Website Management

Illinois condominium and homeowners associations will soon have a new digital responsibility. Under Public Act 104-0797, affected associations must provide an internet-accessible website for unit owners by January 1, 2028.

For boards and community managers, preparing involves more than launching a website. Associations will need a reliable process for sharing meeting information, publishing approved board minutes, managing access, and keeping content current.

This guide explains who the law affects, what associations must provide, and the information needed before the deadline.

Quick Answer: Are Illinois HOAs Required to Have a Website?

Yes. Illinois condominium and common interest community associations must provide a website that unit owners can access on the internet no later than January 1, 2028. The website must include information about board and membership meetings and approved minutes from board meetings.

What Is Illinois Public Act 104-0797?

Illinois Public Act 104-0797 began as House Bill 5449 and was signed into law on August 7, 2026. It introduces new website and electronic delivery requirements for condominium and common interest community associations that are subject to the amended statutes. The law takes effect on January 1, 2027.

The law amends four sections of two Illinois statutes:

• Sections 1-30 and 1-45 of the Illinois Common Interest Community Association Act
• Sections 18 and 18.4 of the Illinois Condominium Property Act

Under the new website requirement, affected associations must provide a website that unit owners can access online no later than January 1, 2028. The website  must include information about board and membership meetings and approved minutes from a meeting of the board.

The law also changes how associations deliver annual accounting information. This information must be transmitted electronically to owners who have provided their information to the association and authorized electronic transmission. The exact annual accounting requirements differ between condominium associations and common interest community associations, so boards should consult their association attorney when updating their financial reporting procedures.

Which Illinois HOAs and Condo Associations Are Affected?

The new website requirement applies to associations governed by the Illinois Condominium Property Act or the Illinois Common Interest Community Association Act. This includes many condominium associations, homeowners associations, and other residential communities with shared property or expenses.

Condominium Associations

A condominium association consists of all the owners within a property that has been legally established as a condominium. Each owner owns an individual unit and also holds an ownership interest in the property’s common elements, such as hallways, roofs, elevators, recreational facilities, or landscaped areas.

The association acts through its elected board of managers and is generally governed by the Illinois Condominium Property Act. Public Act 104-0797 adds the new website requirement to Section 18.4 of that Act.

Common Interest Community Associations

A common interest community is generally a residential development that is not a condominium or cooperative. Owners are required to contribute to the maintenance, improvement, insurance, taxes, or other expenses associated with shared property described in the community’s declaration.

This category includes many traditional homeowners associations and planned communities. Associations subject to the Illinois Common Interest Community Association Act are included in the new website requirement.

However, some smaller common interest community associations may be exempt from the Act. An association organized under the Illinois General Not for Profit Corporation Act of 1986 may be exempt if it has 10 units or fewer or annual budgeted assessments of $100,000 or less, unless it has elected to be covered by the Act.

Because an association’s governing statute may depend on its legal structure, size, budget, and governing documents, boards should consult their association attorney to confirm whether the new website requirement applies to their community.

What Information Must Be Included on the Website?

Public Act 104-0797 identifies two types of information that affected associations must make available through their websites by January 1, 2028:

• Information about board and membership meetings
• Approved minutes from board meetings

The law does not provide a detailed list of every item that must appear under “meeting information.” Associations should work with their legal counsel to determine what information to publish and how quickly it should be added or updated.

Board and Membership Meeting Information

The website must include information about both board meetings and membership meetings. Board meetings are meetings where the association’s board conducts association business. Membership meetings generally involve the broader association membership, such as an annual meeting or another meeting called for the unit owners.

The statute does not specify exactly what meeting information must be posted. Associations should consult their attorneys when developing their publishing procedures.

For practical purposes, an association may consider posting the following information:

• Meeting date and time
• Meeting location
• Virtual attendance instructions, if applicable
• Meeting notice
• Meeting agenda
• Instructions for owner participation
• Any schedule changes or cancellations

These additional details can help owners understand when and how meetings will take place, but the law does not expressly list each of them as required website content. Associations should distinguish between information required by Public Act 104-0797 and information posted voluntarily to support resident communication.

Approved Board Meeting Minutes

The website must also include approved minutes from board meetings. Meeting minutes provide an official record of the board’s actions, decisions, and votes.

The statutory language refers specifically to approved minutes. Associations should have a clear process for confirming that minutes have received board approval before publishing them online. Draft minutes should be clearly identified and handled according to the association’s governing documents and legal guidance.

A consistent publishing process may include:

1. Preparing the draft minutes after the meeting.
2. Presenting the minutes to the board for review and approval.
3. Recording any corrections approved by the board.
4. Uploading the final approved version to the website.
5. Organizing the minutes by meeting date or year.

Use consistent file names and folders so owners can locate meeting minutes easily. For example, an association might organize documents by year and label each file with the meeting date and document type. This organization method is helpful, but it is not expressly required by Public Act 104-0797.

Does the Illinois HOA Website Need to Be Public?

Public Act 104-0797 does not state that the association’s website must be open to the general public. It requires the board to provide a website that unit owners can access on the internet.

The law also does not specify whether associations must use a public website, a password-protected resident portal, or a combination of the two. It does not provide detailed requirements for login credentials, document permissions, or other security measures.

A secure resident portal may help an association limit community information to authorized owners. For example, an association could use individual accounts or password protection to control access to meeting information and approved board minutes.

Before choosing between a public website and a secure portal, associations should consult their legal counsel. An attorney can help the board determine which access method satisfies the law while also protecting confidential or sensitive information.

Associations should also establish procedures for:

• Providing owners with access instructions
• Adding new owners and removing former owners
• Helping residents who experience login problems
• Managing permissions for board members, managers, and residents
• Reviewing documents before they are published
• Keeping private owner information and confidential association records off public pages

These security and access procedures are practical recommendations. Public Act 104-0797 does not expressly require a specific website structure or access-control system.

What Does the Law Say About Annual Financial Information?

Public Act 104-0797 also addresses how associations deliver annual financial information. This requirement is separate from the website provision, and the law does not require financial information to be posted on the website.

Condominium associations must provide owners with an annual itemized accounting of the previous year’s common expenses. Common interest community associations may provide an itemized accounting or a consolidated annual independent audit report.

This information must be sent electronically to owners who have:

• Provided their information to the association
• Authorized electronic transmission

Providing an email address may not be the same as authorizing electronic delivery. Associations should maintain clear records of each owner’s authorization and current contact information.

What Should an HOA Website Include Beyond the Required Information?

Public Act 104-0797 establishes a minimum requirement for meeting information and approved board minutes. Associations may choose to publish additional resources that make the website more helpful to residents and reduce repetitive questions for managers and board members.

Optional website content may include:

• Community calendars and upcoming events
• Governing documents, rules, and policies
• Community announcements
• Frequently requested forms
• Maintenance request instructions
• Payment information
• Board and management contact information
• Emergency and local service contacts
• Community amenities and reservation details
• Newsletters and community updates

How Can Pilera Help?

Pilera gives Illinois associations tools to organize community information and prepare for the new website requirement from one platform.

With Pilera, boards and community managers can:

• Create a professional community website with EasySites
• Share approved meeting minutes and other documents through the resident portal
• Use permissions to control who can view specific information
• Publish meeting dates and community events on shared calendars
• Send announcements by email, text, phone, or postal mail
• Keep residents informed when information is added or updated
• Manage websites and resident communication across multiple communities
• Allow members to manage their own units, request services, and engage with other residents.

These tools can help associations create a consistent process for publishing information and keeping residents informed. Associations should still consult their legal counsel to confirm that their website and communication procedures meet the requirements that apply to their community.

Prepare for the 2028 Website Deadline

Illinois associations have until January 1, 2028 to provide an online website with meeting information and approved board meeting minutes to meet the new Illinois HOA website requirements. Starting early gives boards and managers time to organize records, establish publishing procedures, and make sure owners can find the information they need.

Pilera can help simplify this process by bringing community websites, documents, calendars, announcements, and resident access together in one platform. Associations should also work with legal counsel to confirm how Public Act 104-0797 applies to their community.

Ready to prepare your community for the new requirement? Schedule a demo to see how Pilera can help.

As a board member or property manager, your plate is already full. Between answering resident questions, coordinating maintenance, and planning meetings, the last thing you need is a website that’s hard to manage.

Still, having a website is essential. Residents expect to be able to find documents, news, and updates online – quickly and easily.

The real question is how to build a website that works for everyone in your community. Do you try using a general platform like Squarespace, or pick a website builder designed for HOA life?

This article breaks down the difference. We’ll explore the tools, the time commitment, and the features that actually help communities stay connected and informed.

Why Every HOA Needs a Website in 2025

People expect to find answers online. When residents want to know the rules, check meeting times, or download a form, they usually start by looking for a website. If they can’t find one, or it’s outdated, frustration builds, and the phone calls and emails start rolling in.

An up-to-date website gives your community one reliable place for all the essentials. It can display board announcements, contact information, event calendars, meeting minutes, and governing documents. Some sites even allow residents to submit maintenance requests, download forms, or reserve amenities.

For boards and managers, a well-structured site makes communication easier and more consistent. Instead of answering the same question several times, you can post updates once and know everyone has access. It also helps with organization by keeping important documents in one place for both current and future board members.

There’s also a bigger benefit: trust. When residents can easily access information, they feel more connected and confident in how the community is being managed. That kind of transparency encourages engagement and reduces misunderstandings.

A strong website has become a key part of community operations. It supports both the people running the HOA and the people living in it, which makes it a worthwhile investment.

What Is a DIY Website Builder?

DIY website builders like Wix, WordPress, and Squarespace are popular tools that help people create websites without needing to write code. They offer drag-and-drop design, a variety of templates, and the ability to customize how your site looks and functions.

For HOAs, the appeal is often the flexibility. You can choose your layout, pick your colors, and create a design that feels unique to your community. These platforms are also widely available and can be cost-effective, especially for communities working with tight budgets.

But DIY platforms come with a few challenges – especially when used for something as specific as HOA management. Features like resident logins, document visibility by role, or automatic updates from a management system aren’t built into these tools. You’ll likely need to manage those parts separately or try to piece them together with plugins, which can quickly become confusing or unreliable.

Another thing to consider is who will maintain the site. DIY tools can be time-consuming to update, especially when board members rotate or when no one on the team has web experience. What starts as a fun project can easily turn into one more task on an already full list.

DIY platforms have their place, but they may not be the best fit for the unique needs of a homeowners association.

What Is an HOA Website Builder?

An HOA website builder is a platform made specifically for homeowners associations and condo communities. Unlike generic website tools, these builders are designed with features that reflect how HOAs operate, including private document access, resident-only pages, and tools for sharing updates and staying organized.

1. Designed for Non-Tech-Savvy Users

One of the biggest advantages is how simple these platforms are to use. HOA website builders are created for board members and managers who may not have any background in web design. Posting a notice, uploading meeting minutes, or updating a form takes just a few clicks, with no coding needed.

2. Secure Access for Different Roles

With role-based permissions, everyone sees what they’re supposed to and nothing more. That means residents, board members, and managers can all use the site without accidentally viewing private or irrelevant information. It keeps sensitive documents secure while still making the site useful and accessible.

3. Integrates with Your HOA Software

Many HOA website builders connect directly with your existing management software. For example, PileraEasySites integrates with your communication and document systems, so updates happen automatically. This reduces manual work and saves time for your team.

4. Built for Everyday Community Needs

These platforms are built around the daily needs of community living. Instead of worrying about technical upkeep, your team can focus on what really matters – serving residents and keeping your community running smoothly.

Key Differences: DIY Website vs. HOA Website Builder

Feature	DIY Website Builder	HOA Website Builder (e.g., Pilera EasySites)
Design Options	Lots of flexibility	Clean, HOA-ready templates
Resident Logins	Requires plugins or custom work	Built-in with role-based access
Document Sharing	Manual uploads	Linked directly to HOA document libraries
Communication Tools	Needs third-party add-ons	Announcements and alerts are included
Maintenance	Requires ongoing setup	Minimal upkeep with automated updates
Support	General tech support	Help from teams who understand HOA workflows
Online payments and resident balance and ledgers	Requires a plugin	Residents can login to make their payments online and view their balance/ledger easily
Launch Time	Depends on your learning curve	Faster setup with HOA-friendly layouts

DIY tools offer a lot of creative freedom, but that often means piecing things together, troubleshooting issues, and spending more time managing the site. HOA website builders take a different approach. The structure, tools, and support are already aligned with how associations work, so everything runs more smoothly.

Common Challenges HOAs Face with DIY Sites

Even with the best intentions, DIY websites often create more work than expected. Here are some of the most common issues communities run into.

1. Ongoing Maintenance Can Be a Burden

DIY sites usually need regular attention. From keeping documents updated to managing plugins and layout changes, someone has to stay on top of it all. If no one on the board is comfortable with website management or simply doesn’t have time, the site can quickly become outdated or cluttered.

In these cases, associations may end up hiring a freelance web developer to make changes or fix problems. Depending on the complexity of the task, this can cost anywhere from $50 to $150 per hour or more – an unplanned expense that adds up quickly. Over time, what started as a cost-saving DIY solution can become more expensive and harder to manage than a purpose-built HOA website platform.

2. Security and Access Control Are Limited

Most DIY platforms aren’t designed with HOA privacy needs in mind. They often lack resident logins or tools to control who sees what. As a result, board-only content might be visible to everyone or get buried in a confusing layout. Without built-in access control, managing visibility takes extra effort and can lead to mistakes.

3. Transitions Between Boards Get Complicated

In HOAs, board members change frequently. When a new team takes over, it’s common for login details to be missing or for no one to fully understand how the site works. Without a clear system in place, the handoff becomes messy, and residents may be left waiting for updates.

DIY platforms may feel simple at first, but these challenges tend to build over time. Many communities eventually look for solutions that are easier to maintain and made for how HOAs actually operate.

Why Pilera EasySites Is Built for HOAs

Managing a community is already a full-time job. Your website should make things easier, not harder. That’s exactly what PileraEasySites is designed to do.

1. No More Double Work

This platform solves some of the most common problems boards and managers face. For example, instead of uploading documents in two different places, Pilera syncs them directly from your management portal to the website. That means when you update a rule or post meeting minutes in the backend, it’s instantly reflected online – no double work needed.

2. Smart Access for the Right People

It also helps with access control. Residents can log in and see only what’s relevant to them, while board members and managers get access to everything they need behind the scenes. That takes the pressure off your team and gives everyone peace of mind that sensitive information stays private.

3. User-Friendly for Everyone

Pilera EasySites is also built with ease of use in mind. The websites are mobile-friendly, and designed for everyday use by real people, not just tech experts. People can check the site from a phone or laptop and still enjoy the same clean, reliable experience.

4. Low-Maintenance, High Impact

The best part? It’s low-maintenance. Once your site is set up, updates and content changes are easy for any board member or staff to manage, even if they’ve never built a website before.

If you’re looking for a website solution that fits how your HOA actually works, Pilera EasySites is worth exploring. Learn more here or reach out to see it in action.

How to Choose What’s Best for Your Community

Choosing the right website platform comes down to understanding what your community really needs. Every HOA is different, so it helps to ask a few simple questions before making a decision.

• Who will be managing the website from month to month?
  
• How important is it to control who sees certain documents or updates?
  
• Do residents expect to log in for private content or just view general info?
  
• How often will you need to post announcements, minutes, or forms?
  
• Is your board comfortable with managing plugins, design tools, and updates?
  

Smaller communities with a tech-savvy board might enjoy the flexibility of a DIY platform. But for many HOAs, especially those that want consistency and low effort over time, a dedicated HOA website builder will be the more practical option.

Think about the future too. A platform that’s easy to update and doesn’t rely on one person’s skills can save your community time, reduce confusion, and support new board members as they come in. The easier the site is to maintain, the more valuable it becomes over the long run.

Summary: HOA Website Builder vs. DIY Sites

Still deciding which option is best for your community? Here’s a quick recap:

• DIY platforms offer more design control but often require more time and upkeep.
  
• HOA website builders are made for how communities operate, with built-in tools for communication, document sharing, and access control.
  
• Role-based logins and integration with management systems can save your team hours each month.
  
• Security, mobile access, and ease of use are already built into many HOA-specific platforms.
  
• Transitioning between boards is easier when the site is simple to use and doesn’t rely on one person’s tech knowledge.
  

Most communities find that an HOA website builder is the easier and more reliable choice. It gives boards more time to focus on helping residents and keeps the website running smoothly for years to come.

In today’s digitally-driven world, Homeowners’ Associations (HOAs) increasingly recognize the need to enhance their online presence with a website or portal. With residents expecting seamless access to community information and services, creating an HOA Association website or implementing resident portals has become a critical decision for community managers and board members. But which option is truly the best for your community?

This article dives deep into the benefits and drawbacks of both platforms, explores the advantages of integrating both, and offers guidance on comparing community management software for HOAs to make the most informed decision for your community.

What is an HOA Association Website?

Did you know more than 75 million people in the USA live in HOA communities? This represents over 30% of the total population. HOA websites serve as the digital face of your community. It is a public platform accessible to anyone with internet access, designed to provide general information about the community. For many HOAs, the website is the first point of contact for potential residents, vendors, and even current residents seeking information.

Typically, a website for your HOA might include details about the association’s history, amenities, upcoming events, governing documents, and contact information for the management team. It can also host public-facing updates, news, and announcements that help to market the community to prospective homeowners.

Benefits of a Website for your HOA Association

1. Public-facing presence for marketing and attraction

One of the primary advantages of an HOA website is its ability to serve as a public marketing tool for your association. By showcasing the best aspects of your community, including amenities, events, and the overall lifestyle, the website can attract new residents and boost property values. A well-designed website can make a lasting impression on prospective homeowners, helping them envision themselves as part of the community.

2. Provides general information accessible to all

An HOA website is an effective way to distribute general information to a wide audience in your association. From listing the community’s amenities to sharing the latest news and events, the website serves as a one-stop shop for anyone interested in learning more about the community. It can also host important documents such as covenants, conditions, and restrictions (CC&Rs), bylaws, and other governance-related materials, making it easier for residents and potential buyers to access these resources.

3. Ease of updates and announcements

Websites allow for the quick dissemination of information, which is particularly useful in emergencies or for last-minute announcements. For example, if there is an urgent need to inform residents about a weather-related closure or a change in community rules, the website can be updated instantly to reflect this information.

Drawbacks of an HOA Website for Your Association

1. Requires regular maintenance and updates

One of the biggest challenges of maintaining an HOA website is ensuring that it remains up-to-date. Without regular updates, the website can quickly become outdated, leading to misinformation and frustration among residents. This maintenance requires time, effort, and sometimes financial resources, as you may need to hire a webmaster or dedicate staff hours to keeping the content current.

2. Security concerns

As a public-facing platform, an HOA website is vulnerable to security threats such as hacking, phishing, and data breaches. Sensitive information, if not properly secured, can be exposed to unauthorized users, leading to privacy concerns for the community. Implementing strong security measures, such as SSL certificates, regular security audits, and secure login processes, is essential but can also add complexity and cost.

3. Limited resident interaction

While an HOA website is excellent for sharing general information, it is typically not designed for interactive communication with residents. This limitation means that while residents can receive information, they may not be able to engage directly with the management team or board members through the website.

What is a Resident Portal?

A resident portal is a secure, password-protected online platform designed specifically for current residents of a community. Unlike a public-facing HOA website, a resident portal provides a private space where residents can access personalized information and services. These portals are often integrated with community management software, allowing residents to connect with other residents.

Benefits

1. Enhanced communication between management and residents

One of the most significant advantages of a resident portal is the ability to facilitate direct communication between residents and the management team. Through the portal, residents can submit questions, concerns, or requests at any time, and management can respond in a timely manner. Residents can monitor the progress of their maintenance or support requests without having to contact management, which streamlines communication and reduces the need for phone calls and emails.

2. Secure access to payments and documents

Resident portalls provide a secure environment for managing financial transactions and accessing important community documents. Residents can pay their HOA dues, review their payment history, and even set up automatic payments, all from the convenience of their portal account. Additionally, portals often house documents such as meeting minutes, community rules, and architectural guidelines, making it easy for residents to find what they need without contacting management.

3. Easy to manage and update

Unlike an HOA website, which may require more technical expertise to manage, resident portals are often designed to be user-friendly and easy to update. Management teams can quickly add new documents, post announcements, or update resident information with minimal effort. Many of them also offer customizable features, allowing communities to tailor the portal to meet their specific needs.

4. Improves resident engagement

Resident portals often come with features that encourage community engagement, such as discussion forums, event calendars, and social features that allow residents to connect with one another. This can foster a stronger sense of community and improve overall resident satisfaction.

Drawbacks

1. Limited to verified residents only

Because they are designed to be secure and private, access is restricted to verified residents of the community. While this is beneficial for protecting sensitive information, it also means that the portal cannot serve as a public marketing tool like an HOA website.

2. Initial setup and training

Implementing a resident portal requires an initial investment of time and resources. The management team may need to undergo training to use the portal effectively, and residents may also need assistance in learning how to navigate the platform. While most portals are designed to be user-friendly, there can still be a learning curve for some users.

3. Requires regular updates

A resident portal is only effective if managers are regularly updating it. For instance, posting documents, creating new/updating existing knowledge base articles, adding new events. If managers don’t update the portal (and even websites), there’s no reason for residents to come to it. Thus, it can cause resident frustration/dissatisfaction.

4. Cost considerations

While resident portals can offer significant long-term benefits, they often come with upfront costs, including licensing fees, customization, and ongoing support. Smaller communities with limited budgets may find these costs challenging to justify, especially if they do not anticipate high usage of the portal by residents.

Benefits of Using Both an HOA Website and Resident Portal

Given the distinct benefits and drawbacks of both HOA Association websites and resident portals, many communities find that the best solution is to use both platforms in tandem. By integrating an HOA website with a resident portal, communities can enjoy the advantages of a public-facing presence while also providing a secure, interactive space for residents.

Public-facing information and marketing

An HOA website serves as a powerful tool for marketing the community to potential new residents. It can showcase the amenities, events, and lifestyle that make the community unique, helping to attract prospective buyers. At the same time, the website can provide general information that is accessible to the public, such as contact details, directions, and community history.

When integrated with a resident portal, the website can also offer a seamless login experience for residents. From the public-facing homepage, residents can easily log into the portal to access private information, such as upcoming community events, financial records, and important documents.

Secure, private access for residents

The resident portal enhances the HOA website by adding a layer of security and privacy for residents. Through the portal, residents can access sensitive information, such as payment records and personal account details, without worrying about unauthorized access. The portal also facilitates direct communication with the management team, allowing residents to submit maintenance requests, ask questions, and receive timely responses.

By combining an HOA website with a resident portal, communities can ensure that their online presence meets the needs of both potential new residents and current members. The website provides a polished, public-facing image, while the portal offers the secure, interactive features that residents expect.

How to Compare Technology Options

When deciding between an HOA Association website, a resident portal, or both, it’s essential to consider several key factors that will impact your community’s digital experience. Here are some critical areas to evaluate:

Resident engagement

The level of resident engagement is a crucial consideration when choosing between an HOA website and a resident portal. If your community values high resident interaction, a resident portal may be the better choice due to its communication features, such as forums, messaging systems, and event management tools. On the other hand, if your primary goal is to attract new residents, an HOA website with a strong public-facing presence might be more effective.

Security and privacy

Security is paramount when dealing with resident information and financial transactions. Resident portals are typically designed with robust security features, including encrypted data transmission, secure login protocols, and regular security updates. If privacy and data protection are top priorities for your community, investing in a resident portal with strong security measures is essential.

Ease of use for residents

The success of any digital platform depends on its ease of use. Both should be intuitive and user-friendly, ensuring that residents can easily navigate the platform without requiring extensive technical support. Consider conducting a user experience assessment or trial period to gather feedback from residents on the platform’s usability.

Ease of managing the platform for managers and board members

It’s also important to consider how easy the platform is to manage from an administrative perspective. An HOA website may require more technical knowledge to update and maintain, while resident portals are often designed with user-friendly dashboards that simplify the management process. Look for platforms that offer training and support to help your team manage the system effectively.

Cost and scalability

Cost is always a factor when considering new technology. Both platforms come with varying price points depending on the features and level of customization required. Additionally, consider the scalability of the platform—will it be able to grow with your community as your needs evolve? Look for solutions that offer flexible pricing models and the ability to add features as needed.

Legal considerations

More states, including Florida, are now requiring HOAs and condominium associations to maintain password-protected websites or portals that securely post documents for residents. Check your state’s legal requirements to understand the specific features your community’s portal or website needs to have.

What to Look for in an HOA Website Provider

Choosing the right provider for your HOA website or resident portal is crucial to ensuring the long-term success of your community’s digital presence. Here are some factors to consider when evaluating potential providers:

Ease of use

Research shows that more than 74% of people are likely to return to a platform with a great UX. The platform should be intuitive and easy to use for both residents and administrators. Look for providers that offer user-friendly interfaces, drag-and-drop content management systems, and clear navigation.

Security features

Security is a top priority for any digital platform. Ensure that the provider offers strong security features, including data encryption, secure logins, and regular security updates. Ask about their data protection policies and any certifications they hold.

Scalability

Your community’s needs may change over time, so it’s important to choose a platform that can grow with you. Look for providers that offer scalable solutions, allowing you to add new features or expand the platform as your community evolves.

Customer support

Reliable customer support is essential, especially during the initial setup and as you encounter any issues. Choose a provider with a strong reputation for customer service, offering multiple support channels, including phone, email, and live chat.

Technology advancements

Technology is constantly evolving, and you’ll want a provider that stays ahead of the curve. Look for companies that regularly update their platforms with new features and improvements (like Pilera). Ask about their commitment to ongoing innovation and how they plan to incorporate emerging technologies into their solutions.

What’s the best choice for your HOA association?

Choosing between an HOA website, a resident portal, or both is a significant decision for any community. Each platform offers unique benefits and challenges, and the right choice will depend on your community’s specific needs and goals.

HOA websites excel at providing a public-facing presence that attracts new residents and shares general information with a wide audience. Resident portals, on the other hand, offer a secure, private environment where residents can access personalized information and services, improving engagement and communication.

By integrating both platforms, communities can enjoy the best of both worlds which is a polished public image combined with secure, interactive features for residents. When comparing technology options, consider factors such as resident engagement, security, ease of use, and cost to make the most informed decision.

About Pilera

Pilera Software offers a comprehensive solution for community management with its integrated HOA website and resident portal platform. Pilera’s community website allows you to create a professional online presence, showcasing your community to potential new residents while providing general information to the public. Meanwhile, Pilera’s resident portal offers secure, private access for your residents, allowing them to manage their accounts, pay dues, submit maintenance requests, and communicate directly with your management team. Book a demo, to learn more on how Pilera can help your community increase engagement and improve staff workload.

Can your residents easily access important community information such as vendor contracts or financial statements?  Soon, condominium associations managing over 100 units in Wisconsin will be required to provide residents with a password-protected website.  This new website requirement is part of the amendments to the Condominium Ownership Act (Wisconsin 703.20) which goes into effect on April 1, 2023, along with other rules on financial audits and keeping records of vital community data.  Wisconsin follows other states such as Florida in passing similar laws that focus on improving communication and transparency between board members and residents. 

Disclaimer: Note that this article does not constitute legal advice. The purpose of this article is to provide you with tips on how to prepare for the upcoming Wisconsin Condo Website Law Requirements (Wisconsin 703.20).  It is important that you consult your association lawyer for any questions about the specific requirements of the law. 

New Community Website Requirements

By April 1, 2023, all condominium associations managing more than 100 units will be required to have a password-protected website.  The association will also need to provide residents and employees with a secure login to access community information.  Through a password-protected website or web portal, the association will need to share the following documents with residents: 

• Board meeting minutes and any actions that were taken without a meeting.
• All bylaws and CC&Rs of the association. 
• All receipts and expenses related to common areas.
• Annual budgets
• Financial statements
• Bank statements
• Reserve accounts and statements
• Insurance policies
• Income and expense statements
• Association audits if conducted
• Contracts the association signed in the past 6 years and any bids obtained in the past 3 years.
• Invoices and expenses

See the complete list of the documents that your website must have. 

The community can fully manage the website on its own.  Or if the community has hired a management company, they can maintain the website on the association’s behalf.

In the next section, you’ll learn how to prepare for the new condo law and what steps you can take now.

How to Prepare for the New Condo Website Law

1) Identify your Community Website Needs

Before you begin implementing a solution, it’s important to take a step back and list what features your new website will need.  At a minimum, the features you’ll need to have include:

• The ability for community management staff, board members, and residents to log into the website (password-protected website or web portal). 
• Private pages for your board members and residents. 
• Document management with good folder structure and viewing permissions. 
• Built-in security features to keep your associations’ data safe.

While the new law has some specific requirements for what a website needs to do for your community, it’s a good idea to consider other goals such as increasing community engagement or reducing calls to the office.  Here are some additional considerations when you’re searching for a new website solution:

Improve SEO with a mobile-friendly website

Google now prioritizes websites that are mobile-responsive rather than non-responsive in the search results.  Considering that 60% of all online searches are done through a mobile device, having a mobile-friendly website is no longer a luxury but is expected.   HOA website solutions such as Pilera’s provide you with many mobile-responsive templates to build a website that is easy for your residents to find what they’re looking for.

Ease of Use

Managing the day-to-day operations of a community can be hectic and overwhelming.  That’s why when it comes to any technology, it’s important to consider a solution that saves you time rather than create more work.  Consider choosing a website solution that is easy for you to build and maintain over time, preferably without needing to involve your development team.  Pilera’s easy drag-and-drop functionality lets you easily format your website and add content. Many of our clients share that the website is so easy to build without needing any prior technical experience! 

Resident Self-Service

A website with resident self-service capabilities enables your residents to view important community information and make payments on their own time.  A resident web portal, which is a password-protected website, offers additional capabilities for residents to update their information and request services. Through Pilera\’s resident web portal, residents can self-manage their units, update their contact information, submit work order requests, view documents and events, communicate with other residents through a discussion board, and much more. Offering this capability to residents will increase satisfaction and reduce the workload for your staff.

Increased Community Engagement

A website is also a great way to build a sense of community.   Choose a website solution that allows you to create pages and add your own content.  Pilera makes it easy to add your own custom content to your website.  Many of our clients have created a complete website experience by adding content, such as photos, videos, or amenity information, that shows everything their community has to offer! 

2) Evaluating Website Options: Generic vs HOA-specific community websites

Now that you understand what features you want in a website, it’s time to identify potential website providers.  There are two main categories of website providers:

• Generic providers – WordPress, Wix.com, and others.  While these providers offer websites that are highly customizable, they aren’t specifically built for the community management industry.  Additionally, you may require a website developer to manage the site over time.    
  
  
• HOA-Specific Website Providers – HOA-Sites, Pilera, and others.  These websites are built specifically for the HOA and Condo industry and offer features like resident logins, online payments, calendars, document sharing, and more.  Website platforms such as Pilera empower you to create websites without needing to involve a website development team for any change you need to make, big or small. 

Check out our comparison of generic websites versus HOA-specific websites to find out what solution is best for you. 

3) Give yourself enough time to research and test software

Because there are only 3 months left before the law takes effect, now is the time to start searching for a website solution.   Consider looking into website options that meet the basic requirements of the law and will give you additional features to meet the goals you’ve chosen in Step 1. 

The best way to know what solution works best for you is to book a demo with the website provider and ask them to give you a free trial.  Encourage other team members in your community or company to try out the platform too.  Website solutions such as Pilera’s offer personalized demos and free trials.  Our team also provides comprehensive onboarding and training so you can get set up for success right away.

Managing less than 100 units?  Do I still need a website?

If you manage a condo association that has less than 100 units or a single-family homeowners association, a website isn’t required.  However, a website can provide significant benefits for your community. 

Improve resident satisfaction

Consumers are far more likely to search for a company on the web before contacting their support, and the same applies to residents of a community association.  Having a community website can improve the resident experience because they can view information and submit requests on their own time.

Impress prospective buyers

Prospective buyers are very likely to research the community before buying a home and will turn to the web for answers.  A community website can give prospective buyers an idea of what it is like to live in the community.  For a public-facing website, consider sharing:

• How the community operates
• Amenities
• Monthly fees – what these fees go toward
• Events
• Activities/Clubs

Reduce inbound calls and emails

We mentioned earlier that a website is a valuable self-service tool for residents.  When residents can find board meeting documents on their own or submit work orders online, that means more time to focus on other meaningful tasks.

Conclusion

With the deadline to provide your community with a password-protected website approaching, it’s important to prepare in advance.  Here is a recap of the steps that you should take:

1. Understand the full requirements of the new website law and consult your association lawyer with any specific questions you may have. 
2. Identify the list of features you need in a community website.  Take this opportunity to consider other valuable features that can help you accomplish other goals like increased resident engagement and reduced inbound calls to the office.
3. Start searching for website providers that will tick all the boxes for your website.  Get a personalized demo, test out the software, and involve other members of your team in the process.

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About Pilera

Pilera Software is the premier community management software that has helped thousands of community managers and back-office personnel improve customer service. Increase resident satisfaction and work efficiency with the best tools in the market – communications, client service ticketing, and community websites! Request a personalized demo so you can learn how Pilera\’s community management solution can work for you.

With more HOAs using digital communications to keep residents informed, many states have started to update their existing regulations.  California is the most recent state after Colorado that amended its HOA communication laws. In this article, we’ll talk about the changes to California SB 392 and technology considerations to help you comply.  

As a Disclaimer, this blog article is meant to provide information on the latest regulations impacting community associations and should not be taken as legal advice.  You should always talk to your community association lawyer if you have any questions on how this new law may impact you and any legal advice in general.

What are the requirements for complying with SB 392?

On October 7, 2021, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 392 into law.  This law specifies how community associations need to communicate with residents. Although the law went into effect on January 1, 2022, the new amendments that focus more on resident preferences go into effect on January 1, 2023.

Resident communication preferences

The amended law now requires that community associations deliver documents or notices electronically via email to residents.  Email communication provides many benefits for HOAs such as reduced costs and fewer inbound calls to the office.  

However, not every resident prefers email.  If a resident provides an invalid email address, chooses not to provide one, or revoked their consent to receive emails, the association must communicate with them via mail.  

To prepare for these changes, your technology platform must be flexible and reliable. Whether you are currently using technology or looking for a new solution, here are some questions you should ask: 

1) “Do residents have multiple ways to stay informed about the community?” 

Offering your residents many ways to stay informed is quickly becoming the norm.  Even though the law only requires emails and postal mail, it’s a good idea to consider offering additional methods like text messages and phone calls.  Text message is the most preferred choice of communication among Millennials with 90% of text messages read within 5 minutes of receiving it.  Phone calls are a great way to reach elder demographics or those who don’t have electronic means of receiving messages.   

If you decide to use multiple communication methods to keep residents informed, consider consolidating information in one place to make it easier to manage your data. Since separation of information can cause inefficiencies, software that can handle both automated emails and letter generation is helpful.

2) “Can residents easily inform management of their communication preferences?”

Since residents will need to confirm their communication preferences, it’s vital that your technology platform can track this information.  This new law may add hours of additional work as you manage each resident\’s preference manually.  Having a system in place for residents to update their information can reduce workload. A self-service portal where residents can select their communication preferences, update their contact information, and unsubscribe from email if they no longer want it is key.  Alternatively, management can update information on behalf of residents with their consent and can easily see which method they prefer.  

3) “Do I have a way of knowing which residents don’t prefer email?”

Your technology platform should allow you to customize recipients based on whether they have electronic means of receiving messages or not.  Technology should not only help you manage preferences but also easily be able to produce letters for those without an email on record. 

Community Website

The original requirement also states that associations with more than 50 units are required to have a website unless ⅔ of the members vote against it.

Community websites are becoming a common requirement for many states but can benefit your community in many ways. HOA website solutions are also mobile-friendly and easy to create without needing technical experience.  With a well-designed community website, residents can check online for information without ever having to call the office.  It unburdens your staff while giving your residents a positive experience.   

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About Pilera

Pilera Software is the leading HOA communication and management software.  Thousands of communities rely on Pilera to keep residents informed through automated phone, email & text; improve customer service; and increase operational efficiency.  To learn how Pilera can help manage your communities more efficiently, book a personalized demo or you can also write to us at sales@pilera.com.

Can your community website make a lasting impression on residents in 10 seconds or less? Web design studies say that\’s all the time you have to impress a user before they leave your site.

Creating a professional community website can be challenging due to hard-to-use content management systems, privacy concerns, and time limitations. But if residents can\’t find what they need quickly, it can create frustration and increase incoming calls.

With websites being one of the most effective ways to keep HOA residents informed, it’s important to make website design a priority.  A well-designed website makes it easier for residents to find the community on search engines and quickly find the information they need.   In this article, you’ll learn about why it’s important to have a good website design & 10 elements every HOA website needs.

Why Good HOA Website Design Matters

Bring more prospective buyers/renters to the community

As residents are considering buying a home in an HOA, your website needs to be listed on search engines so they can learn more about the community.  A mobile-friendly website design, coupled with fresh content, can give a boost to your website’s search engine rankings (SEO).  

Increase resident satisfaction & reduce inbound calls to the office

It’s important that your HOA website be flexible enough so you can continue updating it with new information.  When residents are able to find what they’re looking for, they’re more likely to return to the site for the community’s latest updates. 

10 HOA Website Design Elements

Now that you have an understanding of how web design elements impact how your website performs and how your residents perceive the community, let\’s dive into the exact elements you need!

1. Mobile Responsive Design
2. Branding
3. Navigation
4. Private vs Public pages
5. Page Layout
6. Content
7. Photos
8. Videos
9. Calls-to-Action
10. Advanced Customization

1) Mobile Responsive Design

Websites with mobile-responsive design adjust text, pictures, and videos so that it fits the size of the device it’s being viewed on.  A responsive web design is a must in today\’s mobile-first world because it helps users find information quickly and encourages them to stay on your website longer. 

Pilera’s HOA website solution provides several mobile-responsive templates to improve user experience and discoverability on search. Take a look at some of Pilera\’s mobile-responsive design templates!

2) Branding

Every HOA website needs to incorporate the community’s branding in its design.  The community’s branding should reflect its culture, how residents perceive it, and what makes it different from other communities.  You can successfully convey your community\’s culture by implementing these three branding elements:

Banner

A banner image stretches horizontally across the top of your website.  It\’s important that the banner for your community presents a positive and professional outlook of the community.  The banner should give a warm feeling to your residents when they visit your website and first see the banner.  Your banner should also be authentic.  Many communities use an actual image of their community.  Your residents are more likely to connect with an image that is real and authentic than a stock image.

Community Logo

Your community logo is an image with text and images that reflect what your community is all about.  Having a logo for your community is important because it establishes a positive connection with your residents and makes it memorable in their minds.  A good community logo is simple, memorable, and identifiable.  

Color Scheme

A color scheme is a combination of colors used for a website’s primary and secondary backgrounds and text.  Having a color scheme for your community website improves brand recognition and conveys feelings. Different colors can produce different emotions or feelings in individuals. Warm colors such as red, orange, and yellow depict optimism, excitement, and happiness. Cooler colors, such as blue and green, depict serenity and peace.

3) Navigation/Menu

Navigation is one of the most important elements of your website.  Good navigation makes it easy for residents to find what they are looking for, whereas poorly designed navigation can frustrate and turn users away.  Your community website\’s navigation should be structured with residents in mind. How would they search for information on a website?  Where would a resident expect to find information about community activities?  Where would a board member expect to find information on community budgets? Be sure to clearly title each navigation item.  

Examples of navigation items that are common among many HOA websites include Community, Owners, Board Members, and Contact Us.  If you have a lot of information to convey to your community, you may consider creating secondary navigation, as seen in the example below. 

In Pilera, you can create primary and secondary navigations to organize pages to make it easy for residents to find what they need. 

Watch Video: Easily add a logo and banner with Pilera\’s Community Websites

4) Create private vs. public pages

HOAs often deal with sensitive information, and board members and managers must prioritize data security and privacy when creating a website. With Pilera\’s community website, you can create private pages that are password-protected to keep your association\’s information safe. These pages are only visible when managers, board members, and residents log into the website. For example, many communities will create a private page with documents, surveys, or marketplace items restricted to board members or residents. You can create public pages for information that prospective homeowners may be interested in, such as amenities.

5) Page Layout/Formatting

Layout refers to how you structure your web pages and format your content within them.  Overall, a good page layout will enable residents to find information quickly.  When residents find information quickly, they will keep coming back to the website as they now consider it a reliable source for the latest community information.   

Each page on your website can have a unique layout to make it easy to organize and find information.  In the example below, if your home page consists of a two-column layout, the center can include an introductory message, and the sidebar can include local weather, upcoming events, or quick links.  When you create a page in Pilera, you can choose up to 3 columns to display your content in.

6) Content

Having relevant and fresh content on your HOA website keeps your residents coming back to your website as a trusted source for the latest community information. When writing content, it’s important to take into consideration who your audience is and how they’re most likely to understand information.  Consider these tips:

1. What are residents contacting you about?  Group their questions into topics and create a page on your HOA website for each topic. 
2. Keep information short and to the point.
3. Avoid using industry jargon where possible and use words that are easy to understand.
4. Keep the tone consistent in your writing.    
5. Make sure to continue updating the content on your website.  Search engines rank websites that update their content regularly higher than those that do not.

7) Photos

As we discussed earlier, authentic and real images help establish a connection with your residents.  To showcase what your community has to offer to your residents, you can create photo galleries for events, amenities, and common areas that residents can enjoy.

8) Videos

Videos are another great way to showcase your community’s culture to current and future prospective residents.  Be creative in the videos you create.  Here are some ideas you can implement:

1. Talk about the community\’s goals and how board members and residents are working to achieve those goals together.
2. What residents like the most about the community.
3. Tutorial videos on how to navigate through the website or community portal.
4. How-to videos to keep residents engaged on topics such as home maintenance, gardening, tips to improve the value of their home, etc.  

9) Calls-To-Action (a.k.a. CTA’s)

Call-to-actions refer to important actions that you want residents to take on your website.  In general, each page should have one clear call to action to drive a certain action.  That action could be to submit a contact us form, a work order request form, signing into the resident portal, or making a payment.  Your call to action should:

1. Be clearly labeled – Your residents should know what to expect when they click on the CTA.
2. Be clickable.  Your CTA can either be a button or a link.  If it’s a button, make sure the text is visible.  If the CTA is a text link, make sure to bold and underline the text.  People will not know to click on the link if it is not underlined. 

10) Customizability (Advanced)

A significant part of web design is the ability to customize how it looks and feels.  Every HOA community is unique, and that\’s why it\’s important that your website truly captures and reflects the values of your community. That’s where advanced customization can be helpful.  If you have advanced HTML or CSS knowledge, you can customize background and text colors, header text and colors, button colors, and more. In Pilera’s Easysites, website administrators can customize the look and feel of the website with custom HTML and CSS if they want something more advanced.

Website Considerations

Now that you understand the essential elements for creating a robust website let\’s delve into another crucial aspect: cost. Several factors influence the expenses associated with building a website. Let\’s explore two key considerations:

1) Build Your Website In-House or Hire a Developer

Whether to develop your community\’s website in-house or hire a developer depends on time, experience, and budget. If there are community members with solid web design skills, delegating the task to them can be a cost-effective option. On the other hand, if your community lacks the necessary expertise or time, hiring a professional web designer becomes a viable alternative. Keep in mind that professional designers come with varying costs; simpler websites may cost $100-500, while highly customized ones can range upwards of $30,000. Factors influencing the cost include updating frequency, developer skills, customizations, and choosing between freelancers or web design agencies.

2) Type of Content Management System: HOA Specific or Generic

Selecting the right website provider for your HOA or condo association involves considering two primary categories: purpose-built software for community associations and generic mass-market CMS platforms.

Purpose-built HOA websites include many features tailored to community needs and seamlessly integrate with resident portals. Modules such as event management, document sharing, marketplace listings, and dues payments can be easily incorporated into these websites. This option proves more cost-effective compared to platforms like WordPress, where customization often requires hiring a developer.

While free website builders exist, they often suffer from drawbacks like slow loading times, intrusive advertisements, limited to no customer support, bandwidth restrictions, data ownership concerns, and limited customization capabilities. These shortcomings can frustrate residents, potentially leading to increased inquiries to the administrative office.

Additionally, evaluating the pros and cons of purpose-built HOA websites versus popular generic platforms like WordPress can provide insights into making an informed decision.

About Pilera

Good HOA website design ensures that that the site is easily findable on search engines and that your residents will have a positive experience in finding information. When you incorporate these design elements together, the website is easy to use and will be one that your residents become proud of! Pilera\’s community websites make it easy for non-technical staff to build a beautiful community website. With drag-and-drop elements, customizable content, and integration with Pilera features, your community will improve operations & resident satisfaction. Contact sales@pilera.com to learn more or book a personalized 1:1 demo!

A website is an incredibly important asset to community management, helping to make operations smoother and bring the community together.  As a leading community management solution, Pilera continues to strive toward enhancing our tools for managers. A product that we’ve made major enhancements to just recently is the community and company websites.  These websites are mobile-friendly and integrate with various modules in Pilera.  In this month’s Manager Toolkit, we’ll explore three design tips that you can implement for your website using Pilera’s websites.

Tip #1: Add Your Logo & Banner

In our community website templates, we’ve created a simple mechanism you can use to organize images that are part of your entire website.  This mechanism is called a photo group. Logos and headers are examples of images that are omnipresent on your website.

Here’s how to get started with adding your logo and header:

1. In the admin control panel, click on “Photo Gallery”.
2. Click on Add Group – provide a name and description for the group.  Then, select “Yes” in the Site Photo Group field.
3. Click “Add a Photo to the Group” – provide a photo name, caption, description, and location.  Then, tag your images exactly as per the following, to control how they will appear on the website: logo as “logo” and header as “banner”.  

Watch Video: Add a Logo and Banner in Pilera

Tip #2: Create a Color Scheme

The colors you use for your website are essential to the brand and values it stands for.  Thus, we’ve provided an enhanced color scheme consisting of primary and secondary colors, a choice of two background colors, and button color for your calls-to-action.  For your community or company website administrators that would like a more intricate design, we’ve incorporated a custom styles section that they can enter their HTML code in.  To create or update your color scheme, navigate to the Admin Control panel and click on “Change Site Look”.

Tip #3: Make Your Content Informative & Beautiful with Templates

Our new community website incorporates a variety of templates to help you create a beautiful design to house your content.  These content templates incorporate a mix of images, captions, headers, paragraph text, and call-to-action links.

To access these content templates, you will first need to be in Admin Mode.  Then, click on the “+” button on the website editor and select the “Content (Freeform HTML Blob)” option. The icon that’s the third to the left includes a wide variety of content template options:

• Content Cards  Row of 3 – A row of three content cards that comprise of images, header & paragraph text, and button.  You can edit the images by simply right clicking on the image and then selecting the “Image Properties” option.  
• Content Cards Row of 6 – Two rows of three content cards each that comprise of images, header & paragraph text, and button.
• Image on left or right with text wrap – Great for displaying associated image and text.
• Image as a Polaroid with caption – A Polaroid-style frame around an image with text wrap on the right or left side.
• 2 Column Content Block with Header – Great for publishing articles or news on your website.

With all other property management tasks, you and your staff are immersed with, updating information for your community or company should be simple, enjoyable, and less time-consuming. With our new community website templates, we’ve incorporated an organized way to display your content that will take you less time to maintain and also give a beautiful look and feel to your website.

Summary of Website Design Tips in Pilera’s Manager Toolkit

To recap, here are the key takeaways to help you get the most out of Pilera’s community website tools:

• Community websites are essential tools for improving operations and building stronger engagement among residents.
  
• Pilera has made major enhancements to its community and company websites, focusing on mobile responsiveness and deeper integration with its management platform.
  

Key Design Tips:

• Add Your Logo and Banner
  Use the Photo Group feature to upload and tag your community’s logo and banner for consistent site branding.
  
• Create a Custom Color Scheme
  Choose primary and secondary colors, background options, and button styles—or add custom HTML for advanced designs.
  
• Use Content Templates for Beautiful, Informative Pages
  Build visually appealing layouts with:
  
  • Rows of 3 or 6 content cards
    
  • Image and text blocks
    
  • Polaroid-style frames with captions
    
  • Two-column layouts for newsletters or announcements
    

These tools are designed to help you create a professional, engaging website with less time and effort.

By using these design tips and built-in features, you can create a polished, easy-to-maintain website that truly reflects your community’s values.

Websites are an indispensable part of your HOA or Condo community operations.  It’s essentially your online real estate – a central place for your residents to get all the latest updates in the community.  It’s all the more reason to invest in a website product that fits your community’s needs.  A website product that enables smoother operations and more informed, connected, and happier residents are essential.   With many options available, choosing the one product that will benefit your community, in the long run, can be difficult. For HOAs and Condos, a community-specific website can bring that long-term value.  In this post, we highlight the differences between a community-specific website and a generic content management site.

A community-specific website is one that is built from the ground up for a residential community – HOA, Condo associations, and Co-Ops.  Generic content management sites (CMS) are website builders that can be created for businesses that span many industries.  Examples include the big names that you may already be aware of: Wix.com, WordPress, Square Space, etc.  Although many generic CMS offer mobile-friendly designs and customization of web pages, they aren’t built specifically for managing communities.

Why community-specific websites?

1) Residents can update their profile information themselves

A critical part of community management operations is effective communication with the homeowners.  The task of ensuring that each resident’s contact information is correct in the database can be overwhelming. What if you have a community website where residents can update their own information, and that information is synced back to your manager portal and accounting system?  That would undoubtedly offload the amount of time that it takes to manually update your resident’s information, as it changes, in two different places. The flow of data between the accounting system and the website, and back is perhaps one of the most valuable aspects of a community-specific website. In Pilera’s Easysite, a community website provider, residents can update their communication preferences, which will feed back to your accounting provider.   

2) Residents can check their financial balances & make payments online

A community-specific website that is specially designed for residents will enable them with the tools to stay on top of their association dues.  Residents will be able to keep track of the dues they are paying through a balance and ledger. They can also log in to pay their community dues on time.  In Pilera’s Easysite, residents will be able to pay their dues on the website through the bank of your choice.

3) Managers can create pages with permissions based on user role

With generic website builders, you can create private pages that only your residents and board members can access although they won’t be role-specific.  A community-specific website builder will allow you to create pages that restrict certain users from accessing the content. Pilera’s Easysites, a community-specific website builder, gives managers or website administrators the ability to restrict access of a specific page by board members or residents.  Managers can also restrict page access depending on whether the user is logged in or not. Restricting certain pages makes your website more secure, providing access to information only to the people who need it.

4) An easier flow of information from the management web portal to the website

One of the most vital goals of an HOA or Condo community website is to inform residents.  To that goal, a community website should provide information about who to contact for different inquiries, when the next board meeting or community gathering is, and what a resident’s responsibility is in maintaining their property.  This information may be more time-consuming to manage in a generic CMS. However, a community-specific website can easily bring in all this information from your management portal. Through Pilera’s management portal and Easysites, the need to manage data in two different places is reduced.  Content from the web portal that can be brought over easily to the website includes documents, events, marketplace items, and contact information.

Conclusion

A content management system that is built from the ground up for an HOA or Condo association is a prominent investment into your community’s future in so many ways.  You can offer a personalized community experience to your residents that makes association living more enjoyable and informative. When residents are adequately informed of community information, compliant with association rules (because they know where to find the CC&Rs), and pay on time, you’ll have better chances of reducing calls to the office or fielding repetitive emails.  What ensues is a more organized, efficient customer service operation for your community.

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About Pilera

Pilera Software is the premier community and property management suite that has helped thousands of community managers and back-office personnel enhance communications, improve customer service, and manage compliance and operations. Additionally, we provide community and company websites that are mobile-friendly, have sleek designs, and can be customized for your residents. May we help your community achieve these success stories?

A website is a long-term investment into a community’s operations.  When a website is well-built and nurtured over time with the purpose of keeping residents informed, it can help managers and board members to build stronger relations with the community, while running it more efficiently.  Residents can get access to information easily amidst their busy schedules, be more informed, and feel more connected to their community. How can you make your community website stand out from the rest, and provide residents with a central place for all information about the community?  In this blog post, we go over five important tips to make your community websites more effective in engaging and informing residents.

Tip #1: Show off your community\’s persona via design and content.

A website is an online representation of what a community’s mission is and what values they stand for.  The community’s mission, ideals, and values are all collectively a part of their brand. For example, does your community mostly consist of high-end, luxury homes?  Or, is your community a fun-loving one where managers and association leaders work with the community hands-on? Or, does your community have a vast amount of amenities and are skilled in maintaining them?  High-end, luxury, fun-loving, collaborative, skillful – all of these are qualities that your community potentially imbibes. It’s important to convey those qualities through your website design and content.

Tip #2: Write in a simple manner.

One of the most essential goals for a community is to be as informative as possible because it improves operations and helps to increase resident satisfaction in the community.  For your content to be informative it\’s important to write in a clear and concise manner without using industry jargon.  This will help residents to easily comprehend the information they are getting.   Once you’ve written content for the website, send it another community leader for review.  

Tip #3: Answer the questions your residents want and need to know.

Residents will browse on the community’s website for a reason.  The more helpful and detailed the information on your website is, the more satisfied residents will be knowing that they can get their questions answered at any time of the day.  The main purpose of any website is to provide solutions to a person or company’s problem or provide answers to a question, and it’s no different for community websites. Your community website may address the following information for residents:

• Community contact information (names, phone numbers, and email addresses) and office hours.
• Board member names and positions.
• A frequently asked questions (FAQs) page answering any questions that residents regularly ask. How can residents submit an architectural change request to be reviewed and approved by the community?  How can they submit maintenance requests?
• How residents can get access to community documents, governing documents and rules, important messages and community events.
• Does your community comprise of rental properties?  Provide information about those rental properties, procedures, and how to submit an application.

Tip #4: Add multimedia to your content mix.

There are many ways to tell your community’s story and one of the best ways is through multimedia in the form of videos and images.  Multimedia is much more engaging and easier for residents to not only process and understand but resonate with. Furthermore, videos and images create a more personal connection than simple text does.  According to Hubspot, eye-tracking studies showed that individuals pay closer attention to content that includes images and are able to retain information three days later when the image is paired with the content. Additionally, individuals are four times as likely to watch a video about a company’s product or services than to read about it and close to 77% of businesses surveyed state that videos had a direct positive impact on their business.  Here are some ways to integrate multimedia into the community website:

• Add photos of your team members, community gatherings and meetings, amenities the community offers, and other areas of interest.
• Show an introduction video to your community on the home page detailing community history and culture, values and mission, the services provided, leader background, and special aspects of the community.
• Create “how to” videos to educate your residents on a variety of community-related topics or about the services the community offers.
• A simple thank you video message to your community members appreciating everyone’s contribution can strengthen the bond between the board and residents.

Tip #5: Implement responsive design.

According to comScore’s mobile usage study, approximately 65% of internet users in the United States consume information on multiple devices.  For a community, this means that information must be readily available in more than one device to provide a great user experience to residents who may own different devices.  A responsive website design is key to providing easily readable information to your residents, whether it be on a laptop, desktop, tablet, or mobile device of any size. Responsive design allows for flexible stretch or compression of website pages and its elements (navigation bar, text, images, and other multimedia) to fit the device it is being viewed on.  Therefore, you’ll want to incorporate responsive design for compliance and to provide your residents/board members with a good user experience.

 

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About Pilera

Pilera is your all-in-one community management suite for communications, work orders, help desk functionality, resident access, and more.  We also offer powerful community and company websites called Pilera EasySite. What’s the best part of our websites? There’s absolutely no coding experience necessary.  Our simple drag and drop functionality makes it easy to place various elements such as photo galleries, contact information, event calendars, and weather displays. EasySite also integrates with Pilera’s various modules.  

Last year, Governor Rick Scott signed into law the Florida Condo Law Board Members Transparency Act to improve transparency in condominium associations. Chapter 718, requires that all condominiums managing over 150 units must have a fully functional password-protected website by July 1, 2018.  Recent changes to this statute under House Bill 841 extend the deadline to January 1, 2019.  Also, according to the revisions, some requirements have been relaxed.  Earlier, multi-condos managing a cumulative amount of units that exceed 150 were required to have websites.  Now, only individual condominiums managing more than 150 units are required to have a website.

The great news is that this gives more time for your associations and management team to comply, so you aren’t as pressed for time as you may have been before.  You can relax a bit and take a deep breath!  With that being said, we recommend staying ahead of the game and preparing early.  In this article, you’ll learn the key takeaways of the Florida Condo Website Law and how to prepare for it.  

What are the statute requirements?

The Florida Condo Website Law requires that associations publish a variety of financial and operations-specific documents:

• The Declaration of the Condominium and all changes that are made to it.
• Association bylaws, articles of incorporation, and all version changes.
• The association’s rules.
• A separate page titled “Notices” made publicly available that includes any notices ahead of the board meeting.  This needs to be located on the homepage of the website or a separate page hyperlinked to the homepage.
• All contracts and open bids that the association is a party of.
• Completed annual budgets and any prior drafts that were considered.
• Comprehensive financial statements.
• Certificates for each board member.
• Board meeting documents such as agendas, meeting notices, as well as any issues to be voted on in advance.
• Other condominium-specific documents.

What should you consider in the technology space?

Choosing the right technology involves investing time to research options, implement the solution, and train staff.  When using technology that meets your organizational needs, you\’re better positioned to smoothen operations and cultivate a happier, informed community.  Here’s a list of what to consider in your assessment:

• Ease of use – The website or web portal should be easy to navigate through and manage.
• Online storage capabilities – Find out if the software is based on the cloud or is a desktop app.  The benefits of cloud-based software are many.  Information can be accessed from any device and any location with an internet connection.
• Communication capabilities – Identify how the owners will be notified of new documents.  Are there flexible communication preferences, such as the ability to send phone calls, emails, and text messages?
• Document management functionalities – Does the web portal or website allow for easy categorization, uploads, and permission settings for documents?
• Ownership of website – Under the law, associations are required to keep the website in the event they change management companies.  If the website provider does not allow this, they are not in compliance with the law.
• Security – Does the website or the web portal keep the association’s data safe?  Are there any SSL and HTTPS security protocols in place? How does the company manage data loss prevention?
• Scalability – As associations and management companies grow (because they certainly will!), does the website or web portal have the capability to manage that growth and evolving requirements?  Look into software that can simplify many cross-community actions and at the same time, can be tailored to each community’s needs.

What about HOAs?

Although the Florida Condo Law Board Members Transparency Act is only for condominium associations managing more than 150 associations in Florida, it\’s likely that other states will pass similar laws.  For the smaller condos, HOAs, and co-ops, there is a statute for you – Senate Bill 398 specifies that an individual in your community should be designated the responsibility of handling estoppel certificates. Furthermore, their contact information must be published on the website.

A website or portal can be beneficial even if you\’re managing an HOA.  A website can help your HOA improve communication with residents by providing instant access to the latest community information.  Residents are now searching online for answers first before they contact the management company.  This enables your staff to reduce workload by having to field fewer inbound calls from residents.  

About Pilera

Pilera Software is a premier community and property management suite that has helped thousands of community managers, board members, and back-office personnel enhance communications, improve customer service, and manage compliance and operations.  May we help your community achieve these success stories?  Learn more about how Pilera can help to be in compliance with the new Florida laws.  Contact us today for any questions about our software.