Standards of Conduct for Online Community Association Meetings

As virtual meetings become more common for Homeowners Associations (HOAs) and community associations, it's essential to establish clear standards of conduct to ensure orderly, productive discussions.

Why Virtual Meeting Standards Matter:

• Reduces disruptions and conflicts.
• Helps board members and homeowners stay on topic.
• Ensures civility and professionalism in discussions.

To foster effective virtual meetings, HOAs should adopt clear guidelines and enforceable rules.

Why Online HOA Meetings Require Conduct Standards

With more associations turning to virtual platforms, challenges like increased homeowner frustrations, interruptions, and off-topic discussions have emerged.

Common Virtual Meeting Challenges:

• Unmuted attendees causing disruptions
• Multiple people talking at once
• Personal disputes overshadowing agenda items
• Technical issues creating delays

Implementing formal Standards of Conduct ensures orderly, efficient, and respectful meetings.

Recommended Standards of Conduct for Virtual HOA Meetings

The following is a list of “suggested” Standards and they can be expanded or reduced, depending on the size of the Association and the complexity of issues at hand:

• All attendees should be “muted” by the meeting organizer to ensure the ability for all to clearly hear the Board.
• Anyone wishing to speak on a subject should “raise their hand” within the virtual meeting system or type in a request into the meeting room chat function.
• No one should be allowed to speak unless they are recognized by the Chairperson of the Meeting and unmuted. (This will reduce the amount of disruptions during a meeting).
• No one is allowed to interrupt anyone who has the floor of the meeting. Interrupting helps to foster a hostile environment and wastes time, which make meetings last longer than is necessary.
• All comments should be made on Agenda Items only. This helps to prevent meetings from getting off topic and a rehash of old items and topics that someone disagrees with.
• Setting time-limits for how long anyone can speak on an agenda item is recommended.
• The Board should not allow someone to speak over others on any issue and should allow each attendee to speak for a set amount of time on any agenda item.
• No foul or threatening language should be allowed to be used in any meeting by anyone.
• If anyone is unwilling to be civil in their dealings at a meeting, then they should be asked to leave, and if it is necessary, the meeting should be adjourned to a later time or date.

Enhancing Virtual HOA Meetings for the Future

As virtual meetings become the norm, setting clear rules for participation ensures that discussions remain productive, respectful, and aligned with community goals.

Partner with RealManage for HOA Meeting Support

Managing HOA meetings and governance requires organization and expertise. RealManage helps:

• Streamline virtual meeting policies
• Ensure compliance with HOA rules & regulations
• Improve homeowner engagement in board meetings

Need expert HOA management support? Contact RealManage today to improve your HOA’s meeting efficiency.