Is an HOA website too risky?

This was a reasonable question to ask 15 years ago. But now, not having a community website could be considered risky, especially if your state requires you to have one.

Table of contents

• Does my HOA need a website?
• Why is this a requirement?
• What is the best way to stay compliant?
• What happens if the board ignores the website law?
• What should go on the public portion of the website?
• What shouldn’t be posted on the public portion of the website?
• Could we just use social media?
• Benefits of an HOA website

Does my HOA need a website?

With a few exceptions, if your HOA is located in Florida, Texas, Nevada or Wisconsin, then it is legally required to have a website.  

Florida

Florida has passed website laws for both HOAs and condominiums.

House Bill 1203 states that HOAs with 100 or more parcels shall post certain documents on its website, or make the documents available through an application that can be downloaded on a mobile device.

The documents include:

*Articles of incorporation

*Declaration of covenants

*Bylaws

*Rules

*Current contracts

*Annual budget

*Contracts

*Notice of scheduled meetings and agendas for the meetings

Amended documents must be uploaded to replace older versions.

The website or application must be accessible through the internet and must contain a subpage, web portal or other protected electronic location that cannot be accessed by the general public.  

HB 1237 created similar requirements for condominiums.

Texas

SB 1588 states that HOAs with at least 60 lots, or any association under contract with a management company, must make the most current version of the association’s “dedicatory instruments” relating to the association or subdivision, and filed in the county deed records, available on an internet website.

This information must be maintained by the HOA or management company working for the association, and it must be available to all association members.

Nevada

Common interest communities (HOAs and condominiums) with 150 units or more are required to have websites or electronic portals under Chapter 116 of Nevada’s Common-Interest Ownership legislature. The association shall make available on the website or within the electronic portal, any documents relating to the common-interest community or the association, including:

*Governing documents

*Annual budget

*Notices and agendas for scheduled meetings

Associations must also give owners the ability to make online payments through the site or portal. However, they must take certain actions, such as maintaining a policy of cybersecurity insurance, to ensure members can make payments safely.  

Wisconsin

Wisconsin’s Condominium Ownership Act, Chapter 703, requires condominiums with 100 units or more to have a website. The site may be operated by the association, or a 3^rd party provider.

It must be accessible through the internet and have a password-protected section that cannot be accessed by the general public.

Documents to be posted on the site include:

*Meeting minutes

*Articles of incorporation

*Declaration of covenants

*Bylaws

*Annual budgets

*Contracts

Why is this a requirement?

States have been motivated to pass website laws to increase transparency, communication, and access to important HOA information. Politicians recognize that some HOA communities have struggled to get the data or documents they need to make informed decisions.   

Even though all owners pay fees or dues to maintain the community, they aren’t always clear on where their money is going. That’s a problem.  

By giving them unrestricted access to budgets and contracts, and sharing meeting notices, members can see how funds are being used, and attend meetings to ask more questions.

What is the best way to stay compliant?

Many communities are already compliant! However, if you are legally required to maintain a website or portal, get familiar with the law that applies to your state. You may need to add a password-protected section to your site, or add more documents.

If a manager is not maintaining your website for the community, designate a person or group to perform regular updates when documents are amended or new events are on the horizon.

If you still need a website or portal but don’t know where to start, speak with a professional website development company like HOA Sites. We can help communities with compliance requirements, and much more. If you are looking for a user-friendly platform that residents will enjoy visiting, we have a perfect solution for you. Plus, our prices are very reasonable.

*We can tell you what you will need to launch your community website, and what’s involved with publishing and updating

*You will have one of our Personal Project Managers helping you from start to finish

*You don’t need any prior website knowledge to manage a site from HOA Sites

*We can ensure you have a password-protected section on your site

What happens if the board ignores the website law?

While there are no fines or penalties listed, a board could find itself in court if it knowingly ignores a website law. Owners could sue, though this would be a costly and time-consuming endeavor.

A more likely scenario involves owners becoming frustrated with the board. While there are no legal consequences to deal with, it’s far more challenging to get work done when the board does not have the support of its community.

What should go on the public portion of the website?

If a website law has been passed in your state, you will need to see what it says about requirements. But as a general rule of thumb, anything that an owner or resident would have authorization to review, or any common forms they ask for, should be on the website.

These forms and documents should be uploaded to the password-protected section of the site, although some things, such as policies, don’t need to be hidden from the public.

Any identifying information should be redacted. Associations must protect the privacy of individual members.

You can also include:

*Management’s contact information

*Office hours

*A list of current board members

*Units or homes for sale/lease

*Information about the community

*Community amenities

*Resources that don’t include sensitive information

What shouldn’t be posted on the public portion of the website?

Communities should keep business and financial information hidden from the public. Furthermore, we would not advise condos or HOAs to share:

*Meeting minutes

*Contracts

*Budgets

*Directories or phonebooks

Could we just use social media?

Social media platforms can seem like an attractive alternative to a dedicated website. These platforms are free, and many of your members already use them. 

However, few associations have successfully used social media to share communication and information.

You aren’t always in control

You may be able to create a group just for members, and even disable comments, but members may be inspired to create their own groups using the association’s name.

These groups can quickly become full of misinformation and rumors. Not only could they create unnecessary conflicts among members, but they can damage the credibility of the board/association.

Less security

Social media platforms can change their policies at any time. This can impact how you share and store important information. Your account could also get hacked, creating additional security challenges for you and your community.

Benefits of an HOA website

Even if your condo or HOA isn’t required to have a website, you should consider the benefits of maintaining a site for your members.

A website serves as a single, authoritative source for community information. From upcoming events to pool rules, everything members need is in one place.

More importantly, you’ll see improved communication efficiency. Instead of answering the same questions every week, your team can direct owners and residents to readily available information on the website, saving valuable time and resources. Instead of asking staff when the next meeting takes place, members will learn to check the website first to get that information.  

Finally, you may save the association some money by reducing the number of forms printed, or hours spent assisting members with requests.

Good websites don’t create more work for condo and HOA associations. Instead, they empower members to do more for themselves, and increase member satisfaction too.