Many communities have their own “homeowners association” or HOA wherein they conduct activities for the betterment of everyone in the community. While it is not necessary for everyone to join, it is important to have engagement and participation because it keeps the community active and encourages a relationship among the community.
One of the best ways to draw participation is to be transparent with the funding. But how exactly does transparency help? Keep reading below to find out the reasons why transparency can help boost your HOA practices and community engagement.
1. It Builds Trust
One of the main reasons why people dislike HOA is because they feel they can’t trust their financial decisions or their practices. Transparency helps build a good relationship between the community and the HOA because the community will feel more comfortable knowing that the decisions of the HOA are fair. Knowing that their HOA is transparent with their finances will make them feel that their finances are being managed in a responsible manner.
2. It Reduces Conflict
If there is no transparency, it means that the HOA is running under the table and making decisions without the consent of the homeowners. Those decisions might be financially sound, but they might also be detrimental. In a community where all the homeowners are in conflict with the HOA, it will be difficult for them to agree on any decisions.
3. It Can Help Lessen Spending
Transparency can reduce the spending habits of the HOA because they will be able to see how they are spending their money. When they see how they’re spending, they can analyze how they can cut their spending. When they cut their spending, they can give the savings back to the community and increase their community activity.
4. It Unifies the Community
There is no question that a conflict-riddled community is no fun to be in. But if the conflict is resolved using transparent methods, then the community can be united again because both sides can see each other’s point of view. The conflict will be resolved, and the community will once again be able to work together for their mutual benefit.
5. It Encourages Good Work Habits
You might think that being transparent is the same as giving your community everything they want. But the opposite is true. When you’re transparent with your spending, then the community will learn to be responsible with their requests. They will learn that had they been more responsible with their request, then there wouldn’t have been a need to cut spending in the HOA.
6. It Reduces Waste
This is just a by-product of transparency, but the most important goal is to reduce waste. When you’re transparent with your spending, you can see which areas need to be improved upon. Then you can cut spending in those areas and improve them with the savings, saving the HOA and your community money.
7. It Boosts Participation
With transparent financial decisions, the community will be more engaged in the HOA and its community activities. They will be more willing to participate because they can see how the HOA is benefiting them. They will see the good things being done by the HOA and they will engage with their HOA and contribute.
Conclusion
If you want to run a successful HOA, then you need to be transparent. No matter what people think about your decisions, if you’re transparent with your spending, then they will feel that you are doing your best for the community. They will be less likely to fight you on your decisions and more likely to support you and be a part of your community.
California Builder Services recognizes the need for a strong and reliable HOA for the betterment of the community. This is why we offer HOA budgeting services to ensure responsible handling of the community finances. Contact us to learn more about this service.
