The Best Way To Boost Attendance At The Annual HOA Meeting

Getting homeowners to attend the HOA annual meeting is one of the most challenging tasks. A large majority of homeowners simply don’t seem bothered about association issues, which has a negative impact on attendance. However, you can take steps to increase your participation at HOA annual meetings, believe it or not.

Why it’s important to increase attendance at HOA annual meetings
An annual HOA meeting is what? The annual meeting is one thing that almost all homeowner organizations have in common. Every fiscal year, the HOA holds an annual meeting that normally happens at the start of the year and sets the tone for the events to come.

Board members address important topics at this meeting, including the yearly budget, dues, significant projects, and homeowner complaints. Elections are held during the yearly gathering as well. Homeowner attendance at the HOA annual meeting is only logical given that some of the most crucial issues are discussed there.

Furthermore, a quorum is often required for meetings to progress. The bare minimum of members required to perform association business is known as a quorum. You might not have the necessary quorum if there are too few people present. You are unable to propose the budget, take votes on matters, or conduct elections if a quorum cannot be reached. Governing documents and state legislation may have different quorum requirements.

How To Raise Meeting Attendance In HOA’s
It is obvious that involvement and attendance from homeowners are essential during yearly meetings. However, many organizations have problems getting homeowners to these meetings on a regular basis. After all, attendance is not always a requirement that homeowners must meet. However, there are several methods you may employ to increase attendance at HOA annual meetings.

1. Give Prompt Notice
   • How many times have you made arrangements with pals just to get an invitation to an event that happens on the same day that is delayed?

Homeowners frequently skip yearly meetings because of their hectic schedules. But if you give them enough time, they can mark the day in their calendars.

State laws and your governing papers will determine the notice requirements for the HOA annual meeting. For instance, groups in California are required to give at least 10 days’ notice, but no more than 90 days.

2. Promote Abundantly
   • You can provide notification of the annual meeting to homeowners in accordance with state laws and governing regulations. Typically, associations have the option of giving notice in person, online, or by letter. But you needn’t stop there.

You may promote your annual gathering using additional channels of communication. This entails putting up notices on notice boards, adding the date to the calendar on your HOA website, and designating a part of your newsletter to it. Even better, if your organization has social media profiles, you may advertise the annual gathering there.

Aside from the start and finish hours, remember to mention them in your announcements. If the meeting ends in time for supper or their preferred program, homeowners are more likely to come up.

3. Pick A Comfortable Time And Location
   • Some groups’ governing documents specify the precise date of their annual meetings. But if your town doesn’t have any such rules, choose a time that most people can agree on. The ideal times are typically in the evenings, especially if your membership includes both parents and young professionals. It could also be effective to plan it for a weekday.

The location, in addition to the day and time, has a big impact on how many people show up to the annual HOA meeting. You need a location that is both big enough to fit all of your members and near enough that nobody has to drive too far. It could work if your neighborhood’s clubhouse has a function room. A basketball court would also be excellent.

4. Share The Annual Meeting Order of Business
   • Making and distributing your meeting agenda is one approach to increasing homeowner participation at HOA annual meetings. In reality, a lot of states and governing laws demand that you give the agenda to all attendees before the meeting.

Sharing the meeting agenda, though, won’t only be a necessity; it will also let homeowners know what to anticipate. They are more likely to attend when they are aware of the topics that will be covered, especially if they have a particular interest in one of them. Your agenda should include each topic in detail and, if at all feasible, set time limitations for each item’s discussion.

5. Avoid Making The Meeting Go Forever
   • HOA annual meetings typically go significantly longer than an hour in comparison to board sessions. The lengthy list of issues the association must address is mostly to blame.

However, make every effort to keep the yearly meeting brief. This is the purpose of your agenda. Maintaining your agenda can help you keep the conversation on track. If necessary, think about including breaks so that residents may get some fresh air or process what they have heard. People will be more inclined to just get up and leave a meeting as it continues.

6. Add Life to Your Presentations
   • Let’s face it, presentations may be dull, particularly if the homeowners aren’t initially engaged with the subject. However, making your presentations interactive is a smart approach to keep things interesting. Embrace visuals, audio, and sound effects. Financial presentations that include visual elements like graphs and charts make the information easier for homeowners to understand.

The presenters must work hard to keep the audience’s attention in addition to the presentation itself. Speaking slowly and monotonously can put a householder to sleep more quickly than anything else.

7. Schedule A Guest Speaker
   • If you have the budget, think about having a guest speaker address at your annual meeting. Perhaps you could approach the police department in your area for advice on how to keep their houses secure. Even a connection to homeowners groups is not necessary. The entire space may be revitalized by having a speaker speak for a few minutes about a light-hearted subject.

8. Question Homeowners About Any Concerns
   • When there is something to look forward to, homeowners are more likely to attend meetings. Sometimes, it’s just a chance to mingle. However, there are occasions when people are really interested in a certain subject.

It’s a wonderful strategy to maintain homeowner happiness and boost HOA annual meeting attendance to ask residents about their top neighborhood concerns. Conduct a brief poll of homeowners in advance of the meeting to compile their queries and worries. Tell them that the board will discuss these matters at the annual meeting after that.

9. Provide Food And Drink
   • By providing refreshments and food, you may increase the number of people who attend your HOA annual meeting. One method is to serve a modest spread of pizza and Coke. If your budget permits, you might even go all out and reserve a food truck.

However, don’t keep it a secret. Promote this extra advantage since you’re aiming to entice people to the meeting, don’t forget. Free food and beverages will always be accepted by homeowners.

10. Conduct A Raffle Or Put On A Game
    • Free food and beverages and the chance to win prizes could be enough to persuade residents to attend the meeting, if not. The games should be spaced out to prevent individuals from merely attending them and then leaving. Maybe every 30 to 60 minutes, host a game.

A raffle with a significant reward might also be held at the conclusion of the meeting. Just be sure to remind residents that in order to be eligible for the raffle, they must attend the full meeting. By doing this, you’ll prevent members from showing up late solely for the raffle.

A Community’s Success Depends on Participation

Homeowners in HOAs frequently feel disengaged or uninterested in neighborhood issues. As a result, fewer people attend HOA annual meetings in the end. Given the significance of these meetings, you must make every effort to get homeowners to attend. One aspect of a successful HOA community is homeowner engagement.

You should start looking for an HOA management company if you want assistance with notice distribution, budget preparation, and holding yearly meetings.

Find the top one nearby by using our online directory right now.