Approximately three years ago, we moved into a neighborhood that we have grown to love and have made our home. Our neighborhood is a planned neighborhood and has multiple amenities. With any neighborhood amenities, there must be someone to manage the amenities and shared property which is often in the form of a Home Owners Association or HOA.
I have had the fortunate experience of joining our HOA board this past year and have eight reasons why you should also consider joining your local HOA.
- You will have multiple opportunities to plunge toilets full of all sorts of excrement and other fun things. Last year following a swim team meet, I decided it was a smart thing to check the bathrooms. As soon as I opened the bathroom doors, the most beloved smell awaited me. Not wanting to suffer alone, I grabbed a fellow board member. Not only did I have to suffer the smell as she attempted to help me plunge a toilet that threatened us to spill over onto the floor, I got to listen to her dry heave over and over again. It was super fun.
- You will have multiple opportunities to use your phone as a phone. Without soliciting it, you will receive phone calls from neighbors with lots of helpful suggestions.
- Board operations will be relatively quiet and peaceful. Once projects are proposed and money is ready to be spent, neighbors will be completely okay with all board decisions.
- Discussions in board meetings are always productive, and you will leave meetings feeling accomplished.
- You will likely become best friends with many of your board fellow board members. Hard decisions and difficult discussions often bring board members closer together.
- Projects move forward at a rapid pace. It is amazing how quickly a group of people with opposing opinions can make things happen.
- You will always be thanked and praised for your efforts by fellow neighbors.
- It is a good stepping stone to getting involved in city, county or state politics. (This one is real!)
Overall I can say, I want to serve on an HOA board until the day I die—not likely. In reality, the experience has not be completely terrible. I joined my neighborhood HOA because there was a need, and I have filled that need. In the process, I have gotten to know neighbors I otherwise would not have have had the opportunity without serving on our HOA board. Along the way, I have been surprised to find several people that I appreciate and enjoy being around.
Writer Bio: Summer Bolte
I spend most of my time and days with my three kids, husband and dog. My kids frequently play near me as I garden, cook, DIY and volunteer. My most unusual paying job has to be feeding fruit flies in a research lab, and my most fulfilling job was being an oncology nurse for seven years.
