Why Summer is a Good Time For HOAs to Recruit Volunteers

June officially ushers in summer. During the summer months, people are outdoors and more active. You will find attendance at community events and businesses to grow during the summertime.

In communities, people are outdoors, enjoying their pool, and their homes, leisurely, walking, and enjoying the neighborhood.

Summer is a great time to take advantage of people being outdoors. This is a great time for HOAs to make volunteer opportunities known.

There are many ways to use the summer months as a time of getting to know residents and recruiting them to help with the HOA board or committee.

1. People are outdoors and more active. They are more involved with community activities; they meet neighbors while walking or at the pool.

They may hear positive information about the management and consider volunteering.

2. More people move during the summer. Communities see new residents move in during the summer. Statistics show that families move more during the off-school season.

Reaching out to new residents with a welcome letter telling them about the board or management team may spark their interest. Let them know the areas of volunteer opportunity within the management.

3. More people communicate with the community management team during the summer.

More residents are out enjoying amenities and may contact the association manager for maintenance issues. This is a good time to send a letter, thanking them and letting them know there are volunteer opportunities available.

4. Summer is a good time for the board to interact more with community members. There are more organized community events, as well as newsletters going out.

The summer season also provides longer daylight hours for participation and usage of the clubhouse and other facilities. This gives residents an opportunity to use the various amenities and realize how much they enjoy their HOA.

5. Summer gives people a good feeling.

During the summer, the community management will have regular lawn maintenance and residents will see the community becoming beautiful. The management may spruce up the common areas or entrances with flowers or shrubbery. This will give residents a feeling of pride in their community.

This will also make them feel better about volunteering, giving them a reason to speak positively about the management and their experience and giving them an incentive to maintain their own property.

Giving residents a positive experience may prompt them to get involved with the community through volunteering.

HOA boards are comprised of people from many backgrounds and ages. Each volunteer brings a unique perspective and talent. This results in a variety of viewpoints on an HOA board.

DR. Lori Baker-Schena states:

“I think we must be mindful of the fact that we want our board to reflect the community. And so, we need to look at our community and then find representation that truly reflects it. And I'm also not talking about just ethnicity or race. I'm talking about age, too.”

Welcome volunteers have some type of informational meeting or orientation to inform them about the HOA and what is expected of a volunteer.