What Is the Best Way to Prepare Your HOA for Winter Snow Removal?

December and January are the snowiest months in  Aurora, CO, so it’s important that your HOA has a clearly established snow removal policy if you want your roadways to stay safe for all residents.

Cities will typically plow major public roads if enough snow falls, but homeowners in snowy areas know that this service is largely unreliable and often doesn’t extend to smaller neighborhood streets. That’s why it’s best to have an independent snow removal plan for the winter months.

Be proactive in arranging snow removal

By the time the snow has fallen, it’s likely too late to arrange for removal. Snow removal services can be booked weeks or months in advance in snow-heavy areas, and even if they have availability, their first glimpse of your property shouldn’t be when it’s buried in snow.

Instead, call your local snow removal service during fall or winter before the first major snowfall. This will allow their team to indicate the locations of curbs and driveways so the plow can maneuver through your neighborhood safely, accurately and effectively. Advance booking will also ensure that you get priority over last-minute calls when the snowstorm does roll in.

Have your landscapers clear walkways

Not only streets and parking lots need to be cleared of snow. Sidewalks and other pathways must remain safe for pedestrians, so work with your landscaping team to create a winter snow removal plan.

Most landscapers will offer snow removal and de-icing services during the winter when grass and other greenery no longer grows, so consult your landscaping vendor about your options. They can clear shared walkways, HOA amenities, and other community areas to prevent falls and injury.

Remind homeowners of their snow removal duties

In most community associations, homeowners are responsible for shoveling their driveways as well as the sidewalks in front of their homes. However, not all homeowners will remember this duty or perform it with urgency.

To avoid a pile of winter citations, send a friendly reminder to homeowners as winter sets in. In addition to refreshing their memory about which parts of their property they need to shovel, you can also recommend HOA-approved snow removal companies for them to utilize or share good deals on snow shovels and other gear.

Assist residents unable to shovel snow

Although homeowners have a responsibility to shovel the snow in front of their own property, you should give grace to homeowners who may not be physically capable of doing so. Most HOAs have elderly homeowners, new parents or residents with disabilities, and doing your part to accommodate their circumstances will go a long way toward member satisfaction.

To keep your HOA tidy, safe and well-shoveled, organize a help system that pairs homeowners unable to shovel with volunteers. You can also recommend a landscaper or snow removal service that they can pay to remove the snow for them. Ask your HOA’s landscaping vendor if there is any special pricing available for individual homeowners who may need their property shoveled for them.

With more than 30 years in the industry and over 1,500 communities successfully managed, The Management Trust has the expertise to guide you in all aspects of community association management, including snow removal vendor sourcing. To find out more about our comprehensive HOA management services or our Trusted Partners Program, call The Management Trust at (303) 750-0994  or fill out our online contact form today.

4 Major Reasons Why Your HOA Needs an Expert Community Association Accounting Team

Today’s community associations in Tacoma, WA and nationwide are faced with an ever-changing landscape of legal and financial requirements. As integral parts of an HOA’s solvency, these financial obligations require skillful management that often can’t be achieved by a community’s volunteer board members alone.

From collecting dues to managing investments, choosing an HOA management firm with an expert accounting team is essential to ensuring your neighborhood’s long-term success. Here are four of the main reasons why your HOA needs an expert community association accounting team behind it.

1. Accurate financial statements

Most community associations are legally required to maintain accurate financial statements at all times because they function as nonprofit corporations. Your HOA board also needs to be able to accurately track the income, expenses and assets of your community association to make sure resources are being managed effectively.

Accurate financial statements provide a roadmap for the HOA to understand its financial health and how to make decisions that will benefit the community and its residents. If your assets and expenses aren’t meticulously tracked, you could put the financial health of your community association in jeopardy.

A professional HOA financial management team will handle all financial responsibilities associated with statement-keeping, including collecting assessments, pursuing delinquent assessments, generating financial statements and making association tax payments.

2. Specialized industry experience

HOA accounting differs significantly from accounting for individuals or for-profit businesses. As such, this niche category should be handled by a team that works specifically within the HOA financial management industry and is up-to-date with its unique requirements. 

HOA financial management firms will be able to accurately track and report financial data in accordance with industry standards and regulations, and they’ll also be able to offer advice based on their knowledge of the industry. As a nonprofit, all money that comes in must be paid out, and HOA management experts will know this and the best ways to handle these financial matters efficiently and effectively.

3. Local knowledge

Not only does your accountant need to be familiar with the community association industry, but they also need to be aware of laws and regulations in your local area. Legal and financial obligations often vary by state, county or even city, so you need an expert HOA financial management team with managers in your local area.

Unlike many of the large national HOA management companies, which centralize their accounting teams, The Management Trust has 24 local offices across the western United States. This allows us to provide the resources and expertise of a large, national corporation while remaining in touch with local residents’ needs as well as local legal and financial obligations.

4. A full support team

Even small HOAs require significant day-to-day support. That’s why we have an extensive team of experts ready to assist whenever you need them. We create personalized one-on-one relationships with our board members, and we strive to always be available for any questions or concerns. When it comes to financial matters, responses are urgent and often time-sensitive; that’s why The Management Trust always strives to be proactive rather than reactive, making your HOA living experience hassle-free — including the financial aspects of your operation.

At The Management Trust, we offer independent HOA financial management services as well as full-service community management. All of our financial operations are SSAE 116 compliant and are highlighted by our proprietary TrustLink software. Our financial services include statement organization, record-keeping services, fund management, direct deposit, vendor billings management, audit coordination, escrow services and much more. To learn more about how our expert HOA accounting team can assist your Tacoma, WA community association, give us a call at (253) 472-0825 or fill out our online contact form today.

4 Tips for Choosing the Best Vendor for Your HOA

When it comes to maintaining your Tacoma, WA community, vendors are an essential part of the equation. Whether your amenities need repair or your landscaping needs maintenance, there are many vendors to hire, manage and coordinate as an HOA board, and it can be a deceptively complicated task.

Finding the right vendors for your community is essential for receiving quality service at a reasonable price. If you choose the wrong vendor, you could be left with poor workmanship, sky-high bills or even a legal headache. So how’s an HOA board to know who to choose? Consider these four tips for choosing the best vendor for your HOA.

1. Do Your Due Diligence

Adequate research is key to finding the right vendor for your needs. When setting out to find a new vendor, make sure that any candidates possess all current licenses and insurance. You should also review online testimonials and assess their overall customer satisfaction as best you can. Once you’ve verified their qualifications, request a proposal or quote for the project at hand.

Analyze each proposal and ensure that they are thorough and realistic in their details. Keep these questions in mind: 

  • Does the scope match your expectations? 
  • What is included and excluded from their service? 
  • Is their pricing realistic? 

A proposal that’s too vague or sounds like a stock answer is something to be wary of, as it could indicate a lack of attention to detail or a lack of understanding of the project.

2. Get Multiple Bids

One of the biggest mistakes a community association can make is soliciting a quote from only one vendor. This may be acceptable if it’s a vendor that you’ve worked with before and the project is a small one, but if you have a project exceeding several thousand dollars or if you’re searching for an entirely new vendor, you should always collect at least three bids to compare.

Comparing multiple bids not only allows you to compare pricing and find a vendor within your budget, but it also allows you to see who best understands the scope of the project. Scheduling a face-to-face meeting with the vendors can also help you decide which one is the right match for your community.

3. Consult Your HOA Management Firm’s Approved Vendors List

If you have any doubts about your current vendor shortlist or if you simply want to make the entire process easier, you can select from your HOA management firm’s approved vendors list. Almost every community management company will have a list of approved or preferred vendors they have vetted for quality.

The Management Trust’s Trusted Partners Program, for example, brings together great vendors with the HOAs that need their services. The Management Trust’s vetting process only accepts vendors who deliver high-quality services, in a cooperative manner, for a fair price. By using the Trusted Partners Program, HOA boards can find a trustworthy vendor while saving dozens of valuable hours on research and other due diligence. The Management Trust even provides a $2,500 client satisfaction guarantee for work performed by enrolled vendors. 

4. Work Alongside Your HOA Management Company

Whether or not you choose to use a vendor affiliated with your community management, your management team should work with you to find the right vendor. This includes analyzing and comparing bids, managing day-to-day operations of the project, and ensuring that the project is completed on time and within budget.

Your HOA management firm should always be impartial and remain an advocate working on your behalf. If they pressure you to work with a vendor they’re affiliated with or fail to advocate for your best interests when utilizing an affiliated vendor, it may be time to find a new HOA management company with customer service and resident happiness at the heart of their operation.

With more than 30 years in the industry and over 1,500 communities successfully managed, The Management Trust has the expertise to guide you in all aspects of community association management, including vendor sourcing. To find out more about our comprehensive HOA management services or our Trusted Partners Program, call The Management Trust at (253) 472-0825 or fill out our online contact form today.

community management

The Top 3 Traits of Successful Community Association Managers

Your Aurora, CO home is one of the biggest parts of your life; it’s your sanctuary. It’s where you rest your head at night and watch your kids grow up. Ensuring that you’re happy with your home and your local community will improve your quality of life overall. 

That’s why it’s important to find an HOA management firm that has what it takes to enable your community association’s success. Finding good HOA management companies is about more than who can simply get the job done. When it comes to something so personal, you need a management firm that truly understands your local community and what its residents need to thrive.

If your community association board is searching for community management that can help achieve your goals for 2023, look for these three traits that all successful community association management firms share.

1. They Respond with Urgency

When it comes to matters that affect your quality of life at home, time is of the essence. Urgency and respect for your time are some of the most valuable traits in an HOA management company.

The right community management firm will not take weeks to respond to issues, nor will they issue a templated one-size-fits-all response. Rather, a successful community association manager will quickly and effectively respond to your request with a focused and customized solution.

Offering residents a human response that assures them that their matters are being taken care of will increase resident satisfaction and make the community an overall more pleasant place to live. Even if the issue is not incredibly urgent, letting the resident know promptly that their issue has been received is an excellent way to build trust between HOA management companies and their residents.

2. They’ll Tie Up All Loose Ends

Once an issue has been responded to and resolved, a premier HOA management firm will ensure that they’ve closed the loop. This means tying up all loose ends and checking in with the resident to verify they have no further problems.

Communicating with residents to ensure that all matters have been fully resolved is imperative for maintaining resident satisfaction. It prevents minor issues from escalating into major problems, and it also helps improve communication and trust between the resident and your HOA management firm.

3. They Have Elevated Customer Service Skills

All successful HOA management companies should have a passion for improving quality of life at the center of what they do. Helping others and keeping people happy is the crux of community management services, so a high-quality HOA management firm should offer unparalleled customer service.

This means not only completing all resident requests but proactively working to improve the HOA and further its success. Relationships should be authentic and meaningful, not just transactional. If your community association manager doesn’t make you feel like their first priority, you should look elsewhere for industry-leading community management services.

At The Management Trust, we create direct relationships with each of our HOA board members to ensure that they always have a reliable point of contact and can ensure all needs are met. This personal approach, paired with our employee-ownership difference, enables us to offer a personalized HOA management service unlike any other. Where other HOA management companies can be reactive, we strive to always be proactive and ensure that your Aurora, CO HOA is a happy and stress-free place to live. If you’d like to learn more about The Management Trust difference, give us a call at (303) 750-0994 or fill out our online contact form today.

The Management Trust Continues Its Commitment to the Bob Hope USO

At The Management Trust, we continually strive to uphold our commitment to helping communities across the country stay safe, happy and healthy. We believe that there’s no feeling like being home, and that’s a feeling that should be protected in ways big and small. We aim to achieve this through our professional community management services, and we also support those who work toward the same mission — those like Bob Hope USO. 

What is Bob Hope USO?

Bob Hope USO is a nonprofit organization that provides a home away from home for military members and their families. Their mission is to strengthen the brave men and women who protect us daily and give their families the support they need to carry on. For more than 80 years, the USO has been by armed forces members’ sides as they join the military, complete assignments and transition back to their communities.

Legendary comedian Bob Hope made 57 tours for the USO over 50 years, entertaining U.S. military personnel around the globe as they were stationed away from home. Named in his honor, the Bob Hope USO now has more than 500 volunteers who work in more than a dozen military bases and USO centers throughout Southern California. In 2021 alone, these volunteers donated more than 47,000 hours of their time to create more than 135,000 meaningful service connections. In 2022, Bob Hope USO hopes to grow this number and further support the more than a quarter of a million service members impacted annually.

The Management Trust and Bob Hope USO

The Management Trust was first introduced to Bob Hope USO in Palm Springs in 2014. At the time, the organization was struggling to maintain its efforts and properly service local military members due to lack of funding.

The Management Trust has maintained an appreciation for and commitment to military personnel and veterans since its inception, and we strove to find a way to support Bob Hope USO with our unique hospitality skillset. In November 2014, The Management Trust hosted the 1st Annual Spirit of Hope Gala to celebrate the Bob Hope USO and encourage donations.

With the success of the event — thanks to many volunteers who helped staff the gala — The Management Trust has been able to maintain the tradition each year since its inception, and we’re proud to announce the 9th Annual Spirit of Hope Gala on November 18, 2022.

Bob Hope USO 9th Annual Spirit of Hope Gala

This year’s Bob Hope USO Spirit of Hope Gala will be hosted on November 18, 2022 from 5-9 p.m. at the Agua Caliente Resort in Rancho Mirage, CA.

There are several available sponsorship levels ranging in price from $750 for Decór sponsor to $10,000 for Diamond sponsor. Individual tickets are available for $200 each. Previous Diamond sponsors — listed as title sponsors for the Spirit of Hope Gala — include Ernst and Young, HUB International and Alliance Association Bank. 

For every table of 10 — included with Silver, Gold, Platinum and Diamond sponsorships — one seat is given back to a Bob Hope USO volunteer, and one seat is given back to a member of the military. During the night, attendees can participate in live and silent auctions for exclusive prizes such as golf trips, cruises, Coachella tickets and more.

After surpassing 2021’s incredible fundraising goal of $125,000, The Management Trust hopes to raise $200,000 at this year’s gala to support the troops and the generous volunteers at Bob Hope USO. If you want to support the organization but are unable to attend the gala, The Management Trust encourages everyone to donate directly to Bob Hope USO.

The Management Trust is proud to work alongside Bob Hope USO to give a home away from home to the brave men and women protecting U.S. citizens each day. With the support of Bob Hope USO volunteers such as Gabriella Coyle, Carla Garcia, Allison Anderson and Bob Kurkjian, The Management Trust has been able to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for this incredible organization, giving back to those who give so much to us. To learn more about The Management Trust and how it supports local neighborhoods big and small through HOA community management services, contact us today.

Spooky Season Has Arrived — Here Are 4 Community Management Tips to Remember

Spooky season has officially arrived, and community associations throughout Aurora, CO are getting ready to celebrate with trick-or-treating, costumes, parties, haunted houses and all the spooktacular festivities one can imagine.

While some frights are all part of the Halloween fun, others can verge on violating HOA guidelines. In order to keep Halloween safe and fun for residents of all ages, work with your HOA management firm to implement these tips that will help ensure the holiday is fun for everyone.

1. Host a Community Event

Halloween, like most holidays, is an ideal time to host a community event that brings residents together. Have your board review your budget, ask your social committee to brainstorm ideas, and work with your community management company to execute a fun and safe holiday event.

Popular HOA Halloween event ideas include a neighborhood haunted house, block party, costume contest, trunk-or-treat tailgate, scary movie night and pumpkin carving contest. Hosting an event can not only help make sure that residents have a fun and safe holiday, but it also brings neighbors together and boosts camaraderie.

2. Remind Residents About Decoration Guidelines

Halloween, much like Christmas, is a holiday that homeowners love to decorate for. From cotton cobwebs to full-scale haunted houses, everyone has a vision for their home around Halloween, and it’s your job to remind homeowners that your HOA has guidelines surrounding home decor.

Circulate a notice ahead of October 31 that gently reminds homeowners of your community’s guidelines. Include recommended decorations as well as decor that isn’t allowed, such as flashing lights, sound effects or whatever your HOA board deems inappropriate. Consult your governing documents for these guidelines, and offer a point of contact if homeowners have any questions about what is and isn’t permitted.

3. Create Trick-Or-Treat Safety Precautions

While Halloween is a fun and exciting holiday beloved by kids of all ages, it can also be one of the more dangerous holidays due to the nature of trick-or-treating. Even if you’re hosting a community event, kids like to go door-to-door around the neighborhood, so make safety a priority within your community association.

Encourage common safety precautions such as bringing a flashlight, wearing reflective clothing, and chaperoning any minors. Precautions should also be taken by those who aren’t trick-or-treating, such as adults driving through the neighborhood at night. Take these factors into consideration when crafting your Halloween safety notice.

4. Encourage Homeowners to Remove Decor Promptly

Once the festivities are over, many homeowners may return to their busy daily routines and forget about the pumpkin sitting on their porch or the cobweb above their door frame. Rotting pumpkins, especially as Thanksgiving draws near, can detract from the neighborhood’s curb appeal, so gently remind residents that all decor must be taken down within the week.

The holiday season is one of the best times of year for bringing people together and creating a sense of community. As a community association, following these tips can help you do your part to enhance neighborly relationships and boost the value of your neighborhood. If you need help executing community events, distributing HOA communications or otherwise handling day-to-day operations, The Management Trust’s professional community management services can help. Give us a call at (303) 750-0994 or fill out our online contact form today to learn more about the full range of HOA community management services we offer in Aurora, CO.

3 Helpful Tips for New HOA Board Members

Making efforts to join your Tacoma, WA HOA board can be an all-consuming job, so much so that you forget to think about what comes after it: actually being on the board. Once you’re elected, you may wonder, “now what?” and have questions about stepping into your new role.

Luckily, there are many resources available to help new HOA board members settle into their new jobs. From attending new member orientation to utilizing professional community management services, here are three helpful tips for new HOA board members to keep in mind.

1. Participate in orientation

Your HOA board and HOA management firm want to enable you to succeed in your new role. It will make their job easier as well as yours, so it’s in their best interest to set you up for success. 

Attend your board’s orientation for new board members, or ask if your HOA management firm offers an orientation process. They should walk you through the association’s governing documents — most commonly, CC&Rs, bylaws and articles of incorporation — as well as educate you on your role and responsibilities.

Take full advantage of this opportunity by taking notes, asking questions, and engaging with all members of your community association management team. Everyone will be happy to walk you through whatever you want to know and will be appreciative of your proactive interest.

2. Learn HOA community management’s role

Learning more about the board’s role and responsibilities can often lead to even more questions about who is in charge of what. New board members can often be confused by the difference between HOA board members and community association management and who handles which tasks.

The board’s role is primarily to protect and enhance the value of the HOA through decision-making. The board holds a duty of care and loyalty, and board members must fairly enforce all governing documents to ensure residents’ best interests.

Your HOA management firm handles the daily operations of the HOA, putting the board’s decisions into motion. While the board decides how the HOA should proceed, the HOA management company puts these decisions into action and executes them on behalf of the board. This includes coordinating vendors, managing amenities, collecting dues, and more.

Although their roles are different, the HOA management firms work to support the board members every step of the way. Communication and teamwork between both parties are essential for a successful and happy community association.

3. Take advantage of all tools and resources for learning

New member orientation is a valuable first step in taking on this important role, but board members are constantly learning. Utilize any tools and continued education resources provided by your HOA board or community association management firm whenever they’re available.

Resources to utilize include a board member portal, board meeting notes, financials, new vendor contracts, industry trade publications, webinars, digital roundtable panels and more. The more you can learn about your HOA and the industry in general, the more valuable you’ll be to your fellow board members and your community residents.

If you’re a Tacoma, WA board member needing guidance on how to best enable your HOA’s success, 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, call The Management Trust at (253) 472-0825 or fill out our online contact form today.

4 Small (But Powerful) Changes Your Community Association Management Can Make

Do you want to improve operations for your HOA board, communication with residents, and overall quality of life in your Aurora, CO neighborhood? Consider these four small but powerful changes your HOA community management can make right away.

1. Implement mobile HOA management software

If you want to increase transparency between your HOA board and your community association management firm, ask them to implement real-time mobile management software that will create a digital paper trail.

Many companies have developed software specifically for community associations and HOA management firms, so your HOA management company or HOA board members can use them to record and track information such as maintenance requests and violation notices.

Utilizing real-time mobile software instead of paper-and-pen physical records allows your HOA management team to track information quickly and efficiently, ensuring that nothing falls through the cracks. Creating greater transparency and accountability will make your relationship with your community association management company more productive and help ensure your neighborhood is more successful.

2. Digitize documents

In the modern era, all documents should be entirely digitized. Having filing cabinets of paper files is inefficient at best and a liability at worst, so take the time to digitize all documents and ensure that all documents are created in a digital format going forward.

Digitizing and organizing files will help operations move more smoothly, relieving a significant burden from board members and freeing up time for more critical day-to-day operations. It will also help reduce errors and eliminate missing information for a more productive and successful community association.

3. Create community communication platforms

Communication is the backbone of any community association. Whether it’s communication between an HOA and its residents or board members and their community association management firm, clear and efficient communication makes day-to-day life easier for everyone.

To streamline communication within your HOA, create an online community communication platform or member portal. Creating a single place for residents to file complaints, ask questions, pay dues, and more will help make sure everyone feels heard and is satisfied with their HOA living experience.

If you want to go the extra mile, ask your community management service to offer residents a 24/7 communication line, such as The Management Trust’s Text Trusty. Providing instant answers to residents is a valuable tool that will boost community satisfaction while reducing strain on your board members and HOA management firm.

4. Develop or update a community website

Similarly, you should have a community website that summarizes who your HOA is and what makes your neighborhood such a great place to live. A good website can act as a sales tool for potential residents and a digital resource for existing neighbors, making it invaluable in today’s digital landscape.

Make available important information such as amenity hours, project statuses, maintenance request forms, board meeting minutes and more. The more self-serve tools your HOA has, the fewer calls will be made to your HOA board and the more time board members will have for important daily operations.

If you want to implement more modern resources for your community members but you’re not sure where to start, contact The Management Trust today. We have a comprehensive range of community management services and a team of experts who can assist you in every aspect of HOA management. To learn more about how The Management Trust can help your Aurora, CO community implement innovative communication technologies, give us a call at (303) 750-0994 or fill out our online contact form today.

3 Ways Community Association Management Can Help Boost Member Engagement

HOA member engagement is crucial to ensuring successful Tacoma, WA community association management. Hearing from community members can help your HOA board gauge the areas that can be improved, increasing resident satisfaction and making your community association a more desirable place to live.

However, it can often be a struggle to increase homeowner participation. Unless they have a strong issue that they think needs immediate attention, homeowners tend to keep their opinions to themselves and disengage from the HOA on a day-to-day basis. If you want to boost your HOA’s member engagement and improve your community association management, here are three easy ways to get started.

1. Spotlight Your HOA’s Amenities

Your HOA’s unique amenities are a significant factor in resident happiness and community desirability. Take advantage of these amenities and use them to encourage homeowner engagement.

Ensure that all amenities — such as pools, walking trails, parks and fitness centers — are well-maintained and open regularly. This will encourage resident usage and boost enjoyment of the amenities, in turn allowing more residents to come together and engage with the community association. 

You can also schedule social events and activities around amenities to further encourage engagement. Social events will not only help connect homeowners to each other and the HOA board, but it will also remind residents of the value that the HOA provides them — in this case, in the form of unique and desirable shared spaces and activities.

2. Encourage Members to Join Community Management

If there are homeowners who regularly share their thoughts on what can be improved or how the community association should be managed, encourage them to take part in community management in the form of a committee seat or HOA board seat.

These volunteer positions can often be challenging to recruit for due to the time commitment, but residents with strong opinions can often be swayed to join once they’re informed of the position’s responsibilities and expectations.

Community planning committees, such as the social committee, require less time and responsibility than board seats, and residents with all skillsets are valuable. Many homeowners are simply unaware that such opportunities for engagement and leadership exist, so establish rapport with vocal HOA members and encourage them to run for an HOA community management position.

3. Update Your Community’s Communication Platforms

To most effectively increase member communication and engagement, you’ll need to make it as easy as possible for residents to communicate with you. This includes utilizing social media platforms they can quickly follow, keeping your community’s website up-to-date, and sending out regular emails or newsletters that keep residents updated on the latest community happenings. Member portals and automated messaging assistants are also highly effective ways to encourage communication. 

Utilizing HOA management firms with modern tools for resident communication, such as The Management Trust’s Text Trusty, will increase resident satisfaction and encourage greater future engagement by providing instant answers to any questions or discrepancies residents may have.

If you want a community association management partner that will engage residents and boost your HOA’s success, 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 vendor coordination and 24/7 resident communication, call The Management Trust at (253) 472-0825 or fill out our online contact form today.

3 HOA Community Management Tips for Finding Your Next Board Member

Board members are integral to the success of every Aurora, CO HOA. However, with the demanding position being a volunteer role, it can be challenging to find willing participants who are aware of the opportunity and eager to take on additional responsibilities and have enough time in their day-to-day lives.

Despite the challenges of HOA community management, you can find your next successful HOA board member by trying these three community management and engagement tips.

1. Identify Leaders Through Engagement

An effective way to identify potential community leaders is by getting to know each member of your HOA. While it may be impossible to get to know every single person, you can increase community engagement to begin establishing relationships with more community members.

Consider hosting casual meet-and-greets or other events where board members can establish rapport with community residents. Social events will not only boost resident morale, but they will also allow you to get to know community members in a more relaxed setting.

By getting to know residents in a more engaging manner, you can identify those who would make strong leaders and offer personal invitations to join the board. Often, it’s apathy and lack of knowledge, rather than staunch opposition, which causes people to resist the idea of joining their HOA board. By creating opportunities for in-person engagement, you can debunk any myths, inform residents and entice potential new board members.

2. Look to Frequent Contributors

You don’t always need to meet new residents to find effective board members. Often, those who’ve already shown interest in community happenings are the most likely to be receptive to becoming a part of your community association management.

Pay attention to those residents who regularly show up to board meetings, chair social committees, or are otherwise vocal about change within the community. If they show leadership potential and have valuable skills, they could be the ideal new board members you’ve been searching for.

3. Explore Your Personal Network

Similarly, search within your personal network for potential board members. Think about the community members you know, whether it’s a friend, neighbor or coworker. Do they have expertise that could be valuable to the HOA board? Think about neighbors with a financial background or those who are social and know how to effectively engage the community.

By extending a personal invitation, you can increase their chances of accepting the position. As mentioned earlier, lack of interest in board seats has more to do with apathy and lack of knowledge than anything else, so providing insight through the reference point of an existing personal connection can boost recruitment levels. If you know someone who would be a good fit for your HOA community management, highlight the benefits of the role and invite them to apply for the position.

If your HOA board is struggling with the day-to-day operation of your community association, turn to an HOA community management firm you can trust. The Management Trust can help take some of the responsibility off your plate and manage everything from financial services to vendor coordination. This allows you more time to engage with community members and focus on big-picture decisions, optimizing your community association management for maximum success. To learn more about how The Management Trust can help your Aurora, CO community thrive, give us a call at (303) 750-0994 or fill out our online contact form today.