A well-managed community is a full time job, but it doesn’t have to be a burden. Instead of burdening the board and community managers with every HOA need, consider using volunteer-based committees. Like board members, volunteers from your community have the best interest of the neighborhood in mind. By leveraging their willingness to help out, your community will benefit from their work, ideas, and commitment.

In this two part blog series we’ll talk about what committees are and their benefits, then cover the most popular and effective types of committees. Today we’ll cover the benefits of committees, how to organize one, and how to get the best results from them! Let’s start with the three reasons we think committees help almost every community:

  1. Committees offer community members a chance to be involved, which generally means HOA issues are easier to resolve and membership is more invested in the future of the neighborhood.
  2. Since committees are comprised of volunteers who likely have a good read on the needs and wants of the community, they are generally helpful for gathering information, making policy recommendations, and suggesting solutions. They can also help by organizing community events to foster a sense of community in your neighborhood!
  3. Committees are a great way for those interested in becoming board members to get some experience and training under their belt.

The old saying ‘anything worth doing is worth doing right’ really applies to HOA committees. A poorly organized committee will only do more harm than good. Here are some tips to make sure your board gets the best results and avoids unnecessary drama.

  1. Take time to really evaluate why you need a committee, what their responsibilities will be, and which board member(s) will be responsible for coordinating and communicating with volunteers.
  2. Check your CC&Rs for guidelines around committees. Most associations’ bylaws outline how/when committees should be formed and more importantly, how they are supposed to work with the board.
  3. Create an annual budget with clear allotments for each committee and their day-to-day operations and responsibilities.
  4. Be honest with yourself. If membership participation is already frustratingly low, don’t complicate matters by creating a committee that you’ll struggle to organize and maintain.

At the end of the day, most HOA communities can benefit from committees, but only when the board commits to ensuring they’re well organized, equipped, and empowered to do the job they’ve been tasked to do. Hopefully this post helps you and your board members decide if committees are right for your community. If you have questions, or would like to brainstorm committees and their possible benefits to your community, we at Spectrum are happy to help! Don’t forget to check back in the next few days for a follow up post on the different types of committees HOAs can use!