Hypothetical Survey to Homeowners

Joyce, I don't see this as a survey; I see it more as an expression of your thoughts.

Also, a survey needs to be specific enough to provide useful information. For example who wouldn't answer yes to the first two questions?

Perhaps by actually conducting a positive survey to get owners opinions and soliciting their participation your term as President will result in a significant improvement for which you can be proud.

Good Luck as President!

Joyce, I agree with Roger.

You are on the right track by considering the communication with the community and soliciting their participation. However, it must be positive.

The number 6 and 7 above would certainly have a negative impact on some. They could also be considered argumentive, with number 6 being judgemental.

Try to find other surveys that HOA's have done and use some examples.

Bill

BrianB

Loved your answers! It's exactly the kind of response I would get.

Thanks for the lighthearted approach.

It was light-hearted, wasn't it???? (smile)

Joyce

One of the things I preach to boards is that like any other business, you have to have public relations. In this case, you need to constantly remind the owners that the decision they made to move into your community was a good decision. This takes regular communications through multiple channels (written, verbal, digital, visual).

An example I like to use is lawn cutting for condominiums. Owners, looking at a typical spreadsheet budget that comes every year, might get upset when they see $40,000 budgeted for lawn care. But, if instead, it is pointed out that it only is costing them $7/cutting, then it becomes a good deal. You're not changing the number, just accenting what the real cost (and benefit) is to the individual. They aren't paying the $40k out their pocket.

As Brad pointed out, give them something to be proud of, and then remind them to be proud of it. This is one of the reasons I like to see associations get involved with local charities and activities, its nice to be a part of something that makes a difference.

If you'll bear with me I like to give you a rather long example. Earlier this year I was asked to consult with a rather large associaton in the area. They were having internal problems and a dissident group had appeared that was creating problems for the board and was running their own slate of candidates for the election coming up in three months. I was surprised because I had known this association for over 30 years and it had always been one of the best run asociations I had ever seen. As I entered the association, one of the first thngs I noticed was the sign at the entrance. It was faded beyond reading, chipped, crooked and with only a few scrubby bushes and very tall weeds around it. Driving through the site, I noticed weeds coming out of the sidewalks and roads, brown lawns and as a result, the units looked a little shabbier than they probably were. I asked what had happened and they told me that because of owner feedback they hadn't felt they could increase the budget for the past three years and so had been cutting back on the maintenance. I asked to see the communications (flyers, newsletters, announcements) that they had sent to the owners during that time and they produced very little, and most of it read as one long apology, with a very defensive overtone. None of the budget cover letters gave very much in the way of explanation of what was needed or how the money was spent. To make a long story shorter, I convinced them they were simply digging their own hole deeper. They agreed to make a concerted effort, asking for volunteers to help the staff, in cleaning up the place. We completely revised their communications, making sure at least one association wide piece went out every two weeks, documenting the changes and improvements, and created a web site on which photos of the changes were displayed. They began holding a social hour before every board meeting, inviting all owners to stop by and talk to the board and staff, and those that did were invited to stay for the board meeting to see how the association was run. I wanted the board to be as transparent as possible. Absolutely nothing negative was to be said about the dissident group. "The board was responding to their concerns". The dissident group candidates received less than 10% of the votes. The place is looking better and better and more of the people coming to the meetings are saying positive things about the association. Communications is usually the key. But public relations is a part of communications and all too often overlooked by boards because they either don't understand why it is necesary or don't know how to go about it.

By the way, I'm sort of a nut about entrances to associations. Its the one area every owner and visitor sees first. It should make the statement "you are now entering a special place, where I proudly and happily live".

Sorry to be so long-winded, but this is a hot-button issue for me.

Joe