HOA Amenities: 5 Tips to Prepare for Summer | TownSq

Summer is one of the busiest times for HOAs (homeowners’ associations). It’s when people plan summer activities, take off work, and spend quality time with their families. With this comes increased use of community amenities, and as managers and board members, it’s important to have your HOA amenities ready and prepared for the new season.

HOA amenities provide communities with a variety of benefits, including heightened engagement and involvement, enhanced lifestyles, a feeling of security, and stronger relationships, so keeping them in tip-top shape is essential. Read on to learn helpful tips.  

Why are HOA amenities so important?

As HOAs evolve into a more modern way of living, offering quality amenities is non-negotiable. In fact, a large portion of what makes up the community's dues comes from amenities. This is why maintaining your community amenities is so crucial; people expect to get and use their money’s worth.

For some HOAs, amenities can be seen as an opportunity to boost value and resident retention. They are also key for attracting future homeowners looking for lifestyle features like hybrid or remote living conditions. Plus, they improve the living experience by delivering convenience, comfort, and a sense of community for all members. Other benefits may include:

● Increased property values.

● Better resident satisfaction.

● Superior hybrid lifestyle.

● Enhanced community engagement.

● Improved relationship between neighbors.

How to prepare your association amenities

To ensure your HOA is ready to take on the biggest season safely, here are areas you should add to your “to-check” list.  

Common areas: pool and landscape

Your community pool is a focal point in your HOA and will be an integral part of residents’ summer entertainment. As a safety precaution, your HOA will need to take the proper steps to guarantee the pool is in full compliance with all city codes and community guidelines.

Here’s what to do:

1. Schedule an inspection - Scheduling an HOA pool inspection is vital. Some things to do include:

• Testing emergency phone lines.

• Checking fences.

• Checking water levels and temperatures.

• Updating pool guidelines and rules.

• Inspecting pool hardware and jump boards.

• Inspecting pool steps, walkways, and crossings.

2. Perform any necessary upkeep – Your maintenance team will likely need to address exterior wear and tear and repair damages.

Depending on the state of the community’s landscape, there may be a lot to do. You should schedule maintenance-related landscaping three to four months prior to summer. Other updates to landscapes may include:

• Planting and pruning trees.

• Handling shrubs and weeds.

• Watering grass and plants.

• Mowing and watering common areas.

• Planting flowers that are appropriate for summer heat.

Staff

Ensuring your common area amenities are well-prepared involves bringing together a competent and diverse staff. This may include:

• Lifeguards.

• Security.

• Medical staff.

• Common area volunteers/employees to help run the community.  

When making staff schedules, create them two to three months in advance so people can plan accordingly.

Community events

No summer is complete without fun summertime activities. Social events are a great opportunity for neighbors to get to know one another while taking advantage of the HOA amenities.

Here are some summertime event ideas:

•Summer cookout - A summer cookout can be a budget-friendly way to encourage engagement and socialization.

○ Tip: A summer cookout doesn’t require the financial committee to give up the entire budget. Consider hosting a potluck where everyone brings their own sense of taste to the table. Keep in mind that space will be an important part of this event. Depending on how many people are expected to attend, your board will need to provide enough space for everyone to join. Be sure to check your community bylaws for any restrictions or rules when reserving an event space.

•Movie night - A movie night is the perfect occasion for families to escape the hustle and bustle of their everyday lives.

○ Tip: If your community has a large park, plan a themed outdoor movie night under the stars. Setting up an outdoor movie screen is inexpensive and doesn’t take much time. You may also want to ask participants to contribute light refreshments and snacks. When choosing the movie, consider creating a poll for members to vote on their favorite movie.

•Game night - Game night is another interactive way to get families in your community involved. When choosing game options, confirm they’re appropriate for all ages so everyone can enjoy them.

○ Tip: Generate excitement around the event by having families sign up as teams or duo partners. The team with the most wins goes home with a game night surprise.

Update your amenities app

Accessibility is key for amenities. You’ll need an easy and convenient process for booking and scheduling amenities.

The community management app, TownSq, offers an all-in-one amenities feature. Here, managers can add their amenity options into one platform and let residents instantly book any amenity directly in the app. Other benefits of this feature include:

• Setting special hours, fees, and terms.

• Viewing amenity schedules and open timeslots.

• Booking and accessing amenities easily.

• Receiving calendar confirmation messages.

• Sending reminder notifications.

Checklist

Don’t get lost in the chaos! We’ve compiled a simple-to-follow checklist so nothing gets missed. You can follow it step-by-step or alter it to fit the needs of your HOA.

Find the checklist here: Check List

Get your HOA summer-ready today

By following these HOA amenity tips, you can enhance the value of your community, increase resident satisfaction, and attract new members looking for a neighborhood that offers a vibrant lifestyle.

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