Recruiting HOA board members is a critical part of ensuring a community remains in good working order. Board members act as the leaders of an association. Without them, there would be no one making the tough decisions and maintaining operations.
The Importance of Recruiting HOA Board Members
Homeowners associations rely on board members to keep operations running. Board members juggle many responsibilities, including collecting dues, enforcing policies, maintaining common areas, and managing HOA finances. As such, they play a key role in ensuring the community thrives, and property values remain high.
While the HOA board is clearly vital to any association, many communities struggle with recruiting HOA board members. Board members are volunteer homeowners, after all, which means they don’t receive compensation for their service. They also don’t get discounts on fees or special treatment. Without perks, many residents don’t feel inclined to join the board.
Still, a competent HOA board is essential to ensuring a fully functioning association. When an HOA can’t fill its board, it may be forced into receivership. This is not an ideal scenario, as receivers don’t always have the HOA’s best interest at heart.
Furthermore, if an HOA can’t recruit new board members, old board members may be stuck in their positions indefinitely. This would be unfair to them as they may be forced to serve out of obligation even if they wish to step down.
On the other side of the spectrum, this can make the HOA vulnerable to abuse or dictatorship. When the same people stay in positions of power for a long time, there is a higher likelihood of financial misdeeds that go unnoticed. Not only does it give board members enough time and opportunity, but it also signals indifference from homeowners.
How to Recruit People to Your HOA Board
Homeowners in an HOA community typically have full-time jobs, families to look after, and personal lives to lead. They aren’t usually interested in taking on a leadership role. However, given the importance of board members, an HOA can’t go without them.
The recruitment process is often lined with challenges and obstacles. Many associations lack an adequate pool of candidates, while others consist of disinterested homeowners. Fortunately, there are some methods an HOA board can use to turn things around and find suitable prospects.
Here are the best ways to recruit HOA board members.
1. Write an HOA Board Recruitment Letter
The first thing an HOA should do is write an HOA board member recruitment letter. This letter should include pertinent information about becoming a board member. It should let people know that serving on the HOA board requires time and commitment.
A well-written recruitment letter should also outline the expectations of the HOA. Board members have to make hard decisions, which can sometimes backfire or be received poorly by their neighbors. Board members must prioritize the community’s best interests, so they should be prepared to fight for their decisions. Fortunately, board meetings provide a way to explain the reasons behind certain decisions and actions.
Of course, the recruitment letter shouldn’t sound off-putting. It is meant to encourage homeowners to join the board. Thus, it is best to adopt an inviting tone to let homeowners know that the board picked them because their opinions are valued.
2. Advertise
Between jobs and personal lives, most homeowners might not even know that elections are coming up and that the HOA is seeking candidates. This is particularly common in larger communities.
To ensure everyone gets word, it is important to advertise everywhere. The HOA board should use every communication channel at its disposal to let residents know that they can run for positions. Use newsletters, social media pages, traditional mail, email, and text messages.
Additionally, it is a good idea to start advertising well in advance. This gives homeowners enough time and the opportunity to think about whether or not they wish to join the board. The ad should also encourage people to attend board meetings to get more information.
3. Get to Know Residents
Sometimes, getting to know fellow homeowners is the best way to recruit HOA board members. Current board members should organize social events and attend them. This will give them a chance to identify potential candidates. Talking to homeowners about their interests, skills, and hopes for the community is an excellent way to accomplish this.
In-person recruitment tends to work better than written ones because they are more personal. It fosters a connection between current board members and potential candidates. Homeowners are also more likely to respond to recruitment efforts when they hear board members’ sincerity in their efforts.
4. Use Complaints to Identify Potential
Complaints are a normal part of running a community. Instead of viewing them as negatives, board members should think of them as opportunities – both for improvement and for recruitment.
Sort through complaints and identify which of them have merit. Finding out who made the complaints is a good way to spot homeowners who care enough about the community to share their feedback and ideas. These are homeowners who will make good leaders. If they truly want to make a change for the better, joining the HOA board is the best way to do it because they can make a difference.
5. Educate
More often than not, homeowners are afraid to join the HOA board because they have certain preconceived notions about what it means to do so. Many homeowners think that serving the board is tedious. One way to change their minds is to educate them on what board members do.
The current HOA board can achieve this by sharing and showing what activities they do every week. Board members can publish pieces in the newsletter or highlight accomplishments during a specified portion of board meetings. When homeowners see board members doing important work, they might feel more inspired to follow the example.
In addition to educating homeowners, board members should also be ready to answer any questions they might have. Writing a piece or letter on what board members do is easy. Faced with a question on the spot, though, it can quickly throw people off their axis. As such, current board members should prepare themselves mentally to give informative yet professional answers.
6. Start Small
Joining the HOA board is a big commitment, and not all homeowners are ready to jump into it headfirst. Sometimes, it is best to start small and work their way up.
Board members can do this by encouraging homeowners to join committees or helping with low-commitment projects. Once they taste serving the community, they might discover that they like the feeling. This can lead to larger commitments and a future on the HOA board.
For instance, a homeowner can join the social events committee if they are interested in planning social events. They can stop there or take things one step further by running for the HOA board in the next election. A homeowner who has a background in financial management may prove to be an asset to the finance committee and, in the future, the HOA board.
7. Appoint If You Can
In some communities, board members may have the authority to appoint homeowners. However, this depends on two things: state laws and the governing documents. In California, an HOA can appoint directors to fill vacancies due to a resignation.
Bad Recruitment Practices
Recruiting HOA board members is important to any community, but it is equally important not to overstep bounds. It is best to stay away from bad recruiting practices or tactics.
One example of this is to resort to bribery. Board members should never send gifts or offer pay to homeowners in exchange for their service on the HOA board. Remember that board members are volunteers, which means they don’t receive compensation.
Another example of a bad recruitment practice is intimidation. Intimidating a homeowner into joining the board is essentially an act of force. It is not only unethical and, quite possibly, unlawful, but it is also bad for the community. Board members forced to serve won’t have their heart in it, which means they will likely do a bad job.
Board members should stick to moral, legal, and authorized recruitment strategies. State laws and the association’s governing documents can prove helpful in this process. However, it is also a good idea to seek advice from a lawyer, especially when faced with gray situations. This will help the association protect itself and its members from potential liability.
Inspire Homeowners to Leadership
Recruiting HOA board members is not always an easy task. A lot of associations struggle with it. Many homeowners understandably feel apprehensive about joining the HOA board. The key to overcoming this is to educate owners, get to know them personally, and encourage them to use their talents for the community.
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