HOA Board Secretary
What does an HOA secretary do?
The HOA secretary is the board's institutional memory and the official custodian of records. The role looks administrative, but it is legally consequential: minutes that misstate a vote can void it, missed notice requirements can invalidate decisions, and inadequate records access can trigger state-statute violations. Secretaries who treat the job seriously protect the entire board from procedural challenges.
Core responsibilities
Take, draft, and present meeting minutes for board approval at the following meeting.
Issue meeting notices in the form and timing required by the Bylaws and state statute.
Maintain the official roster of members, directors, and committee members.
Custody the corporate records — Articles, Bylaws, Declaration, amendments, minutes, resolutions.
Certify documents executed by the board (resolutions, recorded amendments, bank-account opening packets).
Respond to owner records-inspection requests within statutory timeframes.
Coordinate annual elections — ballots, candidate disclosures, election timeline — with the inspector of elections where required.
The exact scope of any board role depends on the Bylaws and the authority delegated by board resolution. Treat this list as a starting orientation, not a substitute for the governing documents.
A typical month for secretaries
- 1
Draft and circulate next meeting's notice with the agenda from the president.
- 2
Finalize prior meeting's minutes after the directors' edits and forward to the president for sign-off.
- 3
File approved minutes and any signed resolutions in the corporate record book.
- 4
Process any pending records-inspection requests inside the statutory deadline (commonly 5-30 days).
Free tools for secretaries
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Common questions
What needs to go in HOA meeting minutes?
Minutes should record the date, time, and location of the meeting; directors present and absent; quorum; each motion made, who made and seconded it, and the vote (with directors' individual votes if requested); and any binding action taken. Discussion content is generally not required — and including it can create discoverable evidence in litigation. Less is usually more.
Read the topic guideHow long must an HOA keep its records?
Most states require permanent retention of the Declaration, Bylaws, Articles, recorded amendments, minutes, and resolutions. Financial records are typically required for 7 years (statute of limitations for tax). Some states also require retaining contracts and ballots for fixed periods (commonly 4-7 years). Check the Bylaws and your state's HOA statute.
Are HOA meeting minutes public? Can owners get copies?
Minutes of open board meetings are accessible to members in essentially every state — usually within a defined response window after a written request and on payment of reasonable copy costs. Executive-session minutes are often exempted, but the topic and motion to enter executive session must still be in the open-session minutes. Refusing inspection without a documented basis can expose the board and the secretary to penalties.
Who certifies HOA documents — the president or secretary?
The secretary typically certifies documents (resolutions, signed amendments, bank packets) by signing the certification clause attesting that the document is a true copy of what the board adopted. The president signs the document itself. Banks, title companies, and counties typically require the secretary's countersignature.
Does the HOA secretary have to take the minutes themselves?
No — the secretary is responsible for the minutes existing, being accurate, and being maintained, but the actual minute-taking can be delegated to a manager, recording secretary, or another director. The secretary remains responsible for review, accuracy, and archival regardless of who keeps the running notes during the meeting.
These answers are general orientation and not legal advice. Specific questions about your association should be routed to your attorney or a state-statute resource.
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