Do Just One Thing! What can be done to rebuild declining nonprofit institutions?

When I travel around town these days, I often run into old friends and neighbors who know my background regarding nonprofit organizations (I served on +50 board of directors over the years), and they like to unload their frustrations on me. For example:   The president of a homeowner association complained he had to serve a second […]

Get on Board! How to Increase Member Participation at Community Meetings

One of the conundrums of co-op and condo life is how to keep members involved and interested in the governance of their building or association. Many residents are delighted to own, but less than excited to participate. That lack of engagement can ultimately cause problems–not just in the form of a limited pool of volunteers […]

Why Get Involved?

Q. I have lived in my community association for a number of years. Unlike the horror stories we occasionally read about regarding bad Boards or illogical enforcement of covenants, our community seems to be working fine. We have a good board of directors and a competent manager. One of our long time board members plans […]

Five Reasons for Joining a Co-op or Condo Board

Co-op and condo board service has its drawbacks. The pay is non-existent. The hours are long. It is almost guaranteed to stoke the ire of someone in the building. And, oh yes, it can get you sued and it rarely generates so much as a word of thanks.  Yet sane people continue to volunteer to […]

Expertise Welcome – Up to a Point

Co-op and condo boards frequently recruit residents with professional expertise who can contribute to the projects they have planned for the next several years. While this expertise can be helpful, it should be exercised carefully. Problems arise when the new board members don’t fully understand their roles and how to deal with the other board […]

Debunking the Myths of Volunteer Board Service

Congratulations! You’ve just been elected to your Board of Directors – now what? Or maybe you’ve been serving as a volunteer director for some time and you just aren’t sure which way is up. If you have been dazed and confused but still have a passionate heart to do the right thing in the best […]

Talking ‘Bout Your Generations

Four distinct generations—matures, baby boomers, Gen Xers, and millennials—own homes in community associations and are in today’s workforce. The mix of characteristics and diverse workstyles of these generations has the potential to lead to miscommunication and discord. It’s little wonder board members and managers are looking for guidance on how to create more compatible and […]

All You Need to Know About Board Member Roles

Whenever new members are elected to serve on their Board of Directors, a new tone is set for the association.  Each new Board member brings a dynamic to the meeting that sets the tone for the operation of the association. These new volunteers are, most of the time, homeowners who have a vested interest in […]

5 Effective Personality Types for the HOA Board

There are many types of personalities that can hurt your Homeowners Association Board. But, it doesn’t take much to turn this around, as the same personalities could be your best allies. How do you make the turn, you ask? Evaluate each of your HOA board member personalities – yourself included – following our 5 Effective […]

The Value of Volunteering

We’ve known for decades that CAI homeowner volunteers, community managers, and business partners work hard every day to ensure the well-being of their community associations. Over the past two years, we’ve also discovered that CAI members are dedicated to bettering the world around them.  During our 2018 Annual Conference and Exposition, CAI partnered with Clean […]

Top 10 Ways to Drive UP Homeowner Engagement in Your Community Association

Why do people choose a community association such as a condo, townhome or homeowner association? Is it because they want a maintenance-free living experience and chances to meet and mingle with neighbors?  Or, are they looking to feud with people about noise issues such as barking dogs, revving motorcycles and upstairs neighbors walking in high […]

Getting and Keeping HOA Volunteers

Over the years we’ve worked with many successful HOAs, and one of the things they all have in common is a strong volunteer base. Having people who are willing to volunteer can make all the difference for your HOA.  Below are five ways your HOA can promote positive volunteering:     Read the article……………

How to Find and Recruit Great HOA Board Members for Your Community

When your community is recruiting new HOA board members, there are certain qualities to look for in prospective members and good strategies for getting these individuals involved.  Good candidates for your HOA board are people who can delve into the details while keeping an eye on the big issues. Board members must be willing to […]

Ways to Encourage Members to Attend HOA Board Meetings (CA)

Successful communities, governed by successful Home Owners’ Associations (HOAs), typically have strong, effective boards of directors. An effective HOA board of directors conducts their HOA’s business in a professional manner, including having regularly scheduled meetings. Problems can arise, however, when one or more directors fail to attend those meetings consistently.    Read the article…………….

How Do We Change the Attitude of Homeowner Apathy in an HOA?

Homeowner apathy is a question we are asked by numerous Boards, and we can all agree, it is a universal problem. Board members should remember that the majority of people do inherently care about their association so they should not feel discouraged. Homeowners simply need certain pushes or opportunities to be placed in front of […]

Three Reasons to Become an HOA Board Member

Do you have great ideas about how your community can be managed more efficiently?  Would you like to become more involved in your HOA’s daily operations?  Do you have the time, dedication and enthusiasm to regularly volunteer your skills for the benefit of your community?  If so, then you’re a perfect candidate to run for […]

How to Make a Difference in Your Homeowner Association

Homeowner associations were created to provide a governing body for residential developments to make decisions regarding upkeep, appearance and finances. These agencies are usually composed of residents of the community. Periodic meetings are held to ensure that members of the communities are informed of issues related to them. You can make sure you have an […]

Recruiting Directors In Your HOA

From time to time, it is necessary or desirable to recruit new directors. It may due to a vacancy or an upcoming election. Often volunteers are reluctant to commit until they fully understand the scope of the job and time commitment. Here is a sample solicitation letter that outlines director duties:     Read the article…………..

6 Tips on How to Become a More Effective Board Member

Serving on the board of your homeowners association (HOA) or condo community association can be a very rewarding experience. You’re able to have a greater impact and influence on how things are run and be an integral part of decision making. But given the importance of these tasks, it is a job to be taken […]

Encouraging Board Participation How to Attract Talent

With so many people leading busy, sometimes hectic, lives that revolve around work, kids, social functions, and other obligations, it’s often very difficult for co-op/condo/HOA administrators to find residents willing and able to serve their community as board members (or ‘directors’ or ‘trustees,’ depending on what part of the country you’re in). Board members are […]

How to Find New HOA Board Members

Many homeowners association boards ask us how they can get more people involved in their community’s HOA management. The inherent issue is that an HOA board is pulling from a group of people who already lead busy lives. Serving on the board is a volunteer position with no pay and no huge incentive, other than […]

Appreciating Volunteers in your HOA Community

Most HOAs we work with rely on the help of volunteers to keep their community running smoothly, and while a job well down is something to be proud of, a little recognition goes a long way. Since volunteers can save an HOA serious amounts of money, treating them well and offering recognition will encourage them […]

A Quick Guide to Encouraging HOA Volunteerism

Sometimes people who buy a home in an HOA neighborhood may not be used to the core concepts of an HOA. In most places, you take care of your property and keep to yourself. Maybe you get to know one or two neighbors and share cookouts, but if not, that’s okay too. The idea of […]

Volunteers R.O.C.K.!

“Common areas do not automatically create a sense of community. Nurturing the community spirit is probably the greatest challenge facing community associations today.”—CLIFFORD TREESE, CPCU, ARM, CIRMS and community association guru extraordinaire  So, how can an association nurture community spirit? Through its volunteers! This article will offer a few thoughts on how to encourage volunteerism […]

You Won the Election, Now What?

Congratulations! You threw your hat in the ring, ran a vigorous issues-based campaign promising to shake up the establishment, and ultimately won a seat on your association’s board of directors. Once the champagne stops flowing, consider the following tips to get your term off to a productive start.  Read the article…………..

Get Involved in Your Community

One of the first steps in making a difference is becoming involved in your community. Because association living is the most noticeable and accessible to most homeowners today, this community involvement will often begin with your association.  So how do you become involved in your community? One way to become involved in your association is […]

Ways to Thank a Volunteer in Your Homeowners Association

Doing good may be its own reward, but most homeowners association volunteers would probably agree that it’s also nice to be recognized for the time, effort, and commitment they put into serving others, particularly in what can sometimes seem to be thankless roles.Members of homeowners associations devote their energy and enthusiasm into making their communities […]

Serve on the Board – or Pay Up

Here’s a novel way to fill those unfillable vacancies on a co-op board.  Many co-ops struggle mightily to find people willing to take on the thankless job of board service. That’s not surprising. The job comes with some to-die-for perks, including long hours, endless meetings, heavy fiduciary responsibilities, late-night phone calls from angry neighbors and, […]

You Can Make a Difference!

Driving to and from your garage and merely existing in an association is not the only option. Living within an association provides you with many opportunities to become involved in your community. Assuming you meet any qualifications which exist within the documents, one of the best ways to be involved in your community is to […]

5 Ways an HOA Board Can Encourage Member Involvement in the New Year

Since a new year is about to begin, this may be a good time for the HOA board to communicate with the Association members about several ways they can help make the community an even better place to live in the next year and beyond. See the list below for ideas to get you started. […]

HOAs: How to make community service fair

It is a basic truth that the risk in any venture should match the reward. High risk investments should bring high yields, while low returns may be acceptable for very secure investments.  The same principle should be applied to volunteer board service. Start with the reward – what is the compensation for board (volunteer) service? […]

How to make sure volunteer work does not bring risk

It is a basic truth that the risk in any venture should match the reward. High risk investments should bring high yields, while low returns may be acceptable for very secure investments.  The same principle should be applied to volunteer board service. Start with the reward — what is the compensation for board (volunteer) service? […]

Contending with Apathy Towards Board Member Service in Community Associations

Community association living has many advantages and desirable qualities. Residents share expenses in order to be able to enjoy relatively carefree maintenance of their property and the use of amenities such as pools, fitness centers, meeting rooms, and other appealing features. However, in exchange for enjoying benefits derived from community association living, such as the […]

How an HOA Board Can Ask for Member’s Help as Inspectors of Election

It’s that time again in your homeowners association – time for the Annual Director Election. To be proactive and try to drum up participation from the membership, the HOA board may want to send out a notice to the members asking for volunteers to assist in this process. The notice could include the following:   […]

Volunteer Labor in your HOA: Worth the Risk?

HOA Board members face a lot of decisions when it comes to finances. Usually those decisions involve trying to figure out how to be as responsible as possible to keep the HOA budgets in good shape. Sometimes, Boards will have the idea to rely on volunteer labor from community members for cleanup or maintenance projects […]

Resolving Underlying Conflicts Among HOA Volunteers

Diversity is a source of strength for HOA Boards and committees. Different personalities, skills and experience translate to a variety of problem-solving approaches. Yet, this diversity can also create underlying conflicts. Here are some ways to resolve common issues in community associations.    Read the article………..

The best board members are reluctant heroes with heart

Bilbo is an everyday hobbit with no intention of being great; yet along the way we find that it’s his simple, calm approach to unimaginable situations and his thoughtful demeanor that make the difference between the success and failure for Middle Earth.  The best board members are very much in the same classification as Bilbo […]

6 Ways to Change the Attitude of Apathy in Your Community

This is the question I’m asked most by our boards and I think we can all agree, if you’re on a community association board apathy is an issue that can affect even the most well-functioning communities.   Read the article……………

Heart of HOA Volunteerism

At the heart of every homeowner association is the principle of “volunteerism”. It is a noble calling which calls for personal sacrifice: giving up self interest for the greater good. Americans, arguably the most self-indulgent citizens of the world, have a curious ability to rise to the occasion and give of themselves. Americans donate considerable […]

Get involved with your HOA to protect your home’s value

We take so many things for granted as we go about our busy lives. One of them is the routine maintenance of our homes. Another is the effort required to manage our community associations and hold the property owners to a fair and equal standard.   Read more………

4 Tips for Forming Positive Relationships with Volunteers

As a property manager or community association, you’ve probably had to form and manage relationships with volunteers- and this can either work really well or it can be a struggle. On one side, having volunteers brings extra hands to the table, as well as new ideas. On the other side of things, it takes time […]

6 Ideas for an HOA Board to Encourage Involvement in the New Year

Since a new year is about to begin, this may be a good time for you as an HOA Board to communicate with your members about several ways they can help make the community an even better place to live in the next year and beyond. See the list below for ideas to get you […]

Called to Serve: Volunteers for Board Service Often in Short Supply

Speak to any volunteer-run organization, whether it is a town board, the soccer association, a church’s childcare program or the school PTO, and the same complaint resounds: “We don’t have enough people stepping up to serve.” Condominium homeowners associations (HOAs) are no exception. Finding people willing to volunteer for board positions can be difficult. Apathy, […]

Called to Serve: Volunteers for Board Service Often in Short Supply

In a dense urban or sprawling suburban environment, people can still feel isolated. While high-rise residential buildings and suburban subdivisions put many people and families in very close proximity to one another, living side-by-side doesn’t automatically transform a group of people into a community. Sometimes, just the opposite.     Read more……..

How to Recruit a Homeowner to Become an HOA Board Member

Being a board member in a homeowners association is a difficult job. It takes a commitment of time and resources, but it can also be very rewarding. Sometimes you are asked to deal with tough issues that relate to your next door neighbor – maybe even your friend. It can be tough to tell the […]

Do It Yourself: Can You Save Money with In-House Labor – And Is It Worth It?

A small-scale project is pending, and the management company is considering proposals or bids from several local contractors. The job could be as basic as trimming shrubs, staining decks or wiring some new lighting, so it’s no wonder that the perennial question from board members or trustees arises: “Why can’t our guy [the on-site management […]