By Jen Hall, Keystone Denver
Am I the only one who gets an eye roll or cringe from someone when I tell them I work in the HOA industry? Especially as a management company, telling someone this is usually met with a long story about how their management company did something awful, you know, like sending letters for trash cans that have not moved, a delinquency letter that went out, per their Collection Policy, or the dues increasing, either to help maintain the property or to cover much needed work…you know what I mean.
I will admit, I get a little choosy on who I share this with, as I have been at too many dinners, or hair appointments, that are flooded with the stories of annoyance to the HOA or management company when I share what I do for work.
Please do not get me wrong, I love what I do and would not change my profession but there is one easy way for our industry to take a stand and make a change with the attitude and that is with transparency.
All too often we are met with blame from residents, stating there is never enough communication or people are not kept in the loop but imagine a world where emails are read, minutes are checked and questions are asked and answered! Transparency is not just “nice to have”, it is often one of the most effective tools we can use to reduce conflicts, build trust and avoid costly legal disputes!
We have all seen the decisions made by the board while on a community walk with a vendor, or the boards who have less than the required quorum and make decisions on behalf of the board because “they would agree if they responded.” However, situations like this, executive sessions that have gone rogue, or the lack of involvement from the community are all actions that make a board more susceptible to lawsuits, and the management company more prone to scrutiny.
Unfortunately, when this happens, residents need someone to be mad at. They come to meetings with pitchforks, they email harsh words from the comfort of their keyboards, and they take to social media. All of these actions foster animosity and distrust in the community, often pitting the board against the owners.
So, new year - new ways, what better time to make a change. And while we cannot teach all boards new ways, this is the chance to demonstrate good faith and communication with residents, which will in turn give us happier neighbors, reduce rumors and misinformation and if done right (in an open, on the agenda, comments welcome meeting) it will create a documented record of thoughtful decision making!
A few practices to help set the foundation of transparency would be: sharing agendas in advance, providing clear and concise meeting minutes, explaining (and re-explaining!) major decisions in newsletters, open meetings and emails. And just using plain language, keeping it away from legal and industry jargon!
Another suggestion is keeping up to date on community websites and portals and sharing all information owners have the right to and making sure they have the information and direction needed to access the documents.
Transparency is not optional, and not just good governance, it is good protection to our boards, communities and ourselves! It should be our goal to keep everyone informed, engaged and respected, which will lead to a reduction in legal exposure, save money for the community, and foster a healthier community!
Jen Hall, Director of Business Development, Keystone Denver. Jen has been in the HOA industry for over a decade and is a tenured manager who now focuses her attention on Business Development for Keystone. She is also on the CAI-RMC Board of Directors and a member of CLAC, as she believes in the industry and the future and wants to commit the time and energy to continuously improve it.
