If you live in an HOA and are not on the board, your voice can still be heard!
While it is easy and quick to call or email your management company, presenting your idea(s) at a meeting is the best way to share them. This is because, in every Homeowner’s Association, the Board of Directors holds the decision-making ability.
Before you present your idea at the next board meeting (in the agenda as “Other” or “Discussion” or “Comments,”), contact the board secretary and ask if your idea can be featured as a main topic of the meeting. This way, your presentation will be anticipated, and you can ensure that your preparation pans out. If you were to present on the spot during an open forum, you may not have the time to share all your ideas because other homeowners are hoping to speak as well.
Preparing to present at a board meeting is like any other presentation in that a good idea needs a spokesperson. When you’ve come up with the idea, that spokesperson is you. If you can imagine the concept and how it will benefit your community, paint that picture in your presentation. Or, if you can count the ways it will profit your community, tally it up and explain how the numbers will help.
Understandably, on the day of the presentation, you might be nervous. Who wouldn’t? That’s why advice about picturing audiences in their underwear exists. However, better than that, picture your idea. Ultimately, your presentation is about your idea, and if you can communicate how the idea will benefit your community and the board believes that it’s realistically implementable, it should be a smooth and rewarding process.