The numbers are impressive. Some of the biggest retailers have as many as 5,000 store locations. The megabanks have 4,000 to 6,000 branches nationwide. But these numbers are small compared to the number of homeowner associations. There are more than 300,000 of them.
HOAs are fascinating. Not only because of their ubiquitous presence nationwide, but because of the human dynamics in these communities within communities.
The people elected to HOA boards come from all walks of life. Some may be business owners or managers. Maybe they're in high tech or construction. Or something else entirely. Some are in the workforce. Others are not. There are stay-at-home dads and moms. And retirees. These volunteers, in other words, represent every conceivable demographic. And when they're elected to boards, it's imperative they they work as a team, because they bear important governing and fiduciary responsibilities for their communities. While they may have help from professional property managers if their HOAs have funding for such support, the volunteers' decisions on community needs and issues can significantly impact their neighbors.
How do you build enthusiasm for governing HOAs among such disparate groups of people, many of whom would rather be doing something else with their free time than attending board meetings and listening to neighbors' concerns. I know the feeling. It's like having to go shopping with parents when you're a kid when you'd much rather be playing with friends. But what many volunteers may not realize is how much they're learning outside their area of expertise and their comfort zone.
I was entirely focused on communication when I was elected to the board of my HOA. I wasn't into numbers, infrastructure maintenance or HOA financial management. But somehow, maybe by osmosis, I got my 'MBA' in HOA.
(After a career in corporate communication and crisis management, Harvey Radin became fascinated with homeowner associations. He's served on HOA boards. His articles about communication and public opinion have been published in a number of media, including Business Insider, American Banker and regional newspapers. He's written two booklets for HOAs, one entitled HOA Over Easy about why it's not so bad serving on an HOA board, and a second booklet entitled At Least Some PR.)
HOAs are fascinating. Not only because of their ubiquitous presence nationwide, but because of the human dynamics in these communities within communities.
The people elected to HOA boards come from all walks of life. Some may be business owners or managers. Maybe they're in high tech or construction. Or something else entirely. Some are in the workforce. Others are not. There are stay-at-home dads and moms. And retirees. These volunteers, in other words, represent every conceivable demographic. And when they're elected to boards, it's imperative they they work as a team, because they bear important governing and fiduciary responsibilities for their communities. While they may have help from professional property managers if their HOAs have funding for such support, the volunteers' decisions on community needs and issues can significantly impact their neighbors.
How do you build enthusiasm for governing HOAs among such disparate groups of people, many of whom would rather be doing something else with their free time than attending board meetings and listening to neighbors' concerns. I know the feeling. It's like having to go shopping with parents when you're a kid when you'd much rather be playing with friends. But what many volunteers may not realize is how much they're learning outside their area of expertise and their comfort zone.
I was entirely focused on communication when I was elected to the board of my HOA. I wasn't into numbers, infrastructure maintenance or HOA financial management. But somehow, maybe by osmosis, I got my 'MBA' in HOA.
(After a career in corporate communication and crisis management, Harvey Radin became fascinated with homeowner associations. He's served on HOA boards. His articles about communication and public opinion have been published in a number of media, including Business Insider, American Banker and regional newspapers. He's written two booklets for HOAs, one entitled HOA Over Easy about why it's not so bad serving on an HOA board, and a second booklet entitled At Least Some PR.)
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