Responsibilities of HOA Board Members
Your Top Questions for HOA Board Members, Answered.
The responsibility of a HOA board member can be outlined as (but not limited to) ways to interact with new people and build relationships for some. For others, they simply want to find solutions for problems. No matter the motivation for each board member, the roles and responsibilities of an HOA are fundamentally solid.
Take a look at the video below. You'll hear direct answers to frequently asked questions for board members based on their experiences. Topics covered include:
- Their primary board practices
- Things they wish someone had told them before taking office
- What motivated them to become a community leader
- The advice they'd give to aspiring board members
- How management companies play a part in building relationships with boards and residents
Get answers to our top questions for board members on the importance of their roles & responsibilities here:
Meet the Members
See below highlights of those in the video answering our top questions for board members.
Roy Atwood, Treasurer
Homestead Carrollton HOA
"I previously served as president of the board when we took over the HOA from the developer, so I've been a community leader in two roles for a total of 10 years."
As Treasurer, what are your primary responsibilities?
“As the treasurer, I review the financials every month as they come in from FirstService Residential and really look at two things:
1) Making sure that our community is staying on budget, checking all of the expenditures and reviewing all written checks to understand where our money's going. Once in a while, we'll get a question about our finances, and we're quickly able to connect with our management company for more information.
2) Staying on top of the delinquent accounts and collecting dues on time.”
Why did you become a board member?
“I've been on the board for several years. The key concern is that, as a homeowner in Homestead, I knew what the community's vision was from the developer. There were a few issues that started to cause some concern, like landscaping not being maintained. I just felt like the board had lost sight of the importance of our HOA and its property values, so I wanted to get involved and help make sure we were keeping the vision for our community alive.”
Tony Franckowiak, President
Sendero Ranch HOA
"I've been a board member for a long time and am currently the president of the association, which is located just outside of city limits."
As President, what are some of the main responsibilities of HOA Board Member?
“My primary function is to coordinate with our FirstService Residential representative on ongoing projects and communications, engage board members as needed (whether that's deciding on purchases or projects) and assign board members to head committees for some of the larger projects. I also make sure we set up meetings and establish the budget for approval.”
What's one thing you wish someone told you before joining the board?
“That there's a lot of small projects and items that can pop up, and you have to give your full attention to that issue depending on how widespread it is. It usually happens with new residents and helping them understand how the community operates.”
Susan Van Camp, Vice President
Hidden Lakes HOA
"I've been a board member for this community for five years. For my first term, I was a member-at-large, and now I serve as the vice president."
As Vice President, what are your key duties?
“My key duties as the vice president are to fill in for the president in their absence, attend quarterly meetings and sponsor our annual homeowners meeting, which offers much more community involvement.”
What's one piece of advice you'd give to an aspiring board member?
“My advice to somebody who would like to get involved is to get involved! Bring your work and life experience, and you'll find that it will benefit the community, regardless of demographics. Whatever you can bring to the table, we can use that experience to help make our community that much better.”
Randy Acosta, President
Public Improvement District 6
"I wear two hats: I'm a part of an HOA and a public improvement district (PID) in Fort Worth. I got involved in both back in 2001 because I wanted to help the community, meet new people and do things that are worthwhile."
How do you spend most of your time as President?
“I spend a lot of time on the HOA side. Unfortunately, a lot of it is managing the challenging aspects of an HOA, like deed enforcement restriction, for example. When it comes to setting the bar, I think about what we're doing to clean up the neighborhood, so it encourages other people to join our community. My primary goal, however, is protecting everyone's investment so they can get a sizeable return.”
How does your relationship with your management company help you and the community?
“What I like best about FirstService Residential is they offer us a lot of resources and have expertise in multiple areas. It shows itself when they provide webinars on board training or live events where everyone gets together to discuss how to develop a budget. I think they bring a lot of resources to the table, not just to help us as board members, but the community manager and residents, too.”
More Questions for Board Members
Answers to questions about the Roles within HOAs Themselves
What is the role of a board member?
Board members are generally responsible for:
- Providing a clear vision for the community image and culture
- Protecting and preserving the association’s assets
- Minimizing the financial risks to the association
- Maintaining the community’s property values
- Enhancing the living experience for all residents
In order to meet the goals listed above, your board members must have a clear understanding of his/her responsibilities to both the board and the community at large. This understanding keeps the board aligned with each other, increasing effectiveness and productivity, leading to a more enjoyable community with happier residents. A solid property management company will consistently provide board education and training resources, helping to cultivate the qualities and sharpen the skills of extraordinary board members.
What is the role of:
A board president?
Responsibilities of a board president include (but aren’t limited to):
- Overseeing procedural duties of board meetings and association business
- Being conversant and an authority on the community's CC&Rs (Covenants, Conditions & Restrictions) and other governing documents
- Enacting amendments as voted upon to governing documents, directing action of the board and management company in the allocation of resources and funds to complete community projects
- Functioning as primary liaison (other than the general manager) between residents and the property management company
- Acting as community representative to city municipalities, vendors, or third-party contractors
A board vice president?
Key roles of a board vice president include (but aren’t limited to):
- Supporting leadership and procedural duties with the president, including assuming the leadership role if the president is unable to do so
- Ensuring order is maintained during board meetings, both internal and with the membership at large
- Triaging business to be brought to the attention of the president and manages flow of board working sessions
- Recruiting committee members and engaging volunteers
A board treasurer?
The main functions of a board treasurer include (but aren’t limited to):
- Tracking and protecting the community's funds, securities and financial record-keeping, collections and delinquencies, often in conjunction with a management company
- Overseeing billing, collections and disbursement of funds, and coordinating the development of proposed annual operating budget and reserve allocations at the direction of the board
- Monitoring the budget and reporting of the association’s financial status throughout the year and at the annual meeting of the membership
A board secretary?
A board secretary’s responsibilities include (but aren’t limited to):
- Maintaining the association's meeting minutes and official records
- Ensuring records are safely stored and accessible to residents
- Providing notice of meetings and distributing documents (official records, agendas and meeting minutes) on a timely basis
A board member-at-large?
A board secretary’s duties include (but aren’t limited to):
- Serving as a liaison to the general membership, keeping their finger on the pulse of the community and providing those insights to the other board members
- Serving (when necessary) as primary liaison with community manager to expedite membership work requests
- Adjusting duties as needed to help the board address the association's priorities at the time, from heading new committees to assisting the treasurer in budget season