Large HOAs with 500+ doors have had to be creative about where to host member meetings.
Traditional locations, such as clubhouses, libraries and community centers, don’t always work for large communities with multiple HOAs.
Instead, they’ve tried hosting annual meetings in churches, baseball fields, golf courses, hotel meeting rooms, school auditoriums, and even city hall to accommodate attendees.
Table of contents
- Why is it so hard for large communities to find a meeting space?
- Venues can play a role when it comes to reaching quorum
- The perfect venue might be from a couch – and the clubhouse
- My community won’t participate in online meetings
- Getting started
- Combine meetings with e-voting
- Let Condo Control take care of the hard stuff
Why is it so hard for large communities to find a meeting space?
Finding a meeting location is easier said than done. The HOA must reserve the space months in advance so that it can confirm the location when the notice is sent to owners. It can’t be too far away from the community, or owners won’t attend.
In most cases, the HOA will need to pay a fee to use the space. That means it needs to be conscious about paying a reasonable amount based on member turnout.
The space must accommodate the number of people you think will attend. Nothing too big, and not so small that you cannot safely host every participant. To get the space right, a review of past attendee numbers is necessary.
Venues can play a role when it comes to reaching quorum
A lot of work goes into organizing and executing a general meeting. But it’s worth the work… as long as the HOA reaches quorum.
Unfortunately, it’s not uncommon to have 10% (or less) of eligible voters participate. State law and governing documents dictate the minimum percentage of people who must show up and/or submit proxy votes to reach quorum. Most associations adhere to the 10 – 20% quorum requirement range, especially for annual meetings.
The purpose of having a minimum requirement is to ensure that decisions made in a meeting are legal and binding. However, some communities struggle to meet even a 10% requirement. If quorum is not met, the meeting can be adjourned to a later date as described in the bylaws by vote of a majority of the votes represented either in person or by proxy, but no other business may be transacted.
Adjourning and rescheduling a meeting costs the HOA money, and takes up additional staff resources. Not to mention, HOA business is brought to a halt until quorum can be met.
Owners may determine that a venue is too far or inconvenient, resulting in lower turnouts. However, an HOA may have few choices when it comes to selecting a place that is available, big enough, and reasonably priced.
The perfect venue might be from a couch – and the clubhouse
There are a handful of owners in every community who feel like meetings must be conducted in person. No exceptions or excuses. But, there are also a lot of owners who would love to attend an annual meeting from the comfort of their living room.
Hybrid meetings have proven to be effective and popular for HOAs of all sizes.
Board members who have made the switch say they prefer hybrid because it increases turnout rates and allows the HOA to use a smaller meeting space within the HOA.
Isn’t it even more work to organize a hybrid meeting? At first, it can be. But you can hire a company, or use Condo Control’s virtual meeting platform to make the experience less stressful for your team. We have the knowledge and experience to walk you through the entire process.
If your association has never hosted a virtual or hybrid meeting, schedule a meeting with your attorney before you do anything else. Some communities may not be permitted to host meetings or submit votes virtually. An attorney will help keep the HOA compliant.
If given the option, the majority of HOA owners would prefer hybrid meetings because they get to choose the setting that works best for them. Not only does this create a more positive experience for them, but HOA communities are almost guaranteed to reach quorum on the first try when meetings are held online and in person.
My community won’t participate in online meetings
Other than the technical aspect, most HOAs are apprehensive about hybrid meetings because they think their members won’t adapt. This is especially true for communities with older members.
However, we strongly encourage you to try it out. If it’s easier for owners to join from a mobile smartphone than drive or walk over to an annual meeting, they will use the online option.
If it doesn’t work well, you can always revert to in-person meetings.
Getting started
To give you a better sense of what is required to host a hybrid meeting, check out the list here:
- A laptop that works without issues
- High-speed internet for a clear and reliable connection
- A secure virtual meeting platform
- A large TV, monitor, or projector so virtual attendees can see what’s going on
- An HDMI cord (a longer cord is generally required)
- External computer speakers
- External USB microphone
- External USB camera. This is optional, but it’s easier to use a camera with some flexibility than a fixed laptop camera
The other component to success is providing owners with adequate information so they know how to join the meeting if they want to participate virtually. Send out the link and access instructions, and let them know who they can contact if they experience issues.
Other than that, govern by the same procedures and rules that apply to in-person meetings.
Some communities have found it helpful to send reminders about meetings through unofficial HOA communication channels, such as Facebook groups or WhatsApp chats, an hour or two before it begins.
This simple action gets more people to the meeting.
Combine meetings with e-voting
Adding an e-voting option to hybrid meetings just makes sense. If permitted by state and governing rules, associations can take full advantage of online meeting software and collect votes too.
Our electronic voting module allows HOAs to gather online votes from owners in advance of meetings. The e-voting process is the same as a regular voting process, but owners prefer the added convenience.
E-voting is generally more secure than paper ballots because voters can only cast a ballot once, and electronic votes are much harder to tamper with.
Let Condo Control take care of the hard stuff
If you think hybrid meetings will make your owners and staff happier, reach out to our team. We offer full-service support and help your team reach quorum on the first attempt. From automated email reminders to real-time dashboard results, your entire community will appreciate the convenience and effectiveness of hybrid meetings.
