Through decades of consulting with boards on providing comprehensive Condo Association Insurance, we have a unique perspective on how efficient associations for condominium owners manage their operations, including using committees successfully. In this post, we detail our findings to help you operate efficiently.
Condo associations that invest the time to develop active committees create benefits for all involved. For example, well-run committees make for stronger associations because they foster inclusiveness while providing homeowners with enhanced experiences while easing responsibilities for board members. Overall, involving non-board members makes creating more positive developments for the association possible.
It’s helpful to check on the HOA bylaws because the types of committees depend on them. While terminology and role descriptions vary, most committees fit into these broad categories:
- Executive – Membership is exclusive to association board members who manage the business and operational tasks.
- Standing – Members operate under the Executive committee to help oversee some of the ongoing duties and needs of the association.
- Ad Hoc – Committees formed to manage either single purpose or occasional events that dissolve post-completion.
Under these broad categories, any number of specific committees may be necessary or valuable, depending on the size and nature of your community. For example, the most typical condo association committees include communications, finance, social, architectural, landscape, and rules (CCRs) among others.
Start with a Buy-In Agreement for All Involved.
Committees and boards sometimes get into conflict. Boards can be slow at making decisions, and committees can get lost in detail. For relationships to be productive, they need to result from something mutually beneficial.
In the end, the board always wins out over the committees, so it’s essential for there to be some set rules for a good working relationship between them. This post offers tips to help you run your condo association committee efforts smoothly. The first step is to have board members create a shortlist of new projects to pursue.
Organize Priorities.
A productive condo association committee must first determine which projects to accomplish before working on others. Getting started can go from simple one-on-one meetings to large gatherings with dozens of people meeting at once.
Start with top priorities such as the type of projects and budgets required. For example, consider some new and existing committees with diverse needs and try to avoid potentially conflicting requirements and deadlines.
- Assemble a team of people who can work together to brainstorm project ideas.
- Develop a shortlist of projects ranked with a rough budget and timeline estimates. Keep the list of no more than 3–5 projects to run simultaneously.
- Look for low-cost or low-involvement projects for a committee to start now.
- Present the shortlist for board approval.
Set Expectations First.
Committee members must understand the tasks necessary to do the job. Some members may know what is involved, but others may need clarification on what is expected and what they will work on—getting everyone on board with their assignments is how to avoid confusion and disagreements later. By ensuring new and current members understand their responsibilities fully, they are more likely to take ownership of their project and actively participate in the brainstorming process.
Some people may be wary of joining because they worry about being assigned unfamiliar jobs. When this happens, encourage them to join and give assurance that they can get help and that working and learning on the job is more manageable than they imagine. So let them know they can get assistance from more experienced members if they get stuck.
Streamline Your Meetings.
Once you get started, there are main things you need to keep in mind when planning your meeting schedule. First, you want to be sure to set aside enough time to cover everything on your plan — but not too much time! Second, you don’t want to overwhelm yourself by trying to squeeze too much into any single session. Generally, it would be best if you considered dividing meeting time, depending on need and urgency, into these tasks:
- Performing your highest priority project first.
- Managing current and ongoing projects.
- Exploring ideas for future projects.
While working on different things simultaneously may seem overwhelming, dividing the tasks into smaller chunks makes them easier to manage. For example, it helps keep people interested in each job by making progress visible. Also, having multiple ongoing activities allows for some overlap so that when someone finishes something they started, there is always another thing ready to go. So, if you need help keeping track of everything, use a free project management tool such as Trello.com or Asana.com.
If there is no clear leader for any given task, then each member has an equal say in determining whether something gets done or not. However, if someone takes charge of a particular job, it’s human nature that others will follow suit. A good suggestion is to look to recruit those eager to get involved in the community. Using examples of other non-board members who have improved the association is an effective recruiting strategy.
Going from Concept to Inception.
After you select an idea, get members involved by engaging them through social media posts, email blasts, newsletters, etc., then follow up with action items. Upon completing a project, let people know about it so they’ll be reminded of what you accomplished together. Finally, for real success, focus on creating committees that will achieve something notable each year.
In addition to brainstorming, find a time when the entire board meets to ask their best ideas on what the association can accomplish in the next 12 months. This exercise will provide an excellent overview of what needs to happen and gauge how committed members are to achieve those goals.
Start with the Easy Jobs.
It’s likely many items from your board members’ lists are easy to achieve and only require a few hours per month. Such jobs are great starters issues for new committees to help them gain confidence and encouragement to take on larger, more complex tasks.
It’s advisable to prioritize members’ and non-members’ ideas based on importance, which will make it easier to decide how to allocate limited resources. The critical point is to spend your time and money wisely because the more essential the goal is, the less time you can afford to waste.
If creating and recruiting new committees and members to fill roles in them, it’s best to start small. For example, you could agree to meet monthly for coffee/lunch to discuss issues. That’s a lot better than nothing and gives you a chance to build trust before moving on to bigger things.
At the Dickstein Associates Agency, we spend considerable time with our Condo Association Insurance clients. To provide comprehensive coverage, we must understand their unique insurance needs. We also educate the board and committee members about the need to protect the association and their responsibilities and exposures in the event of property and liability damages that are known to affect condo associations routinely.
About Dickstein Associates Agency
Dickstein Associates Agency has distinguished itself as a leading provider of personal and business insurance in the tri-state area since 1965. We pride ourselves on being advocates for our clients and providing them with quality and affordable coverages. As Trusted Choice™ independent insurance agency, we partner with various national and regional carriers, allowing for flexible coverage for each client’s unique circumstances. For more information on how you can leverage all your insurance to work best for you, and how we can secure the best insurance in the marketplace suited to your specific needs and business objectives, contact us today at (800) 862-6662 or www.dicksteininsurance.com.
