

HOA communities can only be as successful as the leaders that the community has put in place. But figuring out what exactly makes a good community leader is a tough question to answer. Here’s a list of qualities that we think a community leader should exhibit.
- Understand the Association’s Governing Documents, become educated in applicable state and local laws and manage the community association accordingly.
- Balance the needs and obligations of the community as a whole.
- Exercise sound business judgment and follow established management practices.
- Fulfill fiduciary duties to the community and exercise discretion in a manner that is in the best interests of the community.
- Establish committees or use other methods to obtain input from owners and non-owner residents.
- Conduct open, fair and well-publicized elections.
- Welcome and educate new members of the community.
- Encourage input from residents on issues affecting them personally and the community as a whole.
- Encourage events that foster neighborliness and a sense of community.
- Conduct business in a transparent manner when feasible and appropriate.
- Allow homeowners access to appropriate community records when requested.
- Collect all money due from owners and non-owner residents.
- Devise appropriate and reasonable arrangements, when needed and as feasible, to facilitate the ability of individual homeowners to meet their financial obligations to the community.
- Provide a process that residents can use to appeal decisions affecting their non-routine financial responsibilities or property rights – where permitted by law and the association’s governing documents.
- Initiate foreclosure proceedings only as a measure of last resort.
- Make covenants, conditions and restrictions as understandable as possible, adding clarifying language or supplementary materials when drafting or revising the documents.
- Provide complete and timely disclosure of personal and financial conflicts of interest related to the actions of community leaders, e.g., officers, the board and committees. (Community associations may also want to develop a code of ethics.)