Coming Home Magazine

ASK A COMMUNITY MANAGER What New Year's Resolutions Can We Set for Our Community? RECOMMENDATIONS FROM A COMMUNITY MANAGER. The new year is an excellent time to set resolutions and determine priorities and a direction for your community. These three goals are easily attainable and apply to most associations: 1. Encourage homeowner involvement. Involved homeowners are happier homeowners. When homeowners are engaged, the community saves money, runs smoothly, and maintains a sense of camaraderie. Many residents usually want to participate in their community; they just don't know when or how, so it's up to the board of directors to pique interest. How can they do this? By clearly advertising volunteer opportunities, expressing gratitude for volunteers at board meetings, and hosting fun events and educational sessions with snacks and drinks. 2. Get your community's financials straightened out. Board members are responsible for overseeing the financial health of the community. That means making sure there are enough funds for day-to-day expenses and future projects and repairs. One of the best ways to understand and organize your community's finances is by doing a year-end financial review. A typical year-end review will consider the financial statements (income, expenses, and surpluses or deficits), bank statements, and the yearly budget. It also estimates upcoming capital projects identified in the most recent reserve study. With a year-end review, you can be confident in your community's financial ability to meet short- and long-term needs, increasing its value. Homeowners can also help in this effort! Those with a finance background might be ideal for serving on a finance or budget committee. 3. Improve communication. Communication is key. It can make all the difference in the spirit and attitude of the community. Being open and transparent with residents on what's going on in the neighborhood can help build trust and strengthen their appreciation for the board. Try to keep members informed of the association's initiatives and progress by starting a monthly newsletter. Use it for providing updates, coordinating meetings, responding to questions in a timely manner, and establishing a simple method for residents to share feedback. I hope you're able to apply these or other goals to your community and make it a great year!" Michael Van Lane is an associate broker and community manager at Associa British Columbia. He enjoys interacting with and helping residents of the communities he serves. To learn more about Associa British Columbia, visit www.associabc.ca. With a new year, you can start afresh with exciting ideas and goals. A time when you feel energized, it's the perfect opportunity to set some resolutions for yourself—and your community. To learn what resolutions would be most valuable for a community, we asked Michael Van Lane, associate broker at Associa British Columbia, to share his insights. 32 COMING HOME MAGAZINE

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