COMMON MISUNDERSTANDINGS: HOA BOARDS vs. COMMUNITY MANAGEMENT IN SAN FRANCISCO San Francisco Community Management Expertise

There’s often some confusion about the role of San Francisco community managers in an HOA, especially if the association board is pretty active and visible in the community. Who is responsible for what? Where can residents turn when they need help with a maintenance issue or a payment problem? 

In the best of circumstances, a building’s HOA or condo association will work seamlessly with the community management company they hire to support them. Even when that happens, there are still some common misconceptions and misunderstandings around the responsibilities and expectations of each party.

 DO ASSOCIATIONS NEED A COMMUNITY MANAGEMENT COMPANY?

Community management companies can offer busy HOAs the support, resources, and expertise they need to provide a safe, open, inclusive, and happy community. Whether you’re on the board of a small condo association in a 10-unit building or struggling to meet the demands of your HOA in a large high-rise, a good community management partner will deliver a lot of value. You can delegate some of your most difficult responsibilities, leverage the experience and expertise your community manager brings to the table, and count on the support you receive for everything from HOA board meetings to bylaws and rules enforcement. 

1. WHAT DOES A SAN FRANCISCO HOA MANAGEMENT COMPANY DO?

Each resident of any building in San Francisco is responsible for their property, whether they own or rent the unit. However, if there are common areas or the building is corporately owned, an HOA can take care of the improvements, safety, and maintenance of that building. In exchange for this peace of mind, monthly or annual dues are paid to the association.

An HOA management company ensures that the building is well-cared for and maintained to the high standards of the residents. Also, a property management company working for an HOA will ensure that all rules, regulations, and guidelines are followed. The result is a safe, comfortable living experience for everyone who lives in the building. Usually, the HOA board is staffed by volunteer residents. It’s not always comfortable to enforce the rules with your neighbors. An objective community management partner can help. 

The HOA’s community management team relieves board members of having to confront neighbors about violations. The community managers will also handle many of the day-to-day management tasks, such as: 

• Manage and maintain the building’s common areas such as lobbies, parking areas, elevators, and any amenities like pools or playgrounds, or fitness centers. 
• Collect association dues from homeowners and manage delinquencies.
• Manages financial reporting, budgeting, and all association-related accounting and bookkeeping services.
• Hire staff and vendors such as cleaners, landscapers, and other professionals needed to maintain the property/community.
• Manage HOA board meeting agendas, attendance, and minutes.
• Manages insurance for common areas.
• Handle work order requests for the repair and maintenance of common areas.
• Liaise with homeowners and tenants living in the building.

A community management company does not take away the power from an HOA. The HOA board controls the direction and actions of the association, but a community manager can help with enforcement, communication, maintenance, and general support. Community managers have a large network of maintenance professionals, contractors, and other professionals like lawyers and accountants who can often be of use to an association.

2. MISUNDERSTANDING: THE MANAGEMENT COMPANY IS THE HOA BOARD 

Many of the residents who live in an HOA community can easily mistake community managers for members of the HOA board. In some cases, the San Francisco community management company hired by the board will be the first point of contact for a homeowner or a tenant who needs help. So, it makes sense that they might see the management company as the association or the HOA board. But, that’s not the case at all. 

The management company is a third-party, outside company that is usually responsible for enforcing and managing the day-to-day operations of the association. 

The community management company doesn’t write the laws or the bylaws. They don’t come up with rules and regulations. They might enforce the rules found there, but those are requirements put in place by the HOA board. The HOA is ultimately responsible for community governance and decisions about community maintenance and how everything should look and operate. 

Most associations can manage on their own, especially if the building is small and everything runs pretty smoothly. But, there’s a lot of value in a community management company. They can be an asset when it comes to the enforcement of community rules, financial and account organization, and guidance on best practices for how an HOA should work.

It’s easy to mistake an HOA management company for the board or the actual association itself. But, it’s really a partner to the HOA board. The property management company you hire should help your community run efficiently. It should show you how to govern effectively. Ultimately, community managers serve the board and the association, and the entire community. 

Although community managers will provide input and offer guidance, the ultimate decisions are made by the association’s elected board members. 

3. MISUNDERSTANDING: COMMUNITY MANAGEMENT COMPANIES AREN’T VERY INVOLVED

One common misunderstanding about HOA community management companies is that they’re too involved in the work of an association. 

On the flip side, there’s another misconception that they’re not involved at all. That they’re very hands-off and inaccessible. 

That’s not true, either. 

Management companies are hired to fill in the gaps that the HOA board doesn’t have time to manage. They’re hired to provide experience, insight, contacts, tools, and resources. Your community managers may not be on-site in the building every day, but they’re not keeping a distance because they don’t care about the property or the association, or the people living there. 

Actually, community managers are often the first responders when it comes to addressing resident concerns, enforcing rules, collecting dues, and communicating on behalf of the board. They’re usually the ones gathering bids for cleaning or repairs. This allows the HOA board to focus on the overall governance of the association and plans for the future.

Community managers are objective and can help with any conflict resolution or community violations that disrupt the peace of a community. Maybe there are noise complaints, problems with pets, or conflicts between neighbors over parking. Instead of forcing your board to choose sides on these issues, your community management company is likely mediating each dispute. 

They’re not hands-off. They’re busy. Community management partners provide a personalized management plan that allows every HOA community to be the best it can be. 

4. MISUNDERSTANDING: MANAGEMENT COMPANIES ARE ROADBLOCKS

Residents who are trying to get in touch with their HOA but are re-directed to a community management company might feel frustrated. It may feel like a roadblock or a deferral of real responsibility. 

That’s understandable, but it’s also a myth. The community management company hired by the HOA is likely going to provide more information faster than if the resident was waiting for a response from the volunteer HOA board. 

A good community management company will actually facilitate better communication between the HOA and the community. There’s no good reason to be protective about information, and most HOAs find their management companies to be transparent, open, and responsive. 

For a community to work, regulations and rules must be made public to the community. Some of the most accessible information that is available from an association management company is likely to include:

• Meeting minutes
• Financial reports
• Policies
• Planning documents/maps and blueprints
• Newsletters

The community management company is not in place simply to support the board. The community management company is in place to support the entire community, and there needs to be trust and cooperation between all parties. 

Choosing the right San Francisco HOA management company

Not all community management companies are the same. Spend some time shopping around for the management company that seems to be the best fit. Take a look at their reviews online and get a feel for their reputation. Talk about the vision they have for your community and look at some of the buildings and associations they currently work with. 

A good community management company will specialize in general HOA management, condo management, project management, budgeting and accounting, and community finances. They’ll have a wide network of vendors and contractors, and they’ll have invested in the most innovative technology in the industry. 

SAN FRANCISCO HOA COMMUNITY MANAGEMENT 

When you’re working with the right community management partner, all of these misunderstandings and misconceptions will quickly be laid to rest. At BanCal Property Management, we’ve been effectively working with San Francisco community associations since 1987. We can make sure you have exactly the right experience.

To hear more about our HOA management services as well as our ability to communicate our role with your residents, please contact us. We also welcome your comments, questions, and suggestions for topics you want to learn about, so please share those too. We’d love to address an HOA question or concern that you have in one of our future blogs.