A community association, condo, or HOA can run like a well-oiled machine with all the moving parts complementing each other and contributing to positive community spirit, growth, and robust property values, while assuring a high quality of life for all residents therein. On the flip side, an association afflicted with apathetic homeowners uninterested in the governing of their own community can see the wheels fall off the moment a crisis arises. And then there’s everything else in between.

In the ideal scenario, everyone would want to get involved in association business, putting the greater good of the community over their own self-interests. While this is hardly an ideal world, there are certain behaviors and practices that a board can embrace and encourage in order to maximize participation. The more encouraged owners or shareholders are to get involved, the more democratic, fair, and efficient the association will be.

Crucial Talk

Direct and open communication is of utmost importance, not only for basic board functionality, but to reach out to owners and shareholders and make them feel that they have a voice and influence in association business. This dramatically increases the odds that they will want to participate at a greater capacity themselves.

“In our experience, a lack of face-to-face interaction can lead to separation and a feeling of disconnectedness,” says Edward J. Song, Esq., a shareholder with the law firm of Leach Johnson Song & Gruchow, which has offices in Las Vegas and Reno. “A lack of responsiveness from the association to residents’ needs can lead to apathy and a sense of powerlessness.” People who convince themselves that the day-to-day decision-making has no bearing on their lives tend to check out of the process entirely.

An authoritarian board can alienate its constituents. “Sometimes a board acts as if it rules a ‘kingdom’ rather than operating a democracy where all are invited to participate in the community,” says Dennis Kariger, board president of Panorama Towers Condominium Association Unit Owners Association in Las Vegas. “In those scenarios, the community becomes divided between those who support the board and the decisions it makes versus those who are committed to bashing the board -- even when it gets things right.”

Size, too, can also lead to feelings of disconnectedness. “I was once told – and this was never confirmed – that once a grouping of people exceeds 200 members, it begins to lose its sense of community,” notes Bruce Heckman, general manager for Veer Towers in Las Vegas for Associa Nevada South. “This may partially explain a lack of involvement, as each member of that community may feel alienated and not part of the group.”

Of course, the burden of encouraging resident participation does not fall solely to the board; the management company can also either promote a collaborative environment or turn people off via antisocial behaviors. “If residents go to the management office with a situation or suggestion, and management personnel does not have the listening, people, or customer service skills to deal with the residents’ issues, that can create tension,” observes Kariger. “And sometimes, management will tell a resident that an idea is not something that the board will entertain, without even taking the idea up with the board first.”

Foster the People

Outside of potential market concerns, it is hard to justify living in a condo association or HOA if one does not want to get involved in the communal relationships inherent therein. Oftentimes, as mentioned above, people are turned off by external factors. However, when deployed effectively, those same factors can also inspire people to take an active interest in their association’s operations.

“Harmony creates a sense of common well-being, and the caring for the fate of one’s neighbors fosters a reciprocal feeling for each resident,” says Song. “There is comfort and security in knowing that, in a given community, one resident is never alone, and that the residents of the association are not only neighbors by proximity, but they have actual personal connections. If residents believe that what happens to one resident affects them all, then common ties and bonds can be forged, and residents collectively care for the welfare and well-being of everyone in the community.” 

To encourage people to get acquainted or even make friends with their neighbors, different communities offer an array of social and recreational programming. “Our community gathering spots have refreshment service, pool tables, theater rooms, game rooms, book exchanges, libraries, gyms – some with scheduled classes – barbecues, pet relief areas... all part of the HOA amenities,” explains Kariger. “Having this place to meet up fosters a spirit of camaraderie among the residents.”

Heckman suggests that a board coordinate and host events for residents, along with establishing a website and distributing newsletters. “I have been blessed to work in high-rise buildings in urban settings where venues seek out opportunities with association membership for events,” he says. “This can be a double-edged sword, however, as these locations are also vacation destinations, which creates a transient homeowner base and therefore a lack of participation in the governance of the community. Without that participation, event scheduling and coordination can fall solely upon management.”

Song notes that rapidly advancing technology can effectively make a large community feel smaller and more tight-knit. “Those communities with mobile apps allow residents and the association to interact with each other more seamlessly,” he acknowledges.

“We post pictures from the latest community gathering, upcoming community events, board meeting notices, board-approved minutes from prior meetings, new community projects being planned and updates on those ongoing,” Kariger adds. “Just providing everything in a centralized hub can cultivate closer ties among residents.”

And not everything needs to be business-oriented, or even business-adjacent. Holding holiday parties can build interpersonal relationships through levity that can blossom into more functional, association-focused working relationships down the line. 

“We have found that a community pool party with local musicians is a huge draw,” Kariger says. “The HOA provides food and drinks from a local eatery, and we invite the entire community population to dine and dance without leaving the premises. We have also organized sponsored outings to clubs – pool parties during the day, and dancing and drinks at night. It can be a boon to a community to occasionally meet in an outside venue as well.”

Disassociation

Failure to make residents feel welcome and assure them that they are valued participants in a community that welcomes all voices—both in agreement and dissent —can have significant consequences beyond just frosty interpersonal relations. A board that alienates its base can find itself making decisions in a vacuum. That might be somewhat sustainable if the board only made good decisions, but that describes almost zero decision-making bodies. What is more likely to happen is that a board will eventually head down a wrong path and, within its echo chamber, find itself without a mitigating voice to set it back on course.

“A lack of community can breed distrust and suspicion,” says Song. “Apathy again takes hold where there is lack of community in an association, and that disconnectedness means that potentially every resident is only concerned with themselves and views the problems and challenges of the association as everybody’s issue but theirs.” Anger, distrust, and exclusion foment hostility that can leak into the association’s daily endeavors.

Transparency is crucial, too; the feeling that a board is pursuing its own best interests over that of the association can lead owners and shareholders to develop conspiracy theories which in turn may fuel a toxic rumor mill. “A lot of misinformed talk starts in a community when management is doing too much behind closed doors,” warns Kariger. Management would be well-advised to make sure that every decision it makes and every issue it considers is posted publicly for mass consumption.

But while a bad apple can spoil the bunch, the majority of boards consist of individuals who genuinely want to come together and create a thriving association, not only out of altruism, but also for the sake of their investment in the property. 

“The best communities are those that are joined by a shared sense of purpose or common goals that bind the residents together,” says Song. “Those communities create a sense that every resident’s opinion and voice will be heard, and that there are many paths and avenues to express one’s concerns.”         

Mike Odenthal is a staff writer and reporter for The Nevada Cooperator.