When running an HOA, there’s always a need for more funds. Even the most financially stable HOAs can always find ways to put more funds to good use. So, you may be wondering: Can HOAs accept donations from vendors? What about fundraising? Can an HOA donate to charities? In this article, we will discuss the implications that fundraising and donation giving or accepting can have for a homeowners’ association. Accepting Donations Whether or not an association can receive donations is usually found in the governing documents for the community. Even when not explicitly stated, the HOA should have t ..read more

There is a growing trend to rent out your home (or a room in your home) on a part-time basis. While this trend started in cities known for their tourism, it is becoming more common in suburban areas of the United States, meaning they are often popping up in homeowners’ associations. This presents a question from many board members: “are our homeowners allowed to rent out their home on a short-term basis?” The short answer: it depends. Can residents rent out their homes? Whether or not your residents can rent out their homes depends largely on the rules and laws regulating the HOA and the areas ..read more

Annual Meetings are an important part of running the association you live in. But sometimes it can be hard to garner enough homeowner attendance to make quorum, vote on board candidates, or conduct other meeting objectives. To help you build homeowner interest and meet quorum at your next annual meeting, we want to offer a few tips that can help you out! Effective Communication: Start early. Announce the annual meeting well in advance. While all states have a minimum number of days that your meeting notice will need to go out by, it’s better to send the notice out a few weeks earlier so home ..read more

With the holiday season just around the corner, it’s the perfect time for your board to start planning a festive gathering to bring your community together. Hosting a holiday party for your association can foster goodwill and strengthen your community bond. Take a look at these helpful tips to get your community parties going stress free: 1. Choose the Perfect Holiday The first step in planning a holiday party for your homeowners association is choosing the right holiday to celebrate. While December holidays like Christmas and New Years are popular choices, they can be a busy time for most peo ..read more

Winter is coming, homeowners. So, while we’re watching the seasons change, let’s look at a couple of things you can do for your lawn before temperatures drop. While the changing of leaves is beautiful, those vibrant husks are likely scattered across your lawn, in your gutters, flowerbeds, or the street drains, which can lead to problems with your yard. The best way to protect your HOA community this winter is to keep your lawn tidy, and your home and yard will thank you come spring. Rake or Mulch Whatever you do, don’t leave a blanket of leaves on your grass during the winter. Leaves blanketin ..read more

Board members take on many tasks to successfully manage their associations. Once such task is finding, verifying, and managing all the vendors that service their community. This process can feel daunting to some board members, but understanding the scope of what managing vendors entails can help make the experience smoother and keep everyone on track throughout the process! Outline the details of your project. Before you go searching for the perfect vendor, make sure you have a good idea of the project’s scope. Deciding things like budget, deadlines, and other specifications of the project are ..read more

HOAs are in the unique position of being able to coordinate and host a community garage/yard sale. This helps homeowners with the daunting task of decluttering their home, while also giving them the opportunity to make some extra cash. If your community is considering hosting a garage sale, here are some tips to help you get started! Check your governing documents. Before you start planning dates and setting up shop, make sure to check your governing documents to verify whether garage sales are allowed within your HOA. Make sure to also double check with your city, as some require permits or h ..read more

Community events are an important time of gathering neighbors together and enhancing holiday spirit! For board members, it is important to stay informed of the laws and regulations surrounding event hosting for their community. A hot topic of discussion for many boards is whether or not alcohol distribution is a good idea at an HOA hosted event. To keep communities and their members safe, we advise to never allow alcohol at community events, as the risks far outweigh the benefit. However, we encourage you to take a deeper dive into what our insurance experts have to say, in order to better und ..read more

Sometimes it’s hard to feel like connections are being made in digital meetings. The convenience of hosting a meeting online overshadows connection that may be lost when you aren’t meeting in person. However, there are still ways to create connections in your online meetings. Board Meetings, Annual Meetings, Townhalls, and the like, are essential to the maintenance of a community. Here are some tips your board can implement to help cultivate connection at your next meeting! Have a clear agenda ready. It’s important to have a clear agenda ready when the meeting starts, to avoid things like goin ..read more

There is a growing trend to rent out your home (or a room in your home) on a part-time basis. While this trend started in cities known for their tourism, it is becoming more common in suburban areas of the United States, meaning they are often popping up in homeowners’ associations. This presents a question from many board members: “are our homeowners allowed to rent out their home on a short-term basis?” The short answer: it depends. Can residents rent out their homes? Whether or not your residents can rent out their homes depends largely on the rules and laws regulating the HOA and the areas ..read more