HOA Newsletter

Started by AaronS8 • 20 replies • 614 views

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AaronS8 (Florida)
Posts: 3

Posted:

Our HOA currently does quarterly newsletters and budgets $21k each year to print and mail out to our 2,200+ home community in Florida. I am wondering if anyone has any thoughts on if we're able to switch to e-Newsletters only? We do both and email blast it out each quarter but I'm trying to determine if we can end the mailed newsletter so we can use this $21k in the budget for other things. We'll probably need to get with our community legal team to figure out if we can legally make this move but any feedback from this HOA community would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Aaron

JohnC46 (South Carolina)
Posts: 14,265

Posted:

Aaron

Of course you can end the printed newsletter unless it is called for in your docs. Granted some will be upset and the older they are, the more upset they will be as old people like printed stuff. Also those without access to a computer will be upset.

You cannot please all of the people, all of the time.

MelissaP1 (Alabama)
Posts: 13,836

Posted:

Do a survey next newsletter to see how people would like to keep getting the newsletter. You will all know whom actually reads it or cares. That way you can decide to go electronic or do a combo of both.

Not sure why this has to go through "legal" unless like someone else said it's required in your documents.

Remember you are a non-profit. So the money "saved" on this project goes to another one designated for the HOA to be responsible for.

Former HOA President

JohnC77 (California)
Posts: 562

Posted:

If I were in your shoes, here is what I would do.

I am pretty sure you have a website and the means to do e-mail blast. If not, WHY?

I would continue the newsletter on an email blast. For the people who haven't provided their email, let them know they can view the newsletter via the website.

MarkM19 (Texas)
Posts: 1,459

Posted:

Aaron,
I can see both sides of this issue. When you do the math on the printing cost it appears to be about $9.54 per homeowner per year. That is not a big deal in my opinion. You could also do the email blast as others have mentioned and possibly but up a mailbox type station or two somewhere convenient for your community to pickup printed copies if they did not have any access or desire to use a computer. You may have to print 50 copies but it would save most of the printing expense.

AaronS8 (Florida)
Posts: 3

Posted:

JohnC46, I'm unsure if it's called for in our docs which is why the board will probably want to get a ruling from them first. So far, I've taken a poll in our 'unofficial FB group' and 87% (90 votes so far) voted for just an electronic version and to put the $21k to better use. Some haven't liked the idea of e-Newsletters because isolate those who don't use the internet/social media/email. But, I'm going out on a limb and saying at least 95% ore more do. You're right, we can't please everyone all the time. We do have a website and we do have the newsletter sent out electronically already. I need to find a solution to get people to convert to the email instead. If it means $21k to use for more/better amenities, I'd be happy to go door to door to sign people up.

MelissaP1, that's a good idea about the official survey in the next newsletter. The problem then becomes if people who don't use technology have to mail it in, then they won't waste a stamp and envelope to do so. I'm doing my best to point out that the vast majority of the community don't want the printed newsletter and doing away with it will give us $21k to use elsewhere more important than something people just glance at and throw away immediately. What I'm struggling with is how best to communicate this to the board so they'll understand the pros of going electronic only far out way the cons.

AaronS8 (Florida)
Posts: 3

Posted:

MarkM19, I too see both sides of the issue. For me it boils down to whether or not the pros outweigh the cons and for me and almost everyone else it does. I just need to convince the right people to see this as well.

$9.54 per household isn't a lot but combined together for a total of $21k, we could do so much more with that money. I actively manage the communications so nearly everything that's in the newsletter has already been shared, sometimes months ago. I would rather not spend that kind of money on something someone glances at and throws away. I'd rather use it to offset cost of doubling our gym that's in the works, offset cost of adding two more tennis courts that's in the works, throw more elaborate community events, save it for a few years and add a solar heater to one of our two pools, use it to add new amenities we don't already have, etc. For something that most people ignore, we can use this money in better places.

BillH10 (Texas)
Posts: 1,217

Posted:

Aaron

We live in a 9,000+ residence master association in north Texas. An outside company publishes a magazine type newsletter at no expense to the Association, monthly I think. The newsletter contains columns by the association president, sometimes board members or management company personnel, features human interest stories about owners, children, and association activities, blurbs about architectural and landscape compliance, the master calendar and who to contact.

100% of the costs are covered by paid advertising in the magazine from local restaurants, vendors of services, retailers, real estate and insurance agents, etc. Have you considered this approach? We have a newsletter at no cost to the owners.

AugustinD
Posts: 5,144

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By AaronS8 on 01/21/2021 11:09 AM
JohnC46, I'm unsure if it's called for in our docs which is why the board will probably want to get a ruling from them first.

-- I have never seen a Declaration or Bylaws that required a newsletter.

-- I have seen requirements for reporting the annual budget to all members.

-- Serious question: Are you not able to review your governing documents by yourself and see if there is a requirement for a newsletter, and if so, whether the requirement is for hard copies only of said newsletter? This is not something a board should have to pay an attorney to do.

JohnC46 (South Carolina)
Posts: 14,265

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By AugustinD on 01/21/2021 12:25 PM

Posted By AaronS8 on 01/21/2021 11:09 AM
JohnC46, I'm unsure if it's called for in our docs which is why the board will probably want to get a ruling from them first.

I agree.

JohnC46 (South Carolina)
Posts: 14,265

Posted:

The loudest complainers will be a small, but vocal minority that have not set foot into electronic communication. Do not drag down all others to their level.

TimB4 (Tennessee)
Posts: 21,059

Posted:

As others have said, the choice to publish a newsletter or not is up to the Board. Additionally, how that newsletter is published (printed or electronically) is also up to the board.

Personally, I am more likely to read a printed newsletter (at least glance it over to see if anything strikes my interest) then to open and read an electronic version.

DaveP8 (Oklahoma)
Posts: 47

Posted:

Post your newsletter online and in paper on a few well-placed bulletin boards throughout the neighborhood.

KerryL1 (California)
Posts: 14,550

Posted:

Agree with others. I cannot imagine that a hard copy is required, but possible your governing docs are ancients? Do read them

If you personally would like to make sure those who cannot access a electronic version-- in the next print News, ask them to contact you or the Prop. mgr to request that a hard copy be mailed to them. Say that you're measuring/surveying interest. in reality, there probably are many who may not even read a hard copy. If only a couple dozen insist on hard copies, maybe you'd be willing to adress envelopes 4X/ann. if your PM won't.

MarshallT (New York)
Posts: 414

Posted:

Hi Aaron,

You should be able to end the print version if you're already emailing newsletters now.

Do your best to make newsletters "mobile friendly" so that your owners can read it from their phone if they don't have a computer. Most people will support this change if more money is going back into the HOA.

GenoS (Florida)
Posts: 4,276

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By AaronS8 on 01/21/2021 11:18 AM
I'd rather use it to offset ... cost of adding two more tennis courts that's in the works ...

Want ours? We have two that aren't used anymore and are exploring how we can get rid of them.

KellyM3 (North Carolina)
Posts: 2,239

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By AaronS8 on 01/21/2021 8:11 AM
Our HOA currently does quarterly newsletters and budgets $21k each year to print and mail out to our 2,200+ home community in Florida. I am wondering if anyone has any thoughts on if we're able to switch to e-Newsletters only? We do both and email blast it out each quarter but I'm trying to determine if we can end the mailed newsletter so we can use this $21k in the budget for other things. We'll probably need to get with our community legal team to figure out if we can legally make this move but any feedback from this HOA community would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Aaron

Go digital and don't look back. $21k for paper newsletters is....WOW.

GregM14 (Washington)
Posts: 81

Posted:

Our association has the capability to mail print mailings to those that do not provide e-mail address to the property manager, and e-mail to everyone else. That works well to reduce the cost.

The only issue is the the adults (husband/wife) don't necessarily communicate to each other, so the ladies will complain on Facebook that they didn't know of something that we e-mailed out to everyone, probably because their husbands forgot to tell them.

MichaelS56 (Minnesota)
Posts: 859

Posted:

Our association sends out an electronic newsletter monthly. Any owner who would like a printed can request one.

JohnC46 (South Carolina)
Posts: 14,265

Posted:

Typically a newsletter is a courtesy and if one is unable to receive it via the media the association uses, that is their problem, not the association's problem.

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