An HOA meeting is a key part of managing a community association, boards are required to have meetings. But there are 5 different types of meetings, and it’s important to know what they are, who needs to be there, how often you should have them, what topics can be discussed and what the procedure is for each type of meeting.
1 — Annual general meeting, or AGM, is open to all members of the HOA & the board of directors. It’s held every year, and it is the biggest meeting, where the community discusses big projects, the annual project, and elects new board members.
You need to check your state laws & governing documents to see when the notice of an annual meeting needs to be sent. We have timelines available for FL & CA below.
2 — A board of directors meeting is the most common meeting in an HOA. The board members have to be there and homeowners are also encouraged to go. The frequency depends on the size of the HOA and what issues need to be addressed, so they might be monthly or quarterly. They’re often held in person, but depending on the state laws and governing documents, the meeting could be online or hybrid.
During board meetings, routine management is discussed, like maintenance projects, disputes, and events. Members have to be notified and given an agenda that there will be a board meeting, how far in advance depends on state laws and HOA governing documents, but between 7 & 30 days before. During the meeting, minutes need to be taken and at the start of the next meeting, they’ll be approved.
3 — An executive meeting is a closed board meeting, they happen when the board needs to talk about confidential matters, such as litigation issues, or delinquent assessments so how often they happen depends on the issues that crop up. They can be held right after a normal board meeting, or separately. It’s important to make a note that the executive meeting happened, even if the minutes aren’t made public since the discussion is sensitive.
4 — A committee meeting, is a meeting of a specific committee, such as the Architectural Review Committee, landscaping, or newsletter committee. That means that committee members need to be there, and sometimes the board VP attends. The committee meeting may be open to homeowners or not, based on state laws or governing documents. These meetings need an agenda, and if they’re open a meeting notice needs to be sent. Then meeting minutes need to be taken as well. The topics will completely depend on the type of committee.
5 — Finally, we have an emergency meeting. In an emergency meeting, the only topic is the emergency at hand, which might be a natural disaster or pandemic, and the board needs to decide what action needs to be taken. They only happen rarely when there is an actual emergency. It might be held virtually or on the phone, but an agenda isn’t necessary. But minutes are, so you can share the board’s decisions with residents. However, you need to follow your HOA’s governing documents to see what they say about emergency meetings.
These 5 meeting types are all very different. What is important for all of them is that you’re following your state’s laws and your HOA’s rules as set out in the governing documents. You should have a clear agenda and follow it. For most of the meetings, you also need to notify residents so that they know what is going on.
Having regular meetings is the foundation of a well-run, organized community to take decisions and have discussions. Our software, Neigbrs by Vinteum can help you send out notices, store meeting agendas and minutes, and even hold online meetings, which helps you to save time and improve organization, communication, and management in your HOA.
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