APPLES TO
APPLES
OR
APPLES TO
ORANGES?
DEVELOPING THE
RIGHT SCOPE OF WORK
By: Brian Blackwell
T
he term ‘’strategic plan” is a staple of most of today’s business
entities. Although the term and concept is not new, it is often
shrouded in mystery when it comes to applying that concept
to homeowner associations. The mystique largely stems from a
number of HOA board members who don’t understand what a
strategic plan is or what it is meant to accomplish.
According to businessjargons.com, a classical strategic plan is defined
as a “systematic long-range planning activity, that an organization uses
to set priorities, strengthen operations, ascertain objectives and focus
on the resources required and are to be allocated in order to pursue the
strategy and attain the objectives.”
In other words, a strategic plan focuses on the vision, as well as
the mission, of the community. It also sets broad goals, both short-
term and long-term, for identifiable community-related changes and
improvements. Most importantly, a strategic plan provides a road-map
and a time-frame to fund those goals.
While it’s important to understand what a strategic plan is, it is also
important to understand why one is necessary. This is especially true
for aging communities, communities desiring to make improvements
or add amenities, and communities wanting to ensure a certain quality
of life that meets homeowner expectations. With the development of a
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strategic plan, a board will be able to
make more informed decisions about
future expenditures for new projects or
asset additions.
Once board members decide
that a strategic plan is needed for the
community, key individuals such as the
community manager, accounting team
members, board members, and legal
counsel should be brought together to
create the plan. Input from residents
is also valuable for consideration.
Producing a clear, doable, and legal
path to accomplishing the goals and
objectives of the strategic plan requires
multiple voices.
Keep in mind that a strategic plan
is not cast in stone. The plan can follow
any structure. A short and simple plan
may be between two and four pages,
written with easily defined sections,
or include bullet points to illustrate