How to Encourage Resident Participation at HOA Meetings

We understand that it can be difficult to get your homeowners to attend HOA meetings. This is very common, and you are not alone in this frustration.   

In this blog, we will walk you through five factors that may decrease community engagement in HOA meetings and how you can change the narrative to make your community members want to participate and attend meetings.  

By establishing the purpose and process of every meeting, being non-judgmental and inclusive, scheduling meetings in advance, and providing translation services, your attendance at HOA meetings will likely increase. 

Factors Affecting Resident Participation 

HOA boards should consider the factors that may decrease resident participation in their meetings. This is essential to helping create an inclusive and welcoming HOA that encourages a diverse range of opinions to fully represent the community.  

Below, we have outlined some of the factors to consider:  

1. Lack of understanding of HOA meeting purpose and processes:  

Your residents may be less likely to participate in meetings if they do not fully understand the purpose of the meetings or how the decision-making processes work within the HOA. 

2. Fear of criticism or judgment in HOA meetings:  

Some of your residents may feel hesitant to voice their opinions or participate in meetings due to a fear of being criticized or judged by other members of the community. 

3. Feeling unwelcome or excluded during HOA meetings:  

If your residents do not feel welcomed or included in the meetings, they may be less inclined to participate and engage in the decision-making processes of the HOA. 

4. Limited time is available in their schedule to attend HOA meetings. 

Your residents with busy schedules or other commitments may struggle to find the time to attend and actively participate in HOA meetings. 

5. Language barriers for non-native English speakers during HOA meetings:  

Language barriers can create difficulties for non-native English speakers to fully understand and participate in HOA meetings, leading to lower participation rates. 

Keep reading to learn more about how you can combat these factors!  

Strategies to Encourage Resident Participation at HOA Meetings 

Above, we listed some of the factors that may decrease your participation in your HOA.  

To combat those factors, you can achieve a positive HOA community through clear communication, diverse representation, and opportunities for residents to provide feedback and engage in the decision-making processes. 

By creating a community that is welcoming, you will likely see your resident HOA participation increase.
 

Below, we have explained some tips and tricks on how you can encourage resident participation in your HOA meetings:   

1. Establish the purpose and process of each meeting:  

Educating your residents on why their voice matters and how decisions will be made can help foster an atmosphere of collaboration and engagement. 

Before each meeting, take the time to explain the agenda items, provide information about any new policies or changes that might be discussed, and emphasize why resident participation is important. 

Invite specific residents to make brief presentations on topics of interest or to answer questions from the rest of the group. Encourage dialogue between board members and homeowners by providing prompt responses to questions and comments.  

Additionally, consider hosting informal social events, such as potluck dinners or game nights, before or after meetings to foster relationships and increase participation.  

Make sure to provide easy ways for residents to stay informed about upcoming meetings and other HOA-related events, such as email notifications, social media postings, and newsletters. 

You can even give out incentives such as gift cards or discounts on HOA fees for those who regularly attend meetings. 

2. Create an environment that is non-judgmental.  

Your board should make a point of emphasizing that everyone's opinions are welcome and valued, regardless of their position or status within the community.  

It can also be helpful to designate a neutral party to facilitate discussions and help ensure that all voices are heard. This person should be impartial and not be affiliated with any particular interest group. 

In addition, residents should be allowed to submit proposals or questions ahead of meetings. This gives them a chance to have their voices heard and form an opinion before the actual discussion takes place.  

The board should also consider holding smaller forums or focus groups before meetings to get feedback on specific topics. 

3. Foster an HOA community that is welcoming and inclusive.  

Encouraging resident participation in HOA meetings is an important part of fostering a successful and thriving community.  

Open your HOA meetings with a warm greeting and a friendly welcome to help set the tone for an open dialogue.  

Additionally, allow your residents to introduce themselves and provide their input at the beginning of a meeting to help create an inclusive atmosphere where all voices are valued. 

One way to do this is by creating opportunities for residents to get involved in the meeting process. This can include offering additional activities, such as Q&A sessions or open dialogue among residents at meetings, by allowing them to ask questions.  

You can also consider hosting informal social events, such as potluck dinners or game nights, before or after meetings to foster relationships and increase your HOA participation.  

Make sure to provide easy ways for residents to stay informed about upcoming meetings and other HOA-related events, such as email notifications, social media postings, and newsletters. 

You can even give out incentives such as gift cards or discounts on HOA fees for those who regularly attend meetings. 

4. Schedule HOA meetings in advance.  

The board should consider scheduling meetings at times that are convenient for the majority of residents. They can do this by taking a poll through a simple form to figure out convenient times.  

Once a meeting time has been decided upon, it is important to spread the news to members of the community. This can be done through social media, emails, newsletters, or even door-to-door visits. Making sure that everyone is aware of when the next meeting is taking place helps ensure that people are aware of the meeting and can make plans to attend.  

In addition, you can provide flexible meeting times to help those with busy schedules or other commitments schedule time for HOA meetings. 

You can also provide materials in advance of each meeting. This could include a list of agenda items as well as information about any topics that will be discussed.  

When residents know what topics will be addressed and have some background information on them, they may be more likely to attend and participate in the meetings.

Finally, it is significant to consider the length of each meeting. It is easier for busy individuals to dedicate 45 minutes or even an hour of their time at a time instead of a multi-hour time commitment.  

5. Provide Translation Services:  

We recommend providing translation services to make sure all members understand what is being discussed and can join in the discussion. 

HOA boards can also provide language-specific materials and documents during meetings, such as agendas or notes about important topics—in both English and the language of the non-English-speaking members. 

Another approach is to have designated time for comments and questions during meetings, as well as creating special committees or working groups to involve residents in the decision-making process. These committees or groups can allow non-English-speaking members to be heard and involved in decisions that affect their community.

Your HOA board should also consider creating an interactive meeting format that is tailored more specifically to the community and its needs.   

Custom Community Engagement with Management Plus 

We recognize that every community is different.  By establishing the purpose and process of every meeting, being non-judgmental and inclusive, scheduling meetings in advance, and providing translation services, your attendance at HOA meetings will increase.  

If you want to learn more about 5 other innovative ways to increase your community engagement, click here! 

Management Plus can help you create custom solutions that are designed specifically for your neighborhood and its residents.   

The community managers at Management Plus have helped dozens of communities discover pathways to meaningful community engagement to foster better neighborhood collaboration for community stakeholders.   

If you are looking for better community engagement that works for your community, click here to start a conversation with Management Plus today!  

Follow Management Plus on Facebook and LinkedIn!  

Happy with the Management Plus difference? Leave us a quick five-star review here!