HOA Strategic

There was the article he wrote about a billy goat and his boss discussing job security . And another article urging politicians to "take field trips to well-run homeowner associations"...to see how HOA leaders "are actually spending public money prudently and efficiently." And there's the book he's written that walks HOA boards and property managers through communication and PR. The book, At Least Some PR by Harvey Radin, boils down years of managing communication for large corporations. When you're in a spirited debate with your HOA neighbors or when there's a newspaper or TV reporter who wants to have a word with you, Radin explains how to buy time when you need to step back to catch your breath. People in PR and communication "often start conversations with the word -- SUPPOSE," he says in the book. Suppose this or that happens, what are you going to do? And there's more in the book that's available through Amazon Books o...

Some things, you just know, are bound to cause problems. The prime example, around this time of year, of course is holiday decorations. You've got the perfect storm when HOAs and condo associations say NO to trees and lights, giant Santas, sleighs and so on. News media love this stuff, it's made to order, because reporters can feature aggrieved people in their news coverage, people of all ages reacting emotionally to association rules that put limits on holiday decor. News media seize opportunities to use the Grinch-word. But it doesn't have to be this way if associations manage expectations. There are good, solid reasons why associations need to put limits on decorations. Like fire hazards when lots of people residing in multi-story buildings or homes with common walls want to have live Christmas trees that become dry and flammable. So, why not manage expectations by letting residents know ahead of the holidays the whys and wherefores of association rules, so associati...

Excerpt about crisis PR -- "Because of cost and other factors, PR is a nonstarter for HOAs. So what happens when there's trouble? When angry homeowners are peppering the Board or property manager with difficult questions about thorny issues, or even worse, when HOAs for some reason make headline news?" The author hopes you'll never have to open his booklet. But if your HOA is ever in a PR bind, it may come in handy. The author, a retired corporate marketing and crisis communication executive, has been in the trenches handling communication for multinational firms in the U.S. and UK. He's keenly interested in HOA issues. ( At Least Some PR , by Harvey Radin, can be purchased through Amazon Books.)

It's called media training. People in business and government go through it. It simulates what happens if or when people are thrust into the public eye. It simulates phone, face-to-face and on-camera interviews with journalists. It's realistic. Suppose a journalist asks Why is your homeowners association refusing to let one of the residents fly the American flag outside their home? Isn't it reasonable to show patriotism by flying the flag? If the journalist is on the phone or face-to-face with you, what would you do?

Excerpts from the HOA version of At Least Some PR : "Situations and circumstances can change in a heartbeat. Everything's going great one minute. Then something that seemed just fine, for some bizarre, unexpected reason, suddenly is not okay. "With lots of people -- Board members, committee volunteers and others -- often speaking on behalf of HOAs, communication can be discordant, confusing and misunderstood. Someone's on one page while someone else is on an entirely different page."

(Helpful for HOA boards?) -- the ability to see potential problems. To see what might go wrong before something bad happens...to keep problems at bay. (Goes without saying, nowadays) -- Emails can get you in a mess. Your choice of words in memos and online, too. You don't want to think about it when you're volunteering on an HOA board. You're volunteering!! Who wants to work so hard on words? But they do cause problems. And misunderstandings. And angst. Even lawsuits. (Speaking of words) --  "Fuzzy, terrible writing" is "costing American businesses nearly $400 billion every year," reports the Daily Beast. "Poorly written emails and documents...can result in lawsuits," according to a Georgia newspaper, The Monticello News. These costs slip up on organizations like homeowner associations and their property management companies. (Yes, there's good HOA news!) -- About a homeowners association saving "millions of gallons of water wi...

Finance? Forget about finance. Definitely was not my thing. I was always at odds with numbers, we just didn't gel. I'd zone out in math class. But all that changed, oddly enough, when I was elected to an HOA board. Crunching numbers for the HOA, being involved in financial planning, became actually fascinating. That's the thing about volunteering in an HOA community. You can expand your knowledge and expertise. As I say in my booklet, HOA Over Easy , getting comfortable with numbers was like earning a mini-MBA degree.  --Harvey Radin (For more about this post, contact hoastrategic@gmail.com)