How Members Should Present Their Idea To The Homeowners Association

What should members do when they have a good idea?  Some of them simply submit their idea it to the neighborhood website.  In many cases, that isn’t enough as messages are easy to overlook so make sure you bring the idea to the HOA board.  How do you do that when you’re not an HOA board member?  When it comes to presenting your idea to the board, you have to keep a few factors in mind.

 

First of all, anyone can think of an idea but the HOA board will only consider good ideas.  With regard to a homeowners association, good ideas are those that benefit the community.  These kind of ideas also encourage the participation of community members.  Before an idea is presented to the board, take extra time to ensure it is one that would appeal to a majority of board members.

 

Even if you have a good idea, you still need to support it with solid facts.  This means that members should do some thorough research.  The idea should be fully formed, consisting of budgets, risk assessments, and safety concerns.  Be ready to answer any questions by the board members.  Anyone can post a suggestion on the neighborhood website, but only a few can survive the scrutiny of a serious HOA board.

 

Obviously, you can’t just suddenly inform an HOA board member about your idea.  Find out their schedule, then identify the dates of board meetings that are convenient and ask the board secretary to add your presentation to the agenda.  Board members should know ahead of time that you intend to make a presentation.
Never assume that the agendas of board meetings will have an empty slot for you to fill.  Ultimately, even with proper research, your presentation can still fall apart if you lack confidence.  Overcome your anxiety and show the board members that you have complete faith in your idea so it has the best chance possible of being well received!