Top 10 Ways The HOA Make Extra Money

Income is paramount to the successful running of any organization, HOAs included. While the HOA primarily relies on dues or assessments for HOA revenue, it can turn to other modes of earning cash, too. So, how can the HOA make extra money?

How Can Your HOA Make Extra Money?

At times, the expenses of an HOA can exceed the amount that is brought in by monthly HOA fees. As a result, residents can be hit with special assessments, which can be a shock to homeowners and a large blow to community morale.

However, if your HOA board is hardworking and creative, it can find many ways to bring in HOA extra income without unduly burdening homeowners. Here are 10 ways your HOA makes extra money and boosts your budget in the coming years without charging special assessments.

1. Rent Out Your Clubhouse

If you have a clubhouse, it can be a great asset for bringing in extra funds to your homeowners association. The clubhouse can be used for birthday parties, business meetings, baby showers, fundraisers, and many other events.

If you are not doing it already, consider making the clubhouse available for rentals. Sit down with your fellow board members and HOA manager to discuss a reasonable pricing matrix. Most of all, make sure to notify all homeowners of the clubhouse’s availability.

2. Advertise in Your Newsletter

Your monthly newsletter can be a great way to bring in a little extra money each month. Reach out to local businesses and offer the space to them for advertisement.

Businesses can pay your HOA for space in which to put advertisements or coupons and can, in turn, grow their customer base. This is also a good way to introduce your residents to local businesses in the area. Although this might not bring in big bucks, it is still a great method if you want consistent HOA additional income.

3. Allow a Cellular Tower

If there are any unused roofs in your community, consider a cellular tower. There are both pros and cons to allowing a cellular tower on unused roof space. One of the pros, however, is having a little extra cash each month.

It can bring in up to $3,000 a month to your association, which is no small amount. In addition to the rental fee, your HOA can benefit by having superior cell service on your property.

4. Use Your Surrounding Environment

Take a moment to consider the natural area around your community. Try to think of ways that you can utilize the space that you often take for granted to make HOA additional revenue.

Do you have a hill that can be opened for community sledding? Are there any rivers or lakes that can be used for rafting or fishing? Is there a nice plot of land that can be rented out to the community or residents for a community garden? Do not let these natural features go to waste.

5. Think About Storage, Parking Spaces, and Other Underused Areas

If there are spaces in your community that is currently going unused such as a parking area or empty buildings or sheds, it is time to think about how these areas can be used to start generating income.

Transform empty buildings into storage units that can be used by residents or anyone in the community. Rent out parking spaces, and see if there are any indoor areas that can be rented out by teachers for fitness or art classes. Get creative with the use of spaces in your association.

6. Make Use of Outside Vendors (or Vending Machines)

How else can an HOA make extra money? By inviting outside vendors into the community — for a fee. Vendors are usually willing to pay a fee to use the facilities your association provides. The best part is, this is a win-win for everybody involved.

Vendors get to sell their services or products, residents get convenient access to these products and services, and the HOA can make extra cash. There are endless possibilities for the types of vendors you can invite in — from mobile pet groomers to mobile markets.

If you don’t want to deal with third parties, you can always install vending machines in common areas. Vending machines can cost you as little as $1,500 and as high as $10,000, though those are usually the higher-end models. Installing vending machines throughout the community not only offers convenience to owners but also helps your HOA earn extra cash. Just don’t forget to clean them and keep them stocked!

7. Take a Green Approach

Going green is not only beneficial to the planet, but it can also be a great way to save money in your HOA. For instance, by recycling your trash, you can cut back on how often to schedule trash collection services. You can also go paperless by transitioning to a digital platform for communication, dues collection, and the like. By doing so, you can save money on paper and printing.

8. Cut Costs

It is not something all associations want to consider. However, if there are no other options, your board may want to cut costs. Instead of boosting revenue by getting more cash inflow, you can do it by saving up on expenses.

Take a good look at your current budget and assess which ones are absolutely necessary. Perhaps you can cut back on the frequency of certain services. When taking this route, though, it is important to do so without sacrificing the property values of the community.

9. Charge an Amenities Fee

Although not a particularly popular option among residents, your association can charge an amenities fee on top of the usual HOA fee. Just like HOA fees, you can charge amenities fees on a monthly or yearly basis.

This method works well for communities with existing amenities, like pools and fitness centers, because it involves little to no expenses on the HOA’s part. The amenities fee can go into maintenance and general upkeep. It can also go into potential upgrades in the future.

10. Organize Fundraisers

Raising dues or levying special assessments likely won’t get you the popular vote among owners. If you need another way to make extra money, consider holding a fundraising event or two.

Fundraisers are great because they are fun and allow people to mingle with each other. There are so many options to choose from, too. Plus, owners are probably going to respond more to an event where they can willingly donate money instead of a mandatory assessment.

When planning your event, remember to take your target demographic into account. Great fundraising ideas include small concerts, bake sales, workshops, and auctions.

More Ways Than One

There are many ways that an HOA board can use current assets and amenities to begin making extra money for the community. All it takes is a little bit of thinking outside the box and the willingness to put in a small amount of time and effort. So, how can your HOA make extra money? Use these 10 ways to start the process! The homeowners in your community will thank you!

RELATED ARTICLES:

• How To Plan For Your HOA Budget
• Investing HOA Reserve Funds The Right Way
• Are Your HOA Fees Too High? Here’s How To Lower HOA Fees