Welcoming Committee
The Kathy Greenwood
Most large associations offer some type of orientation for new residents, usually on a fixed day and time of the month. For smaller associations, with only one or two new residents a month, it can make more sense to schedule a one-on-one orientation for a time that works best for the new resident. If you don’t have a Welcoming Committee or a volunteer to provide orientations, and are thinking about starting one, here are some ideas to consider:
Offer an Incentive
My mother worked for Welcome Wagon back in the 1960’s. When new families moved to Woodinville, she would call on them with a basket of coupons and goodies. People liked knowing where to shop, having coupons and discounts, and everyone liked meeting my mom who was a very sweet woman. I wanted to do something like that for our condo, and luckily, we happen to be located next door to the Sno-Isle Natural Foods Co-op who already had a “Hello Neighbor” program in place that we could tie into. They would provide us with a reusable thermal shopping bag with their logo on it, along with some groceries (chocolate bars, spaghetti sauce, pasta, chips and lemonade) and some discount coupons, that we could distribute to new residents who attended our orientations. We kept that relationship going for over two years, and it was a great incentive to get people to attend an orientation.
Tie-in with Security
An issue we have at our Association is not always knowing the new renters. Although owners are supposed to provide the Association with a copy of their lease agreement, that doesn’t always happen. One way to learn about new renters is to tie the Welcoming Committee with any access control processes you may have. When people ask for a door code, or other type of access device that isn’t issued by their owner, use that as an opportunity to offer an orientation.
22 Community Associations Journal | October 2018 Materials
Our orientation includes a briefing on the House Rules and a welcome packet. The briefing covers the most commonly violated rules, such as quiet hours, window treatments, hard- surface flooring, pet requirements, smoking, grills, and decks. The packet includes a checklist, welcome letter, maintenance tips, new owner information about governing documents and condo laws, the City of Everett parking laws, and a calendar of local events.
Communication
We post information about our orientation on our website, as well as the checklist. Even if residents don’t want to attend an orientation, they can still review the checklist on their own time. We also advertise the orientation in our newsletter and on the bulletin boards. I try to keep up with unit sales through Zillow, so that I can contact new owners before move-in day. Our website has a guest membership feature, and I add community association managers to it so that they can keep up on what’s going on in the building. This helps remind them to check in with the Association before they sign a new lease.
Benefits
Our condominium has averaged about 15 unit sales a year for the past two years, which for a 128-unit complex represents more than a 25% in-flux of new owners. We have two six- story buildings and two levels of parking, which can be very confusing for a new resident to navigate, especially on moving day. If we can make contact with the new resident before they move in, we can prevent some of the hassles and headaches, and avoid some of the unnecessary rule violations that come up. There’s nothing worse than spending big money on custom window treatments only to find out later that they are the wrong color! Trust me, I know this from personal experience.
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