Homeowners associations are run by homeowner-volunteers who are part of the community they serve. Being volunteers, they do not receive remuneration for their services, which means most of them have day jobs; which also means they may not always be available to fulfill their duties, especially in emergencies. This is why most HOAs turn to a professional HOA management company to help them fulfill their duties to the community and homeowners.

What does an HOA management company do? In its broadest sense, an HOA management company helps the HOA fulfill its duties to the homeowners as well as to the community. To better explain how exactly an HOA management company helps a homeowner’s association, here are three important tasks they perform:

1. Finance

One of the oft-neglected aspects of an HOA has to do with finance; everything that has to do with managing the association’s financials; from collecting dues and other fees to ensuring there is an emergency fund for unforeseen events (like natural disasters and emergency repairs), bookkeeping, managing bank accounts, billings and financial assessments, and following-up on delinquent accounts, among many others.

2. Site maintenance

In every residential community, whether it be a gated subdivision or a multi-family building, there are common/public areas that HOA members can use for leisure, entertainment, fitness, and such. From swimming pools to parks and playgrounds, walkways and pathways, and other common areas, the HOA management company has to perform regular inspections of these areas to make sure their properly maintained for the safety of the residents and guests.

Additionally, the HOA management company also sees to it the rules and regulations regarding lawns and landscaping, exterior paints, and other property-related regulations are strictly followed to maintain property value.

3. Administrative tasks

Last but not the least are administrative tasks. These include scheduling and attending board meetings, submitting a monthly report to the Board regarding management tasks, as well as ensuring that all members of the HOA strictly follow the HOA’s <a=rel”no follow”href=”https://homeguides.sfgate.com/california-homeowners-association-laws-2994.html”>Covenants, Conditions, & Restrictions (CC&Rs). Additional HOA services may also include any or all of the following:

• Board education and governance
• Vendor selection and cost reduction services
• 24-hour emergency services
• Homeowner participation, including sub-committees
• Reconstruction and large-project management oversight

In general, HOA management companies provide custom-made programs based on the needs of each HOA. Understanding that each HOA is unique with unique strengths and weaknesses, programs tailored to address each of these are the best way to ensure that the HOA remains fully functional; serving the interests of the homeowners and the community as a whole.

You know about homeowner’s associations and you’ve heard of property managers, but do you know what they do, and where their duties and responsibilities start and end? To help you differentiate between the two, below are a few of their key responsibilities:

On management duties:

1. Homeowners associations manage a specific residential community

Residential communities, neighborhoods, and housing complexes are often governed by a homeowners association or HOA. The HOA’s general responsibility is to manage the residential community; making sure that homeowners comply with <a=rel”no follow”href=”https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/business/story/2019-10-19/many-new-laws-will-affect-hoas-in-2020″>rules and regulations that pertain to property maintenance and neighborhood conduct, and basically, work with the HOA to maintain specific community standards.

2. Property managers oversee a specific property (or cluster of properties owned by the same entity)

If an HOA manages an entire residential community, a property manager oversees a specific property or cluster of properties owned by the same person or entity. In other words, they are only concerned with the specific property assigned to them or for which they were hired. Usually, their services are required for rental properties; working on behalf of the property owner.

On similar duties and responsibilities

3. HOAs oversee the maintenance of common areas, collect dues, hire contractors for repairs, and vet potential homeowners

As mentioned above, HOAs manage an entire residential community, which means they are also responsible for maintaining common areas and public facilities like swimming pools, fitness centers, playgrounds, and such. If anything needs to be repaired, they will oversee the hiring of contractors and workers (this may also extend to repairs needed by homeowners for their own homes).

Additionally, HOAs may also interview people interested in renting or buying a property in their community to evaluate whether or not they are a good fit for the community. Last but not the least, HOAs are also responsible for collecting HOA dues and other fees.

4. Property managers vet tenants, hire contractors, oversee property maintenance, and collect rent and dues

Just as HOAs evaluate potential homeowners, property managers also evaluate potential tenants. This is done to make sure that not only will they be good renters in terms of taking care of the property but more importantly, that they are good payers. In other words, the property manager has to make sure that the tenant has the financial capacity to pay rent in full and on time every month.

They may also oversee the hiring of contractors and laborers for work that needs to be done on the property (for repairs and maintenance).

On HOAs and property managers working together

HOAs are run by volunteers who comprise the Board of Directors and Board Members. They are residents of the same community and they typically have day jobs and personal responsibilities to take care of every day. To ensure that the HOA remains functional for the benefit of the community and homeowners, they may hire a property manager to help them with some of their duties and responsibilities.

When catastrophe strikes, emergency protocols can ensure the safety of your HOA community. Given the many variables to consider when creating disaster relief policies, however, determining the most effective ways to protect your residents can be tricky.

With that in mind, here are 7 HOA disaster management planning tips:

1. Evaluate possible area-specific disasters

Determine if your community is in an area susceptible to natural disasters like earthquakes and hurricanes, then develop implementable emergency protocols around them. It’s also a good idea to design measures for potential risks such as terrorism and disease outbreaks.

2. Consider your community’s demographics

Design evacuation protocols that provide everyone in your community realistic ways to reach safety. This includes those with mobility issues like the elderly, and people with disabilities. Families with small children should also be taken into account when developing such procedures.

It’s also important to consider your community members’ cultural backgrounds. A diverse HOA community is one where many languages are spoken, and where English may not be understood. Therefore, emergency guidelines should be available in other languages in addition to English.

3. Make your emergency policies accessible

All disaster relief procedures should be easy to understand so all community members will have no issues carrying them out when necessary. All guidelines should also be published on your HOA’s website to allow residents to ask questions about rules they’re unclear about.

4. Conform to wildfire protocols

Certain areas in the US have rigid wildfire protocols, which your HOA must adhere to, to minimize occurrence and damage of such a calamity. You must also be proactive in wildfire prevention, which means following such rules as regularly trimming landscape, avoiding the use of specific construction materials, and more.

5. Coordinate with the Emergency Management Office

An area’s Emergency Management Office can provide assistance to calamity-affected communities, so make sure to collaborate with such an agency when planning disaster management.

6. Integrate an emergency alert system into your plan

An electronic emergency alert system sends emails and text messages to residents to notify them about specific developments associated with potential catastrophes. This allows them to make the necessary preparations for such situations. Make sure records of your community members’ contact information are regularly updated.

7. Provide disaster relief training

Host meetings designed to educate community members about your emergency protocols, especially before the onset of potentially hazardous seasons. This will ensure people are reminded of the actions they should take to keep themselves safe in the event of a disaster.

Another way to educate residents about your disaster plan is to include information about it in your HOA newsletter. An article about a potential disaster and what can be done to keep safe in such an event, for example, can be extremely helpful.

If you’ve been a part of your HOA community for many years now, chances are you have neighbors who’ve reached their senior years already. They may have been young when they moved in but now they have become vulnerable” members of your community; and you, as a member of the same HOA community, have a responsibility to look after them. How do you help aging HOA residents? Here are seven ways…

1. Always check on them

First off, it is recommended that you get everyone on board with your “senior citizen watch” project. Take turns keeping an eye on them and call for assistance when needed. Take this time, too, to spend a little time with them.

2. Perform regular inspections around the community

When was the last time common areas in the community were inspected and evaluated for “senior safety?” Check ramps and walkways, stairs and rails, gates, and other public areas that everyone has access to. Make sure there are designated points of entry and exit and other areas for senior residents alone for their safety.

3. Get contact details of the aging residents’ respective families

Should anything happen to your aging neighbor; should there be an emergency, who is the resident’s next of kin to contact? You have to know who to call because your neighbor’s life could very well depend on that crucial phone call.

4. Provide point persons

In the same vein, who will the senior residents call should they need help with something? It could be a home emergency in the middle of the night like a power outage or a slip and fall accident. It would be ideal if there is only one point person for all concerns, so the senior resident won’t have a difficult time figuring out who exactly to call from the list of contact persons you provided.

5. Stay up-to-date with state laws and regulations

You have to stay updated with laws and regulations regarding special privileges for senior citizens as well as local and state laws regarding disabilities in aging residents. To know these laws and regulations is to protect the vulnerable members of your community.

6. Assist aging residents with HOA rules and restrictions

Homeowners associations have their own set of rules and regulations, which are strictly implemented for the betterment of the community. And within these rules and regulations are specific guidelines for practically everything that concerns the community, including such restrictions as using specific colors on exterior walls, and landscaping. Aging HOA residents may not have the physical capacity anymore to comply with these guidelines, and this is where you come in. You can make sure that these are still followed by offering your help.

7. Hold special events

Often, < a= rel”nofollow”href=”https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/mental-health-of-older-adults”>senior citizens feel lonely and isolated because of their impaired mobility and cognitive function. Community events held especially for them will help ease their loneliness, make them feel they still matter, and that they are an important part of the community.

As a homeowner it will not be unusual for you to wonder what is expected of board members from your homeowners’ association (HOA). You might even consider volunteering for your HOA or aspire to become a board member yourself. Either way, it makes sense to be aware of each board member’s role.

There are usually four officials who make up the board of directors. These are volunteers elected by members of the community and thus don’t receive compensation. They include the President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer. The purpose of the HOA board is essential to manage the association via their respective duties, as outlined below.

President

The HOA President’s primary responsibility is to manage protocols in making decisions affecting the association. The position requires qualified individuals possessing a good grasp of association bylaws, regulations, and inner workings. The President leads the conduct of association or community-wide meetings and can delegate committees to manage certain tasks. Finally, it is the President’s duty to achieve a fully functional HOA.

Vice President

The Vice President assumes the functions of the presidency in the event the President is unable, for some reason, to perform duties the position calls for. The vice-president should, therefore, be likewise familiar with the association’s bylaws and regulations. When not standing-in for the President, they may be delegated key association functions as well.

Secretary

The Secretary has the responsibility of handling all association documentation, safe-keeping of records as well as prompt submission of legal documentary requirements. Other tasks involve normal secretarial duties like issuing meeting advisories, recording minutes of meetings, and dissemination of important documents to other board members.

Treasurer

The Treasurer is responsible for managing association funds, maintaining complete records of the fund and all transactions authorized by the association. The Treasurer also prepares the annual budget and ensures sufficient reserves for sanctioned investments or unexpected expenditures. The Treasurer has to duly inform other board members of the HOA’s financial standing and report any discrepancies thereon. The Treasurer also must observe regulatory compliance concerning HOA’s financial operations.

Members of the community are as important as elected officials and thus it’s significant that they get involved in association elections and meetings. With a board working in unison, combined with the participation of the community, you can expect to have a place that would be pleasant to live in.

Do you have any other questions about the HOA Board Member roles? If so, kindly contact us through our corporate website or give us a call at 951-270-3700. We’d be happy to answer all your questions!