Communication Sharing

I'm a member in a fairly new HOA community (a little over a year old). I want to create a sense of community in our building, and believe that communication is key. However, our Board and manager are not sharing information--our monthly Board-approved "newsletter" is little more than the names of committee chairs and a reminder to dispose of trash properly, the Board meeting minutes are woefully incomplete, and the information shared orally with members sometimes varies from one member to the next or from one week to the next. I've asked the Board to be more communicative, I've suggested things for the newsletter, another member and I even volunteered to write the newsletter each month, collecting the information needed to make it more interesting and effective. But, all of these have been declined.

Obviously we have a lot to work on, but the little part I feel like I can do is start my own newsletter. Are there any legal issues I should be aware of?

I would love to have it be the newsletter from the Board, and did volunteer to do the newsletter for the association, but the Board did not want anything but the minimal things from the manager. That's why I'm thinking through if I could just do my own personal newsletter.

I would clearly state it is "unofficial" and that I have no association with the HOA Board/Management. The newsletter would include upcoming events in the community, issues raised by homeowners at the Board meeting (since those are not even noted in the Board minutes)--though I would not relate Board "answers" or responses so that I do not inadvertantly misquote. It could include environmental tips from other homeowners, and maybe other resources for homeowners.

You can also offer the Board a "column" of their own if they can get someone to either dictate to you what they are working on, how those projects are coming along, and what new projects of issues they are working on. That is the LEAST a Board should provide to its members.

Many people are hesitant to contribute to a newsletter because they just don't feel they write well enough. You can interview people over the phone, get their story, and if you are willing to write it up, this could all get done.

Good luck!

I think stepping out on your own gives the impression that you don't like what the board is doing, not happy, or just too good for them, etc...to me it creates a division in the neighborhood that can only lead to bad things. I think the only time it is appropriate for any homeowner to do their own newsletter is when they have a rogue board on their hands and need to band together to make change.

Even if you watch everything you write and do sooner or later something is going to happen or be written that is going to cause great division. I think your efforts are better off trying to convince the board that you are the right person to write a newsletter. Perhaps do a sample for them, let them know they have editorial power on it. Continue to beat that bush.

While you are certainly in your rights to do your own newsletter I think our goal as HOA members is to unite instead of divide.

Michele:

I never said she couldn't do it, I just offered some food for thought. Perhaps she can pull it off and make it work. But as you said egos will get in the way and more than likely the board will resent her for doing this on her own. I just think she needs to think about if that is a potential battle she is willing to endure.

I really appreciate all of the comments - it has given me a lot of food for thought. Thank you!

So far, our Board has been very resistent to building community - even saying explicitly (when they disbanded the committee I had been on which had hosted events to increase our sense of community) that their job as a Board and the HOA's purpose was solely fiduciary, and that while building community was nice, it was not their responsibility, and no HOA funds should be used to support it. They suggested we could continue to do events as individuals and invite the whole community, but they would not be HOA-supported activities. Unfortunately, their attitude towards communication is similar. They just vetoed a HOA website, which a number of members have been requesting for almost a year.

That said, my goal really is to build community - including, I would hope, with our Board members. So, I've been doing more research, prompted by all of your comments. I think I'm going to move forward with a multi-pronged approach:

1) making my newsletter, but making sure it is clear it is unofficial, and that it stays true to my goal of building community. I like the ideas of a clear mission statement, and inviting the Board to participate. Given their past comment about doing our own event, who knows, they may even see it as good.

2) I'd like the Board to start to see building community as a legitimate part of their job along with the fiduciary. The CAI online website had some great info on this. I'd like to put a quote and reference to it in my newsletter, and I've recommended it as a resource to one of our Board members (we only have the e-mail for one of them). Maybe I'll also print several copies of the introductory booklet to share with the Board and/or interested HOA members at the next meeting. I'm still thinking about that. I don't want it to seem like a "stab," I just think our Board members are resting on their corporate experience, and genuinely do not see anything but the financial as their responsibility.

3)I've seen a lot here and elsewhere about HOA websites as a means of communication, so I am also thinking of making a new proposal for an HOA website that will be used for information sharing at our next Board meeting. Based on the research I've done, there are a lot of potential strengths of an official HOA website (financial as well as in building community and governance). Our Management Company didn't want to do it, I think, because they said it would cost $500 just to set up, and then a significant monthly fee. What I'm seeing on-line is much less, and looks like it could do a lot in all areas of need. Maybe, if I can present it the right way, that is something the Board will be able to get behind.

THANK YOU again for all of your thoughts so far - it has really helped me think through my intentions and my methods. I hope if you have other thoughts about my next plan, you'll let me know.

Mary: Reading this thread raised my blood pressure a couple of points .

All of my participation in HOAs and Condo associations as a leader, volunteer, or just a member taught me that many leaders become jaded over time and look down on "the little people" in a community. This always leads to extremely poor or no communication.

Whether your board members like it or not, their fiduciary responsibility and their strict interpretation of the HOA mission does not relieve them of their ethical responsibility to communicate with their constituents! Incomplete information sharing can become a serious liability and they should take it more seriously.

I respect the comments of others above who caution you about the potential resentment you might inspire if you boot-strapped your own community newsletter but ... I think that is absurd! A civic minded individual who wants to help homeowners stay informed is a blessing. I say if they don't support it, just do it for a civics project!

You can start a manual email distribution list on your own via word-of-mouth. You can start a group listserv like YahooGroups at Yahoo.com. You can start blogging publicly at civic blogs like CommunityRadar.com or iNeighbors.com and encourage your neighbors who are equally interested in community affairs to join you. Just look at the benefit the members of HOATalk.com gain from helping one another!

By all means, communicate with your neighbors! They are lucky to have you and I say, "fooey" on the Board in the most polite terms!

Kim:

I agree that a board who is against communication probably has another agenda that isn't in the best interest of the association. Perhaps Mary should focus her energy on getting board members in place that are more open minded. My only issue with doing her own newsletter is you force the residents in the association to chose who to listen to, usually an individual person doing their own is probably going to be viewed as a trouble maker, even though she may not be.

... and I have to add a thought for readers of this thread - keep in mind that there are 2 levels I see Mary trying to operate: 1. As a member of an HOA, 2. As a member of a _community_ .... we can't confuse the reality that these are distinct realities, not one. My comments are targeted at her efforts on _community_, not HOA. I hope that helps temper my rebellious tendencies

whoops I missed your web site post paragraph. Good sites I forgot about communityradar but never heard of neigborhood until now.

They both look like good sources.

Wow! These are great resources on the web site potential. I'll look into them.
I stumbled upon CAI and they look great. They have given me the permission I requested to use an excerpt from one of their publications in my newsletter--some of their comments about building community. I will definitely keep exploring their information and trying to share it with our Board members.

Thank you, and thanks for the encouragement as well as the issues to think about! HOA Talk is doing a great service with this discussion board. I'll be sure to let you know what the response is.