How should an HOA board survey homeowners before a big decision?

By OurHOA · General information · Revised September 23, 2026

How to survey HOA homeowners: when a survey helps, writing unbiased questions, one response per home, getting responses, sharing results, and why it is not a vote.

Part of the HOA board handbook: residents and communication.

When a survey is worth doing

A survey helps when the board has real discretion and wants to know what owners value before it spends money or changes a rule. Good examples: whether to resurface the tennis court or convert it to pickleball, which budget items owners would cut first, whether to extend pool hours, or how owners feel about a proposed rule on short-term rentals before drafting it. A survey does not help when the decision is already made, when the law or the governing documents decide it, or when the board is really looking for cover. Owners notice when a survey is a formality, and it makes the next one harder. Before writing any questions, write one sentence that names the decision the results will inform and when the board will make it.

A survey is not a vote

Say this in the survey itself. Many decisions can only be made by a formal member vote under the governing documents and state law, with specific notice, ballot, quorum, and counting rules. California is a clear example: Civil Code section 5100 requires secret ballot procedures for member votes on assessments that legally require a vote, electing and removing directors, amending the governing documents, and granting exclusive use of common area. An online poll does not satisfy that process, and treating poll results as approval invites a challenge. Use the survey to shape a proposal, then take the proposal through the proper vote if one is required. A plain sentence at the top works: 'This survey is advisory. It helps the board understand priorities. It is not a vote, and no decision will be made based on it alone.'

Writing questions that do not lead

Pew Research Center's guidance on survey questions is a practical reference. Its main warnings apply directly to HOA surveys. Ask one thing per question; 'Should we repave the trails and add lighting?' is two questions. Avoid agree or disagree statements, since some people tend to agree with whatever is put in front of them; offer a choice between clear alternatives instead. Watch the order of questions, because earlier questions shape answers to later ones. Put the cost in the question when cost matters. Compare 'Would you like a new playground?' with 'A new playground would cost about $48,000, which would mean a one-time charge of roughly $400 per home or a delay in the parking lot repaving. Which do you prefer?' followed by three concrete options and 'no opinion.' The second version produces an answer the board can use.

Keep it short and add one open question

Ten questions or fewer is a good limit for a community survey, and five is better. Every extra question lowers the completion rate. Include one open-ended question such as 'Is there anything else the board should consider on this topic?' Open answers often surface concerns the board did not think to ask about, like a drainage problem next to the proposed playground. Test the draft on two or three owners who are not on the board before sending it. If they misread a question, rewrite it.

Choose the format and tool

A free online form works for most associations, but check three things before using one. First, can it restrict responses to one per household or at least record the lot number? Second, who can see the raw responses, and can you remove access when a volunteer leaves the board? Third, can you export the results to a spreadsheet so they stay in the association's records after the survey closes? Keep a paper version with identical wording for owners who prefer it, and have one volunteer enter paper responses into the same results file. If the wording differs between versions, you cannot combine the answers. Save the final question text, the distribution list or method, and the export with the association's records, since owners may later ask how a result was reached.

One response per home

Decide the rule before you send anything. Most associations allow one response per lot or unit, which mirrors how voting usually works. Enforce it by asking for the lot or unit number, by sending a unique link per household, or by using paper forms with the address pre-printed. Say in the introduction how responses will be handled. 'Confidential' means the board sees who answered but will not publish individual responses. 'Anonymous' means nobody can tell who answered, which also means you cannot stop duplicates. Pick one and describe it accurately. Do not promise anonymity and then collect lot numbers.

Getting enough responses

Keep the survey open for two to three weeks. Announce it by email and at least one other channel: a printed flyer for owners without email, a mailbox insert, a sign at the mailboxes or clubhouse. Send one reminder halfway through and another two days before it closes. Offer a paper option and a place to drop it off. Response rates for community surveys vary widely, and a small community may get 30 responses out of 80 homes on a topic people care about and far fewer on a dull one. Report the number of homes that responded next to every result so readers can judge it for themselves.

Reading and sharing the results

The people who answer are not always a fair sample of the community. Pool users will answer a pool survey. Owners who rent out their homes may not answer at all. Keep that in mind before calling any result a mandate. Share results with owners within a few weeks, including the question wording, the number of responses, the counts for each option, and a summary of the open-ended comments with names removed. Then say what the board will do next and when. For example: '41 of 96 homes responded. 24 preferred converting one tennis court to two pickleball courts; 11 preferred resurfacing as is; 6 had no opinion. The board will get bids for both options and discuss them at the March 12 meeting.' Publishing results the board did not hope for builds more trust than any number of well-run meetings.

Sources

These guides are general education for HOA boards and residents, not legal, tax, or financial advice. Rules vary by state and by your community's governing documents - check with a professional for your situation.

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