If you could rewrite your first letter to the HOA, what would you change?

Hi last night we elected our first bod in transition from the developer to homeowners. Very exciting. I was elected to the bod and selected by the elect to the president position. Here’s my question for you, the experienced, bod members.

If you could rewrite your first letter to the HOA members what would you include. All five elected members are new to serving on a HOA bod, but all of has served on the advisory committee for the past 2 years. I’ve served on two non-profit bod in the past but from what I can tell it is much different.
Thanks,
Bruce

By having lots of members active in the running of the associaton, it diffuses the "them vs. us" (residents vs Board) mentality that I often see.

I think its imperative that people who live in the community get involved by serving on these committees - whether its Finance, Roads, Social Activities or Bylaws, Landscape, etc.

I am a strong proponent of well defined, active committees and a Board that knows its governing role. A good president works to make sure that everyone sees the association as "my community." That will be your biggest challenge!

Good luck.

Thanks guys. Today during lunch I wrote the following, I would love feedback. Again Thanks.

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All ~~~ Residents,

Last night during our annual HOA meeting and elections for the new board of directors (BOD) I was elected to serve you on our homeowner controlled ~~~ Community Association, Inc (TPCA) bod. After the elections and meeting the elect met briefly and selected BOD positions as per our covenants, in which I was selected to serve you as the President.

On behalf of my fellow newly elect BOD members, I would like to thank the homeowners who attended and made their voices heard at the TPCA Annual Meeting and HOA elections. If you attended, you invested a significant commitment of your time during this holiday season. You had the opportunity to hear, first-hand, about the 2008 budget and reason of the $25 a year increase in TPCA dues. Equally important, you provided your new BOD with an opportunity to hear, first-hand, your views about the direction the community is taking. We need to hear these views to maintain a clear vision of the kind of community our fellow homeowners want to build at ~~~. Clear, two-way communication between your BOD members and fellow homeowners provides us all with the opportunity to help create shared value in our community. The extent to which we value our community represents one of the primary ingredients in the mix that determines how others, outside of ~~~, will value what our community offers in the long term.

The purposes of this letter are to thank the outgoing President ~name~ and the BOD members and and to introduce the new BOD as well as quickly review the role of the board members.

Thanks!

The outgoing BOD members and ~name~ did a phenomenal job with the TPCA. Not only did they create and develop the TPCA from experience of previous developments but they set the standard high for us to follow. They worked hard for ~~~ since day one with the development of our committees (communications, community affairs, grounds & facilities, modifications, social and tennis) as well as training the members of the advisory committee for an easy transition while tackling several issues including working with builders to correct water runoff, pool leak repair and resurfacing, tennis court lighting, and the irrigation network throughout the community. But most importantly we take over the TPCA debt free! And in today’s housing market that is an incredible achievement. Thanks ~name~! We look forward to your guidance and support during our tenure.

The 2008 Board of Directors and the Role of the members

BruceD1 - President - 2 year term
~name~ - Vice President - 2 year term
~name~ - Secretary - 1 year term
~name~ - Treasurer - 1 year term
~name~ - Member at Large - 2 year term

The easiest way to best understand the duties of the BOD is to read the covenants which each of us received at your closing as well as they can be found on our neighborhood website. The BOD is entrusted by the homeowners to enforce the covenants. In regards to the covenants we will set up an email account that will deliver your concerns or questions to all BOD members, which will ensure the quickest response. Of course we can not help with everything but will help when appropriate. I know the BOD is looking forward our tenure and hope that we can meet many of you at some point during the year at a BOD meeting, social event, online or around the neighborhood.

Sincerely,
BruceD1
TPCA President
www.website.com

Bruce,
Frankly and not that I am right, but, I would be careful about what you say. You are two wordy and not direct enough. Too "cookie cutter". I would think twice about following in any ones footsteps. Whether they did a good job won't be determined unto some time in the future. Don't heap praise on something you are going to find out. You are very fortunate to have such an amiable turnover but you are the one that is accepting everything on face value. This is a new board you lead, you will do it your way whether you know it or not. It will be different, it sounds as if you have a solid base to form your (you and BOD) association. I suspect this turn over free of debt means they spent all the money that you all have been paying. Did they account for it, was improvements made.

In short, I would spent little time on what has been done and more time offering the boards cooperation to the members. I am sure your appointed Board would agree with this, they are members also. Wait a year and then publish what a good job was done and by who. It will not all be roses in the future, because of the past sometimes.

Something I like to refer to often. An English Poet and Statesman (Copperidge (sic)) said, For in today, walks tomorrow.

Well - I just could not resist some editing . . . . Susie

______________________________________

Dear ~~~ Residents,

Thanks for your support! I have been elected to serve as president of the ~~~ Community Association, Inc (TPCA) bod for the 2007 - 2009 term.

On behalf the new BOD members, I would like to recognize all homeowners who attended and made their voices heard at the Annual Meeting and HOA elections. Thanks for investing a significant commitment of your time during this holiday season.

We have presented the 2008 budget and reasons for the $25 a year increase in dues. The Board appreciated the opportunity to hear, first-hand, your views about the direction the community is taking. We need to hear these views to maintain a clear vision of the kind of community our fellow homeowners want to build. We hope to foster clear, two-way communication between BOD members and fellow homeowners. This will provide us with the opportunity to help create shared values in our community.

I'd like to thank the outgoing BOD members and President, ~name~. They did a phenomenal job governing the TPCA. Not only did they create and develop the TPCA from experience of previous developments, but they also set a high standard for us to follow. They worked hard for ~~~ in the development of necessary committees (communications, community affairs, grounds & facilities, modifications, social and tennis) as well as training members of the advisory committee. They successfully tackled several issues, including working with builders to correct water runoff, pool leak repair and resurfacing, tennis court lighting, and the irrigation network throughout the community. But most importantly, the current Board takes over the TPCA finances debt free! And in today’s housing market, that is an incredible achievement. Thanks, ~name~! We look forward to your guidance and support during our tenure.

The 2008 Board of Directors, terms, and contact numbers are:

BruceD1 - President - 2 year term - contact phone XXX-XXXX
~name~ - Vice President - 2 year term
~name~ - Secretary - 1 year term
~name~ - Treasurer - 1 year term
~name~ - Member at Large - 2 year term

The easiest and best way to understand the duties of the BOD is to read the covenants, which you received at closing. They can also be found on our neighborhood website (www.website.com). In addition, an email account has been established that will deliver your concerns or questions to all BOD members.([email protected])

I know the BOD is looking forward our tenure and hope that we can meet many of you at some point during the year. Please do not hesitate to contact any one of us with concerns and suggestions.

Hey Robert,
I have reread Bruces letter again and I truely feel that he need not say that he will do things that indeed he knows whether he can or not.. It is a pretty upbeat letter and I even feel that it might be a tad too wordy, but he will find that out when comments come in.

In Florida, the Sunshine rule does not apply to HOA's except when applicable for permitting issues with the County so he should not use that.

Some people acomplish more with fewer words. Me too. But Thanks for your comments, as always, appreciated

Robert,
Your opinion is as valuable as mine. We all are different and that is what makes this a good forum. Then a poster has two or more sides to consider and hopefully finds answers from "caustic" old guys and gals who shoot from the hip. Alway appreciate your responses.

Bruce,
We will welcome any comments or questions you may have.

This also would be a great opportunity for you to write a little Journal as the transition progress and note good and bad circumstances.
We get a lot of questions and stories about this subject and from what I am gathering from your posts you have your head on straight and the requirements to make this go as smooth as posssible. Which means you would become the teacher instead of the student on this site. It would be very informative for us to follow your progress by postings from you.
Good wishes.

The Association should have the "sunshine statement" mission statement - the Board simply implements it, the members live it!

Bruce-I assume by now that you have sent your first letter to the HOA and you are getting settled into your new role as President. When you accepted the President position you took on the leadership responsibility for a company. As such, you will operate in an environment with unique business, legal, and social aspects. Writing that letter was a good first step and I hope that you are well on your way towards building a sound and effective Association. But, unless you have some past experience in these type of matters, you may struggle with some of the next steps that you should take in your new President's role, particularly during the critical first year of operation. I was also in that position and had to go through it the hard way. As I result, I have written a guide for new condo association presidents that can be found at www.**********.com. Under the CONTENTS section, you will find a To-Do list of all the things a new president might consider doing during that first year. I hope this helps and good luck.
JoeK

BruceD1: Sorry I'm late in responding and you no doubt have sent your letter out. But, I want to join others with my applause for stepping into the President's role!!! Thank You. Your letter to residents speaks of a willingness to work together, an intent to SERVE as opposed to being served--and both will go a long way to help the assn. in becoming a 'Community'.

On the whole, your letter is wonderful. It is a bit wordy and much of the first portion deals with the developer and his Board. I agree with others when they say play this aspect down. The developer is not hurting--the funds he has 'given' to the assn. are funds he is bound to turnover as a portion collected from residents' fees paid while he was in control and still responsible for unsettled units. Further, your statement..."working with builders to correct water runoff, pool leak repair and resurfacing, tennis court lighting, and the irrigation network throughout the community.." is also due to the municipality's expectations and codes which must be met to ensure that the developer's bond money is returned to him. So, while the praise is nice--his actions have kept him from being sued!!! The donation was given freely, though, and that is kudos to him.

I do question 2 things however on how your assn. will be run.
1) .."the 2008 budget and reason of the $25 a year increase in TPCA dues." Is this written into the bylaws or has it been voted in as an amendment to the bylaws. Further, how do you know now that $25 per year is warranted? I would tread cautiously here.

2) You show the terms of office stated with the position/role assumed. Do your Bylaws clearly indicate those B-members assuming the President,V.P., Member at Large positions will serve 2 years each? and the other positions
serve 1 yr. each; RATHER THAN, those elected to a Seat on the Board and the Seat carries the term of 1-yr or 2 yrs. In the latter, the terms are staggered for 3 B-members, and positions can be reviewed and changed at the Board's review and discretion. To assign a role with a term may get you into trouble--due to possible resignations, or personal agendas, etc. ...Hmmm, does happen!!!

All in all, you did a fine job! We welcome your questions and look forward to learning about this Community Association World together! Good Luck to you.

Bruce,

Congratulatons to you and your fellow board members. Are you running for re-election?

I was elected to the first member-board of my former HOA and I must say it was quite an experience. In fact,that is what got me interested in HOA issues and I've kept up that interest -- and education -- for about 12 years now. Over the years I've become involved in HOA issues at the state Legislature and have even helped to write or alone written legislation -- some of which passed, some did not. In all it's been quite a learning process and is one of my passions that helps to fill my days. You never know what your experience as an HOA board member may lead to. Good luck to you!