Are you ready to host another HOA event? Community events are a great way to help people get to know one another. They’re also a great opportunity for the community to build relationships with the board members.
When the community comes together it helps build a rapport. It may even increase the likelihood that community members will want to be involved in future events. Events bring people together and can increase satisfaction and morale within the association.
Events are not the only way to help the community come together though. You can also host organized activities and offer more community amenities (think a pool or a fitness center, for example). Anything that can bring the community together can increase loyalty and camaraderie.
There are plenty of activities you may want to consider such as group fitness activities held in the fitness center or community clubs. The board doesn’t necessarily have to organize these events either. Volunteers can be a big help with events and activities. You can even encourage community members to start clubs.
How to choose what type of event to hold
When considering what type of events you might want to host, think about your community. What is the average demographic of the people who live there? If your community is older, you may want to choose events or activities to target them. For example, bingo night.
If you’re not sure what type of event to host, we recommend asking for the community’s feedback. By asking residents about the types of events they’d like to see you can increase turnout.
Events don’t always have to take place on the HOA’s premises either. You could do a volunteer event and go out to a place together to help with a cause. Or you could organize a bus trip to a museum, the zoo, or a sporting event.
You can host events on the grounds like a charity event with a raffle, an auction, or a carnival. You could host a seasonal celebration for different holidays. There are plenty of types of events you could brainstorm to bring the community together.
Tips for planning events and activities during the pandemic
Of course, one of the challenges right now is that everyone is proceeding a little differently during the pandemic. This can make planning activities and events a little more challenging. You want to take some safety precautions to allow more people to join in on the fun. Consider trying to do smaller group gatherings where people need to sign up ahead of time, to keep the numbers to a minimum.
You could host outdoor activities while the weather continues to cooperate. When it gets a little cooler out, consider putting out patio heaters and hot drinks for the community to enjoy. Consider putting out hand sanitizer at the event as well. Make sure to follow whatever the local guidelines are and consider reading over any CDC guidelines when planning your event.
You may have some community members who aren’t comfortable getting together with everyone else. If that’s the case, try to host some community events that don’t require physical contact. Maybe you could host a white elephant gift exchange, where the community members that want to participate sign up and choose a random name. This doesn’t have to be reserved for the holidays, it can be framed as a “just because” activity.
You could also consider hosting a scavenger hunt for community members to participate in. Another option is to offer web or video chats for those who want to participate but can’t. For example, if you have a book club that meets every Wednesday, but there are members who want to participate but don’t feel comfortable in the group because they’re immunocompromised, why not have a video call set up so they can join the group virtually?
When creating community events, try to think of the association as a whole. Try to find ways to get the majority of your HOA to participate. Find things that will interest most people and then motivate them to join. It’s a great way to increase resident satisfaction.
