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In the state of Arizona alone, there are around 9,000 HOAs. The reason there are so many is because cities' within the state know that the concept of an HOA is going to save them money. Here's the thing though, while an HOA can often offer services a city can't and is often better at maintenance for its neighborhoods, there is such a thing as a bad HOA.
With this in mind, HOA meetings can often be hard to navigate without knowing how to leverage the resources it has while still prioritizing its residents. Every homeowner's association is going to come with a governing board as well as strict rules when it comes to owning a home within one. These associations are often unregulated and because of this, there is always more need for structure.
Keep reading to learn what should be discussed during an HOA meeting and top tips to keep the board and the residents on the same page.
Understanding Great Talking Points
Oftentimes, an HOA will have a regularly scheduled meeting on either a monthly or annual basis. What will be discussed in these HOA meetings will greatly range and often be based on what the association needs most.
Annual meetings will likely cover a bit of everything from financials and property maintenance to management changes and large community millstones. Monthly meetings are likely to focus on things that are important in the present time which could be:
- Proposals waiting for approval
- Residential living
- Unsolved issues among either residents or board members
- Association events or activities
These are going to be your usual talking points when meeting with the HOA board. However, it greatly depends on the type of meeting that's being had.
The Type of Meeting Matters
Typically speaking, there are seven different types of meetings that HOA management could call.
- An open meeting (regular session)
- Executive meeting (closed session)
- Committee meetings
- Work sessions
- Annual meetings
- Emergency meetings
- Special sessions
If you want to know what should be discussed, it would depend on the type of meeting that has been called. Most of them, other than emergency meetings, will come with an agenda making the talking points straightforward.
However, there is always room for you to direct open questions to the HOA manager (depending on the type of session). In a 'special' meeting, for example, this meeting would be for specific reasons. This means that only things pertaining to that reason can be addressed.
In an open session, almost everything is free to bring up as this is the most common type of meeting. For HOA board meetings, this is often a closed session where the board of directors will discuss more sensitive information. This could be legal problems, contracts, or issues with foreclosures.
Tips for Navigating HOA Meetings
One of the best HOA tips is to ask the appropriate questions for the type of meeting you're in. You should also try working with an HOA management company.
One of the easiest ways around a lot of issues that arise in an HOA is to utilize property management services. In this situation, the property management service provider will act as the primary resource for the association and make regulation a lot simpler.
Leveraging Professional Property Management
Property management is one of the best-kept secrets within an HOA. It's a simpler method of having on-site services and increasing operational efficiency without making things difficult for residents.
PMS options help with budgeting, coordinating HOA meetings, and reducing administrative work. To leverage this best-kept secret for your Phoenix HOA, take a look at some of Phoenix Property Management's resources today.
