The 8 types of HOA and condo meetings board members, you should know

Overview

A condo owner association or an HOA must hold meetings to maintain and manage the business of the association. The state and bylaws and/or CC&Rs dictate what type of meetings need to take place, how often, who can attend, the requirements and the reporting process.

We summarized all the different types of meetings for you so you can prepare, hold and attend your meetings successfully.

For the sake of simplicity, we will use the term HOA for condo, strata or co-op associations in this article.

What are the different types of HOA meetings?

There are 8 types of HOA or condo meetings you can have:

1.  Board meeting

Board meetings are the most common type of HOA meetings, they are legally required to be held and usually deal with the general business and financial aspects of the association.

Who can attend

• Board members only however the property manager can sometimes attend as a guest with no authority to take part except as permitted by the chair.

Frequency

• Quarterly or monthly*

Quorum requirements

• In general 50%*

Notice requirements

• 7-30 days*
• Must include an agenda in advance of the meeting

Main purpose

• Address the everyday management of the community.
• Settle a dispute or discuss maintenance projects' progress.
• Address financial statements or proposed budgets
• Review and approve quotes obtained for work.

Who should organize

• Board members and usually the person taking the secretary role
• Sometimes the HOA property manager is in charge to organize and schedule the board meeting if they are attending
  
  

2. Committee Meeting

When an association is large, it may form separate committees to deal with the functioning of specific areas within the community. Committees are made up of certain board members and sometimes non-director members. The governing documents or bylaws of the HOA usually outline which committees are to exist and who will serve on them.

Who can attend

• For most committee meetings, any community member can attend, including those who are not committee members but want to become more involved.
• The HOA or condo property manager can also attend and participate in the discussions

Frequency

• Meetings are to be held periodically or as needed

Quorum requirements

• In general, there are no quorum requirements unless specified in the governing documents or bylaws.

Notice requirement

• Since Committee meetings can occur anytime, usually a notice should be given at least 48 hours prior to the meeting.

Main purpose

• Address the day-to-day management of the area the committee covers.
• Raise and discuss items similar to those discussed in board meetings, which pertain to the committee's responsibilities.
• Each committee must present its work at larger annual board meetings and sometimes at periodic board meetings held throughout the year.

Meeting minutes

• Minutes must be kept in association records and shared with the board.

Types of committee meetings:

• Executive committee
• Landscaping committee
• Maintenance committee
• Welcome committee
• Safety committee
• Architectural committee
• Financial committee and one that determines how to set an HOA fee or other related condo fees.

3. Executive Session

An executive session is a meeting of the board of directors exclusively. These meetings are not open to all members of the HOA and are used to discuss confidential matters. This can include ongoing litigation, delinquent assessments, and personnel issues. Board members may vote on issues and actions during these meetings, and the votes here are binding.

Organizations

• HOA, Co-op, strata and condo associations.

Who can attend

• HOA board members and all homeowners
• HOA attorney
• HOA accountant
• Meeting facilitators
• Any invited guests from third parties (Ex. vendors)

Frequency

• An executive session can be at any time to address a pending topic. Generally speaking, an executive session occurs routinely after an open board meeting.

Quorum requirements

• In general 50%*

Notice requirements

• Because executive meetings can be at any time, the level of notice needed can vary. The minutes taken at these meetings are private and are not made available to homeowners.

Main purpose

• Executive meetings are to discuss private, confidential matters including:
• Third-party contracts
• Legal action
• Employee matters
• Disciplinary hearing
• Repayment plans

Meeting minutes

• The fact that an executive meeting took place will be noted in the minutes of the public board meeting. A brief note on what was discussed will be included.

4. Annual General Meeting

Every homeowner's association is required to hold an annual general meeting (AGM) once a year.

Organizations

• HOA, Co-op, strata and condo associations.

Who can attend

• HOA board members and all homeowners
• HOA attorney
• HOA accountant
• Meeting facilitators

Frequency

• These meetings occur at least 6 months* after the end of the financial period. It may be in–person meeting or an online AGM, depending on state laws and bylaws.

Quorum requirements

• In general 50%*

Meeting minutes

• The meeting is recorded and minutes are taken during the session and will be shared with all homeowners.

Notice requirements

• All members must be notified in advance per the rules outlined in the state bylaws, CC&Rs and/or the governing documents. This is usually 14-30 days before the meeting.

Main purpose

• Address and review the annual budget and financial statements
• Report on new projects
• Hold board member elections,
• Hold Q&A sessions and collect feedback from homeowners.

5. Special or Emergency Meetings

An emergency meeting is rare, and it deals with a situation requiring immediate action and decisions to be made regarding property.

Organizations

• HOA, Co-op, strata and condo associations.

Who can attend

• HOA board members and all homeowners
• HOA attorney
• HOA accountant
• Meeting facilitators

Frequency

• These meetings are held when it isn't practical to follow the regular rules.

Quorum requirements

• In general 50%*

Notice requirements

• Very little notice is usually given or 14 days before the meeting to ensure the quorum is met.

Main purpose

• Emergency meetings may be to discuss dealing with a sudden situation, such as a wildfire that's close by. They're generally held to conduct a special assessment. These meetings are sometimes held virtually, by phone, email, or video call, if agreed to by members.

Meeting minutes

• Minutes are generally recorded and shared with the members.

6. Special Transitional General Meeting

The special general meeting (SGM) is when the first board of directors is elected. During this meeting, the provisional administrator, typically appointed by the building developer, renders an account of their administration. This meeting marks when the developer ceases to maintain the building(s). The newly elected board takes over with a declaration of co-ownership.

Organizations

• HOA, Co-op, strata and condo associations.

Who can attend

• HOA board members and all homeowners
• HOA attorney
• HOA accountant
• Meeting facilitators

Quorum requirements

• In general 50%*

Frequency

• This meeting takes place just once.

Notice requirements

• An SGM will take place no later than 90 days after the day the developer stops holding the majority of votes in the general meeting of co-owners.

Main purpose

• This meeting is held to transfer the organization's control from the developer to the co-owners.
• Hold the first board of directors election

7. Make-up Meeting

When the annual meeting is postponed because not enough people attended to reach a quorum, a make-up meeting is held.

Organizations

• HOA, Co-op, strata and condo associations.

Who can attend

• HOA board members and all homeowners
• HOA attorney
• HOA accountant
• Meeting facilitators

Frequency

• Whenever required

Quorum requirements

• In general a minimum quorum. It is usually lower than the annual general meeting (25-50%)

Notice requirements

• Usually between (7-30 days). All members must be notified if the annual meeting needs to be rescheduled.

Purpose

• The same purpose as an annual general meeting.

8. Information meeting

Sometimes board members wish to inform homeowners about projects, so an information meeting is held.

Organizations

• HOA, Co-op, strata and condo associations.

Who can attend

• HOA board members and all homeowners
• HOA attorney
• HOA accountant
• Meeting facilitators

Frequency

• These meetings can take place at any time throughout the year.

Quorum requirements

• In general, there are no quorum requirements unless specified in the governing documents or bylaws.

Notice requirements

• The advance notice must be given in line with the rules in the governing documents.

Purpose

• Information meetings are held to inform co-owners about things like garage renovation work and the decoration of communal areas such as lobbies. No voting happens here, but the group convenes to impart information to homeowners.

How to Hold These Meetings

If you are on the board, on a committee, or in some way responsible for these meetings, you will want to know how to run and plan successful meetings. You should keep these 5 guidelines in mind during the planning process and actual sessions. If you do, your meetings will be successful.

1 – Understand the meeting requirements. You must understand the size and scope of the organization, as well as state laws and bylaws. When putting all that information together, you will know how often the meeting should take place, the requirements and how many members you will need.

2 – Create an Agenda. An agenda will let everyone know what will happen at the meeting and what topics need to be reviewed before going in. A well-written agenda will allow your meetings to run smoothly and not take additional time. People can prepare for those topics if everyone knows what will be discussed.

3. Prepare the relevant documents. Sharing supporting documents in advance makes it easier for everyone to review them before the meeting is held. Documents can include the quotes, budget, financial statements, meeting minutes from the last AGM and any special motion or resolutions.

4. Send the notice. The notice needs to include the meeting's date, time and location, as well as the relevant documents. Notices can be sent by email, regular post, hand-delivered, or faxed depending o the state laws and governing documents.

5 – Follow Parliamentary Procedure. Finally, parliamentary procedures (rules, ethics, and methods for running all HOA meetings) should be followed. The most common parliamentary procedure used is Robert's Rules of Order, an 1876 document written by U.S. Army Colonel Henry Martyn Robert.

4 – Take Minutes at The Meetings. The minutes must be recorded and are accurate and detailed (less detailed for executive sessions which discuss serious or legal matters). Minutes need to include the date of the meeting, when it started, when it ended, new business, any additions to the past business, motions taken, motions rejected, and open discussion notes.

FAQ

Why is it important to hold board meetings in an HOA?

Board members are responsible for the association's operation and business all while meeting the common interest of the community. All of this can get complicated if not managed efficiently, this is why regular board meetings are the only way for board directors to fulfill their obligations and document their decisions.

Who is responsible to schedule HOA meetings?

Once the HOA or condo board agrees on the date to hold the board meeting, the HOA secretary is usually the board member that is responsible to organize and schedule these meetings

How often should an HOA hold board meetings?

It is as common as it is smart for association boards to meet monthly or on a quarterly basis. When board directors meet less frequently, they may be unable to take timely action to manage association business. As a result, homeowners will receive less information, and the board risks breeding distrust.

What is the best software to hold HOA or condo meetings?

The most successful HOA meetings require reasonable preparation and considerable effort to ensure the meeting is efficient and has all the necessary information so that the board members can make the right decisions. This can take hours of work, especially when it comes to large annual general meetings.

If you’re holding a board or an annual general meeting, there are tools that can simplify the entire process while giving you peace of mind. Propty can help you prepare, and schedule all types of HOA meetings from A to Z whether the meeting is held virtually, in-person or in a hybrid format.

* This can depend on the size of the organization or the specific state and bylaws.