While it is hard to get back into the swing of things in the beginning of the year, getting the neighborhood ready for the New Year will clear the way for upcoming HOA events and activities. Your HOA can make the most of the start of the year, as well as many other covenant compliance issues, run more smoothly by following some simple tips for managing and addressing your community’s CC&Rs.

Try some of the following suggestions:

  • Ensure potential and new HOA members have a clear understanding of HOA rules. Provide real estate agents with information about your community’s covenants. You might even consider making a list of important rules for new or soon-to-be members to review.
  • Set the example. Modeling compliance will show that no one is “above the law.” And, by going a little bit beyond the requirements, you can set the standard for the community to follow. Be the role model who always parks politely, takes plastic baggies along during dog walks, keeps the yard neat and trimmed, and puts up and takes down decorations in a timely fashion.
  • Review your covenants occasionally to verify that they continue to uphold the vision for the neighborhood. Sometimes, compliance issues stem from the content of the governing documents themselves. Do some rules need to be revised to address unforeseen violations or to allow for an unforeseen issue? The goal of the association’s covenants is to preserve the value of the neighborhood; reviewing these documents will help you ascertain if they are succeeding in this function.
  • Organize Your Architectural Control Committee. Solicit for homeowner volunteers for your community’s ACC committee whenever needed, and play to the chosen members’ strengths. If you have a committee member with experience in architecture or engineering, he or she could spot unsound or problematic projects, and committee members who are great communicators could discuss projects effectively with homeowners to come up with remodeling solutions that meet homeowners’ needs and follow the architectural guidelines. Also, remember that your ACC coordinator at Spectrum Association Management can help ensure that all requests receive accurate responses.
  • Inspect the community regularly. Reviewing the community’s compliance at least once a month will show members that you care about preserving the value of your HOA. Don’t let violations stand without alerting homeowners of the issue—the homeowner might not even be aware of the violation, and will be more surprised and dismayed the longer the notice is delayed. To help with this important responsibility, your site manager at Spectrum will identify violations in your community, and can process violations for you.
  • Enforce every HOA rule, every time, for everyone. Fair and consistent enforcement will win homeowners’ respect and appreciation. Your team at Spectrum will guide you through decision-making tasks, but as a board member, you will get the final say. For instance, while Spectrum will recommend responses to community ACC requests, it’s up to the board and/or ACC committee to decide whether to approve or deny a request.
  • Be solution-minded. When you do need to deal with violations, stay focused on solving the problem. After identifying and describing the violation to the homeowner, focus on how the issue can be corrected quickly and easily. Allow a suitable timeframe for the homeowner to correct the issue. If a homeowner is having financial difficulties or other hardships that delay his or her ability to fix the violation, see if your HOA is able to lend assistance through a vendor referral, time extension, or payment plan.
  • Use consequences and awards. If homeowners fail to correct violations, you could suspend their rights to use the pool facilities or attend HOA community events. On the other hand, if a homeowner does an excellent job meeting covenant requirements, he or she could be recognized by a Yard of the Month award or even a nice, handwritten note.

Achieving covenant compliance is no simple task. It requires the cooperation and coordination of the efforts of board members, committee members, and homeowners. And, while it can sometimes be hard work to keep the neighborhood looking pristine, the results can be worth it! The holiday decorations might need to come down soon, but a beautifully maintained community will certainly help tide homeowners over until the fairy lights come out next year.