What do MOST HOA's residence want?

John,

I can't speak for anyone else, but I've always believed that any HOA or Community Association should strive to add value to the member community served by them. This value typically manifests itself as proactively contributing towards improving (or at least maintaining) the value of members' investments in their property and community.

Turn your hat around and ask yourself what services you as a homeowner would most want from an HOA? Chances are your own needs will closely match those of the neighborhood.

KeithS
Arkansas

John, HOATalk's creator, Community123.com, offers interactive community web sites that facilitate the kind of 2-way communication your members are looking for. For example, we include a community discussion forum for 2-way communication; the same forum software you see here.

We also offer online surveys, feedback forms and many places to easily post newsletters, documents, etc. We offer a 2 month free trial, so if you are interested, please visit www.community123.com.

Thank You,
HOATalk.com

Our Board does it's best to maintain communications through newsletters and our website as well. We post minutes of meetings, our CCR's, financials, and community events.

I applaud your desire to include the members in the 'process' of running the Board and association. However, be aware that while you may try your very best to keep everyone informed about eveything all the time...you will burn out quickly. It is impossible to micromanage and still be able to function. The important decisions (i.e. maintenance contracts or improvements) should be shared with everyone. Little things like someone complaining about the lawn not being mowed short enough should not.

I guess you could say our Association came out 'gangbusters'. But our approach has been well received. We are fair-minded and even handed. Our complaints have been a bare minimum, and generally only from those who have committed violations and asked to correct them. Sometimes a strong and united Board can help instill confidence, so long as it is not mitvated by personal agenda.

Just a thought...
Lisa

Sadly, it's true ;-)

Harold thank you for your support.
We plan no surprises in Surprise.
LOL

John

Security is always an asset for residents. IMO security is a must for all communiteies

putting on my owner's hat for a moment: what do i want from my HOA (aside from the communication, which has already been stated)?

I want them to treat my money like it was their own, and spend it wisely, not foolishly. I want them to work hard at keeping our expenses down, our waste minimal, and our costs contained. I don't mind paying money to get a good contractor, i do mind paying money to get a bad one.

i want them to be fair, and apply the rules across the HOA... no favorites, no exceptions for this guy, but not that one, unless they can clearly explain the reasons for each exception.

I want them to document, so that reasons for decisions are kept in the history, so future boards can look back and see why decisions were made, what was considered, etc..

I want them to know the difference between important issues and trivialities, and understand how to get out of managing the trivial things. I want them spending their time on the big issues, not the size of baseboard on the inside of a closet.

I want them to be networked, so that they know who to call for assistance, and when to call. I don't want a board member trying to adjudicate a domestic dispute, i want them to know which patrolman to call to get help. I want them to know that cars in driveways are their milleau, cars on public streets are the police's. Again, i want their energy directed where it works, not where it is just ineffective noise.

John there has been some great answers to your post and I'd like to add my two cents worth. We continually had a couple of people who would come up to us claiming to represent the silent majority and they wanted this, that or the other thing done or else! So after reading an article on http://www.communityassociations.net/ we sent out an anonymous questionnaire to all the homeowners and gave them a stamped - addressed envelope to return it. Almost half of the homeowners replied and to our shock none of the things that the silent majority supposedly wanted appeared on the returns. And I figure if they didn't return it things must be ok for them.

Our president compiled them and I have been printing the replies in the newsletter ten questions at a time. The things we could do something about; we set out to correct and the things that weren’t practical I explained why. The homeowners are encouraged to attend our Board meetings and we also hold two open forum (b**ch sessions) a year where people can get what's on their mind out in the open.

I posted a copy of the questionnaire if anyone is interested.