Invited to join HOA board. Pros/cons?

Questions on how we spend our money and our time - consumer goods and services, home and vehicle, leisure and recreational activities
User avatar
whodidntante
Posts: 13114
Joined: Thu Jan 21, 2016 10:11 pm
Location: outside the echo chamber

Re: Invited to join HOA board. Pros/cons?

Post by whodidntante »

Shackleton wrote: Tue Oct 15, 2019 8:32 am A lot of this will depend on the type of HOA. Some HOAs are all about forcing conformity of all homeowners to their ideal "perfect" visions (see X-Files "Arcadia" episode
Is that the one where the mudman eliminates those who don't comply with the CC&Rs? It was a good show.
michaeljc70
Posts: 10843
Joined: Thu Oct 15, 2015 3:53 pm

Re: Invited to join HOA board. Pros/cons?

Post by michaeljc70 »

RickBoglehead wrote: Tue Oct 15, 2019 8:16 am We have lived in two HOAs, one starting in 1996, one starting in 2007. I served on the board of the first one for 3 years as President.

My advice is to RUN, RUN, AS FAST AS YOU CAN.

Let me explain why. HOAs are horrible, IMO. They are bastions of strife, where maybe 10 - 20% of the residents care about what's going on, and the rest don't. And many of the rest violate the rules that are designed to make the community a nicer place. I can list example after example, but that's not your question.

Those that serve on HOA boards fit several profiles. The first profile is the lawyer/wannabe lawyer that wants to make legal pronouncements on every matter brought before the board. Good chance this lawyer/wannabe lawyer hasn't even read the documents governing the community.

Another type is the agenda-driven member. This person wants to accomplish something, one thing, very badly. They'll push and push this one agenda item until it's approved, or until it's disapproved. Then they'll cease to participate.

Another is the former SVP that is now retired and wants to do everything the way his/her big corporation did.

A further type is the volunteer, the person that volunteers for everything and is totally clueless.

What you'll find is that on a 5 person board, 1 or 2 people do all the work. Or they hire a professional management company and pay them too much to do too little.

And, it's a thankless job. You will tick off 50%+ of the community no matter what you do.

I became President in our first community when there was constant turmoil and the upkeep was lacking. 4 homes refused to pay dues. I took over in a sweep of the board, all but 1 member replaced. We then did all the maintenance items, got the 4 homes to pay their dues current (or I'd file a lien), forced a bank to upkeep a property they took over, etc. By the end of year 2 I wasn't having fun. At the end of year 3 I didn't stand for re-election. And we moved soon thereafter to another state.

In our current community, last year we didn't have a quorum at the annual meeting. Rules say to adjourn and reschedule. Lawyer/President said "let's have an unofficial meeting and I'll consult with our attorney later to see if it's legal". Of course minutes don't reflect any commitment to consult, and at the non-meeting we "elected" two officers.

Today, you couldn't get me to serve on an HOA board for a huge amount of money. In addition, as we consider relocating for retirement, NO HOA is top of our list of features. While I MIGHT consider an HOA community if we hit all the other hot buttons, it will only be after close examination of the by-laws, the legal obligations (i.e. property owned), the history, etc. I would rather none.

If you still decide to serve (forum rules don't permit me to say that less nicely...), make sure you verify that the association has in place significant director/officer liability insurance, and check with your homeowner's insurance regarding coverage if sued.
+1. Largely what I've experienced. We have to beg people to be on our board.

The worst part is people don't appreciate your time...they just want to complain about every little thing. Many want everything perfect and top notch service at bottom dollar assessments. You will likely be blamed for anything that goes wrong and not thanked (or people won't even notice) for anything that goes well.

There is often a busybody on the board too who wants to pass silly rules and then cite people for them as a way to pass their time.

I'll add that some HOAs only exist because they have a sign at the entrance to the community or something like that and that is something else.
User avatar
Shackleton
Posts: 947
Joined: Mon Dec 29, 2014 5:20 pm

Re: Invited to join HOA board. Pros/cons?

Post by Shackleton »

whodidntante wrote: Wed Oct 16, 2019 11:54 pm
Shackleton wrote: Tue Oct 15, 2019 8:32 am A lot of this will depend on the type of HOA. Some HOAs are all about forcing conformity of all homeowners to their ideal "perfect" visions (see X-Files "Arcadia" episode
Is that the one where the mudman eliminates those who don't comply with the CC&Rs? It was a good show.
Yes! The "thought monster" goes after those that don't conform to the CC&Rs. I always think of that episode when over-reaching HOAs come up.
“Superhuman effort isn't worth a damn unless it achieves results.” ~Ernest Shackleton
birdy
Posts: 376
Joined: Sun May 02, 2010 7:31 pm

Re: Invited to join HOA board. Pros/cons?

Post by birdy »

In our area, we are required to have a HOA when the neighborhoods are built out. No one here really wants to be on the board, but we work hard to keep the board full. If we don't have enough folks volunteer to be board members, we would have to hire a management company for our neighborhood. No one wants that to happen because it would at least triple our HOA dues!!! If we need to vote on something, we put proxies on everyone's door and/or mass email them so we have enough people to vote. We have a core group of about 15 people that participate on a regular basis. Majority of owners don't care and won't participate. As long as we are able to collect HOA dues from everyone, we can take care of neighborhood (landscaping at our two entrances, maintain the fence around the neighborhood (required by city), and have a picnic for National Night Out. We have no amenities to upkeep, thank goodness. I was the neighborhood watch leader for three years. It really can be a thankless job I know.

birdy
User avatar
whodidntante
Posts: 13114
Joined: Thu Jan 21, 2016 10:11 pm
Location: outside the echo chamber

Re: Invited to join HOA board. Pros/cons?

Post by whodidntante »

Shackleton wrote: Thu Oct 17, 2019 7:57 pm
whodidntante wrote: Wed Oct 16, 2019 11:54 pm
Shackleton wrote: Tue Oct 15, 2019 8:32 am A lot of this will depend on the type of HOA. Some HOAs are all about forcing conformity of all homeowners to their ideal "perfect" visions (see X-Files "Arcadia" episode
Is that the one where the mudman eliminates those who don't comply with the CC&Rs? It was a good show.
Yes! The "thought monster" goes after those that don't conform to the CC&Rs. I always think of that episode when over-reaching HOAs come up.
That show is timeless. Well, except for the scenes where they use mobile phones. :happy
User avatar
flossy21
Posts: 555
Joined: Sun May 27, 2007 2:04 pm

Re: Invited to join HOA board. Pros/cons?

Post by flossy21 »

baliktad wrote: Wed Oct 16, 2019 11:09 pm Board member for 12 years, president for 5. Like other posters above, better to be on the board and know what's going on than to not be on the board and have the seat filled by someone clueless or worse, someone with an agenda.

A HOA is a Property Management company. Not the Neighborhood Police. Not the Neighborhood Court System. A Property Management company that exists to take care of specific property in perpetuity, that happens to operate as a volunteer not-for-profit corporation rather than a for-profit business. Many owners don't understand this, and treat the HOA like any other utility: pay the bill every month, complain when rates go up, but otherwise don't think about it much until something is broken. Do you thank (or even think about) the board of commissioners who run your local water/sewer district? Do you know their names or what they do, or how well the water treatment facilities are running, or whether the water district will have enough money for a new holding tank when the time comes? This is how many people treat HOA board members. "Not my life, not my problem." Be prepared for this.

Running a HOA is work. Running a HOA effectively is very hard work. Running a HOA effectively after it has been mismanaged for years or decades is nigh impossible, but it can be done.

The first step is to Get Help. It took me years to realize that my HOA's problems weren't even the slightest bit unique. Every problem your HOA has, has happened many times before in very similar circumstances. People don't pay their dues, people complain about pets pooping, people complain about where their neighbors park, or the noise, or the smell, or anything else that happens when people live in close quarters. All of these seem like local, my-HOA-specific problems when you see them from your seat on the board, but these are all common circumstances and there's lots of thought and experience from others in identical situations you can lean on. Join CAI for access to a bunch of resources: contacts, vendors, reference materials. The CAI Board Member Toolkit is a great place to start reading to get your bearings.

After many years of board service, I've boiled down our board's priorities to these 2 goals:
  • Protect the Property (know what the HOA is responsible for, keep things in good repair and working order, do the required maintenance before stuff breaks)
  • Protect the Money (collect dues on time, obtain & understand a reserve study, save properly for future expenses, reduce costs where possible)
It's amazing how everything falls into perspective when you really focus on these 2 points. Everything the HOA does should accrue to one of these goals. Everything else: the neighbor squabbles, the nitpicking, the gossip, the complaints, the garbage cans, everything else will fall to the wayside if you can concentrate on just those two. (This doesn't really reduce the work, but it can help you recognize what work is important and what's not.)

Some other resources:

/r/HOA - Younger crowd and a lot of "Can my HOA really do this?" but useful engagement
HOATalk forums - Largely volunteer board members, mostly good insights with a few jaded tyrants seeking validation
Your HOA's CC&R's - This is your HOA Bible, have a copy and try to at least skim it so you understand the rules everyone has already agreed to
Outstanding post! Thanks!
ARoseByAnyOtherName
Posts: 1000
Joined: Wed Apr 26, 2017 12:03 am

Re: Invited to join HOA board. Pros/cons?

Post by ARoseByAnyOtherName »

Whatever you do don’t end up like this HOA:
https://www.cnn.com/2019/10/17/us/flagp ... index.html
User avatar
Steelersfan
Posts: 4129
Joined: Thu Jun 19, 2008 8:47 pm

Re: Invited to join HOA board. Pros/cons?

Post by Steelersfan »

ARoseByAnyOtherName wrote: Fri Oct 18, 2019 11:49 am Whatever you do don’t end up like this HOA:
https://www.cnn.com/2019/10/17/us/flagp ... index.html
I agree. Some amount of flexibility is an important part of being on a well functioning HOA board. There's no doubt we'd allow something like that, for that reason, for a set period of time.

In my ten years on our board we've overlooked several situations:
We have a strict one dog per unit rule which we enforce. we have plenty of dogs the way it is. But when we saw a woman walking two dogs, before we did anything we learned that one of the dogs was on it's last legs and the other dog was a puppy to replace it. We did not make an issue of it.
We also don't allow renting a unit owner's parking space to someone who doesn't live in our condo. But a very elderly woman had to give up driving and her car. When her daughter moved into a rental very near us, we said it was OK for her to use her mother's space, especially since she drives her mother to Doctor's appointments and such.
ARoseByAnyOtherName
Posts: 1000
Joined: Wed Apr 26, 2017 12:03 am

Re: Invited to join HOA board. Pros/cons?

Post by ARoseByAnyOtherName »

Steelersfan wrote: Fri Oct 18, 2019 6:17 pm
ARoseByAnyOtherName wrote: Fri Oct 18, 2019 11:49 am Whatever you do don’t end up like this HOA:
https://www.cnn.com/2019/10/17/us/flagp ... index.html
I agree. Some amount of flexibility is an important part of being on a well functioning HOA board. There's no doubt we'd allow something like that, for that reason, for a set period of time.

In my ten years on our board we've overlooked several situations:
We have a strict one dog per unit rule which we enforce. we have plenty of dogs the way it is. But when we saw a woman walking two dogs, before we did anything we learned that one of the dogs was on it's last legs and the other dog was a puppy to replace it. We did not make an issue of it.
We also don't allow renting a unit owner's parking space to someone who doesn't live in our condo. But a very elderly woman had to give up driving and her car. When her daughter moved into a rental very near us, we said it was OK for her to use her mother's space, especially since she drives her mother to Doctor's appointments and such.
I wish all boards were as level headed as yours!
User avatar
Elric
Posts: 731
Joined: Fri Dec 07, 2018 11:23 pm
Location: Virginia
Contact:

Re: Invited to join HOA board. Pros/cons?

Post by Elric »

JoeRetire wrote: Tue Oct 15, 2019 6:05 pm Have you attended Board Meetings in the past, so that you have a sense of how your particular board works together? Why did one member step down?

I had been looking for ways to help our community since we moved here over 7 years ago. Shortly after getting here, I created our HOA's website and I still run it. I took over our HOA's Treasurer role for the past few years. Earlier this year I was asked to run for a seat on the board. I ran and got elected. We have an interesting cast of characters currently on the board.

For me, it's been pretty much all good. I get to help our friends. People seem to appreciate it. Things get done. I enjoy it. I tend to be of the "if you want things right, do them yourself" mindset.

It is a bit more work, but not a big deal for me. Our HOA is pretty small (34 units), and the work isn't huge. Sometimes issues come up that require a difficult/awkward conversation with one or more homeowners. But nothing we can't handle so far.

Give it a try and see what happens. You might well enjoy it.
Pretty much like myself.I've been on the board about 5 years now, treasurer for about 4, and run the website (which I think I'll be able to hand off this year to a new board member, and I plan to step down from the board and as treasurer when my current term ends after next year). In the past, my wife has served time on the board and been the treasurer as well. Also, I *DON'T* want an overly activist HOA, so being on the board help with that!

I see it as 1) like jury duty, a civic obligation to serve from time to time, as if we had to hire a management company the annual assessments would likely quadruple. (We have a small, 48 home neighborhood). Our board, FYI, tries to have 9 people on it, elected for 3 year terms, 1/3rd of the seats open up each year. Some always have to recruit new members (we try to get turnover and a mix of returning and new board members every year). Some years we have to recruit 1 or 2 candidates the day of the election, which, pre-COVID, we hold at our annual picnic and meeting.

It's mostly a nice way to deal with minor things that need doing and get together regularly with some of the neighbors (via Zoom this past year). Yes, there are occassionally headaches and 1 or 2 annoying homeowners. We just resolved one issue with a covenants violation that impacted a neighbor of the violating property and dragged on for 18 months. But those are relatively rare.

DO be sure the HOA Board has D&O insurance, as others have said. Unlike others, unless you have a lot of HOA-owned property and capital items (like a townhome association), I think you're too small to want to hire an HOA management company. I live in Virginia, and frankly the biggest recurring hassle, which isn't THAT big, is the state keeps adding rules year after year that we need to track, and update the state-mandated disclosure packet for prospective buyers. We have to send out dues reminders and a few people are a little late each year, but that only really affects the treasurer. We did have to file a lien on one house, which didn't pay for several years, but that was a very rare exception.

Bottom line: if you're interested, it's worth doing, so long as the board isn't toxic.
"No man is free who must work for a living." (Illya Kuryakin)
User avatar
JoeRetire
Posts: 15381
Joined: Tue Jan 16, 2018 1:44 pm

Re: Invited to join HOA board. Pros/cons?

Post by JoeRetire »

Elric wrote: Wed Apr 07, 2021 1:15 pm I see it as 1) like jury duty, a civic obligation to serve from time to time, as if we had to hire a management company the annual assessments would likely quadruple. (We have a small, 48 home neighborhood).
Agreed! We keep our costs low, and our rules less stringent that way. That's good for me.

The biggest current hassle is that our President doesn't own or use a computer! So I constantly have to print things out and give them to her. She's also the head of the Landscaping Committee and the vendors involved always send her emails to me. Ugh! If I had my way, everyone on the Board and every Committee head would need to have and use a computer. Things would be much simpler. Oh well.
This isn't just my wallet. It's an organizer, a memory and an old friend.
User avatar
FrankLUSMC
Posts: 300
Joined: Tue Nov 28, 2017 12:43 pm

Re: Invited to join HOA board. Pros/cons?

Post by FrankLUSMC »

RickBoglehead wrote: Tue Oct 15, 2019 8:16 am We have lived in two HOAs, one starting in 1996, one starting in 2007. I served on the board of the first one for 3 years as President.

My advice is to RUN, RUN, AS FAST AS YOU CAN.

Let me explain why. HOAs are horrible, IMO. They are bastions of strife, where maybe 10 - 20% of the residents care about what's going on, and the rest don't. And many of the rest violate the rules that are designed to make the community a nicer place. I can list example after example, but that's not your question.

Those that serve on HOA boards fit several profiles. The first profile is the lawyer/wannabe lawyer that wants to make legal pronouncements on every matter brought before the board. Good chance this lawyer/wannabe lawyer hasn't even read the documents governing the community.

Another type is the agenda-driven member. This person wants to accomplish something, one thing, very badly. They'll push and push this one agenda item until it's approved, or until it's disapproved. Then they'll cease to participate.

Another is the former SVP that is now retired and wants to do everything the way his/her big corporation did.

A further type is the volunteer, the person that volunteers for everything and is totally clueless.

What you'll find is that on a 5 person board, 1 or 2 people do all the work. Or they hire a professional management company and pay them too much to do too little.

And, it's a thankless job. You will tick off 50%+ of the community no matter what you do.

I became President in our first community when there was constant turmoil and the upkeep was lacking. 4 homes refused to pay dues. I took over in a sweep of the board, all but 1 member replaced. We then did all the maintenance items, got the 4 homes to pay their dues current (or I'd file a lien), forced a bank to upkeep a property they took over, etc. By the end of year 2 I wasn't having fun. At the end of year 3 I didn't stand for re-election. And we moved soon thereafter to another state.

In our current community, last year we didn't have a quorum at the annual meeting. Rules say to adjourn and reschedule. Lawyer/President said "let's have an unofficial meeting and I'll consult with our attorney later to see if it's legal". Of course minutes don't reflect any commitment to consult, and at the non-meeting we "elected" two officers.

Today, you couldn't get me to serve on an HOA board for a huge amount of money. In addition, as we consider relocating for retirement, NO HOA is top of our list of features. While I MIGHT consider an HOA community if we hit all the other hot buttons, it will only be after close examination of the by-laws, the legal obligations (i.e. property owned), the history, etc. I would rather none.

If you still decide to serve (forum rules don't permit me to say that less nicely...), make sure you verify that the association has in place significant director/officer liability insurance, and check with your homeowner's insurance regarding coverage if sued.
+1000 and get ready to be called all kinds of names should you try and enforce something.
User avatar
Sandtrap
Posts: 19591
Joined: Sat Nov 26, 2016 5:32 pm
Location: Hawaii No Ka Oi - white sandy beaches, N. Arizona 1 mile high.

Re: Invited to join HOA board. Pros/cons?

Post by Sandtrap »

Boards, chairs, and committees....etc.

Depending on positions.
And depending if position is code compliance
.....
You will be noticed
You will be liked or disliked or resented
You will make friends....and alliances...or otherwise
Sometimes it feels important
Sometimes it is rewarding ....or thankless
You can make a positive difference and make changes to benefit others equitably.....or feels like treading water.
You will or will not have authority and influence over others.

Sometimes it is like owning a boat where the most exciting days at when first starting and when ending.
j🌺
Wiki Bogleheads Wiki: Everything You Need to Know
alfaspider
Posts: 4816
Joined: Wed Sep 09, 2015 4:44 pm

Re: Invited to join HOA board. Pros/cons?

Post by alfaspider »

Every time I read threads like this, I am so happy that I don't have an HOA to worry about.

Rules governing who can park in my own driveway or how many dogs I can have? I don't care how reasonable the board is about it, that should be nobody's business but mine.
Turkishcoffee
Posts: 56
Joined: Sat May 25, 2019 5:16 pm

Re: Invited to join HOA board. Pros/cons?

Post by Turkishcoffee »

alfaspider wrote: Wed Apr 07, 2021 4:14 pm Every time I read threads like this, I am so happy that I don't have an HOA to worry about.

Rules governing who can park in my own driveway or how many dogs I can have? I don't care how reasonable the board is about it, that should be nobody's business but mine.
Perfectly reasonable reaction, until for whatever reasons, sometimes financial, you choose to live in a condo or townhouse. Then you share walls and common spaces. Your neighbors “common sense” or lack thereof then tends to bother you when they leave dog poop bags in your lawn, party loudly at midnight or burn your lawn out with dog pee. Then it starts to get petty.

Essentially, when you make space shared, people, inherently selfish, tend to get crazy. And those same selfish people make up hoa board members. You can’t legislate common sense or good manners, but most HOA’s are meant for that purpose.
Marseille07
Posts: 16054
Joined: Fri Nov 06, 2020 12:41 pm

Re: Invited to join HOA board. Pros/cons?

Post by Marseille07 »

miamivice wrote: Tue Oct 15, 2019 7:56 am Just recently, I was invited to join the HOA board. I had put together a presentation of some concerns around our neighborhood, it impressed the board, and they decided that maybe I should join. They apparently had someone recently step down and need to backfill the position.

For those folks who have served on the board, I am wondering what the pros/cons of board membership are? For what reasons might this be a good or bad thing?
You get to have a say in HOA due increases. When I was in one, 50% of HOA dues went unspent, yet they kept on hiking the dues year after year.
User avatar
Sandtrap
Posts: 19591
Joined: Sat Nov 26, 2016 5:32 pm
Location: Hawaii No Ka Oi - white sandy beaches, N. Arizona 1 mile high.

Re: Invited to join HOA board. Pros/cons?

Post by Sandtrap »

Turkishcoffee wrote: Wed Apr 07, 2021 7:18 pm
alfaspider wrote: Wed Apr 07, 2021 4:14 pm Every time I read threads like this, I am so happy that I don't have an HOA to worry about.

Rules governing who can park in my own driveway or how many dogs I can have? I don't care how reasonable the board is about it, that should be nobody's business but mine.
Perfectly reasonable reaction, until for whatever reasons, sometimes financial, you choose to live in a condo or townhouse. Then you share walls and common spaces. Your neighbors “common sense” or lack thereof then tends to bother you when they leave dog poop bags in your lawn, party loudly at midnight or burn your lawn out with dog pee. Then it starts to get petty.

Essentially, when you make space shared, people, inherently selfish, tend to get crazy. And those same selfish people make up hoa board members. You can’t legislate common sense or good manners, but most HOA’s are meant for that purpose.
Well said!
Good points.

j🌺
Wiki Bogleheads Wiki: Everything You Need to Know
DurangoWino
Posts: 115
Joined: Wed Feb 08, 2017 4:15 pm

Re: Invited to join HOA board. Pros/cons?

Post by DurangoWino »

I was President of our Municipal Utility District (a Texas thing) and most of the time we did not have to deal with homeowner issues, but when they came up it was simply miserable dealing with it. Folks when dealing with their home owner issues are just jerks at times. I never ever, even remotely considered serving on our HOA due to people just turn into jerks when it comes to their homes and property. This is the type of crap that keeps you up at night because people can be so rude and inconsiderate. Once you start dealing with enforcement of rules and regulations for the HOA then it gets really fun. As stated before run away from this as fast as you can.
denovo
Posts: 4808
Joined: Sun Oct 13, 2013 1:04 pm

Re: Invited to join HOA board. Pros/cons?

Post by denovo »

NotWhoYouThink wrote: Tue Oct 15, 2019 6:21 pm
miamivice wrote: Tue Oct 15, 2019 7:56 am Just recently, I was invited to join the HOA board. I had put together a presentation of some concerns around our neighborhood, it impressed the board, and they decided that maybe I should join. They apparently had someone recently step down and need to backfill the position.

For those folks who have served on the board, I am wondering what the pros/cons of board membership are? For what reasons might this be a good or bad thing?
Yes, some homeowners treat you like an employee and are always making some requests, some quite inane. I found the best way to deal with them was to agree to form an ad hoc committee to look into whatever complaint they had and for them to chair such committee. That always ended the complaint or concern.
Sounds like it might work in this case.
I agree this is what is happening.
"Don't trust everything you read on the Internet"- Abraham Lincoln
an_asker
Posts: 4903
Joined: Thu Jun 27, 2013 2:15 pm

Re: Invited to join HOA board. Pros/cons?

Post by an_asker »

baliktad wrote: Wed Oct 16, 2019 11:09 pm Board member for 12 years, president for 5. Like other posters above, better to be on the board and know what's going on than to not be on the board and have the seat filled by someone clueless or worse, someone with an agenda.

A HOA is a Property Management company. Not the Neighborhood Police. Not the Neighborhood Court System. A Property Management company that exists to take care of specific property in perpetuity, that happens to operate as a volunteer not-for-profit corporation rather than a for-profit business. Many owners don't understand this, and treat the HOA like any other utility: pay the bill every month, complain when rates go up, but otherwise don't think about it much until something is broken. Do you thank (or even think about) the board of commissioners who run your local water/sewer district? Do you know their names or what they do, or how well the water treatment facilities are running, or whether the water district will have enough money for a new holding tank when the time comes? This is how many people treat HOA board members. "Not my life, not my problem." Be prepared for this.
HOA is not a management company. HOA hires a management company. Big difference. The problem occur when folks on the board start acting like local fiefs instead of understanding that it is a volunteer position to serve fellow homeowners.
Running a HOA is work. Running a HOA effectively is very hard work. Running a HOA effectively after it has been mismanaged for years or decades is nigh impossible, but it can be done.
You can work hard, or you can work smart. I have been in two boards - I quit after serving for two years in one; have been in the other one for over a decade now.
[...]People don't pay their dues, people complain about pets pooping, people complain about where their neighbors park, or the noise, or the smell, or anything else that happens when people live in close quarters.[...]
Other than the dues aspect, I don't understand why HOA should even be involved in the other items mentioned! Surely there are areas in the country without HOAs and folks get along just fine?

One thing I still dislike is how HOAs have all these rules about approved colours for painting, etc. And the discussion on how your property values are impacted by neighbour's colour scheme! Believe me, with today's interest rates, houses will fly off the proverbial shelf even if your neighbour paints his/her house a garish pink ... if you live in the right location, of course!
an_asker
Posts: 4903
Joined: Thu Jun 27, 2013 2:15 pm

Re: Invited to join HOA board. Pros/cons?

Post by an_asker »

Steelersfan wrote: Fri Oct 18, 2019 6:17 pm
ARoseByAnyOtherName wrote: Fri Oct 18, 2019 11:49 am Whatever you do don’t end up like this HOA:
https://www.cnn.com/2019/10/17/us/flagp ... index.html
I agree. Some amount of flexibility is an important part of being on a well functioning HOA board. There's no doubt we'd allow something like that, for that reason, for a set period of time.

In my ten years on our board we've overlooked several situations:
We have a strict one dog per unit rule which we enforce. we have plenty of dogs the way it is. But when we saw a woman walking two dogs, before we did anything we learned that one of the dogs was on it's last legs and the other dog was a puppy to replace it. We did not make an issue of it.
We also don't allow renting a unit owner's parking space to someone who doesn't live in our condo. But a very elderly woman had to give up driving and her car. When her daughter moved into a rental very near us, we said it was OK for her to use her mother's space, especially since she drives her mother to Doctor's appointments and such.
That's a good board.
an_asker
Posts: 4903
Joined: Thu Jun 27, 2013 2:15 pm

Re: Invited to join HOA board. Pros/cons?

Post by an_asker »

alfaspider wrote: Wed Apr 07, 2021 4:14 pm Every time I read threads like this, I am so happy that I don't have an HOA to worry about.

Rules governing who can park in my own driveway or how many dogs I can have? I don't care how reasonable the board is about it, that should be nobody's business but mine.
Agreed.

Which part of the country do you live in? It matters! For instance, my understanding is that it's rare for a place in FL not to have an HOA.
alfaspider
Posts: 4816
Joined: Wed Sep 09, 2015 4:44 pm

Re: Invited to join HOA board. Pros/cons?

Post by alfaspider »

an_asker wrote: Thu Apr 08, 2021 7:17 am
alfaspider wrote: Wed Apr 07, 2021 4:14 pm Every time I read threads like this, I am so happy that I don't have an HOA to worry about.

Rules governing who can park in my own driveway or how many dogs I can have? I don't care how reasonable the board is about it, that should be nobody's business but mine.
Agreed.

Which part of the country do you live in? It matters! For instance, my understanding is that it's rare for a place in FL not to have an HOA.
Texas. It's an older neighborhood (first developed 1960s) that may have had a HOA at one point, but does not anymore.
alfaspider
Posts: 4816
Joined: Wed Sep 09, 2015 4:44 pm

Re: Invited to join HOA board. Pros/cons?

Post by alfaspider »

Turkishcoffee wrote: Wed Apr 07, 2021 7:18 pm
alfaspider wrote: Wed Apr 07, 2021 4:14 pm Every time I read threads like this, I am so happy that I don't have an HOA to worry about.

Rules governing who can park in my own driveway or how many dogs I can have? I don't care how reasonable the board is about it, that should be nobody's business but mine.
Perfectly reasonable reaction, until for whatever reasons, sometimes financial, you choose to live in a condo or townhouse. Then you share walls and common spaces. Your neighbors “common sense” or lack thereof then tends to bother you when they leave dog poop bags in your lawn, party loudly at midnight or burn your lawn out with dog pee. Then it starts to get petty.

Essentially, when you make space shared, people, inherently selfish, tend to get crazy. And those same selfish people make up hoa board members. You can’t legislate common sense or good manners, but most HOA’s are meant for that purpose.
After living in apartments and townhouses on the East Coast, I said "never again" to any dwelling unit that shares a wall, floor, or ceiling with anybody else's. If I'm ever forced into an apartment due to economics, I will be renting.
Mr. Rumples
Posts: 2979
Joined: Sun Aug 25, 2019 7:16 am

Re: Invited to join HOA board. Pros/cons?

Post by Mr. Rumples »

Whenever I lived in an HOA, I was on the board at some time. I saw it as a way to know what was going on and protect my investment.

Some HOA boards are cutthroat. Others work by consensus. Some are dominated by one person, others not. Some are very hands on; some not. Some are ignorant of the laws governing HOA's, others not. If it is a board which works by consensus and follows statute, I would take the position since it is for a more limited time than a full term. You might find you hate it or that you love it - we had two people who were very good and who had been on the board for over a decade developing an expertise which was difficult to acquire.

Yes, it is work, yes, some people don't appreciate the work, but most do and that appreciation will follow when after being on the board, you raise a concern. I noticed boards pay very close attention to people who have "paid their dues" so to speak by being on the board and even to those who at least tried but could not hack it.

Just be sure they have D&O insurance.
"History is the memory of time, the life of the dead and the happiness of the living." Captain John Smith 1580-1631
AugustusLeo
Posts: 2
Joined: Tue May 17, 2022 3:23 pm

Re: Invited to join HOA board. Pros/cons?

Post by AugustusLeo »

Oh man - I've been through all the pros and cons which so many thoughtful people have added in. In general its a thankless job, people misbehave and treat you with disrespect at times. They will not hesitate to call you out if anything is not working properly - lights, garbage, snow, you name it. Its great if everyone is vested on the board, but many are sleepers and don't contribute.
One issue is always with people suspecting you with money and expenses - the Seinfeld "Cadillac" episode stands true, beware if you are the treasurer or president and buy a luxury car, you are in for a nightmare.
In general I feel everyone home owner must serve for sometime to understand how a HOA works and community stays in good shape.
AugustusLeo
Posts: 2
Joined: Tue May 17, 2022 3:23 pm

Re: Invited to join HOA board. Pros/cons?

Post by AugustusLeo »

very well said "Running a HOA is work. Running a HOA effectively is very hard work."
baliktad wrote: Wed Oct 16, 2019 11:09 pm Board member for 12 years, president for 5. Like other posters above, better to be on the board and know what's going on than to not be on the board and have the seat filled by someone clueless or worse, someone with an agenda.

A HOA is a Property Management company. Not the Neighborhood Police. Not the Neighborhood Court System. A Property Management company that exists to take care of specific property in perpetuity, that happens to operate as a volunteer not-for-profit corporation rather than a for-profit business. Many owners don't understand this, and treat the HOA like any other utility: pay the bill every month, complain when rates go up, but otherwise don't think about it much until something is broken. Do you thank (or even think about) the board of commissioners who run your local water/sewer district? Do you know their names or what they do, or how well the water treatment facilities are running, or whether the water district will have enough money for a new holding tank when the time comes? This is how many people treat HOA board members. "Not my life, not my problem." Be prepared for this.

Running a HOA is work. Running a HOA effectively is very hard work. Running a HOA effectively after it has been mismanaged for years or decades is nigh impossible, but it can be done.

The first step is to Get Help. It took me years to realize that my HOA's problems weren't even the slightest bit unique. Every problem your HOA has, has happened many times before in very similar circumstances. People don't pay their dues, people complain about pets pooping, people complain about where their neighbors park, or the noise, or the smell, or anything else that happens when people live in close quarters. All of these seem like local, my-HOA-specific problems when you see them from your seat on the board, but these are all common circumstances and there's lots of thought and experience from others in identical situations you can lean on. Join CAI for access to a bunch of resources: contacts, vendors, reference materials. The CAI Board Member Toolkit is a great place to start reading to get your bearings.

After many years of board service, I've boiled down our board's priorities to these 2 goals:
  • Protect the Property (know what the HOA is responsible for, keep things in good repair and working order, do the required maintenance before stuff breaks)
  • Protect the Money (collect dues on time, obtain & understand a reserve study, save properly for future expenses, reduce costs where possible)
It's amazing how everything falls into perspective when you really focus on these 2 points. Everything the HOA does should accrue to one of these goals. Everything else: the neighbor squabbles, the nitpicking, the gossip, the complaints, the garbage cans, everything else will fall to the wayside if you can concentrate on just those two. (This doesn't really reduce the work, but it can help you recognize what work is important and what's not.)

Some other resources:

/r/HOA - Younger crowd and a lot of "Can my HOA really do this?" but useful engagement
HOATalk forums - Largely volunteer board members, mostly good insights with a few jaded tyrants seeking validation
Your HOA's CC&R's - This is your HOA Bible, have a copy and try to at least skim it so you understand the rules everyone has already agreed to
Nowizard
Posts: 4842
Joined: Tue Oct 23, 2007 5:33 pm

Re: Invited to join HOA board. Pros/cons?

Post by Nowizard »

It depends on your personality. If commonly occurring criticism of incredibly minor proportions bother you, it will be an issue. Even on the HOA Board there will be those who join wanting to advocate for positions such as what is perceived as unneeded video cameras at subdivision entry points or taking the subdivision private for perceived safety reasons. Larger issues such as these are at least sometimes decided by maneuvering or unfounded fear regarding safety rather than due to need, causing substantial turmoil. On the other hand, a well-functioning HOA is a great bonus for future property value and community cohesion. If your "suggestions" are substantial and controversial for some residents, that may mean you are just the right person to help resolve them or that the build-up of issues has other sources others have attempted to resolve unsuccessfully. There are always several families with considerable sway, sometimes behind the scenes. In short, evaluate carefully.

Tim
User avatar
Kenkat
Posts: 9549
Joined: Thu Mar 01, 2007 10:18 am
Location: Cincinnati, OH

Re: Invited to join HOA board. Pros/cons?

Post by Kenkat »

Kenkat wrote: Tue Oct 15, 2019 5:52 pm
Watty wrote:Tue Oct 15, 2019 10:41 am 3) Even in a mid-range subdivision there may be more people than you realize that go through bankruptcy and foreclosure and having the lien on the property will help the HOA still collect the dues. If people are having financial problems and having problems paying their dues it is fine to work with them but some people may not pay their dues just because they don't want to and just ignore the bill. You may need to revise the bi-laws but have a set policy that when someone is X months behind in their dues that they have a lien put on their house and they will be also be charged the legal fees and interest. If you send them several notices before you actually put the lien on the property most people will pay the back dues.
I am the Treasurer of our small residential HOA (19 houses). No one else really wants the job. We have one house who has not paid their association dues for a couple of years now (only $200 per year). Strange family and a long story - the house was built new and then not occupied for a few years, husband died, older wife had special needs son and deadbeat son, kids come and go along with son’s current girlfriend, house was up for sale for awhile, unpaid property taxes, etc.

What process did you have to go through to get a lien placed on the house? I don’t necessarily want to become the neighborhood collection agent and bad guy either for this unpaid and mostly thankless job given the strange neighbor situation.

I have had real estate closing agents contact me when a home in the neighborhood has sold and asked if the association dues is current, so I think it is likely that we will eventually recoup the money, but it would be nice to have it recorded.
Since this thread has popped back up to the top, an update:

The deadbeat neighbors house finally sold last year. The closing agent reached out to me (as hoped) and we were cut a check for the back dues plus 10% interest per year that I applied as specified in the HOA charter. A great new family has moved in, renovated the house and have it and the yard looking great. And last year, everyone paid the annual dues on time without too much reminding. So there is hope :wink:
michaeljc70
Posts: 10843
Joined: Thu Oct 15, 2015 3:53 pm

Re: Invited to join HOA board. Pros/cons?

Post by michaeljc70 »

It depends on what type of HOA it is and who is in it. After several issues and shenanigans with my HOA (I sued them and won) I joined the board (I was elected) . I found in my association it was the only way to really know what was going on and have some influence over it. We have a management company and I wouldn't consider being on the board otherwise. I don't want people calling, texting, emailing and stopping me to complain about all the things people in an HOA complain about.

So, if you are happy with the way your HOA is run, I probably wouldn't bother joining . Otherwise, I'd consider it as long as a management company does most of the heavy lifting.
5outof10
Posts: 220
Joined: Fri Oct 22, 2021 8:03 pm

Re: Invited to join HOA board. Pros/cons?

Post by 5outof10 »

Only join a HOA board if you are going to (1) read the rules, (2) enforce all the rules as written (or go through the work of properly amending the rules), and (3) be okay with everyone hating you at some point for enforcing the rules.

The rules say no pink houses. Your friend and neighbor paints his house pink. Will you be able to stand up to him and force him to repaint the house? If he doesn't, then what?
Checking 10K, Sinking Funds 50K (HYSA/MMF), EF 50K (I bonds), Taxable/Retirement: 72% VTI, 18% VXUS, 10% BND | I would like to own a gold bar one day, to be able to say I own a gold bar.
michaeljc70
Posts: 10843
Joined: Thu Oct 15, 2015 3:53 pm

Re: Invited to join HOA board. Pros/cons?

Post by michaeljc70 »

5outof10 wrote: Wed May 18, 2022 9:50 am Only join a HOA board if you are going to (1) read the rules, (2) enforce all the rules as written (or go through the work of properly amending the rules), and (3) be okay with everyone hating you at some point for enforcing the rules.

The rules say no pink houses. Your friend and neighbor paints his house pink. Will you be able to stand up to him and force him to repaint the house? If he doesn't, then what?
In our HOA, generally the board members don't look for violations. Violations are reported to the management company by a resident and the board merely determines if a rule/regulation was violated. I'm sure there are HOAs where board members act like police.
5outof10
Posts: 220
Joined: Fri Oct 22, 2021 8:03 pm

Re: Invited to join HOA board. Pros/cons?

Post by 5outof10 »

michaeljc70 wrote: Wed May 18, 2022 9:54 am
5outof10 wrote: Wed May 18, 2022 9:50 am Only join a HOA board if you are going to (1) read the rules, (2) enforce all the rules as written (or go through the work of properly amending the rules), and (3) be okay with everyone hating you at some point for enforcing the rules.

The rules say no pink houses. Your friend and neighbor paints his house pink. Will you be able to stand up to him and force him to repaint the house? If he doesn't, then what?
In our HOA, generally the board members don't look for violations. Violations are reported to the management company by a resident and the board merely determines if a rule/regulation was violated. I'm sure there are HOAs where board members act like police.
Yes.
Checking 10K, Sinking Funds 50K (HYSA/MMF), EF 50K (I bonds), Taxable/Retirement: 72% VTI, 18% VXUS, 10% BND | I would like to own a gold bar one day, to be able to say I own a gold bar.
folkher0
Posts: 912
Joined: Fri Dec 09, 2016 1:48 pm

Re: Invited to join HOA board. Pros/cons?

Post by folkher0 »

alfaspider wrote: Wed Apr 07, 2021 4:14 pm Every time I read threads like this, I am so happy that I don't have an HOA to worry about.

Rules governing who can park in my own driveway or how many dogs I can have? I don't care how reasonable the board is about it, that should be nobody's business but mine.
I rented in a HOA neighborhood once. They made my landlord replace a very nice metal fence with a crappy wood one. Rules about how high your grass could grow and what type of plants you could put in your yard. How many dogs you can have? Unreal. What does it even mean to be a homeowner in a community like that? There were no common areas to upkeep. Just annual dues and nosy neighbors with empty lives obsessing about other peoples business.


FWIW, back then my impression was that the HOA did not augment property values, the neighborhood was one of the most affordable in town.

I would never ever buy a home in an HOA.
michaeljc70
Posts: 10843
Joined: Thu Oct 15, 2015 3:53 pm

Re: Invited to join HOA board. Pros/cons?

Post by michaeljc70 »

folkher0 wrote: Wed May 18, 2022 10:57 am
alfaspider wrote: Wed Apr 07, 2021 4:14 pm Every time I read threads like this, I am so happy that I don't have an HOA to worry about.

Rules governing who can park in my own driveway or how many dogs I can have? I don't care how reasonable the board is about it, that should be nobody's business but mine.
I rented in a HOA neighborhood once. They made my landlord replace a very nice metal fence with a crappy wood one. Rules about how high your grass could grow and what type of plants you could put in your yard. How many dogs you can have? Unreal. What does it even mean to be a homeowner in a community like that? There were no common areas to upkeep. Just annual dues and nosy neighbors with empty lives obsessing about other peoples business.


FWIW, back then my impression was that the HOA did not augment property values, the neighborhood was one of the most affordable in town.

I would never ever buy a home in an HOA.
There are, no doubt, some awful HOAs that over regulate and nit pick. However, it can work to your advantage. I don't think most people want an old pickup with no wheels sitting on cement blocks in their neighbors front yard with 2 feet high grass growing around it. Some municipalities have pretty strict codes that might prevent that, but some don't.

We have a few silly rules like work can only be done 8:30 am to 6:00 pm M-F. Well, I can see not having work done at 2am, but this is unnecessarily restrictive especially if the work is quiet (like painting). Also, some people want to be there (to supervise, prevent theft, to let the worker in) and they may be at work those hours (outside of the pandemic at least).

I definitely would avoid an HOA next time I move, but in some areas they hard to avoid.
alfaspider
Posts: 4816
Joined: Wed Sep 09, 2015 4:44 pm

Re: Invited to join HOA board. Pros/cons?

Post by alfaspider »

michaeljc70 wrote: Wed May 18, 2022 12:13 pm
folkher0 wrote: Wed May 18, 2022 10:57 am
alfaspider wrote: Wed Apr 07, 2021 4:14 pm Every time I read threads like this, I am so happy that I don't have an HOA to worry about.

Rules governing who can park in my own driveway or how many dogs I can have? I don't care how reasonable the board is about it, that should be nobody's business but mine.
I rented in a HOA neighborhood once. They made my landlord replace a very nice metal fence with a crappy wood one. Rules about how high your grass could grow and what type of plants you could put in your yard. How many dogs you can have? Unreal. What does it even mean to be a homeowner in a community like that? There were no common areas to upkeep. Just annual dues and nosy neighbors with empty lives obsessing about other peoples business.


FWIW, back then my impression was that the HOA did not augment property values, the neighborhood was one of the most affordable in town.

I would never ever buy a home in an HOA.
There are, no doubt, some awful HOAs that over regulate and nit pick. However, it can work to your advantage. I don't think most people want an old pickup with no wheels sitting on cement blocks in their neighbors front yard with 2 feet high grass growing around it. Some municipalities have pretty strict codes that might prevent that, but some don't.

We have a few silly rules like work can only be done 8:30 am to 6:00 pm M-F. Well, I can see not having work done at 2am, but this is unnecessarily restrictive especially if the work is quiet (like painting). Also, some people want to be there (to supervise, prevent theft, to let the worker in) and they may be at work those hours (outside of the pandemic at least).

I definitely would avoid an HOA next time I move, but in some areas they hard to avoid.
I'd say rules against things like derelict cars are superfluous in most nicer neighborhoods anyways. If you can afford the neighborhood, you can afford to keep your cars in running order. If the neighborhood has people who can't afford to keep their cars in running order, then an HOA is not going to fix the underlying problems that come with that. Similar with rules about general upkeep.
michaeljc70
Posts: 10843
Joined: Thu Oct 15, 2015 3:53 pm

Re: Invited to join HOA board. Pros/cons?

Post by michaeljc70 »

alfaspider wrote: Wed May 18, 2022 3:02 pm
michaeljc70 wrote: Wed May 18, 2022 12:13 pm
folkher0 wrote: Wed May 18, 2022 10:57 am
alfaspider wrote: Wed Apr 07, 2021 4:14 pm Every time I read threads like this, I am so happy that I don't have an HOA to worry about.

Rules governing who can park in my own driveway or how many dogs I can have? I don't care how reasonable the board is about it, that should be nobody's business but mine.
I rented in a HOA neighborhood once. They made my landlord replace a very nice metal fence with a crappy wood one. Rules about how high your grass could grow and what type of plants you could put in your yard. How many dogs you can have? Unreal. What does it even mean to be a homeowner in a community like that? There were no common areas to upkeep. Just annual dues and nosy neighbors with empty lives obsessing about other peoples business.


FWIW, back then my impression was that the HOA did not augment property values, the neighborhood was one of the most affordable in town.

I would never ever buy a home in an HOA.
There are, no doubt, some awful HOAs that over regulate and nit pick. However, it can work to your advantage. I don't think most people want an old pickup with no wheels sitting on cement blocks in their neighbors front yard with 2 feet high grass growing around it. Some municipalities have pretty strict codes that might prevent that, but some don't.

We have a few silly rules like work can only be done 8:30 am to 6:00 pm M-F. Well, I can see not having work done at 2am, but this is unnecessarily restrictive especially if the work is quiet (like painting). Also, some people want to be there (to supervise, prevent theft, to let the worker in) and they may be at work those hours (outside of the pandemic at least).

I definitely would avoid an HOA next time I move, but in some areas they hard to avoid.
I'd say rules against things like derelict cars are superfluous in most nicer neighborhoods anyways. If you can afford the neighborhood, you can afford to keep your cars in running order. If the neighborhood has people who can't afford to keep their cars in running order, then an HOA is not going to fix the underlying problems that come with that. Similar with rules about general upkeep.
I live in a very big city with homes that cost $50k to $50M. The code is the same, not by neighborhood. There are derelict rundown homes. You might think they wouldn't be in your neighborhood, but some people bought the house for $10k 40 years ago even though they are $700k now. This is probably less common in the suburbs. However, most suburbs aren't even that strict with things. They may have ordinances against having grass higher than x inches, but they don't typically dictate what color you can paint your house and how often or how often you should redo your driveway, replace your roof, etc.

My last house, which I built new and was over $500k 20 years ago, was next to a derelict rental property.
alfaspider
Posts: 4816
Joined: Wed Sep 09, 2015 4:44 pm

Re: Invited to join HOA board. Pros/cons?

Post by alfaspider »

michaeljc70 wrote: Wed May 18, 2022 3:29 pm
alfaspider wrote: Wed May 18, 2022 3:02 pm
michaeljc70 wrote: Wed May 18, 2022 12:13 pm
folkher0 wrote: Wed May 18, 2022 10:57 am
alfaspider wrote: Wed Apr 07, 2021 4:14 pm Every time I read threads like this, I am so happy that I don't have an HOA to worry about.

Rules governing who can park in my own driveway or how many dogs I can have? I don't care how reasonable the board is about it, that should be nobody's business but mine.
I rented in a HOA neighborhood once. They made my landlord replace a very nice metal fence with a crappy wood one. Rules about how high your grass could grow and what type of plants you could put in your yard. How many dogs you can have? Unreal. What does it even mean to be a homeowner in a community like that? There were no common areas to upkeep. Just annual dues and nosy neighbors with empty lives obsessing about other peoples business.


FWIW, back then my impression was that the HOA did not augment property values, the neighborhood was one of the most affordable in town.

I would never ever buy a home in an HOA.
There are, no doubt, some awful HOAs that over regulate and nit pick. However, it can work to your advantage. I don't think most people want an old pickup with no wheels sitting on cement blocks in their neighbors front yard with 2 feet high grass growing around it. Some municipalities have pretty strict codes that might prevent that, but some don't.

We have a few silly rules like work can only be done 8:30 am to 6:00 pm M-F. Well, I can see not having work done at 2am, but this is unnecessarily restrictive especially if the work is quiet (like painting). Also, some people want to be there (to supervise, prevent theft, to let the worker in) and they may be at work those hours (outside of the pandemic at least).

I definitely would avoid an HOA next time I move, but in some areas they hard to avoid.
I'd say rules against things like derelict cars are superfluous in most nicer neighborhoods anyways. If you can afford the neighborhood, you can afford to keep your cars in running order. If the neighborhood has people who can't afford to keep their cars in running order, then an HOA is not going to fix the underlying problems that come with that. Similar with rules about general upkeep.
I live in a very big city with homes that cost $50k to $50M. The code is the same, not by neighborhood. There are derelict rundown homes. You might think they wouldn't be in your neighborhood, but some people bought the house for $10k 40 years ago even though they are $700k now. This is probably less common in the suburbs. However, most suburbs aren't even that strict with things. They may have ordinances against having grass higher than x inches, but they don't typically dictate what color you can paint your house and how often or how often you should redo your driveway, replace your roof, etc.

My last house, which I built new and was over $500k 20 years ago, was next to a derelict rental property.
There are no derelict houses in my neighborhood, and it has no HOA. It's an older suburb (original builds were 1960s) that is now considered fairly close-in. It was never super cheap, but even if someone bought cheap, they would have been priced out by property taxes by now. It would cost over $1,000 a month in property taxes to keep a derelict home. Anybody who couldn't afford to fix such a house up would just sell to a developer before it ends up in a tax sale (after which it would probably go to a developer anyways). I suppose incentives may work differently in places with low property taxes.
bstevlin
Posts: 259
Joined: Sat Aug 02, 2008 10:05 am

Re: Invited to join HOA board. Pros/cons?

Post by bstevlin »

miamivice wrote: Tue Oct 15, 2019 7:56 am Just recently, I was invited to join the HOA board. I had put together a presentation of some concerns around our neighborhood, it impressed the board, and they decided that maybe I should join. They apparently had someone recently step down and need to backfill the position.

For those folks who have served on the board, I am wondering what the pros/cons of board membership are? For what reasons might this be a good or bad thing?
Everyone should serve a term or two on an association board. Yes, do serve on the board for the satisfaction of doing a good job. Concentrate on what you do well. I was on my condo board for 6 years, 4 years as president. At the the time we had a weak management company so the board did a most of their work. I was occasionally chided by other board members and a few association members for enforcing the the condo documents. At the last annual association meeting my opening statement was welcome to the 90% of members here to say hello and find out what's going on and the 10% of the members who here to say gimme this and gimme that. There was much laughter by the 90%. This the second year I am off the board. The current board wants me back. They said things are getting out of hand and you know how to you know how to say no. I understand a HOA is different from a condo association, but the governing bylaws are similar. Good Luck and have fun.
michaeljc70
Posts: 10843
Joined: Thu Oct 15, 2015 3:53 pm

Re: Invited to join HOA board. Pros/cons?

Post by michaeljc70 »

When you say "invited"....isn't the board elected?
Topic Author
miamivice
Posts: 2973
Joined: Tue Jun 11, 2013 11:46 am

Re: Invited to join HOA board. Pros/cons?

Post by miamivice »

michaeljc70 wrote: Thu May 19, 2022 11:57 am When you say "invited"....isn't the board elected?
Board positions are elected at the end of each term, but if there is a mid-term vacancy, the remaining existing board can invite specific homeowners to join the board and vote them on. I was invited by the existing board when I joined due to a mid-term vancancy.
User avatar
Steelersfan
Posts: 4129
Joined: Thu Jun 19, 2008 8:47 pm

Re: Invited to join HOA board. Pros/cons?

Post by Steelersfan »

miamivice wrote: Thu May 19, 2022 12:05 pm
michaeljc70 wrote: Thu May 19, 2022 11:57 am When you say "invited"....isn't the board elected?
Board positions are elected at the end of each term, but if there is a mid-term vacancy, the remaining existing board can invite specific homeowners to join the board and vote them on. I was invited by the existing board when I joined due to a mid-term vancancy.
I joined the condo board I was on the same way.

When I was on the board, from time to time we invited people to serve on the board who we thought would be good additions. If we had an opening we put them on the board until the next election. If not, when their name was put on the ballot at the next election, they got on then.

It's not like condo and HOA boards are overrun with candidates to serve. If you get invited and want to serve, you will get on the board one way or the other.
bstevlin
Posts: 259
Joined: Sat Aug 02, 2008 10:05 am

Re: Invited to join HOA board. Pros/cons?

Post by bstevlin »

Duplicate post.
michaeljc70
Posts: 10843
Joined: Thu Oct 15, 2015 3:53 pm

Re: Invited to join HOA board. Pros/cons?

Post by michaeljc70 »

Steelersfan wrote: Thu May 19, 2022 1:27 pm
miamivice wrote: Thu May 19, 2022 12:05 pm
michaeljc70 wrote: Thu May 19, 2022 11:57 am When you say "invited"....isn't the board elected?
Board positions are elected at the end of each term, but if there is a mid-term vacancy, the remaining existing board can invite specific homeowners to join the board and vote them on. I was invited by the existing board when I joined due to a mid-term vancancy.
I joined the condo board I was on the same way.

When I was on the board, from time to time we invited people to serve on the board who we thought would be good additions. If we had an opening we put them on the board until the next election. If not, when their name was put on the ballot at the next election, they got on then.

It's not like condo and HOA boards are overrun with candidates to serve. If you get invited and want to serve, you will get on the board one way or the other.
Our association of 32 units is like that. The same people are on it over and over because no one else wants to be bothered. Residents mostly get "interested" when they get a fine, assessment increase, want something done or get a special assessment. :shock:

There are some associations where it is very competitive. They do a lot of campaigning to be on the board. I think this happens more in larger associations like high rise condo buildings.
User avatar
9-5 Suited
Posts: 1307
Joined: Thu Jun 23, 2016 12:14 pm

Re: Invited to join HOA board. Pros/cons?

Post by 9-5 Suited »

I think about 5% of people are bananas crazy. I was on the board of a 200 unit condo building. About 10 people consistently came to the meetings and those same 10 people complained non-freaking-stop about every minor thing under the sun. I think some were mentally unwell. But that was what the board kept dealing with, along with their threats.

I hated pretty much every minute of being on the board, but I’m glad I did it because of the opportunity it gave me to have closer access to the board decisions and building employees. There were about three times (but three important times) when that came in great handy.

I believe I contributed roughly nothing to the community because the board was full of people who didn’t give a damn. Early on I tried to treat it like collaborative group work in my business setting, being new ideas, project plans, etc. I quickly realized no one cared. Status quo preservation was the name of the game.
Topic Author
miamivice
Posts: 2973
Joined: Tue Jun 11, 2013 11:46 am

Re: Invited to join HOA board. Pros/cons?

Post by miamivice »

I thought I should post an update.

Being on the Board has been the greatest leadership learning opportunity that I have ever experienced. I have learned how to handle conflict, how to run meetings, how to engage (otherwise) disengaged team members, and how to communicate in a professional manner to a large group of people. It has caused me to develop confidence in myself that I can be a good and effective leader and recognized by others in a leadership capacity.

I have learned how to work with vendors and how to effectively engage with others to ensure their efforts are most productive for our community and our neighborhood.

More importantly than all that, my volunteer efforts have made a significant improvement in the appearance and operation of our community. Since joining the Board, I have noticed a decrease new listings per month (thus a decrease in supply) while an uptick in the rate of sales (increase of demand). While I can't say that my individual efforts are the sole reason for the change, I do think that living in a community with a well organized HOA attracts buyers who want to live in a community with a well organized HOA. We are definitely that today.

I do recognize that not everyone likes HOAs. I personally don't care for them. However, we have one in the community that I live, and we pay dues whether or not it is run well. I'm willing to volunteer my efforts to ensure that our community has a well run HOA, for no extra cost to the community.

In summary, i would encourage everyone who wants to excel to join their HOA board. They can develop leadership skills while improving the community in which they live.
student
Posts: 10763
Joined: Fri Apr 03, 2015 6:58 am

Re: Invited to join HOA board. Pros/cons?

Post by student »

miamivice wrote: Fri Dec 09, 2022 8:10 pm I thought I should post an update.

Being on the Board has been the greatest leadership learning opportunity that I have ever experienced. I have learned how to handle conflict, how to run meetings, how to engage (otherwise) disengaged team members, and how to communicate in a professional manner to a large group of people. It has caused me to develop confidence in myself that I can be a good and effective leader and recognized by others in a leadership capacity.

I have learned how to work with vendors and how to effectively engage with others to ensure their efforts are most productive for our community and our neighborhood.

More importantly than all that, my volunteer efforts have made a significant improvement in the appearance and operation of our community. Since joining the Board, I have noticed a decrease new listings per month (thus a decrease in supply) while an uptick in the rate of sales (increase of demand). While I can't say that my individual efforts are the sole reason for the change, I do think that living in a community with a well organized HOA attracts buyers who want to live in a community with a well organized HOA. We are definitely that today.

I do recognize that not everyone likes HOAs. I personally don't care for them. However, we have one in the community that I live, and we pay dues whether or not it is run well. I'm willing to volunteer my efforts to ensure that our community has a well run HOA, for no extra cost to the community.

In summary, i would encourage everyone who wants to excel to join their HOA board. They can develop leadership skills while improving the community in which they live.
Will you be running for reelection?
Topic Author
miamivice
Posts: 2973
Joined: Tue Jun 11, 2013 11:46 am

Re: Invited to join HOA board. Pros/cons?

Post by miamivice »

student wrote: Fri Dec 09, 2022 8:45 pm
miamivice wrote: Fri Dec 09, 2022 8:10 pm I thought I should post an update.

Being on the Board has been the greatest leadership learning opportunity that I have ever experienced. I have learned how to handle conflict, how to run meetings, how to engage (otherwise) disengaged team members, and how to communicate in a professional manner to a large group of people. It has caused me to develop confidence in myself that I can be a good and effective leader and recognized by others in a leadership capacity.

I have learned how to work with vendors and how to effectively engage with others to ensure their efforts are most productive for our community and our neighborhood.

More importantly than all that, my volunteer efforts have made a significant improvement in the appearance and operation of our community. Since joining the Board, I have noticed a decrease new listings per month (thus a decrease in supply) while an uptick in the rate of sales (increase of demand). While I can't say that my individual efforts are the sole reason for the change, I do think that living in a community with a well organized HOA attracts buyers who want to live in a community with a well organized HOA. We are definitely that today.

I do recognize that not everyone likes HOAs. I personally don't care for them. However, we have one in the community that I live, and we pay dues whether or not it is run well. I'm willing to volunteer my efforts to ensure that our community has a well run HOA, for no extra cost to the community.

In summary, i would encourage everyone who wants to excel to join their HOA board. They can develop leadership skills while improving the community in which they live.
Will you be running for reelection?
Yes.

I debated it. Definitely the learning curve is more fun that the basic operations. The first 3 years on the Board I spent revamping the Board, signing contracts, improving our community, developing systems for running our HOA. Growth is definitely fun. Now that we've passed the growth phase, we are more of a operational phase. Simply running the business, wash, rinse, repeat. It's not as much fun today as 3 years ago, but I hesitate to depart because I don't want to see our community fall into decay. I have not run into others in our community that will put as much effort as I have into it.

Thus, my name is on the ballot and I am running for another term. There are three open positions and three candidates, so my chance of winning re-election is good.
student
Posts: 10763
Joined: Fri Apr 03, 2015 6:58 am

Re: Invited to join HOA board. Pros/cons?

Post by student »

miamivice wrote: Fri Dec 09, 2022 9:33 pm
student wrote: Fri Dec 09, 2022 8:45 pm
miamivice wrote: Fri Dec 09, 2022 8:10 pm I thought I should post an update.

Being on the Board has been the greatest leadership learning opportunity that I have ever experienced. I have learned how to handle conflict, how to run meetings, how to engage (otherwise) disengaged team members, and how to communicate in a professional manner to a large group of people. It has caused me to develop confidence in myself that I can be a good and effective leader and recognized by others in a leadership capacity.

I have learned how to work with vendors and how to effectively engage with others to ensure their efforts are most productive for our community and our neighborhood.

More importantly than all that, my volunteer efforts have made a significant improvement in the appearance and operation of our community. Since joining the Board, I have noticed a decrease new listings per month (thus a decrease in supply) while an uptick in the rate of sales (increase of demand). While I can't say that my individual efforts are the sole reason for the change, I do think that living in a community with a well organized HOA attracts buyers who want to live in a community with a well organized HOA. We are definitely that today.

I do recognize that not everyone likes HOAs. I personally don't care for them. However, we have one in the community that I live, and we pay dues whether or not it is run well. I'm willing to volunteer my efforts to ensure that our community has a well run HOA, for no extra cost to the community.

In summary, i would encourage everyone who wants to excel to join their HOA board. They can develop leadership skills while improving the community in which they live.
Will you be running for reelection?
Yes.

I debated it. Definitely the learning curve is more fun that the basic operations. The first 3 years on the Board I spent revamping the Board, signing contracts, improving our community, developing systems for running our HOA. Growth is definitely fun. Now that we've passed the growth phase, we are more of a operational phase. Simply running the business, wash, rinse, repeat. It's not as much fun today as 3 years ago, but I hesitate to depart because I don't want to see our community fall into decay. I have not run into others in our community that will put as much effort as I have into it.

Thus, my name is on the ballot and I am running for another term. There are three open positions and three candidates, so my chance of winning re-election is good.
Very good.
Post Reply