Homeowner Forum Meetings

JignyaT (California)
Posts: 21

Posted:

Hi everyone,

I am a recently appointed president of our board for a small-ish community of 66 townhomes. Currently regular board meetings are quarterly per by-laws, with an open homeowner's forum session included at the end. At the last meeting, a homeowner requested more frequent meetings. The Board was open to do so with the caveat that we would check compliance with by-laws.

I checked today and by-laws allow for more frequent meetings but ideally we would like this to be a shorter, more informal meeting. The by-laws do not seem to specify this meeting structure is possible. So if we did proceed, we would have to have a quorom of directors, agenda with posted notice, etc. Which is possible but just asking for others thoughts on this.

Ideally we were considering a virtual Zoom meeting with 1 or 2 rotating directors for 30 minutes or so at each monthly homeowner forum/feedback meeting, in between the more formal required quarterly board meetings. But if we need to, we can post a meeting agenda with one topic (homeowners forum) and expect to have a quorom of Board Members (3 for us) present.

So I guess my question is, if we're fulfilling the quarterly meeting requirement, is there room to have more frequent informal meetings that may not have a quorom of board members present (but there would be no voting on business items either)?

Thanks,
JT

JohnC77 (California)
Posts: 562

Posted:

You may be biting off more than you can chew right now. Stick with the quarterly meetings. You're in California where regulations are more complex than other states. My suggestion, hold the open forum at the beginning so as to give owners the opportunity to weigh in on something the board may be voting on. Once they have been heard many will leave the meeting either virtually or physically.

In between meetings without a quorum of the board is just a town hall meeting with no teeth. This is where potential trouble starts. What happens when you get a divide board, who gets to rotate?

AugustinD
Posts: 5,144

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By JohnC77 on 12/15/2020 11:45 AM
You're in California where regulations are more complex than other states.

I find California's HOA/Condo statute to be by the far the most read-able and under-standable, and with the best requirements to ensure peace, of any state in the country.

SheliaH (Indiana)
Posts: 6,964

Posted:

Is this the only homeowner who's asked for more meetings? If so, id ask him or her what his/her concerns are. It may be you can and should fi d another way to provide updated information in real time. That could be done with more updates to the website, if you have one or email blasts or automated calls (for people who don't have internet access)

You could have another meeting that could be an extended homeowners forum or you could specify that these meetings are limited to scenic topics. One month you might discuss landscaping and rules enforcement the next. If you have advisory committees, this would great for their meetings where people could make suggestions on whatever the committee is doing,.

This homeowner should also understand board members have a life outside the association and can't be expected to spend all their free time on association business. If your current format gets things done, I'd stick to it unless there's a compelling reason to have more meetings.

If it is not right do not do it; if it is not true do not say it. Marcus Aurelius

JohnC77 (California)
Posts: 562

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By AugustinD on 12/15/2020 11:56 AM

Posted By JohnC77 on 12/15/2020 11:45 AM
You're in California where regulations are more complex than other states.

I find California's HOA/Condo statute to be by the far the most read-able and under-standable, and with the best requirements to ensure peace, of any state in the country.

California does not have separate HOA Condo rules, both are combined into one. The language is still written by lawyers thus still muddled like any other state.

AugustinD
Posts: 5,144

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By JohnC77 on 12/15/2020 12:04 PM
The language is still written by lawyers thus still muddled like any other state.

Such is your opinion. I find the language superior to every state's, and clearly with an eye on the needs of condos/HOAs and their memberships.

JohnC77 (California)
Posts: 562

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By AugustinD on 12/15/2020 12:12 PM

Posted By JohnC77 on 12/15/2020 12:04 PM
The language is still written by lawyers thus still muddled like any other state.

Such is your opinion. I find the language superior to every state's, and clearly with an eye on the needs of condos/HOAs and their memberships.

Yes, it's my opinion, as I have to work with it on a daily basis.

JignyaT (California)
Posts: 21

Posted:

Thanks, good feedback for consideration. I do like the idea of some type of additional homeowner meeting but maybe will table it for awhile.

KerryL1 (California)
Posts: 14,550

Posted:

Keep in mind the difference between board meetings and membership or owners meetings. Imo, and agreeing pretty much with Sheila, I would not hold nay additional board meetings unless the Board actually has business to conduct, i.e., th o discuss, liberate and vote one. So...you'd need a quorum, posted notice, etc.

The kind you're talking about does seem simply like a town hall where owners air their, uh, "ideas" but tooo often, grievances real or imagined. I really don't think it serves your community well and can lead to dissension.

If Owners have ideas for actual improvements to our HOA, we have a way for them to be on our board meeting agendas.

ChrisE8
Posts: 454

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By JignyaT on 12/15/2020 9:33 AM
Hi everyone,

I am a recently appointed president of our board for a small-ish community of 66 townhomes. Currently regular board meetings are quarterly per by-laws, with an open homeowner's forum session included at the end. At the last meeting, a homeowner requested more frequent meetings. The Board was open to do so with the caveat that we would check compliance with by-laws.

I checked today and by-laws allow for more frequent meetings but ideally we would like this to be a shorter, more informal meeting. The by-laws do not seem to specify this meeting structure is possible. So if we did proceed, we would have to have a quorom of directors, agenda with posted notice, etc. Which is possible but just asking for others thoughts on this.

Ideally we were considering a virtual Zoom meeting with 1 or 2 rotating directors for 30 minutes or so at each monthly homeowner forum/feedback meeting, in between the more formal required quarterly board meetings. But if we need to, we can post a meeting agenda with one topic (homeowners forum) and expect to have a quorom of Board Members (3 for us) present.

So I guess my question is, if we're fulfilling the quarterly meeting requirement, is there room to have more frequent informal meetings that may not have a quorom of board members present (but there would be no voting on business items either)?

Thanks,
JT

This question is "can we have informal meetings, with some board members and some owners, in additional to required meetings"?

Yes, of course. There's nothing stopping people from getting together when they want, without "counting" as an official board or owner meeting.

JohnC77 (California)
Posts: 562

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By ChrisE8 on 12/15/2020 4:52 PM

Posted By JignyaT on 12/15/2020 9:33 AM
Hi everyone,

I am a recently appointed president of our board for a small-ish community of 66 townhomes. Currently regular board meetings are quarterly per by-laws, with an open homeowner's forum session included at the end. At the last meeting, a homeowner requested more frequent meetings. The Board was open to do so with the caveat that we would check compliance with by-laws.

I checked today and by-laws allow for more frequent meetings but ideally we would like this to be a shorter, more informal meeting. The by-laws do not seem to specify this meeting structure is possible. So if we did proceed, we would have to have a quorom of directors, agenda with posted notice, etc. Which is possible but just asking for others thoughts on this.

Ideally we were considering a virtual Zoom meeting with 1 or 2 rotating directors for 30 minutes or so at each monthly homeowner forum/feedback meeting, in between the more formal required quarterly board meetings. But if we need to, we can post a meeting agenda with one topic (homeowners forum) and expect to have a quorom of Board Members (3 for us) present.

So I guess my question is, if we're fulfilling the quarterly meeting requirement, is there room to have more frequent informal meetings that may not have a quorom of board members present (but there would be no voting on business items either)?

Thanks,
JT

This question is "can we have informal meetings, with some board members and some owners, in additional to required meetings"?

Yes, of course. There's nothing stopping people from getting together when they want, without "counting" as an official board or owner meeting.

Sorry, this is California, not New York.

JohnC77 (California)
Posts: 562

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By ChrisE8 on 12/15/2020 4:52 PM

Posted By JignyaT on 12/15/2020 9:33 AM
Hi everyone,

I am a recently appointed president of our board for a small-ish community of 66 townhomes. Currently regular board meetings are quarterly per by-laws, with an open homeowner's forum session included at the end. At the last meeting, a homeowner requested more frequent meetings. The Board was open to do so with the caveat that we would check compliance with by-laws.

I checked today and by-laws allow for more frequent meetings but ideally we would like this to be a shorter, more informal meeting. The by-laws do not seem to specify this meeting structure is possible. So if we did proceed, we would have to have a quorom of directors, agenda with posted notice, etc. Which is possible but just asking for others thoughts on this.

Ideally we were considering a virtual Zoom meeting with 1 or 2 rotating directors for 30 minutes or so at each monthly homeowner forum/feedback meeting, in between the more formal required quarterly board meetings. But if we need to, we can post a meeting agenda with one topic (homeowners forum) and expect to have a quorom of Board Members (3 for us) present.

So I guess my question is, if we're fulfilling the quarterly meeting requirement, is there room to have more frequent informal meetings that may not have a quorom of board members present (but there would be no voting on business items either)?

Thanks,
JT

This question is "can we have informal meetings, with some board members and some owners, in additional to required meetings"?

Yes, of course. There's nothing stopping people from getting together when they want, without "counting" as an official board or owner meeting.

Sorry, this is California, not New York.

ChrisE8
Posts: 454

Posted:

And my answer is the same in every state.

If people who happen to be owners and who happen to be board members want to get together, go for it.

If they couldn't, then wouldn't a wide range of events, from birthday parties to Kwanzaa parties, be prohibited?