HOA Board Member Roles

President

The president leads the Board and is responsible for overseeing and handling many of its procedural duties. In order to succeed in this role, the Board president must be knowledgeable about the community’s CC&Rs and governing documents and understand how to run an effective meeting.  He or she serves as the authority on all association rules and governing documents, and appoints committees if dictated by the bylaws.  The president also leads community and association meetings, handling such responsibilities as calling the meeting to order, announcing the agenda and ensuring adherence, maintaining attendee order and decorum,  proposing questions, calling for votes and announcing the results, and recognizing others to speak on the floor.

Vice President

The Board vice president shares many of the leadership and procedural duties with the president, including assuming the leadership role when the president is unable to do so.  The vice president’s responsibilities include ensuring order is maintained during meetings and parliamentary procedures, ensuring a smooth flow of business and serving as an informed source about association rules, bylaws and governing documents.

Board Treasurer

The Board treasurer is responsible for the association’s funds, securities and financial records.  He or she oversees billing, collections and disbursement of funds, and coordinates the development of the association’s proposed annual operating budget and reserve allocations.  In addition, the treasurer is responsible for monitoring the budget and reporting on the association’s financial status throughout the year, as well as for overseeing year-end reporting and any required audits. In self-managed communities, in which many of the day-to-day financial responsibilities are handled by a property management company, the treasurer is responsible for ensuring that all association funds are collected, disbursed, invested and reported accurately and remain in compliance at all times with the association’s by-laws and governing documents.

Board Secretary

The HOA secretary maintains the association’s meeting minutes and official records, reviewing and updating documents as required and ensuring they are stored safely and accessible to association members. He or she is responsible for providing proper notice of meetings, as well as distributing documents, such as official records, agendas and meeting minutes, on a timely basis to association members and/or their authorized representatives. In addition, as the custodian of the association’s official records and documents, the secretary ensures the association meets all legal documentation requirements, such as annual filing deadlines.

Election of Board members

Corporations, community associations and HOAs need strong leadership to make decisions and direct their operations. These leadership roles are fulfilled by Board members and officers. To ensure the community’s ongoing success, it’s important to continually bring in new leadership, and most associations hold Board elections every few years, usually during the annual meeting.  While the procedures and rules governing Board elections vary by both state laws and the association’s by-laws, nearly all include providing all eligible homeowners who wish to stand for election an equal opportunity to run, properly notifying all homeowners in advance about the time, date and location of the upcoming election, and ensuring the voting process remains anonymous and private.  Homeowners may vote for Board members in three ways – by attending and casting their votes at the meeting, by mailing their votes before the election is held, or by voting by proxy, which involves allowing another member to attend the meeting and vote on their behalf.