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Apathy on the part of homeowners is perhaps the number one reason that directors end up working hundreds more hours than they thought they would when they were elected. The truth is, most homeowners seem to be content to live their lives and that is it. They would rather pay their assessments and let someone else worry about how that money is spent. But, this apathy can lead to many serious problems.
First, apathetic homeowners generally do not read their community’s CC&Rs, rules, bylaws and other documents; so, they have no idea what they should and should not do. They can easily end up receiving a fine for violating a rule, simply because they haven’t bothered to learn what the rules are. Then, when they do receive a fine, they often are angry and may overreact, causing undue stress and extra challenges for directors and managers.
Simply put, apathy leads to a lack of educated homeowners, a lack of awareness about the community, and a lack of interest in what is happening or in serving the community. The lack of education and involvement adversely impacts the association because it leads to increased strain on the people who are willing to serve; makes it hard, if not impossible, to get important measures approved; increases expenditures, thereby depleting the budget, and so on.
Boards that reach out to the community and communicate effectively are able to engender interest from their homeowners. The best way I have seen to do this is through e-newsletters with short but attention-catching articles. (E-newsletters save paper costs.) Newsletters can be a waste of time if they are uninteresting, wordy, or difficult to read. Newsletters should be used to emphasize important things like rules that homeowners may not be aware of or fine schedules. If you have a huge expense coming up, tell the members about it. If you have a hotly contested issue that the board can’t decide, tell the homeowners about it and request they give you their advice. Asking for advice could make many homeowners feel important and needed. I have seen newsletters like this do wonders for their communities. You will know you have succeeded if your newsletters cause a jump in meeting attendance.
There are a few things you will want to avoid putting in newsletters. Don’t embarrass people by airing their dirty laundry. Naming people who do not pay their dues, who were fined or who lost their rights to access the recreational facilities is not a good idea. Don’t inundate your homeowners with legal mumbo jumbo that no one really understands. Have your attorney help you to draft legal information in an informative way that everyone can understand.
Another way to involve members is to hold regular social gatherings such as a swim meet, cocktail party, “Trunk or treat” at Halloween time, barbecue, potluck, tennis tournament, bingo night or mini triathlon. When planning these gatherings, don’t wait until the event to get homeowners involved. Invite homeowners who show interest in that particular function or event to help with the planning of it. Every community is different, so the gatherings you have should be tailored to your community. The point is to create an activity that will induce the homeowners to meet others in a fun and friendly atmosphere. Hold raffles with prizes. You will be surprised how quickly a good, dedicated party planning committee can bring your community together.
To keep members informed, at the end of each year, associations need to send out a financial summary, budget, updates to rules, regulations, collection policies, fine schedules and so on. Consider the format and readability when you send out this information. Make sure you don’t lose the readers’ interest by including pages upon pages without a cover letter. Typically, people do not spend their Saturday afternoons scouring legal documents. So, make it easier for them by including a cover letter that summarizes the information you are providing. When you create your cover letter, make sure it is concise and to the point. Your cover letter should do nothing more than emphasize the main points of the reports that are enclosed with that letter.
Some associations may still have a hard time overcoming apathy even after they follow the above steps. If your association is experiencing what could be viewed as “crisis level” apathy, it may be time to employ a “drastic times call for drastic measures” approach. The most apathetic of homeowners, may need a rude awakening as to how their apathy will affect their pocketbook. For example, associations facing a budget crisis or other serious problem could say something in a bulletin, such as: “YOU WILL BE FACING A $15,000 SPECIAL ASSESSMENT IF YOU DO NOT ACT NOW.” If that doesn’t get their attention, then I don’t know what will.
Learn more about what you can do to get your homeowners involved by clicking here.
