A new amenity is always something for HOA management to celebrate. Your shrewd management and smart planning has given you the funds necessary to begin building something that you know will better your community. Be proud!
While it definitely is an occasion for patting oneself on the back, don’t rest on your laurels for too long. There’s work to be done, after all! You need to pick a suitable design for your new community landmark, and we at Gassen, as Eden Prairie property management services experts, are here to help with our tips below.
Consider Resident Lifestyles
Of course, what exactly you put into your amenity will depend on what, exactly, it is—pool, clubhouse, or playground, for example. Regardless, though, considering what your community builds their day-to-day routines around is paramount. It’s your job as HOA management to provide for your community, not your community’s job to change so they can feel provided for.
Indeed, residents come first, and they direct what goes into a given amenity. For example, athletic communities might appreciate a jogging track added to the local park, while a neighborhood full of socialites might appreciate a spacious new clubhouse.
Consider Navigability
No matter if your new amenity is a park or a plaza, your residents need to be able to get around it and to it, so make sure to consider potential designs from both angles. Will parking be ample? Can the amenity be accessed on foot? Have you planned for wheelchair access—as is required by the Americans With Disabilities Act in many situations?
Planning for navigability not only assures homeowner convenience, but it also helps prevent vehicular accidents and, potentially, those that result from uncontrolled foot traffic.
Consider Longevity and Upfront Cost
Balance the two and you’ll have an amenity that not only fits your accounting property management plan, but that lasts your HOA well into the future. Longevity is great, but if you get in over your head financially, you may be forced into unanticipated due hikes to compensate. Likewise, though, affordable materials may allow your HOA’s new amenity to be relatively expansive, but the upkeep costs for such a large structure might result in your needing to, again, increase dues.
It’s a tough line to find, but open communication with your community, via online property management tech or otherwise, and practical decision making will aid you.
For Premiere Property Management Services, Contact Gassen Today
Our Eden Prairie team is here to help your community push the boundaries of what’s possible. Give us a call today at 852-922-5575.