Every condo, co-op and HOA resident has a stake in what happens in their community. Each decision—from financial oversight to building improvements—impacts everyone collectively. That’s why holding and attending annual board meetings is so important; it’s a great opportunity to get updates on projects, policies, and procedures, and a chance for residents to collaborate and voice their concerns. In just one meeting, everyone can stay involved and informed about what’s happening in their building or association. 

Despite all those benefits, many, many boards report difficulty in getting residents to show up for annual meetings. While the pandemic-era shift to virtual meetings certainly increased attendance, thanks to the convenience of being able to participate without leaving home, low attendance remains a problem. While busy lives and hectic schedules are a prime reason residents cite for skipping their annual meeting, disorganization, lack of information, and overlong meetings are among the other top complaints. 

While residents’ schedules may be out of their boards’ and managers’ hands, community administrators can take steps to improve both the efficiency and effectiveness of their meetings, and that in turn will make residents more likely to participate. 

Planning Matters

The most successful annual board meetings are planned well in advance. Maria Hurst, vice president of the New Development Group for FirstService Residential New York, suggests planning for the annual meeting about three months ahead. According to her, “The prep is the most important part. Most boards meet once a month regularly throughout the year, but sometimes you just can’t fit everything in. Discuss with your managing agent, super, and board what’s happening in the community so everyone is privy to things they may not have been aware of previously. You want to provide as much information as possible.”

This pre-meeting information sharing lets property management and board members get in sync with what needs to be discussed and how to portion it so everyone is heard. “At the end of the day, board members are unit owners as well,” she says.”Whatever is being voted on will also impact them. Making everyone a part of the agenda makes it cohesive and sets you up for a successful annual board meeting.”

In addition to getting everyone up to speed on what’s happening in and around the building, a planning meeting also helps property managers and board members set dates for notifications like Save-the-Dates and deadlines for board nominations. Georgia Lombardo-Barton, president of Barton Management, says, “I always recommend sending a ‘State of the Co-op or Condo’ communication approximately two months before the annual meeting, and include the date/time/venue of the annual meeting in that correspondence.”

“That communication should include everything that has transpired in the building since the last annual meeting,” Lombardo-Barton continues. “Shareholders will appreciate receiving the information in advance, and it will minimize the number of questions at the meeting.”

Setting the Agenda

A proactive board will create a comprehensive agenda before the big meeting date—but how do they decide what items should take priority? According to property manager Matt Larson of The Dartmouth Group’s Associa division in Boston, it’s wise to include any planned maintenance or common charge increases so boards can explain why they are necessary, and any larger things that need to be addressed or voted on during the meeting that may draw residents to the meeting.

According to Larson, “You want to speak up on the board and management’s accomplishments in the past year. If you were able to mitigate a fee increase, this is a good time to talk about how you were able to minimize the increase, or avoid an assessment in the coming year.” He also suggests including any upcoming compliance requirements and financial commitments. 

Lombardo-Barton says that shareholders are generally interested in knowing what’s transpired during the course of the year, especially if they don’t receive regular updates. She notes, “It’s important for an annual meeting agenda to include discussions of the prior year financials and current cash position; any upcoming capital improvement projects, as well as introductions of any new shareholders; a review of sales comps, market conditions, and staff performance, and some time for Q&A as a last agenda topic.” 

Larson suggests leaving public participation and questions and answers for the end of the meeting, which is best for both time management and meeting efficiency. “I would also encourage people to send questions in advance so boards have time to prepare and respond in an educated way. You might get questions on issues you didn’t know people were experiencing,” he adds. 

Meeting Structure & Quorums

“Structurally, it’s pretty standard,” adds Hurst. “There is a call to order. You have to go through the legalities of the meeting, ensuring there is a quorum. If there is a quorum and an election, they make sure that gets completed and recorded in the minutes.” Boards often have experts on hand to answer any questions swiftly and accurately, making the most of everyone’s time. 

Larson adds that most boards will ask the CPA for the building to join the building because it’s helpful to have an accounting professional present to the board. “If you have a very strong Treasurer, they can do this as well, but it’s always good to include the accountant.” 

He adds, “An attorney is only necessary if there are many significant legal issues. You usually can’t discuss specific cases during the meeting, but if significant legal expenses exist, they can help explain why that exists.”

Legwork is required before the meeting to get the word out through notifications like paper mailers and emails. According to Robert’s Rules of Order, a quorum is the minimum number of voting members who must be present at a properly called meeting to conduct business in the group’s name. What constitutes a quorum depends on each building’s by-laws.

 “It can be a challenge to reach a quorum. If an issue needs to be voted on, we need that attendance,” says Larson. Many times, a majority of the building unit owners are required to show up to vote either in person or by proxy according to their bylaws. 

Lombardo-Barton states: “It’s always nice to see owners at annual meetings, but the goal of any annual meeting is to achieve a quorum so that the Board can conduct business and pass any needed resolutions. It’s really important to encourage participation so you get your quorum and can make the important decisions that will impact everyone. That’s why it’s also important to keep the meeting focused on things that affect the entire building, like budgeting and building maintenance.”

Virtual vs. In-Person

The pandemic demonstrated the feasibility of holding meetings via online platforms, and many boards continue to meet virtually, enabling residents to join the meeting from anywhere. Property managers noted they also see meetings happening in a hybrid manner—with both in-person and virtual options available to encourage optimal attendance and meet everyone’s preferences.

With so many people working remotely, holding a virtual meeting is a conventional convenience for attending an annual meeting, says Lombardo-Barton. “We would still encourage everyone to send their signed proxies to assure a quorum, but virtual meetings could be equally if not more effective than in-person meetings, especially if a building has shareholders and Board members who get along well.” 

Larson adds that he has seen a slow return to in-person meetings as people get more comfortable, but it also depends on a building’s population. “I find younger, more professional buildings tend to prefer to attend virtual meetings–they’re busy,” he notes, “Older population buildings tend to be more likely to attend in-person meetings. You have to read your audience.”

The legalities are the same for virtual meetings according to Hurst, who advises that “you’ll get more attendance at virtual meetings. In the case of hybrid meetings, it’s important that the building has the right setup to manage both virtual and in-person.”

Your Attendance Matters

No matter how much planning property managers and boards put into a meeting, it can only be completely successful with the input of all residents, whether on the day of the meeting or by proxies, which helps boards gather the required votes to continue business. 

Hurst notes: “One of the things we try to encourage our boards to do is to make sure they reach out to residents if something needs to be voted on. We talk to shareholders and unit owners daily if they need to provide a proxy for the meeting. We can leave proxies at the front desk; that way, we can ensure a quorum.”

Lombardo-Barton agrees, adding that trying to educate shareholders about the importance of getting involved and being part of the decision-making process is always the most challenging. “It’s always nice to see owners at annual meetings,” she says, “but the goal of any annual meeting is to achieve a quorum so that the Board can conduct business and pass any needed resolutions. “

The most successful annual board meetings will be productive in accomplishing the goals set on the agenda and informing residents of what is happening around the building. The best way to stay in the know and to have a voice in decision-making is to show up. 

10 Helpful Tips for Annual Meetings: 

Plan Early: Meet at least two months in advance to start prepping

Set a Clear Agenda: Decide what will be discussed and who will talk (introduce board members and speakers and include capital projects, financials, elections

Send Out Notifications: Mailers, emails, flyers 

Reach a Quorum: Encourage participation and provide proxies 

Provide Information Before the Meeting: Note key discussion topics

Have Experts on Hand: Accountants and/or attorneys are helpful to answer targeted questions quickly and accurately 

Set Up Your Meeting Platform: Decide if virtual, in-person, or hybrid is best

Make the Meeting Comfortable: Enjoy this time with your neighbors 

Take Notes: Have the Board Secretary or Management Team take minutes

Follow-Up: Share Key Action Items with Residents 

Kate Mattiace is Associate Editor of New England Condominium.