74.2 million Americans are living in homeowners associations today.
Community living is a great option for American homeowners. It comes with a unique set of perks, such as community-centric amenities and continual investment into maintenance and repairs. It also comes with a unique set of challenges, especially when it comes to community association management.
There's nothing easy about managing an HOA. In today's post, we'll help your HOA community out by telling you how to navigate some of the biggest challenges it might face.
Every community is different, but many share the same challenges. Keep reading and you'll have a clear path to set foot on and make your community thrive.
The Importance of Participation
One of the biggest challenges of community management is getting members to participate. When you buy a home in an association community, you take on a very unique living situation.
The baseline for participation in an HOA is paying your monthly fees. You need your community to do more, however, if it's going to thrive. Leadership must encourage participation in community meetings so that decisions are made that benefit everyone, not just the few who are keen to participate.
If you're having trouble inspiring your members to participate, it can be beneficial to hire outside help. A community manager understands how to get through to HOA members and involve them in important matters.
Following Guidelines
Getting dozens of homeowners on the same page is a massive challenge. One way that HOAs navigate this is to have community rules and regulations. Every homeowner should understand what the rules are and what the consequences of breaking them will be.
When you have homeowners who feel impervious to the rules, you end up with friction. Diffusing these situations can be difficult for the board, who are just volunteers and neighbors after all. Having a third party to issue penalties and resolve conflicts can create harmony in your community.
Building Strong Vendor Relationships
Strong relationships with local vendors are an important aspect of all management strategies. Maintaining an entire community's common areas is a monumental task, so you need to have contracts in place to ensure everything is done regularly.
If your HOA doesn't prioritize things like garbage removal, landscaping, or road repairs, it's going to fall apart. When members pay their dues, they expect this type of maintenance. When it doesn't happen, you're going to have a lot of unhappy homeowners.
A great way to ensure maintenance is always a priority is to hire an HOA manager. These management companies often have built-in vendor relationships, so there's no risk of missing out on important services.
Getting Community Association Management in Puget Sound
Navigating the challenges of community association management requires experience and expertise. If you feel as though your Maple Valley association is falling behind on these important tasks, it might be time to hire a manager.
At PMI Puget Sound, we can help you turn your ailing HOA into a thriving one. We offer comprehensive HOA management services to aid your HOA board and give community members the resources they need to live. Contact us today to learn how it works and what we can do for your HOA.
