HOA meeting management can be difficult for many homeowners associations. That’s because voting, counting ballots, meeting quorums, and organizing minutes can be tedious and challenging — even for experienced HOAs. Automating HOA meeting management may be more beneficial.
What Are the Advantages of HOA Meeting Management in HOA Software?
Self-managed associations and HOA management companies can benefit from automated HOA meeting management. How can this HOA software feature help? Here’s what associations and management companies can expect.
1. Convenience & Accessibility
Traditional HOA meeting management is far from convenient and accessible. Homeowners associations have to notify homeowners and ensure there’s a quorum for a board meeting. They must also hold the meeting at a reasonable time and location, so more people can attend. This can be time-consuming for both the board and the members. At times, some members can’t even be bothered to attend.
However, homeowners associations will have to worry less about this when they use proper HOA management software. That’s because good software has features that make meetings more accessible and convenient for everyone. Through it, homeowners associations can count quorums automatically. They may also send automated notifications to homeowners and even compile all the minutes.
In addition, some programs can even automate the voting and election process, reducing the board’s workload. A reliable HOA software even provides built-in virtual meetings so more homeowners can attend without being physically present. This helps the community reach a quorum and complete more agenda items.
2. Speed & Efficiency
Automated HOA meeting management can speed up the entire meeting process. This is because HOA software can automatically count quorum, allowing associations to waste no time doing a manual count. Moreover, they can even speed up the voting process by creating and printing ballots automatically. This allows people to vote and elect board members in no time.
In addition, an automated system can scan barcodes and count the ballots automatically so the election results can come out almost immediately. The HOA can transition much faster and allow the newly elected board members to work sooner.
3. Tracking Minutes of the Meeting
Homeowners associations are required to keep minutes of every board meeting that occurs. Moreover, they must allow members to review the meeting minutes afterward. Some states even provide a strict timeline for HOAs. For instance, California law states that board meeting minutes or a summary of the minutes must be available for viewing 30 days after the meeting.
Given how important meeting minutes are, homeowners associations must take their duties of keeping and archiving these documents seriously. However, it’s often hard to do as meeting minutes can get lost in a sea of the HOA’s files. They can also be destroyed by accidents or natural disasters like fires and floods.
This is where automated HOA meeting management comes in. Through this feature, an HOA can not only track their meeting minutes chronologically, but they can also keep an online archive of all the documents. This allows the association to keep their minutes safe from external forces. Moreover, it makes meeting minutes more accessible for board members and the homeowners. HOAs can easily comply with their state’s inspection requirements by offering electronic access.
4. Fair and Transparent Voting
Elections and voting are often a point of contention for many homeowners associations. After all, the community’s board of directors takes charge of the association’s affairs and heavily influences community matters. Many homeowners associations complain when the board is heavy-handed or abusing its power.
This is why having a fair and transparent voting and elections process is vital. Homeowners associations must see that there isn’t any dishonesty or unfairness in the voting process. Sure, HOAs may hire inspectors and third parties to help, but the current board members themselves often hire those people. It may be wise for homeowners associations that want absolute transparency to use software with HOA meeting management capabilities instead.
Through HOA software, homeowners associations won’t have to worry about rigged votes. An automated system can create and print ballots electronically for HOAs to use. Not only that, HOA software can even scan the barcoded votes immediately so nobody can tamper with the results. The HOA’s elections can stay fair and transparent, letting the homeowners feel at ease with the results.
5. Promotes Trust in the HOA
Homeowners associations that use automated HOA meeting management can promote a sense of trust in the HOA board. That’s because the residents are more likely to trust that the results of an election are fair if the voting process is automated. This eliminates any suspicion and keeps chaos at bay.
In addition, because HOAs are more able to keep track of and archive minutes, the homeowners who request to see them will be able to access them when needed. This can limit any complaints that accuse the board of keeping information from the residents.
6. Keeps Members Happy
Homeowners often pay hefty HOA assessments to maintain the community. Hence, it’s no surprise that many residents complain when the HOA doesn’t handle meetings properly. HOA meeting management software can help streamline the process and ensure everything is organized. This can keep the residents happy and make them less likely to complain.
Moreover, it also reassures the members that their HOA dues are being used for good community management. They will see that the HOA is running well and that the board is not wasting the residents’ funds.
7. Raises Reputation
A well-organized HOA will be able to raise its reputation much more than disorganized communities. This allows the HOA to fulfill its goal of raising and maintaining property values for the community members. It can also attract potential buyers to the homeowners association, thus raising more funds through assessments.
An Indispensable Feature
HOA meeting management might seem like an insignificant feature at first glance. But, it certainly benefits homeowners associations and can help the HOA operate well.
Are you on the lookout for HOA software with HOA meeting management capabilities? Look no further than Condo Manager, an industry-leading HOA management software for self-managed communities and management companies. Contact us online or call us now at (800) 626-1267 to find out more!
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