Homeowners association meetings happen infrequently, but most still have ongoing problems with owner attendance. In fact, because a number of important items are addressed at these meetings, owners should make it a point to attend every single one. Here are our top five reasons why you should seriously consider attending your next HOA meeting:

1. You will remain in the loop about relevant issues affecting your building.

These meetings discuss pressing matters such as major neighborhood events, upcoming building maintenance projects, and other things you’ll definitely want to know about.

2. You will get to vote on pressing matters that affect you.

Everything from new building rules to raising the monthly assessments, to potentially large one-time special assessments levied on the owners for large projects get voted on in these meetings.

3. You can raise issues you feel strongly about and implement change.

If there are concerns you have, the HOA meetings are the time and place to raise them. If other owners agree with your concerns, you might even be able to hold a vote and pass resolutions to address the issues right then and there.

4. Your presence is required.

Most HOA meetings require a quorum – a minimum number of members that need to be present for the meeting to happen. If you’re not going, you actively have to pass your vote as proxy to another owner, and you might not have someone you trust for this task.

5. You build a sense of community.

Aside from all these practical concerns, showing your face at HOA meetings will put you contact with your neighbors, clue you in to the concerns of others, and help bring the building community closer.

So, when the time comes for your next HOA meeting, take the extra effort to attend. You might be surprised with how in-touch in will put you with all the things going on in your building.