You love your neighborhood, so it’s no surprise you want to make it better.
One way you can do that is by joining your HOA board to start making a difference. But before you jump in, there are some things you’ll want to figure out.
Here are three questions to ask before becoming an HOA board member.
What’s Involved With Serving On An HOA Board?
You want to know what will be expected of you if you decide to join an HOA board. That way, there are no surprises once you’re knee deep in tasks.
At the most basic level, HOA board members are in charge of maintaining the neighborhood’s common areas, managing budgets, representing homeowners and preserving the community’s values. But as any current board member will tell you, there’s a lot more to it than that.
Your position could mean putting out fires (hopefully not literally), working with professionals like commercial landscapers and keeping track of local HOA regulations.
Each position — like president, vice president, secretary and treasurer — will have its own set of responsibilities, as well. Here’s a look at what each role could entail:
- President: They will have duties similar to that of a chief executive officer. Normally, someone in this position will oversee all of the meetings, execute contracts and any other jobs assigned to them in the bylaws.
- Vice President: This person will perform the duties of the president in his or her absence. They also often head up a variety of committees.
- Secretary: They are responsible for keeping and maintaining records for the board meetings — and also making them available to other board members as needed.
- Treasurer: The person in this position is in charge of the funds and financial records, along with developing a proposed budget.
- Landscape Committee: They will handle finding a commercial landscaping company to maintain the HOA, share bids with the board members and communicate with the landscaper.
Do I Need to Have Specific Experience?
There are no hard requirements for filling the role of an HOA board member, but there are specific traits that will make you more successful.
Here are some characteristics that will help you on the board:
- Ability to adapt
- Cool headed
- Cares about the community
- Good listener
- Knows when to find professional help
Beyond having helpful traits, you can better accustom yourself with the ins and outs of being on the board by reading its bylaws. It can be a tedious task, I know, but reviewing the information will help you better understand your responsibilities and restrictions.
How Much Time Does Being On An HOA Board Require?
Members are volunteers, so their work with the board is mainly limited to off hours. Before you decide to join, you’ll want to make sure you have enough time to do the best job.
The size or your HOA will play a role in how much time the position will take up. You’ll have regular meetings, whether that be weekly or monthly, along with dealing with instances that pop.
You may have to meet with the landscape maintenance company to address an issue, explain a board decision to a homeowner or make trips to the bank.
Ask other members in your HOA about how much time they spend a week on the board to get a better idea.
When You Join Your HOA Board
If you’re passionate about your HOA and feel you can better the community, becoming a board member could be the right decision for you. Just know you’re never going to make everyone in the HOA happy, and you’ll probably want to pull your hair out sometime. But, any role can be like that.
To help make your job as an HOA board member a little easier, work with experienced professionals you can trust. The homeowners will also appreciate their level of quality.
At HighGrove Partners, we provide commercial landscaping services for HOAs and other property types throughout the Atlanta metro area.
We’ll keep your common areas maintained, landscape lighting working, entrances enhanced and enhance any other outdoor areas that need attention.
Contact us at 678-298-0550 or online to request a free estimate for your HOA.
{{cta(‘3bf2bbe0-9f7f-4de3-80e6-eba948446304’)}}
Last modified: April 28, 2016
