Lack of volunteers for the Board

Started by RobO • 7 replies • 79 views

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RobO (New Hampshire)
Posts: 2

Posted:

I am a board member for our HOA. Bylaws call for 5 members. We are currently running with 3 members and I will be stepping down in a few months. After serving on the board for 4 years I am looking for a break. We have been contacting homeowners over the past 2 years asking for volunteers … crickets.

Running with just 2 members is not functional.

What are our options?

Noone will volunteer.

Has anyone else gone through this?

Perhaps we go into receivership!?

Fyi, we have a management company so the work load is pretty light for the board.

TimB4 (Tennessee)
Posts: 21,115

Posted:

With 5 Directors, you need 3 for a quorum.

You need a quorum to conduct business.

I ran into a similar situation in my previous Association.

The options are limited, but here they are:

1) To buy additional time, prior to you leaving, the Board should vote to allow the following:

Director/Officer x has the authority to renew existing contract for abc

Director/Officer x has the authority to pay all bills for contracts already entered into.

Director/Officer x has the authority to etc, etc, etc.

This way, things were done properly with Board approval.

This can not go on forever, but it can buy additional time to find someone.

2) Not a great option, and I didn't have to use it, but I was willing to appoint my wife and adult daughter to the Board to not have to use the worst option.

3) Inform the membership what receivership is and how it would affect them in the pocketbook.

mention that if nobody volunteers, there is no quorum and why you legally need a quorum on the Board.

mention that a receiver, likely a management company, appointed by the court only answers to the courts

mention that Assessments will increase to pay for the receiver

mention that regardless what your governing documents require, if the receiver sees a need they can ask the court for a special assessment and members would have no say in the process.

Sometimes, this can motivate someone to step up and volunteer.

4) Worst Option - Petition the Court for a Receiver

RobO (New Hampshire)
Posts: 2

Posted:

Thanks for the tips. I did understand that 2 members cannot conduct business. Your point #1 is a good one.

Another thought is to amend the By-Laws to allow for a 3-member size board. Then, 2 members would be a majority.

This would take a special vote of the association.

However, 2 members doing all the board work is too much and not realistic.

Point #3 is next step. The homeowners all love lawn care and driveways plowed in the winter but, noone wants to volunteer.

Sharing the possible consequences might wake folks up.

TracyP3 (Florida)
Posts: 4

Posted:

We have the same problem in Florida. People want the benefits of the HOA without participating. We had 3 volunteers in 2025. We ran it as a business and accomplished more than previous 5 member boards (and the current 5 member board). We uncovered shortfalls in reserve planning and realized quickly our 25 year old community was a maintenance money-pit. In 12 months we completed quite a few improvements and clearly outlined next steps. The next steps and years of poor reserve planning required a $200 assessment increase. SUDDENTLY... we had 5 more people who were interested in running. Now, a year later they see the light and the amount of work it takes to run a community. None want to stay for another term. So, we are back to trying to get at least 3 volunteers. Time for option #3.

SheliaH (Indiana)
Posts: 6,980

Posted:

We were about to be down to three board members (there should be 7) and wrote a strongly worded letter about receivership, complete with a deadline when we needed people to step up or the remaining board members would pursue receivership. We discussed what that would mean in estimated dollars and that worked. One board member who resigned a year earlier returned as did two people.

We also took a look at what the board did and streamlined some processes so serving wouldn't look and feel like a second full time job! However, we made it clear some work was required, but mostly applying careful thought to association issues. It can't just be about meeting every month and deciding how to spend money (which most didn't want to do). Education was also i m portant, so people understood what it meant to be a board member. If you decided it wasn't for you, that's ok - better to be realistic about your time and abilities, lest you burn out.

If it is not right do not do it; if it is not true do not say it. Marcus Aurelius

JeffT2 (Iowa)
Posts: 896

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By SheliaH on 08/22/2026, 12:42 PM

We were about to be down to three board members (there should be 7) and wrote a strongly worded letter about receivership, complete with a deadline when we needed people to step up or the remaining board members would pursue receivership. We discussed what that would mean in estimated dollars and that worked. One board member who resigned a year earlier returned as did two people.
We also took a look at what the board did and streamlined some processes so serving wouldn't look and feel like a second full time job! However, we made it clear some work was required, but mostly applying careful thought to association issues. It can't just be about meeting every month and deciding how to spend money (which most didn't want to do). Education was also i m portant, so people understood what it meant to be a board member. If you decided it wasn't for you, that's ok - better to be realistic about your time and abilities, lest you burn out.

Was one of the returnees you?

Just curious, did you help write the letter or help streamline some processes? You would be a good board member.

SheliaH (Indiana)
Posts: 6,980

Posted:

Thanks for the compliments! Actually, I was one of the three board members still standing. I also drafted the letter, the president at the time did some editing, everyone read and approved it and off it went.

The main process we worked on was establishing a website so we could wind down use of the newsletter (which half of the residents didn't read anyway!) We'd post minutes, holiday trash pickup dates and other stuff people would check quickly without having to call the property manager over and over. There was also a request forms for exterior change requests that could be downloaded and em a filed back to tge board for faster handling.

The website was an ongoing project, so some things it has now were established after I stepped down (after 10 years!) Anything that reduces processing frees up the board and property manager to focus on strategy and new approaches to association issues I s a lwsys good.

If it is not right do not do it; if it is not true do not say it. Marcus Aurelius

MikeH24 (California)
Posts: 22

Posted:

With the other two directors' agreement, announce that unless two or three more members step up, the board will be implementing an increase in monthly dues for the following year at the maximum percent allowed by NH law. (In CA that is 20%.) Plow whatever is not needed for operations into the reserves.

If you get the two directors, and if you can get two board members to agree, announce that if there are any subsequent board vacancies that last more than 30 days, the board will be issuing a special assessment for every two months of the vacancy/vacancies. Take the maximum size of a discretionary special assessment allowed per year by NH law and your CC&Rs and divide by 6 to figure the amount. Again you can earmark that for the reserves if nothing else.

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