How to Increase Annual HOA Meeting Attendance

One of the biggest problems HOA boards have with annual meetings is keeping a decent attendance. No matter what you do to try and reach quorum, it can be really difficult to get people to come.

Most community members see the annual meeting as a necessary evil or they really just aren’t interested in hearing from their HOA board or management company, mostly because they probably don’t think much of the meeting content will apply to or impact them.

However, not all hope is lost. Here are some tips for improving not only attendance but also participation at your next annual board meeting:

Get Creative

Let’s face it: there’s a good chunk of the meeting that is just not going to be that exciting. You’ll be required to cover certain areas that aren’t all that enthralling, such as the annual budget, projects that took place, votes by the board, information on dues, and more.

However, there’s a way to make the information more appealing even if it isn’t on paper. For example, you could turn to some creative outlets, such as:

• booklets to hand out before the meeting to give owners an overview of the meeting and who was involved in yearly actions by the association
• a video that shows the projects completed this year, complete with some upbeat music and maybe certain board members commentating.

Another option is to make the event more than just a meeting. For example, include an art show, wine tasting, or have local organizations or charities participate, such as having the girl scouts come with a table to sell cookies or raffle off a painting from a local artist. Ask your HOA manager for additional ideas.

It’s important to remember that although the numbers of those attending do matter, the other goal is to help members appreciate the reasons they live in the HOA and help them feel like a real part of it sates Matthew Laderman Vice president  The annual meeting can be a great opportunity to do that.