squinney wrote:...We have over 1600 homes in our HOA and only get around 200-300 in attendance at the annual meeting. We have over a million dollar budget to approve and larger issues than associations with 100 homes, and still get less than 20% turnout since many of those that come are same home couples....
Squinney must be in an area that mandates HOA (or N.A.) membership and dues in its building covenants, leases and/or deeds...right? People who are required to pay have more of a vested interest in the HOA and are more likely to participate to see where their money is going. The guaranteed income also makes it possible for the N.A. to hire employees, sign contracts for various services, build facilities, and in general, plan ahead.
We were in an older neighborhood where N.A. membership and dues were completely optional and strictly voluntary. It was an entirely different set-up. We had to depend entirely on the generosity of neighbors, and many of them could not afford "extras" such as N.A. dues. They were doing well to afford housing. We could only dream of 4-color, full bleed newsletters such as Squinney's. (I bet she mails hers, too!...we had trouble finding $25/mo. to mail copies to city officials!) Our advertising paid the cost of our printing bills, which were partially donated anyway. We had no paid staff, no facilities, and no assets.
And yet, we were very influential.
Bottom line...it's nice to have money, but it's the people that count. You get good people leading your N.A., you'll accomplish a lot. You have bad leadership, and all the income in the world won't help.
