Census studies show that about 62.4% of Texans are homeowners. Many homeowners choose to join their local HOA community for the benefits, sense of community, and more.
When you're part of your homeowner's association, handling the many topics can sometimes feel overwhelming. One of the most stressful factors is frequent HOA meetings and keeping the HOA board members on task. How can you keep your HOA board meeting focused and effective?
If you're curious about handling your HOA meetings in Killeen, Texas, we're here to help guide you. Read on to learn about four crucial topics to handle at your next HOA board meeting.
1. Handling Fees
One of the most important factors for many homeowners is HOA fees. Many non-board members are turned away by steep fees. In some situations, a homeowner may choose not to join the HOA community simply to avoid the fees.
With fees being as controversial as they are, there needs to be an extreme amount of transparency. As an HOA manager or member, it's your job to ask the questions that lead to this transparency. Some questions include:
- How much are the homeowner fees?
- What is the payment structure for the fees?
- Are fees paid in person or online?
- How are late fees handled or waived?
- What amenities will these fees fund or improve?
- How will these fees affect the HOA budget?
Do your best to understand fees and budgeting so that you can help allocate them. Homeowners are less likely to dislike fees if they see how those fees are improving the community.
2. Abundance of Meetings
Another important topic to handle is how often the HOA board meeting takes place.
If meetings are too often, HOA board members may feel overwhelmed or annoyed. But if they aren't frequent enough, many issues can go overlooked.
See how often the meetings are and encourage adjustments where necessary.
3. Community Outreach
What is the HOA community doing to reach out to the rest of the community?
Outreach comes in several ways. One way is for the HOA to encourage the community to join in on open meetings.
Another is to make sure there are community events. Making sure the amenities, such as pools, parks, or dockside areas, are functional is crucial for this.
4. Pets and Service Animals
Finally, many people have pets and service animals that may join the community. Studies show that more than half of Texans own at least one pet.
As such, many homeowners are interested to know how pets will fit into their community. Are there amenities for pets that pet owners can enjoy? Will people who need service animals be charged more for needing their service pet?
Handling HOA Meetings
HOA meetings are a crucial part of any HOA community to ensure that the association is staying on topic and handling the right issues. Do your best to help encourage your fellow HOA board members to stick to a healthy agenda. Keeping your community members in mind can lead to a stronger, happier community.
Curious about how you can help influence your HOA meeting agenda? Be sure to contact us at PMI Phantom Realty to see how we can help your community flourish.
