HOA Homefront — Why can’t we attend board meetings? (CA)

Q: Outside the regularly scheduled board meeting, the directors are meeting to review and accept the treasurer’s developed budget. Can association members attend as observers only? What is the law on meeting outside noticed open board meetings?   Read the Q&A……………………………….

HOA Homefront: Can we still Zoom into our meetings? (CA)

Q: During the Covid shutdown, the board used Zoom to hold meetings. Now that we are able to have in-person board meetings, we have the following situation. If the board is in the community room and many of us are watching from home, there is no way that people watching virtually can raise their hand […]

Conducting Better Meetings: Tips for Saving Time & Staying On Track

Residents in condo and HOA communities are frequently quite busy. Boards generally consist of elected volunteers who nearly always have other jobs and lives outside their duties as trustees. So while a professional management company can handle much of the day-to-day operations of a multifamily community, no decision can be made without those board members […]

Tips to Conduct Virtual HOA Meetings

Virtual meeting have many benefits, including saving travel time and allowing members to participate who might not otherwise. But before you rush to hold your board or membership meeting electronically, check to make certain you can. State law or the governing documents need to authorize meeting remotely. It’s also important to understand how virtual gatherings […]

Dealing with HOA Board Meeting Disruptions

AFew things are more stressful to board members and managers than dealing with a disruptive owner at a membership meeting. We have all been to meetings where “that” member steals the spotlight to air grievances, demand immediate action regarding their particular issue, or to just blast the board. What could be a simple meeting can […]

Is your HOA failing to have open meetings? (AZ)

Your homeowners association (HOA) helps maintain the neighborhood’s appearance and property values in your community. You probably paid a premium to purchase a home located in a respected HOA neighborhood, and you probably also pay association fees every month in addition to your mortgage and escrow contributions.   Read the article………………………..

What Goes On In An HOA Board Meeting? (CA)

New HOA boards often feel lost and confused when first taking on the job. This applies to board meetings, too. What exactly goes on in an HOA board meeting?  Read the article………………………..

HOA board members may participate virtually in meetings (FL)

Q:  My HOA has a seven-person board; at the start of each monthly meeting they count a quorum as those present in person and also those on the other end of an open cell phone line or some computer link. Can the board determine a quorum in this manner and are motions passed that count […]

HOA Homefront — Establish standards for HOA meetings with meeting rules

Along with the property’s overall condition, another positive initial impression upon new members can be board meetings which are effective, positive, and orderly. However, how does a new owner or director learn how board meetings are to be conducted? The law does not require associations to have meeting rules, but such rules can be extremely […]

Action Outside a Meeting – How Does It Work and When Can It Be Used? (CO)

What exactly does it mean to take action (i.e. make a decision) outside of a meeting and who has that right anyway? Most importantly, when should action outside a meeting be taken? While in-person (or virtual) meetings and open discussions are always best, it is not always feasible. Therefore, making decisions outside meetings is a […]

Can Our Board Continue Meeting Virtually Even When the Pandemic Is Over? (AZ)

Like it or not, virtual board and annual meetings are likely going to continue for Arizona HOAs and condos in the foreseeable future.  There are many benefits of virtual board and annual meetings. Virtual meetings are more convenient for directors and owners, allowing individuals to attend from anywhere they have internet access. Increased convenience may […]

Tips to Minimize HOA Board Meeting Mayhem (CA)

For many people, meetings are a fact of life. Whether it’s an HOA board or member meeting in your homeowner’s association, a volunteer meeting at your child’s school or a department meeting at work, being adept at participating effectively and managing meetings is a useful skill.   Read the entire article……………………………….

Proxy, Proxy, Who Needs a Proxy? A Primer on the Use of Proxies in Associations (MN)

Recently, I had a conversation with the president of an association about an upcoming Board meeting that was expected to be contentious. The president casually mentioned that one director would be traveling internationally for work and would not be able to attend the meeting—”but it’s OK, we have her proxy.”  Cue the sound of tires screeching […]

Proxy, Proxy, Who Needs a Proxy? A Primer on the Use of Proxies in Associations (MN)

Recently, I had a conversation with the president of an association about an upcoming Board meeting that was expected to be contentious. The president casually mentioned that one director would be traveling internationally for work and would not be able to attend the meeting—”but it’s OK, we have her proxy.”  Read the entire article……………………………….

HOA Meeting Basics

HOA board meetings are designed to transact essential business. They should be carefully choreographed to that end rather than a rambling discussion. Members should be welcome and encouraged to attend and observe. To that end, provide a Member Forum at the beginning of the meeting for owner comments, questions and complaints (It’s the American way).  […]

New Appellate Case: Almason v. Southgate on Fairview Condominium Association (NC)

In a decision issued today (February 1, 2022), the North Carolina Court of Appeals examined several issues that associations deal with regularly—budget ratification, owner attendance at board meetings, rules governing board meetings, and association records requests. Nothing in the decision is groundbreaking, but the findings of the court may provide comfort that your association practices […]

HOA Homefront: Is ‘open forum’ ever truly open? (CA)

Q: Recently an owner had a matter which she wanted to bring up during the “Homeowner’s Forum” but she could not attend. She sent an email to the association delegating me to share with the board her concerns. At the meeting, the president shut me down and said only people present could speak and that […]

7 Tips to Make Your HOA Board Meeting More Productive

HOA board meetings are critical to the smooth running of any community; topics discussed here include finances, rule enforcement, operations, maintenance, and vendor hire. In other words, the continuation and success of HOAs lie in the efficiency of board meetings. Unfortunately, they don’t always go as planned, and several factors contribute to their inefficiency.   Read […]

HOA Homefront: Are secret recordings and no meetings legal? (CA)

Q: What are the HOA manager and board responsibilities for the homeowners’ portion of the board meeting? Presently, virtual sessions are done with requests via email. Our manager crafted defensive, aggressive responses and sent them before the meeting even happened. I think homeowners would have liked us to appear to listen.    Read the Q&A………………………………………

HOA Board Meeting Etiquette (Do’s & Don’ts) (NJ)

Holding regular HOA board meetings is essential to ensure your community association operates efficiently. At AR Management, we’re commonly asked by board members, “What’s the right protocol to run a productive and successful meeting?” We’ve found that the answer resides in maintaining professional HOA board meeting etiquette.    Read the entire article……………………………….

Can the Board Reconsider an Approved Motion?

Asked – Can the Board reconsider a motion that was previously passed by a majority vote? One of the directors that voted in opposition to the motion would like the Board to reconsider.   Read the entire article……………………………….

HOA meetings: How to increase owner turnout

HOA meetings have several important objectives. And yet, the majority of owners feel apathetic (at best) about regularly scheduled meetings. While it’s hard to get your entire community excited about meetings, there are some steps you can take to boost owner turnout.   Read the entire article……………………………….

Electronic Board of Directors and Membership Meetings in a Post-Covid-19 World (FL)

Well, it is not quite a post-COVID-19 world yet, but hopefully, it will be one day soon. We are, however, living in a post-governor-ordered-state-of-emergency world, meaning that the emergency powers granted to condominium, cooperative, and homeowners’ associations’ boards of directors by virtue of the governor’s emergency orders have come to an end, with this caveat:  […]

The Dos and Don’ts of Condo Meeting Agendas (ON)

Meetings, and the decisions that come from them, play a critical role in maintaining and determining the future of a condominium community. Whether it’s an annual meeting or periodic board, committee, or project meeting, it’s important that these gatherings are productive and accomplish the intended goals. A well-prepared agenda can make or break your meeting—differentiating […]

5 Ways to Simplify Board Meeting Preparation

The duties of an HOA board member can sometimes feel overwhelming, and the last thing you want is to have things be more complex than they need to be. On the other hand, you want things to be as efficient as possible, and you don’t want to spend hours preparing for a board meeting. You […]

How to Hold Hybrid Zoom Board Meetings

As COVID-19 restrictions have loosened on group gatherings, many are questioning the best way to continue holding board meetings. Holding the meetings virtually has increased participation from the community, but communities are eager to meet in person again. This has led many to ask the following: Is there a way to successfully host a meeting […]

Dos and Don’ts of HOA Meeting Agendas

Meetings are one of the most critical aspects of a homeowner’s association. It is of utmost importance to ensure that whichever agenda you wish to accomplish in the meeting is well planned, thus raising your chances of having a productive meeting that can meet its goals.   Read the entire article……………………………….

3 Types of HOA Meetings – What’s the Difference? (WA)

Meetings are integral parts of HOA management and aim to ensure successful community operations alongside harmonious living. They are an important and essential part of HOA governance. Homeowner associations operate as corporations and as a result, must regularly hold meetings involving board members and homeowners. In addition to holding regular board meetings throughout the year, […]

5 Easy Tips to Keep HOA Board Meetings Concise

Successful HOA board meetings are inclusive, timely, and respectful. But unfortunately, board meetings can often last much longer than everyone anticipated, which can be frustrating for everyone. Here are 5 tips to help keep your meetings concise.   Read the entire article……………………………….

What Is A HOA Board Resolution And How To Create One?

An HOA board resolution is an essential tool used in managing any community association. As such, every board member should know what it is and how to make it    Read the entire article……………………………….

The Dos and Don’ts of HOA Meeting Agendas

Meetings, and the decisions that come from them, play a critical role in maintaining and determining the future of a homeowners’ association (HOA). Whether it’s an annual board meeting or periodic committee and project meeting, it’s important that these gatherings are productive and accomplish the intended goals.   Read the entire article……………………………….

Symphonize Your HOA Meetings

A well conducted meeting is like a symphony. Using a well thought out plan, the Chair cues, directs, and closes the meeting much like a conductor. Conducting successful meetings doesn’t happen by chance. There is a combination of clear purpose coupled with ground rules. Here are some tips that can make your meetings like music […]

Meeting online or in-person, a hard choice (PA)

Now that things are opening up a bit, area organizations are offering live meetings alongside of the popular Zoom connectivity that have served so many during the pandemic. Providing both options in the same meeting is proving a challenge.  Ann McNiff, Executive Director of the Chestnut Hill Community Association (CHCA) envisions a hybrid of in-person […]

HOA Homefront: How to embrace hybrid meetings in your community (CA)

Before the pandemic changed our world in early 2020, who knew about WebEx, Zoom, or RingCentral, or the many other virtual meeting platforms used since that time to allow HOA members to “attend” board or even membership meetings?  In what seems like one short year, HOAs large and small have found the virtual meeting to […]

Motions Being Made That Are Not On The HOA Meeting’s Agenda

The Annual Meeting of Nottacare Condominium convenes. The Agenda shows the standard items including Review Minutes, Financial Report, President’s Report and Election of Directors. As usual, only 20% of the 95 members show up. But the board has been proactive in getting proxies from the rest so having a quorum is not a problem. The […]

HOA Homefront: If it isn’t there, it didn’t happen (CA)

When a corporation acts, its minutes document and prove that it acted. If the minutes do not record that the board of directors by majority vote approved a decision, it did not happen.  The corporate record is critical to document corporate decisions, and the minutes are a critically important part of the governing process. The […]

HOA Homefront: How to avoid the overuse of closed sessions (CA)

Perhaps the most frequently abused HOA governance tool is the closed session. Boards justify the overuse of closed sessions for various reasons, such as their open meetings are too raucous and closed sessions are more productive.      Read the entire article……………………………….

Tips for successful homeowners association board meetings (VA)

Board meetings are an important part of any homeowners association. Discussions include homeowners’ concerns, budgets, important topics, and current and upcoming events happening in the community. It is important that board members run a successful meeting.   Read the entire article……………………………….

HOA Homefront: Why is our attorney participating in closed sessions? (CA)

Q: Our board has had several closed meetings to discuss revisions to our governing documents. An attorney has been present at each of these meetings. Is this not in conflict with the Open Meeting Act since it is not discussing litigation? Does the fact that an attorney is present qualify these meetings as executive sessions?  […]

Productive Virtual Summer Meetings (AZ)

Its officially summer here in Arizona and that means that many people are leaving the Valley for cooler temperatures. It can be difficult to keep Board business going when so many people and Board members are away, but we have tips to make sure you can hold meetings and keep your association productive over the […]

Why Your HOA Should Make a Permanent Switch to Digital Board Meetings

Throughout the pandemic, a lot of changes were made to move business operations to the digital world. Video conferencing platforms became ubiquitous, not just for the safety they represented, but for the comfort of seeing the faces of family and friends. It is safe to say that every demographic now knows what a Zoom meeting […]