Social media can help a community share news quickly, announce events, and hear from owners. Used without a plan, it can also spread rumors, expose private information, and create friction between neighbors and the board. A few practices keep an association's online presence useful and safe.
This article is general information and is not legal advice. The association's attorney should be consulted.
Start With a Written Policy
A social media policy should be adopted by the board before any page or group is launched. It should cover:
- Purpose. What the page is for, such as announcements, event updates, and reminders.
- Audience. Whether it is limited to owners and residents or open to the public.
- Administrators. Who may post on behalf of the association and who moderates comments.
- Posting standards. What content is allowed and what will be removed.
- Enforcement. What happens when standards are broken.
The policy should be reviewed by the association's attorney and enforced the same way for everyone.
Choose One Platform and Set It Up Carefully
Most associations are better served by one well-run platform than by several neglected ones. The choice should follow the policy's goals and where residents already spend time. A private group is often the best fit, since membership can be limited to verified owners and residents and outsiders cannot disrupt community business.
Once the page is set up, owners can be invited by email, in the newsletter, or with a QR code posted at the clubhouse or mailboxes.
Appoint and Prepare Administrators
Specific people should be named to post updates, approve member posts, and respond to comments. A manager or a small number of directors usually fills this role. Administrators should understand the policy, the governing documents, and the limits on what can be shared.
Two Florida rules deserve special attention. Under sections 720.303(2) and 718.112(2)(c), board members may use email to communicate but may not cast a vote on an association matter by email. In a homeowners association, a board meeting occurs whenever a quorum of the board gathers to conduct association business. For that reason, directors should not debate or decide association business among themselves in comment threads or group chats. Decisions belong in a properly noticed meeting.
What Should Be Posted
Helpful content includes:
- Meeting dates and notices, with a reminder that official notice is given as the bylaws and statutes require
- Community event details and photos
- New rules and changes to existing rules
- Assessment due date reminders
- Where to find governing documents and forms
- Seasonal tips, such as hurricane preparation or water conservation
- Short polls to gauge interest, with the understanding that polls are not official votes
What Should Not Be Posted
The policy should make clear that the following will be removed:
- Personal information about owners, residents, or staff
- Confidential matters, such as pending legal issues or vendor negotiations
- Content that is harassing, threatening, profane, or sexual
- Content that is discriminatory based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, familial status, or other protected characteristics
- Advertising and spam
- Copyrighted images or material used without permission
- Photos of children without a parent's consent
- Personal opinions presented as the association's position
Rules should focus on conduct, not on silencing disagreement. Owners are entitled to question board decisions, and a page that removes all criticism tends to lose trust quickly. A simple test applies: if something would not be said at an annual meeting or printed in a newsletter, it should not be posted.
Some association records are protected by law. Personnel records and medical records of owners or residents, for example, are among the records that are not open to owner inspection, and they should never appear online. More on records access can be found in
who can access HOA documents.
Handling Negative Posts and Violations
Negative comments should not be ignored. A brief, polite reply that acknowledges the concern and moves the conversation to email, a phone call, or the next board meeting usually works best. Arguments should never be carried on in public.
When the policy is broken, the administrators may remove the post, limit the member's ability to comment, or remove the member from the group, as the policy allows. Each action should be noted in a simple log. Harassment that continues offline may call for other steps, described in
how to stop neighbor-to-neighbor harassment.
Help With Community Communication
Newsletters, notices, and owner communication are handled for the communities managed by Condominium Associates. To talk about communication tools for your association,
contact us.
