Are you planning to launch a new website for your HOA? Looking for inspiration and ideas?

The best HOA websites come in different shapes and sizes. Every association has different needs, and serves a different community, after all. But they all do have some things in common, though:

• Every HOA wants to communicate with its community and keep residents stay in the loop. 
• The association will also want its website to look amazing and engage visitors with the right content. 
• And finally, the website should take some work off the HOA’s board members’ shoulders, automating many of the communication-related activities. 

Knowing that many HOAs will be planning a new website launch or redesign around now, we’ve decided to bring together some of the best HOA websites. 

We hope that this guide will offer inspiration and guide your website development project.

Are you wondering where to take your HOA in the next year? Do you wonder what goals and objectives you should be striving to achieve?

With the new year practically around the corner, it’s only natural to start thinking about plans and aspirations for the next 12 months. And if you’re considering what goals your HOA should aim for in the coming year, we’ve got you covered. 

In this article, you’ll learn how to set up realistic and achievable goals for the HOA board members. We’ll also discuss the most critical areas of HOAs operations to include in your goals planning. 

But let’s start with a quick recap...

Do you manage an HOA and sometimes find yourself struggling to stay on top of all your tasks? Are you wondering how you could become more effective at your work? 

Let’s face it; a good manager is the heart and soul of any HOA. They ensure that the association runs smoothly, after all. The HOA manager would also execute practically all of the association’s tasks. Many HOAs hire a property manager, especially to reduce the board members’ workload.  

But that often results in one hell of a job to do. If you’re in that situation too and wonder how you could do it all and deliver the results needed, this post is for you. 

You’ll learn tips that will help you - an HOA manager - to become more effective in your work on this page. 

But let’s begin by reviewing your current situation in detail.

Have you ever checked how much of your day goes towards running your self-managed HOA? Are you wondering if there’s a way to reclaim at least some of that time back? 

Good news, there is. You see, many software packages can help running a small HOA more easily. These programs help streamline administrative and many other tasks, saving you and the self-managed HOA time and resources in the process.

In this post, you’ll learn everything about self-managed HOA software options that you could consider. 

Before we get there, though, let’s talk about why you should invest in software to help run your HOA.

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Do you struggle to keep up with all the tasks piling up for your HOA? Are you wondering if there’s any dedicated HOA management software that could help streamline running the association?

FACT: Managing an HOA is no small feat. From collecting online payments and making sure that accounts are in order, scheduling board meetings, managing the community website and residents’ databases, communicating with those people, managing architectural reviews, service requests, or enforcing CC&R rules, and tens of other tasks in between, your hands are always full.  

And there seems to be no end to all this hard work.

Well, that’s not entirely true. Granted, running an HOA is always going to keep you busy. However, you can simplify and streamline most of your tasks with technology and software and save time.  

That’s what you’re going to learn about from this guide. We’ll discuss all the benefits of using HOA software and show you what options available to your association on the market today.

Let’s take it from the top.

All members of the board are responsible for the association’s overall financial health; but the treasurer has specific duties to protect the association’s assets. These duties—and the authority to exercise them—are found in the association’s governing documents and also in state laws.It’s a big responsibility, but fortunately the manager helps with many of the details.

Special meetings are unscheduled meetings called from time to time by the board for a specific purpose. Special meetings usually address issues that need immediate attention or that need more time and discussion than can be handled in routine board or annual meetings.

This post will be the last in our series regarding how to establish an effective ACC process. We hope that the information provided has been useful and relevant to your Association!

By this point in the process you should have your Committee formed, hopefully have some basic design standards/guidelines in place, and a format/process by which your Association owners can submit requests. Now…the fun begins!

In recent posts we have discussed the foundations for establishing your HOA’s Architectural Control Committee (ACC) and the “nuts and bolts” of how the Committee operates. When we last left off there was direction given regarding establish ACC Standards/Guidelines, which will be the “bible” for how your ACC functions and makes decisions.

Most recent posts have focused on the basis for forming an Architectural Control Committee (ACC) and the “nuts and bolts” of how they are formed.   We will now move forward and discuss some of the tools that an ACC will likely need in order to effectively function.

Our most recent posts have focused on the concept of an Architectural Control Committee (ACC).  We explored the basis for forming an ACC, and the typical size/structure of the Committee.  Now let’s forge ahead and discuss the actual scope of responsibilities that the ACC will be tasked with undertaking, and how it will function.

Our last article provided a basic overview of the concepts behind the authority and structure by which an HOA’s Architectural Control Committee (ACC) is established.  As a brief recap, the ACC is defined by and created by the authority granted within the Association’s governing documents. The CC&R’s will specify the structure of the Committee, and lay out the guidelines for general responsibilities that the Committee is charged with.

This post is part one of three that will discuss the authority, structure and “best practices” for facilitating an Architectural Control Committee (ACC).  A smoothly functioning ACC serves an integral role in assuring that exterior improvements and modifications executed by owners are harmonious with the standards and aesthetic expectations of the HOA.

Do you have what it takes to be a good board member? Chances are you do.

If you have a mix of some of the following traits and skills, consider running for a seat on the board.

One of the most important jobs a homeowners association Board has to do is to enforce the rules of the Association. As a Board member it is part of your duty to make sure all the regulations are followed by homeowners and the Board itself. Failure to do so can lead to chaos and confusion in your community and is a breach of your fiduciary responsibilities.

Deciding between self-managing your community or hiring a professional property management company can sometimes be tough. On the surface it may seem beneficial to forgo a property management company because of the cost savings, but don’t let that be your only focus.

CC&Rs are rules that property owners and residents must follow. Since rules are useless without a way to make sure people follow them, CC&Rs also contain provisions for enforcement. Just like the rules and restrictions, the enforcement provisions must also comply with existing laws. The enforcement process cannot violate residents’ personal rights or confiscate personal property. CC&Rs that have been around a long time may have become outdated and some of their provisions unenforceable.

Your homeowners association has three types of governing documents: Covenants, Conditions & Restrictions (called “CC&Rs”), Rules & Regulations, and Bylaws. Frequently, the function of these documents or the role the Board and property management company plays in implementing them can be confusing.

When choosing to live in an HOA, property owners agree to covenants and conditions that restrict the use of their own property for two main reasons:

• First, and most importantly, homeowners want to maintain or enhance the property’s value.
• Second, homeowners want to use and enjoy their property without annoyance, distraction, or offensive use by their neighbors that falls short of being an actual violation of any existing law.

A community association can differ from a traditional non-association neighborhood in many different ways: There’s a quasi-government that makes sure the trash is picked up and the snow is plowed. There are mandatory member dues. There might be a more centralized, coherent sense of community. And there are rules. When homeowners buy into a community association, they’re agreeing to abide by certain restrictions and regulations.

This doesn’t always go over well.