Many people choose to live in a community with a homeowners’ association (HOA) because of the wide-ranging and well-kept amenities. From swimming pools and fitness centers to pickleball courts and walking trails, these perks increase property values, foster camaraderie, and attract renters and homebuyers. However, to make the most of HOA amenities, board members and community managers must maintain and manage them correctly. Read on to learn more about HOA amenities, why they’re important, and how to use the TownSq Amenity Feature to your advantage.

What is an amenity?

An HOA amenity is a valuable facility, resource, service, or feature exclusively for community residents. Paid for by resident dues and fees, specific amenities vary by community. Depending on the type, size, and location of your community, you may find:

• Fitness centers and gyms.
• Pools.
• Dog parks.
• Common areas.
• Clubhouses.
• Theaters or movie rooms.
• Co-working spaces.
• Outdoor recreation trails.
• Playgrounds and parks.
• Community business centers.
• Picnic table and barbecue areas.
• Tennis and pickleball courts.
• Golf courses.    

Why are HOA amenities important?

For many HOAs, amenities are an opportunity to boost property values and resident retention and satisfaction. Amenities also attract potential homebuyers and renters looking for lifestyle features and places to connect with neighbors. Additionally, HOA amenities improve the living experience by delivering convenience, comfort, and a sense of community.

What is the TownSq Amenity Feature?

As the leading digital platform for HOA residents, board members, community managers, and community management companies, TownSq understands the importance of efficiently managing HOA amenities. Our HOA reservation amenities system is designed to help board members, managers, and homeowners do just that by managing, approving, and scheduling reservations.

With the TownSq Amenity Feature, managers and board members can:

• Register an amenity and make it available for reservation.
• Create amenity rules to reserve the amenities.
• Approve reservation requests.
• Generate reservation reports.
• Charge reservation fees to residents.

With the TownSq Amenity Feature, residents can:

• View the calendar for all amenities.
• Reserve an amenity.
• Register for the reservation waiting list.
• Cancel a reservation.
• View their reservations.

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Why should you use the TownSq Amenity Feature?

Here are four reasons your HOA should leverage the TownSq Amenity Feature:

1. Increased community engagement.

Amenities bring people together in a shared space and promote community participation and involvement. Having an easy-to-use amenities system encourages  use, which ultimately increases community engagement and neighborly interactions.  

2. Decreased conflict.

Reserving and managing amenities is a point of contention for some HOAs. Without functional software, overlapping reservations, incorrect scheduling, and unclear rules and regulations can become issues. Luckily, TownSq’s Amenity Feature is straightforward and user-friendly. Offering multiple configurations, options, and features, residents have a stress-free way to get information, make reservations, and pay fees, thus reducing conflict, questions, and frustrations.  

3. Establish accountability.

It’s crucial to hold community members accountable for their usage and upkeep of HOA amenities. With the TownSq Amenity Feature, you can include guidelines and protocols for members as they book reservations. It’s recommended to:

• Provide a written agreement for members to sign at the time of reservation.
• Include information on potential fines for guideline violations.
• Give an option for members to document damage or debris with pictures or videos.
• Have a checklist for members to utilize before and after their reservation.

4. Improved transparency.

TownSq’s Amenity Feature helps keep everyone in the loop and on the same page about amenities. Our capabilities facilitate transparency by:

• Enabling HOAs to fully acknowledge common areas and complete reservations and cancellations.
• Allowing residents to set reservations on an automatic standby line and block them if other common areas are reserved.  
• Permitting managers and board members to prohibit members from booking amenities for a designated time with a custom explanation.
• Configuring reservation blocks for amenities so they can’t be booked during remodeling or deep cleaning.‍

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TownSq & HOA Amenities

TownSq’s Amenity Feature increases community engagement and decreases conflict and promotes accountability and transparency. However, the benefits of using TownSq go far beyond amenity management and reservations. With comprehensive features for communication, online payments, accounting, voting, architectural requests, and more, TownSq is designed to streamline daily operations and add convenience to your life. Explore everything TownSq has to offer by signing up for a free 30-day trial today!

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