Community pride is very important. It brings your residents together. It will also increase their involvement in the community, which is always a positive. A major advantage of HOAs is the potential for creating a close-knit community. That ideal can become a reality when you have residents who take pride in where they live.
Tips for encouraging residents to take pride in their community
Clearly, resident buy-in to a community is important. But it doesn’t have to be a mystical thing. There are concrete ways that your suburban Maryland HOA can increase resident pride in their community. Just implement the following four tips.
1) Plan things for your residents to do.
Activities are crucial for getting residents involved in their community. As your residents get to know their neighbors through activities, their pride in the community will increase.
Community activities do not need to be elaborate or expensive. They can be as simple as a block party or get-together in a common area. If your community has a lot of families, your board could plan an activity for the kids. Also, activities that allow residents to give back to their community, such as tree planting or trash drives, are a great way to increase resident involvement and pride.
2) Make sure your volunteers are supported.
Volunteers are the heart of any HOA community. They make up the Board and will also run committees and plan activities. If your residents know that volunteers are supported, they are more likely to be engaged in the community.
You can encourage volunteering by planning many events or activities. This way more people can get involved. Once the volunteers are lined up, make sure they have the budget, information, and other items they need to do their tasks well. Showing gratitude to your volunteers is another way to support them.
3) Keep your community clean and up to date.
A clean and well-kept community will be a lot more attractive to residents. Make sure the common areas have the maintenance they need to remain nice. Residents should also be encouraged to keep their homes and yards picked up and held to a certain standard.
It will be much easier for residents to take pride in a beautiful and well-maintained community than in a slovenly one. A well-run and organized board is essential for accomplishing this tip. A good community association management company, like D.H. Bader, can also help you achieve this goal.
4) Take advantage of technology.
Finally, technology is your friend. A good technological setup allows for great communication between board members and residents. It can also make planning and running activities a lot easier. Some community activities may even be planned for the digital space. In-person activities are best, but with the continued threat of Covid and people’s busy schedules, planning online get-togethers is a good way to foster community engagement while also keeping people safe.
Communities thrive when their residents take pride in where they live. If you’re looking for help in fostering community pride in the suburban Maryland area, contact D.H. Bader. We have almost thirty years of experience in community association management. Let us help you make your community the best it can be.