Community Association rules may be parts of governing documents that keep your neighborhood running smoothly, but nothing about these rules is set in stone. Over time, changes may have to be adopted out of necessity or by the request of a community member.

As a Board member or a concerned community member, there are steps you need to take in order to make the right decisions for your neighborhood. Here are some tips and how your association management company can help!

Before Approaching Change, Read the Documents!

Having the idea for change is a great place to start, but before you can be certain this is a change your community needs, you should read all of your Association’s governing documents. 

Your HOA management team will be able to provide you with the three governing documents you will need to review:

• The Declaration
• Bylaws
• Rules & Regulations

Doing your local and state Association Law research will help you understand whether or not your goals are attainable or what you will need to do to implement said changes. Keep in mind that some document changes can be costly to carry out, so that’s why we recommend following the next step in the plan for change involving the worth of your idea.

Make Sure Change is Worth Pursuing

You may not be the first person to come up with this proposed change. We suggest making your voice heard at board meetings. Ask questions about your changes. You may discover that the idea has already been proposed and turned down for various reasons.

You can also reach out to fellow community members via applications like Nextdoor, where you can find out if the changes you want to propose are worth the time and investment. Remember making your opinion known on this topic will not only get you answers but could also help make your proposal get noticed by Board members who can help push policy changes along.

Know That Your Board Has a Process

Even if the Board deems that the proposed change is something that can benefit your community, don’t expect change to happen overnight. There is usually a process set in place that allows for member comments, the proper outlining of the process, and the time needed to prepare a draft of the rule; all before it is approved and filed. Your Board must also operate under the bylaws which outline specifically how changes can be made.

Let Goodwin & Company Help With The Details

From explaining bylaws to helping with the organization of governing documents, the team at Goodwin & Company is ready to help make your changes benefit your community. If you don’t have a team on-hand to help with the details of your community, now is the perfect time to make a change that matters. Contact us today to find out more about the services we provide to communities like yours.