Key takeaways
- HOA maintenance is the collection of tasks a homeowners association or condo takes to keep the community in good shape.
- Examples of places that a homeowners maintenance association takes care of include amenity spaces like pools, roads and sidewalks, and common lawns.
- HOA maintenance is important because it keeps existing residents happy, and it’s one of your primary responsibilities as an HOA board member.
A resident interested in HOAs wants to join a vibrant, thriving community — and as an HOA board member, it’s your responsibility to create that environment. HOA maintenance is one of the tasks that allow you to foster this environment, and it’s one of your most important duties.
In this post, we go over what HOA maintenance is and give examples of the kind of space that you would maintain. Then, we explain why HOA maintenance is important.
This post covers:
- What is HOA maintenance?
- Types of HOA maintenance
- Examples of HOA maintenance
- Why is HOA maintenance important?
What is HOA maintenance?
HOA maintenance is a collection of tasks that a condo or homeowners association has to complete to ensure that each home and property is in good condition.
HOA board members have many responsibilities and manage properties of all sizes. Your HOA might cover a large area containing dozens of homes or be as small as an individual building that sells individual units to residents.
Many residents consider moving into an HOA building or property because an HOA takes care of maintenance costs. While residents pay their HOAs a monthly fee, it’s the HOA’s job to use that money responsibly.
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Types of HOA maintenance
There are three primary types of HOA maintenance your community will oversee:
1. Common areas
Many HOAs contain amenity spaces meant for communal use. Homeowner fees fund maintenance, upgrade, or even addition of these spaces.
Some examples of amenities include:
- Swimming pools
- Game rooms
- Fitness centers
- Biking trails
While the types of amenity spaces differ, common area maintenance for HOAs usually involves ensuring that utilities like lighting and electric work and that the area is free of litter.
2. Exterior maintenance
HOAs are responsible for maintaining exterior spaces that give the whole community a unified aesthetic feel. In some cases, it’s up to residents to ensure their individual units meet HOA standards, but an HOA is also responsible for other elements of exterior maintenance.
HOA exterior maintenance involves looking after:
- Outdoor walls, roofs, and siding
- The exteriors of common buildings
- Gutters and downspouts
3. Limited common elements
A “limited common element” is a term that HOAs often use to describe any amenity used by a few residents but isn’t used by all.
For example, a driveway shared among a few houses is a limited common element because only a few residents will use it. However, maintaining that driveway and other similar common elements is still the HOA’s responsibility.
Examples of HOA maintenance
While every property is unique, there are some things that every HOA board must deal with to keep the community maintained.
Some areas that require homeowners association maintenance include:
1. Roads
While it differs depending on your HOA’s location, many homeowner associations are in charge of road maintenance for their properties. Road maintenance has many pitfalls and complications that require the services of a vigilant HOA.
It would be best if you kept an eye out for potholes on your community’s roads. It’s also your responsibility to maintain parking lots. HOA sidewalk maintenance also falls onto your plate because these spaces are commonly used.
2. Lawns
Most homeowners are responsible for maintaining their lawns and landscaping, ensuring it complies with HOA lawn maintenance guidelines. However, as a member of the HOA board, you’re responsible for maintaining communal outdoor spaces like a shared lawn, you’d be responsible for that upkeep.
If the landscaping is starting to look overgrown or if weeds are overtaking your property, it might be time to hire a landscaping company for some touch-ups.
But depending on your bylines and how an individual homeowner’s lawn affects the aesthetics of the entire community, an HOA might be able to shoulder landscaping costs for individual homes.
3. Access control
Whether they’re delivery couriers, service providers, or social guests, your residents will likely invite their guests onto the community’s property. That means giving your residents a convenient, simple way to verify a guest’s identity and allow them inside.
If your HOA is a gated community, you might install a video intercom that allows residents to talk to guests using smartphones. A sticker-based vehicle access control system can also ensure that vehicle access into and out of your community is quick.
Why is HOA maintenance important?
Here are a few reasons why prioritizing HOA maintenance is in your best interests and that of your entire community.
Prioritize HOA interior maintenance to:
1. Keep existing residents happy
As HOA board members, the happiness of your residents is one of your highest priorities. You might get residents complaining about fees, lack of responsiveness, or other perceived problems. The best way to appease these residents is to show them that you’re putting their money to good use by keeping every aspect of the property up-to-date.
Plus, if your residents aren’t happy with current maintenance levels, they might organize to replace you during the next HOA election. In the worst case, a resident might even go to an attorney or use a local court system — wasting everybody’s time and money.
2. Adhere to your governing documents
HOA maintenance will do more than keep your residents happy — you’ll also follow the law. According to your HOA’s statutes, you might be obligated to provide maintenance.
A lack of maintenance will not only disappoint your residents and create an unwelcome environment, but it will also open you up to charges of breaching your fiduciary duties to the HOA.
What is an example of a breach of fiduciary duty in HOA?
A common example of a breach of fiduciary duty in an HOA would be failing to provide maintenance. If you collect dues and fail to use them, residents might be able to use your HOA’s bylaws to replace you as a board member.
3. Attract new residents
While keeping your existing residents happy is important, you should also always look towards the future. Keeping up with property maintenance will ensure that your HOA’s properties are always in demand.
All things being equal, a neighborhood with an HOA will cost more than a neighborhood without one because HOAs charge fees on top of living expenses. It’s up to you to make prospects see that their money is being used efficiently by ensuring the property is properly maintained.
