Did you know that over 80 percent of Americans get into the holiday spirit by decorating their homes? The holiday season is a popular time to ramp up home accessories such as lights, wreaths, and garlands.
If you live in an HOA or manage an HOA community, you may be wondering about how holiday decorations work in these types of communities. Here are some common rules and ideas for HOA Christmas decor that will benefit all residents.
1. Do a Neighborhood Theme
A neighborhood theme is a fun way to get residents invested in holiday decor and help them follow HOA rules for holiday decorations.
One of the most popular themes for holiday decor is a Christmas card lane. Residents put wood displays outside of their homes showcasing giant Christmas cards. The themes can vary, from popular holiday films to Disney movies.
2. Set Rules for Noisy Decorations
Decorations can be fun, but they cross a line if they irritate other neighbors. Some people like to go all out and include light shows with musical accompaniments. These may cause problems, especially on weeknights.
If residents enjoy decorations or the neighborhood has a lot of visitors, you can come to a compromise, such as limiting volume or hours.
3. Don't Limit Colors
Due to freedom of expression and religion, anyone can display whatever colors they choose. If someone celebrates a holiday other than Christmas, they should be able to freely display their religious preference through home decorations.
While Christmas colors are typically red, green, and gold, holidays such as Hannukkah commonly have blue and white as the celebratory colors. If you ban certain colors, your HOA may face legal problems.
4. Establish a Timeline for Decorations
It can be tacky or garish to put up decorations too early or leave them up too late after the holiday season. Residents should know ahead of time when it is permissible to display and remove their decorations.
Send out an email or flyer before the holiday season as a reminder for residents. This way, they will be well-informed about the dates they need to comply with, as well as property maintenance rules.
5. Decide on Rule Enforcement
Make sure you know how to enforce the HOA rules prior to the beginning of the holidays. If possible, meet with management or the board to discuss how you want to enforce the guidelines.
You can even have an HOA meeting and open up the discussion to residents. They may come up with ideas for how to keep the neighborhood looking beautiful over the festive season.
Some of the most common methods for rule enforcement in homeowners associations include warning letters, and then fines with further non-compliance.
Perfect Your HOA Holiday Decorating
You should not have to worry about whether residents comply with HOA rules over the holiday season. With this guide to HOA holiday decorating, you can have beautiful displays in your community.
Want to learn more about HOA guidelines and property management? Take a look around our website or contact us today with any questions you may have.
