Open Meeting — No facility

We are a small HOA with no common meeting facilities, but subject to the usual Open Meeting laws most states have. Without an HOA facility for meetings, do Open Meeting laws mean private homes must be used? Seems like a conflict, with liability concerns, to me.

Open meeting simply means that members are welcome to attend and can not be turned away.
It does not mean that if they become unruly, they can't be asked to leave or, if needed, removed by the police.

We hold board meetings in private homes.
Members are welcome.
If they become unruly they are warned once.
If it continues they are asked to leave.
If they refuse, the meeting is suspended and the owner of the property asks the member to leave.
If they refuse, the owner contacts the police to have the individual removed for treaspassing.
Once they leave, the meeting resumes.

In my previous association, we held our general membership meetings at the local school (free of charge).

In my current Association, we hold the meeting on an empty lot (with owners permission) under a tent.
We are surveying the membership to see if attendance would increase or decrease if we held it at the local school or a nearby church.

My condo association holds annual and special meetings off site, since our units can't accommodate that many people. Fortunately, the township we're in makes the trustees' meeting room available to local non-profits at no charge. In the past, we have had to pay for meeting space. If you have a community manager, that person may have ideas (a previous manager found the trustees' meeting room).

Local libraries may have meeting space, but our libraries charge community associations since the meeting isn't open to the public. But the cost may be competitive if you have to pay for space.

The insurance is something you'll need to think about if you're meeting in people's homes.

We use a room at the local public library. It is free of charge and handicap accessible.

Over the yers I've read this forum many HOA board meet in someone's home. I'm no insurance expert, but it seems to me if owners have an ordinary homeowners policy, it covers any guests in the home???/

To rent or arrange for a venue off the premises seems totally unnecessary for a "small" HOA. How the heck may would you expect to attend board meetings?

Our CC&Rs require owners to have an HOA6 policy (condo bldg.)

Your situation is not uncommon and many HOA club houses will not accommodate an owners meeting, I can’t imagine having an association meeting in an owner’s home for more reason than you list.

Even the most rural community has a church that can be utilized.

I host them in my double garage. Sue

Yep

You raise some great questions, and my guess is that the association would be held liable if anything ever did happen in a private home. That being said, is there anywhere else close by, or on the development, that the association could host a meeting? That way you can avoid some of these unwanted possibilities.

Even though your homeowner's policy would cover the liability of people being injured on your property, would you want to accept that liability every time there is meeting?

I'm assuming if you're having a party, it's your friends that will be attending. If you're friends trips on your floor pat and breaks his wrist, it's a lot less likely that he's going to come after your homeowner's policy or try to sue you. An HOA of neighbors, some you may not know well, and maybe a couple that are hostile to the Board would be a different story.

We have ours outside. My last condo had them at a library. The one I owned before that we had at a bar.

I bet they got a lot done...

I think Richard's overthinking this. I believe the ADA applies to public places, not private homes, and HOA meetings are supposed to be for members only, not the general public. If people are concerned about liability, they can consult their own homeowner insurance carrier - if it's unclear, don't offer your home. If no one volunteers, you'll just have to go to a church, restaurant or other place and pay the necessary rental fee.