Posts by Jesse Hitt
How to Drive HOA Portal Adoption in Your Community
Key Takeaways Board members and community managers ask the same question all the time: “We set up the software, so why aren’t homeowners using it?” The answer is usually hidden friction at the first sign-up step, plus a communication effort that stopped after launch day. When boards convert to modern HOA software, it’s tempting to…
Read MoreHow to Build an HOA Board of Directors Succession Plan
Key Takeaways Have you ever accepted a volunteer role in your community, thinking it would be a brief, finite commitment, only to find yourself in an indefinite volunteer position? Many homeowners find themselves in this position because no one else is in line for the job, and they don’t want to let the neighborhood down.…
Read MoreHOA State Laws: What Every Board Needs to Know About Compliance
Key Takeaways HOA state laws are the statutes each state enacts to govern homeowners associations, and they override your community’s governing documents wherever the two conflict. They set the rules for assessments, liens, reserves, meetings, owner access to records, and fines. Because these laws vary widely by state and change often, boards have to track…
Read MoreHow to Find a Good Lawyer for Your HOA
Key Takeaways A good HOA lawyer has proven experience in community associations in your state, maintains transparent billing, and can handle both routine document review and active disputes. Boards can find a qualified professional through peer referrals, bar verification, and structured fit interviews held long before a crisis forces a rushed hire. Since sound HOA…
Read MoreFair and Predictable HOA Community Management: The CC&R Guide
Key Takeaways HOA community management comes down to being a good neighbor while upholding neighborhood standards through predictable, fair enforcement of your Covenants, Conditions, and Restrictions (CC&Rs). You don’t want to be the trash-can police. You also don’t want to lose control of the community. Then there’s the pressure to make exceptions for family friends,…
Read MoreThe Ultimate HOA Meeting Agenda Template for Better Board Meetings
Key Takeaways An HOA meeting agenda is the ordered plan for a board meeting. A complete one runs from call to order and roll call through officer reports, old and new business, a time-limited homeowner forum, any executive session, and adjournment. Built well, it keeps the meeting on time, on the record, and focused on…
Read MoreProviding Transparency and Value to Your HOA Members
Key Takeaways Residents don’t always make the connection between their dues and their home value, but HOA boards fund the services and amenities that protect property values. The boards that communicate this fact clearly are the ones that retain member trust, even when fees increase. The entire community benefits when homeowners understand how their financial…
Read MoreWhy an HOA Newsletter Belongs in Every Community’s Communication Rhythm
Key Takeaways Strong HOA management depends on communication that’s steady, useful, and easy to follow. But many communities still run on scattered channels: a board email here, a Facebook post there, a text thread that includes almost everyone, and a printed notice that inevitably ends up in a recycling bin. That fragmentation creates two familiar…
Read MoreState-by-State HOA Reserve Fund Requirements: A 2026 Guide to HOA and COA Reserve Fund Accounting
Key Takeaways The Shifting Landscape of HOA Reserves A lot of concern about reserve studies began in June of 2021, when a 12-story beachfront condominium in Surfside, Florida, partially collapsed in the middle of the night. Authorities later determined the Champlain Towers South event was partially caused by long-term structural degradation, which had been reported…
Read MoreAre You Collecting Dues or Annoying Neighbors? The Complete Guide to HOA Dues Collection
Key Takeaways: The Invisible Burden of the Paper Trail Saturday afternoon should not disappear into a stack of envelopes, a spreadsheet, and a deposit slip. Yet plenty of volunteer board members know that routine: Managing HOA Finances carries real responsibility, which means it’s better to implement more order and less friction in your process. When…
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