HOA committees are a necessity for communities. Among the many benefits, they can improve neighborhood safety, provide valuable assistance to the board, delegate responsibilities to board members with relevant skill sets, and even increase homeowner engagement.
With that said, it’s essential to set them up in an organized way that ensures the volunteers know what they are responsible for, and what their limitations are. We’ll review the different types of HOA committees that you can set up, and considerations you’ll need to make prior to launching them.
Types of HOA Committees
HOA committees tend to fall into one of three categories:
- Executive – Consisting exclusively of HOA board members, executive committees have greater power to make “final-say” decisions, whereas most other committees do not.
- Standing – Exist indefinitely and are involved in continually running tasks.
- Ad-Hoc (or Special Committees) – Created to tackle specific issues and are disbanded after it is addressed.
Within these three types, there are several important committees your HOA should consider setting up.
HOA Budget Committee
As with any other organization, well-managed finances are critical to the function of the HOA. The budget committee consists of board members and helps set the annual budget. They also assess the funds necessary for annual maintenance, develop fundraising strategies and manage the financial reserve in case of emergencies.
HOA Landscaping Committee
The landscaping committee liaises with landscaping vendors, submits requests for proposals from said vendors, reviews their bid, keeps tabs on the look of community common areas, and makes recommendations to the board on what needs maintenance.
HOA Welcome Committee
A welcome committee makes the transition for new residents easier. They put together all-important welcome packets for new residents, which include information about the HOA and provide a warm introduction to the community.
HOA Maintenance Committee
Having a maintenance committee ensures that common areas, community buildings or recreational areas, like a community playground or pool, remain well kept. They liaise with contractors and vendors to ensure routine things like ice removal and driveway upkeep are carried out and stay on budget.
HOA Social Committee
Events for the community, such as fundraising fairs, street parties, or summer festivals are great ways to build community cohesion, uplift spirits, and welcome new homeowners to the neighborhood. Having a specially designated social committee in charge of these events is a great way to help your HOA ensure that events are well planned and run smoothly. They’ll facilitate event planning, promote interest in social events, and collect any funds from the event.
How to Set an HOA Committee Up
Assigning homeowners/volunteers to a committee can be painless with the right process.
Consider the following steps to set up an HOA committee:
- Follow HOA Governing Guidelines
Before launching any committees, it’s critical to check your HOA’s bylaws to make sure you’re following any regulations that have previously been set. There can be limits on everything, from the number of members to who qualifies as an appointee of the committee.
- Create an HOA Committee Charter
If you find that there are no pre-existing guidelines, then you will have to create a HOA committee charter. This document must clearly outline the purpose of the committee as well as other rules and regulations members wish to implement to committees, such as their size and abilities. Outlining a committee’s purpose and responsibilities will help to avoid any future issues.
- Recruit Volunteers
When recruiting, it’s important to keep in mind that certain qualities will be needed for members to be successful in a given committee. For example, individuals with a background in marketing might be great for the social committee, while those with a past career in finance would be great for the budget committee. The goal is to ensure that the committee is able to carry out its duties effectively and work together without conflict.
- Plan for Ongoing Management
While having a clear cut structure (set within the HOA committee charter) will make it easier for volunteers to carry out their duties, it’s the job of the HOA to oversee each committee. It’s important to maintain ongoing communication through scheduled meetings and assign roles and responsibilities to volunteers to avoid conflict.
Keep Your Community on the Same Page, with Page Per Page
While committees can play a big role in the effectiveness of an HOA, keeping everyone on the same page is critical to get the job done effectively. Page Per Page has helped hundreds of other HOA boards do just that.
Page Per Page is a print and mail company specializing in community associations. With their extensive experience working within the industry, they can help streamline your communication needs with the ability to expertly design and mail notices, flyers, reminders, newsletters, etc to all of your homeowners. This can help at every stage of a committee’s process- from announcing their creation to recruiting volunteers.
With Page Per Page you’ll be able to expedite all of your communication needs and stay in contact with each homeowner in your HOA.
