Why board work in small HOAs has become more complex than ever

Let’s call it what it is: Board work in small HOAs used to be something you “just did.” You got elected. You handled the practical things. Everything else somehow sorted itself out.

That’s not how it works anymore.

Today, board presidents face a responsibility that looks more like running a small organization. But without pay. Without training. And often without a system to lean on.

It can feel like stepping onto a moving train without knowing where it’s going. If that sounds familiar, you’re not alone.

More requirements. More tasks. More expectations.

We won’t get into legal specifics but we can say this: The expectations around documentation, structure, transparency, and organization have grown. Not because board members asked for it, but because HOAs today operate in a world that is more regulated, more digital, and far less forgiving of missing information.

Board work is no longer about “keeping an eye on things.” It’s about:

• maintaining continuity from year to year
• keeping internal procedures consistent
• preventing knowledge from disappearing
• communicating clearly and often
• handling digital material
• and, most importantly: transitioning board members without chaos

That last one is the toughest.

When a key person moves out, a large part of the HOA’s operational knowledge leaves with them. Not because they don’t want to help but because knowledge follows the person, not the HOA, unless structure is in place.

That’s where board presidents feel the weight the most.

The hidden complexity: the work is voluntary, but the responsibility is real

There’s a special kind of complexity that only volunteer boards experience.

You carry the responsibility. But you don’t have employees. You have the tasks. But you don’t have the hours. You face the requirements. But you don’t necessarily have the budget to outsource anything.

It’s a strange setup but it’s the reality for hundreds of small HOAs.

And residents today often expect:

• fast answers
• updated documents
• digital access to information
• clear decisions
• and that everything “just works”

Those expectations are fair. But they also raise the bar for the board.

Digital tools help — but they also increase the pressure

There’s no way around digitalization. Board presidents don’t have to be technical. But there must be systems and structure.

Age, experience, or background no longer compensate for missing organization. It’s the workflow itself that carries the HOA.

And digitalization has made one thing crystal clear: If information is not collected in one place, it’s effectively gone.

Email is great for communication. It is terrible as an archive.

And when a board president steps down, the inbox doesn’t get handed over. That’s where many small HOAs begin to feel overwhelmed. Not because of rules, but because the organization hasn’t kept up with how communication actually works today.

Board transitions have become a critical risk factor

There are two major types of knowledge loss in small HOAs:

1. Board turnover: A normal election can easily remove 50% of the HOA’s operational knowledge. Not because people don’t want to help but because you can’t pass on what was never written down.
2. When a board member moves away: This is the big one. When someone moves out, two things happen: (a) Their motivation to maintain structure disappears instantly and (b) they take a huge piece of the HOA’s “memory” with them — unintentionally

If all working knowledge sits in personal inboxes, text threads, or individual cloud folders, the HOA loses its ability to function consistently.

Board presidents feel this immediately. Suddenly you’re responsible for tasks no one ever explained. Or that were never documented.

This is where complexity doesn’t just grow. It explodes.

Board work today requires something different than 10 years ago

A decade ago, an HOA could run on habit, informal agreements, and “the way we usually do things.”

Today, it requires:

• clear roles
• documented processes
• digital structure
• expectation alignment
• consistent workflows
• and, above all: structure, structure, structure

Boards don’t have to become professional but they do need a professional framework to operate within.

That’s the difference.

Board presidents don’t need to do more. They just need to do things in a way the HOA can continue. Even without them.

It’s actually a relief when you realize this. Complexity rarely comes from the rules. It comes from the lack of overview.

Simple principles that make the work easier in a complex world

We won’t give legal or financial advice but we can share the organizational patterns that define HOAs that thrive today.

They have:

• one central place for documents
• one consistent decision-making method
• one process for board transitions
• one communication channel to residents
• one rhythm for the year
• and one shared mindset: every task must be transferable

They don’t have fewer tasks. They just have fewer ways of doing them. That’s the difference.

FAQs about board work in small HOAs

1. Why do board presidents experience increasing complexity? Because expectations for documentation, transparency, and digital organization have grown — while the work is still done by volunteers with limited time. Board work is starting to look more like running a community operation than a traditional volunteer position.
2. What is the biggest risk in small HOAs? Loss of knowledge. Especially when people move or are replaced. If processes, decisions, and documents aren’t collected in one place, the HOA loses continuity, and the board president feels the impact immediately.
3. Is digitalization the cause of the complexity? No. Digitalization only exposes missing structure. If working knowledge sits in private inboxes or scattered folders, digital tools won’t solve the problem — they will amplify it. The system isn’t the issue. The lack of structure is.
4. How can a board make the work less fragile? By thinking in workflows instead of individuals. When documents, decisions, and processes live in one central place, new board members can take over without chaos. The solution isn’t more tasks — it’s fewer ways of performing them.