Contributed by Hal Hovey
For many homeowners, joining their association board may seem like an obligation rather than an opportunity. However, it can be transformative both personally and for the broader community. As a long-time board member, I know our community’s strength begins with individual volunteers.
My involvement in community associations began nearly 20 years ago when we purchased a condominium unit in a self-managed waterfront community. It quickly became apparent that the board was not staying on top of required maintenance, and the association’s budget did not realistically address long- or short-term maintenance needs.
What started as a choice to participate in improving our community’s situation turned into a passion for community leadership. Since then, I have served in multiple roles across three different condominium and single-family associations.
Stepping into a community leadership role is a commitment to strengthening and enhancing your community. In self-managed communities, board members may spend anywhere from a few hours to 20 or more hours per week addressing various community needs — from financial oversight to project management. In communities with professional management, the board member time commitment is usually much less. While demanding in either case, the benefits are undeniable for community well-being and property values.
For homeowners, active leadership fosters a deeper understanding of how their community operates and ensures financial stability. For the community, strong volunteer leadership means better-maintained amenities, long-term strategic planning, and improved resident relationships. A well-run community association is key to a successful and healthy community, and that requires dedicated and knowledgeable volunteers.
Community leadership is not without its challenges. Oftentimes, balancing homeowners’ diverse interests conflict with making difficult decisions for the greater good. Budget constraints, maintenance planning, and enforcement of community standards require tough choices. At the state and national levels, advocating for homeowner interests in legislative matters can be equally demanding.
For those considering volunteering in their community, my advice is to educate yourself and get involved. CAI provides invaluable resources, including leadership training, networking opportunities, and best practices for effective governance. By engaging with CAI at the local and national levels, prospective leaders gain knowledge and a supportive network of like-minded individuals working toward common goals.
Serving in association leadership is about making a difference. If you have the drive to improve your community and the willingness to learn, the rewards are significant.
There also are significant rewards for those who volunteer for leadership roles at CAI chapters and headquarters.
Six years ago, I was elected to the board of the CAI Washington State Chapter. Last year, I was elected to the CAI Homeowner Leaders Council. I look forward to working with other dedicated volunteers to help shape the future of community associations both locally and nationally.
Community leadership through CAI is not just about managing a neighborhood, it’s about shaping the future of community living.
Hal Hovey is treasurer of the Sky Meadows Community Association in Oak Harbor, Wash.
>>Read more about community leadership in Common Ground July/August 2025.
>>Elections for CAI membership representation groups take place in August.
Thank you for this timely and encouraging post. I’m 73 and in my 6th year of serving in some capacity my 10-townhome HOA, currently in my second term as Board President. We moved here in 2018, and soon after saw the same situation you describe in your first condo. I’m indebted to CAI, which has helped me navigate some critical challenges and put us on a more stable path (albeit with a loan we had to take for a roof replacement). It’s been exhausting at times. I’ve tried to encourage our owners to learn and engage together as a mutual investment, not only in sharing the load, but in the well-being of our neighborhood. Still, we struggle to find those who are both able and willing to learn about and to serve our HOA. There’s a surprising amount of ignorance among the retired professionals here about what they bought into; many suggest they don’t have the skills to serve, but they aren’t open to developing them either. My husband and I want to also enjoy our retirement, just as the others do, but at this point are among the very tiny group that is willing to work. I’m about to lose my AC chair, who I had encouraged to develop the skills of his committee members. He has been doing almost everything by himself. He told me yesterday that it would be a waste of his time to delegate tasks to them, engage them in the AC’s work. He is convinced that if he did try, they’d decline: “No one wants to do this work.” His skills, which are significant, aren’t well matched to being a chair, and would be better deployed in a way that’s better for him and all of us. Still, it was very discouraging to hear his cynicism that inviting others to gradually stretch their wings and become more involved and skilled was pointless. I plan to notify the owners that I will not run again when my term ends in 2027. I’d hoped to give my more typical buoyant spiel about serving, but since that has so far failed over the last several years, I believe I’ve got to let people know that receivership is what will result if people are unwilling to become involved and prepared to take leadership. Thanks again.