How to Improve Your Community | TownSq

Serving on a homeowners’ association (HOA) board of directors comes with a wide range of responsibilities—from planning and organizing to overseeing day-to-day affairs. But amid all the logistics and decision-making, one critical duty is often relegated to the bottom of the list: community management. Not the kind handled by your management company, but the type that builds connection, belonging, and a true sense of togetherness. Read on to discover practical ideas board members can implement to ensure “community” stays at the heart of their association.

1. Communicate well and often.

Clear, consistent communication is essential to fostering a positive and supportive neighborhood culture. When board members fail to communicate openly and often, it can lead to confusion, frustration, and conflict. To build trust, boards must be transparent about concerns, projects, and updates. Residents should know how to reach their boards and receive timely, thoughtful responses in return.

Boards that keep residents informed and aligned cultivate a more harmonious living environment for all. When developing a communication strategy and cadence, it’s important to leverage multiple channels, including:

Community website
Newsletters
Email blasts
Text messages
Dedicated community app
Bulletin boards
Direct mail
Social media

Each channel serves a different purpose and comes with its own strengths and weaknesses. The most effective option will align with the association’s needs, goals, and audience.

2. Ask for feedback.

‍Some associations tend to share final decisions without including residents in the process. While most outcomes ultimately rest on the board, it's important to remember that they’re elected to represent the interests of the whole community. Even when a decision is mostly settled, giving homeowners the opportunity to weigh in can help them feel heard and included.

All residents should have a voice in their association; however, many won’t share feedback unless it's requested. Boards can create a more engaged, inclusive environment by making it easy and comfortable for residents to speak up. A few effective ways to collect input include:

Board meetings. Consider holding an open forum monthly or quarterly HOA board meetings. During an open forum, residents can address the board and express their concerns. Governing documents will include more information about conducting and operating open forums.
Online forums. Many technology platforms offer a forum feature. For example, the TownSq Forum acts as a discussion board where residents and board members can talk and post about various topics in numerous categories.
Polls. Software solutions like TownSq also have poll capabilities. From asking what types of flowers to plant at the entrance to the preferred date for a block party, polls let residents make their voices heard.

As board members demonstrate their commitment to listening to residents' opinions and taking steps to implement solutions, it sets a positive example. This, in turn, encourages other neighbors to feel more at ease sharing their thoughts openly and contributing to the betterment of the community.

3. Accept volunteer support.

Dedicated volunteers are the backbone of a thriving community, and just because someone isn’t ready to serve doesn’t mean they can’t still help the association. If someone wants to help, make room for their involvement. Discouragement can quickly descend into disengagement. Every volunteer is a potential future board member, and encouraging new leaders alleviates the pressure for the same few individuals to perpetually serve.

For example, committees are a great low-commitment way to pitch in. HOA committees are a group of residents who volunteer to assist the board with a specific task or event. This lightens the board’s workload, speeds up project completion timelines, and enhances efficiency. Popular HOA committees include: