By Appfolio Websites
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29 Jul, 2020
How to Construct an HOA Disaster Management Plan HOA disaster planning is an often challenging aspect of community management, particularly because there are a lot of moving parts that must be taken into account. The necessary requirements and protocols of a disaster emergency plan are largely contingent on the location of your HOA. It is important to have a disaster management plan for HOAs to curb liability. Improper disaster management can result in a number of unwanted issues, including lawsuits. A homeowner may sue the HOA with the claim that the association acted negligently in its planning and execution of emergency procedures. As such, HOAs must continue to look for ways to enhance their HOA disaster management schemes to keep residents protected. Whether your HOA board is planning or updating your current disaster management plan, it is imperative to keep the following considerations in mind: 1. Factor in Your HOA’s Location It is important for your association to consider the location of your community. If you can list down the different risk factors affecting your locale, it will serve as a good base for the types of emergency policies you intend to create. For example, if your community is located in an area that experiences wildfires often, a fire disaster plan is imperative. Similarly, if you reside in a place with frequent earthquakes, earthquake emergency planning is essential. Apart from factoring in potential disasters according to your geographic location , your HOA must have protocols in case of disease outbreaks or health pandemics and even terrorism. These events do not happen all the time, but it helps to stay prepared for them. 2. Think About the Age of Your Community Members In addition to your location, your HOA must also consider the age of your community’s members. Every community is different, so your predominantly young community may have a different approach to disaster planning than a neighboring community with mostly aging residents. Take the age of your community’s members into consideration and gear your planning to serve their needs. A community with a lot of elderly residents, for instance, should think about mobility issues. Senior members of your community will have a harder time evacuating their homes than younger residents. Similarly, you should take children into account as well. 3. Consider the Languages Your Community Members Speak The United States is home to many immigrants and diverse cultures. As such, not everyone in your community may know how to speak English very well. HOAs must stay aware of this fact and carefully consider the languages spoken in their community. An easy way to gauge this is to conduct a survey of your residents. If your community has a large percentage of Spanish speakers, then it is a good idea to make your HOA disaster management plan available in both English and Spanish. This extra step is a necessary one since even those fluent in conversational English may be confused by certain terminologies. Having translations of the emergency guidelines can greatly help the community and keep everyone safe. This can also protect your HOA from potential legal liability. 4. Construct a Community Disaster Relief Plan After examining the potential local geographic dangers your community may face, it is time to create your disaster relief plan. This plan should include pertinent information such as the level of involvement you can expect from your insurance provider. It must also address specific problems like inhabitable units, the possibility of homeowners entering their properties to salvage items, and any professional inspections necessary prior to allowing residents to return to their homes. It is important for your HOA and all members to carefully review these plans and clarify any misunderstandings. Unclear guidelines can lead to serious harm or injury, resulting in legal trouble for your association. Furthermore, the disaster relief plan should clearly indicate the responsibilities of HOA board members in the event of an emergency. Doing so will allow everyone to understand what role they play in case of a disaster. State what community members should do before, during, and after the event. It is also a good idea to reach out to emergency planning consultants when creating your plan. 5. Disseminate and Educate An HOA disaster management plan will be of no use if community members are not made aware of it. Therefore, your HOA board must make sure to communicate and educate all residents on the plan so that they can understand it. To do this, you must organize meetings prior to the beginning of a season that poses a threat to your community. For example, you must hold fire disaster preparedness meetings before the fire season when there is an increased risk of wildfires. Residents can easily forget the disaster guidelines with time. Moreover, new residents who are unaware of the disaster guidelines can move into the community. As such, you will need a refresher session every once in a while, at least twice a year is recommended. 6. Post Your Plans on Your HOA Website Homeowners associations have moved into the future, and that means adopting the use of HOA websites. There are many benefits to having a website for your community, and one of these is the easy dissemination of information. If you have a website, make sure to post your plans there for everyone to see. Any changes to your plan should also be reflected on your website. This way, if a homeowner has a clarification on a guideline, they can simply refer to your HOA website without hassle. 7. Use Your HOA Newsletter to Your Advantage Another communication tool that your HOA can use is a monthly newsletter. If you have one, make sure to use it as an opportunity to educate your community members about disaster planning. Consider including a timely article about disaster preparedness. For instance, if the hurricane season is about to start, you can post an article about it as a way of reminding residents about your HOA disaster management plan. 8. Lessen the Risk of Legal Liability For homeowners associations, natural disasters can give rise to legal troubles. Your HOA must do what it can to protect itself from potential legal troubles caused by natural disasters. Residents typically file lawsuits against the HOA on the grounds of negligence, citing what the association should have done to prevent a disastrous event or protect the community from it. To protect your HOA, you must keep residents from thinking that the association is in any way negligent by having a disaster preparedness plan. 9. Cooperate with the Office of Emergency Management Homeowners associations in the United States can coordinate with the Office of Emergency Management to obtain information relevant to local threats. This will help communities ascertain which disasters to plan for. If your association can match your plan with local law enforcement protocols, you can be assured of safer procedures that residents can abide by. This, in turn, will result in a higher level of satisfaction from residents. 10. Keep Fire Protocols in Mind Fire season is year-round , so depending on where you live, you must have strict fire protocols to adhere to. See to it that your HOA is ready with the necessary emergency procedures in case of fires. Furthermore, your HOA must take preventive measures to curtail the damages and injuries in the event of a fire. Your HOA can also curb the risk of wildfires by applying specific regulations related to the landscape of the community. This includes trimming shrubberies and getting rid of nonessential materials that could speed up the wildfire. These guidelines can help protect the community and its residents from harm caused by fires. 11. Establish an Electronic Emergency Alert System Many associations have taken advantage of electronic emergency alert systems, particularly larger communities. These advanced systems can send text messages and emails to residents concerning emergency situations. Consider allocating room in your budget to invest in such a sophisticated system. This added benefit will not only attract prospective residents but also protect current ones in your community as well as safeguard your HOA from a potential lawsuit. After obtaining an alert system, make sure to keep it up-to-date with everyone’s current contact information. This way, you can be assured that all residents receive pertinent information in a prompt fashion. Disaster Preparedness Literally Saves Lives Natural disasters are nothing new. And although a number of them can be anticipated to a certain extent, others occur out of the blue. A homeowners association must do its part to stay prepared for any scenario, and an HOA disaster management plan is essential if you want to maintain a safe and happy community. If your HOA has yet to construct a disaster plan, do it now. Note: The original article appeared on HOAManagement.com. Note: The original article appeared on HOAManagement.com .