’s critical for HOA boards and their community management to understand and consider data security on a regular basis to keep your HOA within legal requirements and to give members peace of mind. To ensure the security of your HOA’s member data, here are some key points to keep in mind.

State Data Privacy Laws

While there can be a lot of ambiguity surrounding the topic of HOA data security, many states have data privacy laws in place that can serve as an initial point of reference for your HOA management company. Some states may have more general privacy laws that cover all corporate entities, while other states may have laws that are specific to homeowners associations and HOA management companies.

These laws vary from state to state, and it’s important to work with an HOA management firm in your local area so you and your management team are aware of your specific state regulations and can keep your HOA in compliance. Some states may also require you to inform community members of the procedures in place for protecting their data as well as clarifying their rights and obligations regarding this matter under local law.

Accommodating Records Requests

In almost all states, your community members have the protected right to request information despite these privacy laws. You typically can’t deny the member’s request, but many of these requested documents also contain personal information that should be protected. In this case, you’ll need to achieve a balance between accommodating legal records requests and protecting member privacy.

Some states have guidelines for this specific scenario, outlining which records may be disclosed and which may not. Other states permit HOAs to redact confidential information contained within these records. However, most states don’t have clear laws or regulations in this area, so it will be up to you and your community management company to decide how to navigate these circumstances. Generally, it’s best to consult whatever data privacy laws your state does have, even if it isn’t specific to community associations.

Seeking Legal Guidance

Since data security is so closely intertwined with local laws regarding both data privacy and HOA member rights, it’s always wise to consult with legal counsel when navigating these issues. 

Legal counsel can be particularly helpful in drafting community policies regarding the disclosure of privileged details. If you live in a state that doesn’t have clear and specific laws surrounding HOA member records requests and data privacy, speak with your HOA management company and legal team to draft a community policy that can be consulted when future circumstances arise. Consulting with legal counsel can also help mitigate your liability in the case of a privacy breach or hacking.

HOA Management and Keeping Data Safe

At The Management Trust, ensuring the utmost safety and confidentiality of homeowners’ data is our top priority. With a robust and secure system in place, we diligently protect your personal information, including ARC requests, delinquency, and account details. Rest assured that only authorized personnel have access to this sensitive data, and it is never shared without your explicit consent. 

As an added layer of protection, we limit access to employee records to those directly employed by the Association, ensuring that your information remains in the hands of trusted professionals. With our HOA management company, your data is in safe hands, allowing you to focus on what truly matters – enjoying a harmonious and thriving community.

Having a team of professionals on your side — a legal team and a professional HOA management firm — can help you navigate the waters with less stress and less legal liability. If you’re looking to implement additional data security measures for your Aurora, CO, HOA, The Management Trust’s professional community management services can help you. Turn to our trusted vendors list to find a data security service that will go the extra mile, or speak to our team about recommendations for common and effective HOA data security measures. As the HOA community management experts, we have a wealth of knowledge that your board can utilize in order to optimize your community’s digital security plan. To find out more about our full range of community management services, call The Management Trust at 303-750-0994 or fill out our online contact form today.

How To Handle Complaints Like an HOA Management Pro in 5 Easy Steps

/by

Resolving homeowner complaints quickly and professionally is an important part of running a successful Tacoma, WA, HOA. Even with the best-planned and most well-run community, residents will occasionally bring forward issues or grievances. When this happens, it’s important to have a plan for handling the complaint in the most effective, efficient, and professional way possible. Here are five easy steps for handling resident complaints like a community management pro.

1. Acknowledge Their Complaint

The first step in handling a complaint is always to acknowledge it. Even if the complaint might not be valid, it’s important to treat all complaints with respect and not dismiss them out of hand. Reacting poorly or unprofessionally to a resident can often make them more angry and make the situation worse. By lending an ear, you’ll not only calm their reaction, but sometimes the act of listening in and of itself will be a satisfactory resolution for the resident.

Acknowledge that you have heard the resident’s complaint, and let them know you take it seriously. Don’t make any promises as to a resolution, but it can be beneficial to offer a response timeframe, as this can ease tension and help resolve the issue more quickly.

2. Check Local Laws

Once you’ve received the complaint, the next step is to investigate whether any local or state laws are relevant to the issue. There may already be legal guidelines related to the complaint which, if overlooked, could make resolving the issue more difficult.

For example, if the complaint is about noise, there may be noise ordinances or construction laws in your area that would apply. Before making any decisions, ensuring that you’re familiar with applicable laws is extremely important.

3. Check Your Governing Documents

If the law is not helpful, check your governing documents for any relevant rules or regulations. While the law may not cover noise curfews, for example, your governing documents may have an existing rule about loud noises after a certain hour.

Seeing if the complaint is in violation of any of your community’s rules can help clarify the issue as well as identify any inadequate or outdated rules that may need to be updated. In many instances, the complaining resident may even refer you to the specific rule or document related to their issue.

4. Check with Your HOA Management Company

If the complaint cannot be handled by the HOA itself — whether the rule is too vague or there are no relevant rules altogether — it may be necessary to contact your HOA management company. HOA management firms can provide an objective evaluation of the complaint and offer support. 

Contacting your HOA management company can be a beneficial first step in the process, as they may already have experience with similar issues and can provide helpful advice. They may also have the best perspective in coming up with a win-win resolution due to their objectivity and third-party role.

5. Clearly & Quickly Communicate the Resolution

After consulting local laws, community governing documents, and your HOA management firm, you’ll need to deliver the resolution to the complainant. It may not always be an answer the resident wants to hear, but regardless, it’s important to deliver the news clearly and in a timely manner. Making the resident wait for their answer is only likely to upset them more, leaving them more dissatisfied with the response, regardless of who it favors.

Deliver the response with empathy and patience. Keep their perspective in mind, and always prioritize a calm and diffused situation rather than doing anything that may further upset them or rile them up. Offer an explanation of the resources you consulted and how you’ve arrived at this resolution to appeal to their sense of logic and fairness for the community.

If the complaint involves more than one resident, all relevant parties should be informed of the outcome so they can understand their rights and responsibilities. It’s also important to listen to feedback, as this can help identify any areas of improvement to help prevent similar issues from arising in the future.

If you want to spend less time resolving disputes and more time focusing on your Tacoma, WA, community’s big picture, you’ll benefit from an HOA management company. HOA management firms handle the nitty-gritty of daily operations, from vetting vendors to collecting dues, so you can spend more time on the important stuff. They also serve as a reliable consultant for financial and legal matters, so you can reduce your liability when navigating tricky neighbor disputes. 

If you’d like to find out more about HOA management companies such as The Management Trust and exactly how we can benefit your Tacoma, WA, community association, give us a call today at 253-472-0825 or fill out our online contact form today. 

The Community Management Guide To Understanding HOA Special Assessments

/by

Being on the board of an Aurora, CO, HOA is a big responsibility, and one of the largest and trickiest responsibilities to manage is community association budgeting. Calculating your budget for the year has a direct impact on homeowners: estimate too high, and you’ll have to raise monthly dues, frustrating your residents — but estimate too low, and you’ll have to impose special assessments for important projects down the road, also frustrating your residents.

When the latter occurs and special assessments become necessary, it can be irritating and stressful for everyone involved, from residents to community management. However, by fully understanding special assessments and the importance of HOA financial management, you can help reduce the need for these fees and increase resident satisfaction long term.

How Do HOAs Form Their Budgets?

The first step in reducing or avoiding special assessments is good budgeting. HOAs create a community budget each year based on past and projected costs for community management. These costs include landscaping, utilities, maintenance fees, and any special programs or initiatives the HOA may want to pursue. HOAs also typically set up reserves for emergency and capital expenditures.

When creating a budget, the HOA board will need to plan years in advance. They’ll need to anticipate the community’s running costs up to 10 years in advance, and if they fall short of the actual numbers, special assessments may be required to make up the difference when that time comes.

What Are HOA Special Assessments?

Special assessments are extra fees an HOA may charge when reserve funds are insufficient. These most commonly occur after an emergency or natural disaster, but they can also be caused by budget deficits, unforeseen repairs, new amenities or improper HOA financial management.

If your community association finds itself short on funds, it will issue a special assessment to all homeowners in addition to your regular annual or monthly fees. Since it’s an unforeseen cost for the residents as well as the HOA, it can often create a lot of pushback and frustration from your homeowners, who may not have the extra funds to comfortably accommodate the additional charge.

Why Are Special Assessments Necessary?

Although frustrating, HOA special assessments are necessary. While special assessments shouldn’t be frequent, budget predictions are never going to be consistently accurate over the period of five to 10 years. Inflation, local community changes and many other factors cause yearly costs to fluctuate, and it’s not uncommon for an HOA to find itself short of its predicted reserves.

Natural disasters and emergencies also can’t be predicted, so special assessments are unavoidable in the long term, even with the best HOA financial management. Without these assessments, amenities, fixtures, and communal areas may remain in disrepair or deteriorate over time. These quality declines will also elicit complaints from residents, so special assessments are often the best course of action despite homeowner dissatisfaction.

How Often Should You Charge Special Assessments?

Although special assessments are never entirely avoidable, they shouldn’t be frequent. Communities with strong HOA financial management will have reserves they can utilize in case of emergencies or natural disasters, providing a financial buffer that helps avoid extra assessments. As such, your HOA should only charge special assessments on rare occasions.

If a special assessment does become necessary, your HOA board should try to work with homeowners to establish a more budget-friendly payment plan. Instead of charging a large lump sump in one month, homeowners are more likely to be able to afford a smaller amount due monthly over the course of six months to a year.

At The Management Trust, we assist Aurora, CO, HOA boards with handling difficult tasks such as implementing and collecting special assessments. We also provide comprehensive HOA financial management that can help you more accurately calculate future costs and avoid having to issue special assessments to residents. 

More than 1,500 communities throughout the country trust The Management Trust to get the job done right, including dozens throughout the Aurora, CO, area. To find out more about our community management services, call The Management Trust at 303-750-0994 or fill out our online contact form today.

How Can Technology Help You Modernize Your HOA Management?

/by

Technology has transformed virtually every industry over the past two decades, and the pandemic only further accelerated tech adoption. This rapid acceleration set apart modern, adaptable companies from slower, outdated ones and highlighted the wide gap between the two.

With more and more Tacoma, WA, homeowners relying on technology to get things done, many HOAs are opting to modernize operations to get ahead of the competition and provide a better experience for members. Technology enables HOA boards to perform better community management and streamline processes, boosting resident satisfaction. Here’s how technology can help you modernize your HOA management if you’re seeking to do so.

HOA Management and Technology

In today’s world, HOAs are facing numerous challenges in managing their communities, from financial and administrative duties to operational dilemmas. Consequently, HOAs are needing to think about how to enhance existing processes with the help of technology to keep up with the demands of modern life.

According to a recent survey of HOA management professionals, 49.2 percent of communities have been using their current technology for three or more years. While this may not sound like a long time, three years can mean the difference between contact submission forms with a 48-hour email response and real-time text-based communication. This is a difference that residents clearly notice since 28.6 percent of members report feeling neutral or dissatisfied with their HOA’s current technology solutions.

With the emergence of more sophisticated digital and cloud-based technologies, there are many ways to effectively modernize HOA management. However, HOA boards first need to analyze the biggest challenges they face to implement solutions that tackle them productively and efficiently.

Challenges HOA Boards Face

According to the same survey mentioned above, the three biggest challenges facing HOA boards are communication (21 percent), meeting customers’ needs and expectations (17 percent), and manual/outdated processes (15.8 percent). In fact, 50 percent of all homeowners surveyed reported that they found their HOA boards to be unresponsive. 

These primary challenges are all exacerbated by the same common cause: outdated technology and inefficient workflow. It’s imperative that HOA management addresses these concerns, and implementing new technological solutions is a relatively easy and cost-effective way to do so.

Technological Solutions for Future Community Management Services

Most HOAs are aware of their communication flaws and struggles with outdated technology, especially as the pandemic has further highlighted these problems. That’s likely why 83.6 percent of community associations plan to utilize new technology within the next year.

If you’re one of the HOAs planning to improve their technology, there are several key solutions that are most effective in improving community communications. Community websites that are updated and user-friendly can keep residents updated on all the latest neighborhood happenings, creating transparency and acting as the first line of defense against any resident questions. Member portals are also hugely beneficial, allowing residents to log into personal accounts and handle administrative tasks such as paying dues, updating contact info, reviewing a work order status, or submitting questions to their HOA management. 

SMS communications solutions further elevate community management services by enabling 24/7 communication with residents. Smart text-messaging helpers such as The Management Trust’s Trusty provide a convenient way to get answers to basic homeowners association inquiries. With Trusty, residents can receive community notices, manage payments, submit maintenance requests and more right from their phone at any time or day of the week.

If your HOA feels overwhelmed or outdated and wants to make their HOA living easier, professional community management services can be a lifesaver. In addition to equipping your community association with all of the digital tools it needs to succeed, we’ll also help run the day-to-day operations of your HOA, so your board has more free time to focus on the bigger picture. 

If your community association could benefit from a professional HOA management company, call The Management Trust at 253-472-0825 or fill out our online contact form today. We’ve been one of the nation’s leading HOA management firms for more than 30 years, and we’d love to help your Tacoma, WA, community thrive as well.

How To Improve Community Communication and Streamline HOA Management

/by

There are endless benefits to living in an Aurora, CO, community association, including resident connectedness and high-quality community management. However, keeping residents up-to-date about changes, rules, announcements and other important matters can prove challenging for many HOAs.

To ensure that your residents always feel connected and well-informed, it’s essential to have effective communication strategies in place. Here are five simple ways HOAs can improve their community communications and streamline their HOA management to keep all residents up-to-date.

Make Sure Contact Lists Are Updated

It’s important for HOA boards to have accurate contact lists so they can reach all of their residents. If your lists are out-of-date, you could be wasting resources sending emails or phone calls to residents who have since moved or who have updated their contact information.

It’s always a good idea to review and verify your residents’ contact information yearly. This includes having up-to-date legal names, email addresses, phone numbers, and emergency contacts. It’s also useful to have a physical mailing list so residents can receive printed materials when necessary.

Don’t Spam Residents

Once you have up-to-date contact information, make sure you don’t abuse it. It’s easy to get carried away keeping residents updated on all the goings-on in your community, but receiving too many communications could irritate residents and even lead them to request being left out of future communications.

Everyone has a different preference for the amount and frequency of communications they receive, so there’s no general rule to follow. However, try to avoid sending more than one email a week unless there’s an emergency. A monthly or bi-weekly newsletter is generally appreciated by residents. Send additional emails for time-sensitive issues that could impact residents, but find a balance to avoid going over the top.

Make It Easy to Read

When sending emails, newsletters and other materials, ensure they are easy to read and understand. Use plain language, and avoid jargon and acronyms whenever possible. This will make it easier for residents to understand what’s going on and take action if necessary.

It’s also helpful to have large-print materials for elderly residents or those with sight difficulties. Bullet points and charts also help make information easier to digest and more accessible for all.

Utilize Resident Web Portals

Many community associations now use web portals to allow residents to access important information such as meeting minutes, financial reports and other documents. They serve as a great central point of information and can provide residents with non-urgent updates in lieu of emails or other direct communication.

Web portals are also a great way to implement messaging between residents and their HOA leaders and HOA management firm. Web portals allow residents to submit permit requests, maintenance notices, and any other inquiries at their convenience and without flooding the HOA’s phone lines.

Be Responsive

No matter what tools you utilize to communicate with your residents, it’s important to not only communicate clearly but also be responsive and open to feedback. This means responding to resident inquiries in a timely manner and remaining open to suggestions and ideas.

Establishing and maintaining open lines of communication between the HOA and its residents is vital to improving the overall quality of life. It helps create an atmosphere of trust and engagement among residents, which is essential for any successful HOA. The faster you can respond to resident inquiries and resolve any issues, the happier everyone will be.

If you’re seeking a communications solution for your community management, The Management Trust is proud to have further elevated its community management services with the introduction of Trusty, a smart text-messaging helper that provides a convenient way to get answers to basic homeowners association inquiries. With Trusty, homeowners can receive community notices, manage payments, submit maintenance requests and more right from their phone, 24/7.

If you want smarter community management services, look no further than The Management Trust. We’ve remained one of the premier HOA management companies in the country for more than 30 years, with more than 1,500 communities served nationwide. To learn more about our full range of community management services for Aurora, CO HOAs, call The Management Trust at 303-750-0994 or fill out our online contact form today.

3 Ways To Make Dues Increases Make Sense to Your HOA Community Members

/by

When it comes time to increase dues for your Tacoma, WA, community members, it’s important to present the increase in a way that makes sense to them. If residents know why the money is needed, they’re more likely to be accepting of the increased cost.

With this in mind, an effective way to communicate the increase without fear, confusion or anger is to explain the rationale behind it. If you’re increasing dues for your HOA soon, here are three common reasons you likely need to raise dues that will make sense to your HOA community members.

1. It’s On Par with Inflation

The cost of living has been steadily increasing over the years, especially since the pandemic, and HOA dues will need to reflect that. If the Consumer Price Index increases more steadily than HOA dues, your community’s reserves will be depleted sooner than anticipated, leaving you in need of money for projects or having to forego property improvements altogether.

Explain to your members that an increase in dues is necessary to keep up with the rising cost of living. Without these adjusted prices, your HOA board won’t be able to pay all the necessary vendor charges, maintenance fees, and unexpected costs that arise throughout the year. When costs outweigh your HOA’s incoming dues, large-scale problems arise that can jeopardize property values and resident satisfaction.

2. It Prevents a Sudden Jump

While fee increases are never good news, incremental changes over time are often more palatable than a sudden spike. A gradual increase in dues allows members to adjust to the change over time and incorporate it into their budget rather than having to deal with a sudden increase that could cause financial hardship.

Most residents would accept an increase of a few dollars every year, but almost all would be upset by a sudden jump of $100 or more, which could impact their budget and put a strain on their household finances. Fee increases are never welcomed, but preventing a hard hit for community members can help maintain resident satisfaction long-term.

3. It Protects the HOA’s Long-Term Future

Not only does the HOA need to keep pace with the cost of living today, but they also need to anticipate the cost of living tomorrow and maintain healthy reserves that can be used for unexpected costs. Whether renovations are more extensive than expected or a natural disaster causes property damage, almost every HOA will encounter unforeseen issues during the course of the year and need to dip into their reserves.

Being proactive and accounting for future inflation will help you keep your reserves plentiful while keeping things budget-friendly for homeowners. If you don’t increase dues slowly over time to anticipate this increase, you’ll eventually need to spike fees or issue a special assessment which will leave residents unhappy and potentially in a position of financial hardship.

At The Management Trust, we can assist Tacoma, WA, HOA boards with handling difficult tasks such as issuing assessment increases. While executive decisions always come from the board, we can execute those plans and implement any changes that need to be made on behalf of the community association. More than 1,500 communities throughout the country trust The Management Trust to get the job done right, including dozens throughout the Tacoma, WA, area. To find out more about our full range of available HOA management services, call The Management Trust at 253-472-0825 or fill out our online contact form today.

4 Helpful Tips To Ensure a Successful and Productive HOA Board Meeting

/by

Having a successful and productive HOA board meeting is essential to ensure the smooth operation of your Aurora, CO, community. While not all meetings will go perfectly, there are some steps that can be taken to ensure a successful meeting. Here are four helpful tips to ensure your HOA board meetings are optimal and productive.

1. Come Prepared

Before a board meeting, it’s important to make sure that everyone is properly briefed on the topics that will be discussed. This should include any relevant documents or reports that have been prepared prior to the meeting. Making sure that everyone is familiar with the topics and any materials that will be discussed will help to keep the meeting focused on the task at hand. It’s also important to make sure that everyone is aware of the time allotted for the meeting and the agenda that will be followed.

If you have an HOA management firm, they’ll put together the agenda and make sure all the correct topics are covered. They can also deliver all necessary information to board members to ensure that everyone has a chance to review the material prior to the board meeting. In addition to background information and documentation, this can also include your HOA management firm’s recommendation based on their expertise.

2. Stick to Business

During the board meeting, it’s important to stay focused on the business at hand. This means that any personal opinions or issues should be left outside the door. This will help to keep the conversation on track and ensure that the meeting is productive and focused.

Try to avoid resolving unscheduled issues on the spot. This common distraction can easily lead to endless digressions that use up your board meeting’s minutes and leave urgent matters unresolved. If issues arise during the course of your meeting, ask your HOA management firm to schedule another board meeting, during which time the new issues can be resolved in a thoughtful and well-prepared manner.

3. Assign a Point Person

To help keep meetings focused and on track, assign a single person to run the meeting. This person should have a strong voice and clear focus, and they should have no issue issuing time limit reminders and redirecting the conversation back to the scheduled topic.

Typically, your board meeting point person would be your HOA president or a contact at your HOA management firm. However, anyone who can effectively lead and ensure meetings stay within the schedule is a great choice.

4. Create Clear Documentation

After the board meeting, it’s important to create clear documentation of the topics that were discussed. This can include minutes of the meeting as well as any next steps or actions that need to be taken.

Having clear documentation of the meeting will help to ensure that any actions taken are properly followed up on in the future and any decisions are implemented in a timely manner. They can also act as a starting point for the next HOA board meeting. If you’re unsure where to start, your HOA management company can record the minutes and create a list of action items.

HOA board meetings can sometimes be a full-time job in and of themselves; handling the many other aspects of successful community management can be overwhelming and even impossible if your board is small, inexperienced, or otherwise just busy. Professional HOA community management is beloved by community association board members across the country because it lightens the load on Aurora, CO, board members and allows you to focus more of your time and energy on your community’s overall well-being. 

If your community association could benefit from a professional HOA management company, call The Management Trust at 303-750-0994 or fill out our online contact form today. We’ve been one of the nation’s leading HOA management firms for 30 years, and we’d love to help your Aurora, CO, community thrive as well.