The success of your San Francisco HOA board may depend on how easily you’re able to integrate new board members. In order to keep everything running smoothly, new members of your board need to understand expectations and responsibilities. They also need support and resources from existing board members.
It’s about leadership.
Here are some ways to make sure the onboarding process works for the new board member and your entire association.
Whether you’re a large association or a small one, you need the help of all your homeowners to welcome new board members to their roles.
Communicate openly. Make sure your homeowners know how the new members were elected and why you’re confident they’re ready to assume their duties.
Most HOA boards in San Francisco are set up in a similar way, even if they’re run differently.
Your new board member will likely understand that there’s a president, vice-president, secretary, and treasurer. Talk about any additional leadership roles and help your new member figure out where they fit into the organizational chart, and what their specific duties will be.
Your new board member needs to feel like part of the team - right away. You’ll want them to understand that they will part of promoting the community and its events. They are expected to look out for the best interests of homeowners and help preserve the value of everyone’s homes.
Share all governing and corporate documents with your new board members before they’re expected to start serving. This will give them an opportunity to ask any questions they might have.
Make it easy for your new members to access these documents. Consider making them available online. You’ll want your new board member to be familiar with the Declaration or Master Deed, Bylaws, and the Covenants, Conditions & Restrictions (or CC&R’s), which should set forth the responsibilities and authority of the association.
To be effective, your board members need to know the rights and responsibilities of owners in the community and how to enforce the rules.
We don’t know a lot of people who get excited about
HOA board meetings, but you at least want your new members to be prepared.
When your entire board is ready to make these meetings productive and well-attended, you won’t have to dread them. Onboard your new members by working together to ensure everyone is prepared, organized, and interested in the important business of your HOA. Open as many meetings as possible to the entire community. When homeowners feel like they’re informed and part of the decision-making process, you’ll have better results. You’ll also find that new members are less intimidated by their new role and additional homeowners in the community may think about joining the board as well.
With everything a San Francisco HOA board has to deal with, it’s easy to forget that new members might need a little extra guidance. Communicate openly and be responsive when they have questions. Don’t brush off their early suggestions. Help your new HOA board members feel empowered to make a difference. Give them a voice.
Managing an association in San Francisco can quickly get complex. Make sure you’re welcoming new board members in a way that sets them up for success. We can always help. At BanCal Property Management, we’ve been managing associations like yours for 30 years. We know how to make new board members feel integrated quickly.
To hear more about our association management services, please
contact us at BanCal Property Management. We also welcome your comments, questions, and suggestions for topics you want to learn about, so please share those too. Let us know what you have successfully done to onboard new members.