Scott Brady is co-owner and principal of Progressive Association Management, a CACM-member HOA management company serving 228 communities and nearly 15,000 homeowners throughout Southern California. Since founding the association management division in 2020, Scott has grown the company into the fastest organically growing association management firm in California by limiting manager workloads, providing full back-office support, and holding every team member accountable to documented daily service standards. |
When a board communicates consistently with owners about the issues facing the community and the steps being taken to address them, it promotes greater harmony overall. But how do you increase communication without relying on meetings that are difficult to attend and often dominated by a few loud voices? Increasingly, people receive and process information in different ways. Here are some suggestions.
Newsletters
Whether monthly, quarterly, or annually, you can have the management company include a newsletter with the monthly dues statement. Use it to give owners insight into how their assessments are being spent, highlight community events, welcome new owners, or share information about upcoming board meetings.
Annual Disclosure Update
By law, the management company must send annual disclosures to all owners, including the approved budget, reserve study, balcony inspection if applicable, rules and regulations, the owner contact form, and any other required information. This is a good opportunity to discuss the board’s decision making and any issues the community may be facing in the coming year.
Owners should never be surprised by a dues increase or a special assessment. Those things should be communicated well in advance. Owners are generally understanding about increases when the board provides a clear explanation. No one will fault the board for inflation, a spike in insurance premiums, or an unexpected expense. Those things happen to properties outside of associations too. What frustrates owners is receiving a 20% dues increase with the approved budget and no explanation attached.
Video from the President
Video is easy to produce and a highly effective communication tool. It takes just a few minutes, or even just a few seconds, and truly personalizes the message. Video has double the open rate compared to standard email and brings more nuance to the communication. It is much harder to dismiss a neighbor speaking directly about their community than it is to delete an email or toss a letter.
Record the Meetings
If your board meetings are conducted on Zoom or similar software, record them and share the recording with all owners. The more transparent a board is, the more trust it builds with the community. Owners who were unable to attend in person can stay engaged and informed without feeling left out of the process.
Community Website or Facebook Page
Larger communities often have the resources to maintain their own website or Facebook page. These platforms give owners access to real estate activity in the community, event information, management company contact details, and a place to connect with neighbors. The best ones are positive and informative. The worst ones become places where people complain and point fingers. If you create one, set the tone early and moderate it accordingly.
Email Campaigns
Do not underestimate a well-timed blast email to your owners. Make sure the subject line references your community so it does not get flagged as junk mail, and use email sparingly so it does not lose its impact. For important community issues, upcoming meetings, and critical notifications, email remains a viable and effective option.
The Bottom Line
These are just a few ways to keep your owners engaged and informed without adding more meetings to the calendar. Regardless of which approach you choose, the key is consistency. Commit to communicating with your owners regularly, and do not be afraid to over-communicate when it matters.
Have questions about how a well-managed association handles owner communication? We are here to help.
