Board Resources

Free HOA board member training for Texas boards

25 short videos, 9 core modules, and plain-English guides for new and experienced HOA and condo board members.

Start with the 9 modulesWatch the full series

You said yes to the board. Now what?

Most HOA board members are volunteers with day jobs. Nobody hands you a manual when you're elected, but the decisions are real: budgets, reserves, contracts, enforcement letters. This page is the manual we wish every new board member got. Watch a module before your next meeting, then use the checklists to ask better questions.

25
free training videos
9
core modules for new directors
3–5 min
per video, watch on your phone
$0
no sign-up, no email required

The 9 core modules every HOA board member should know.

Each module pairs a short video with the Texas rules that matter most. Statute references are to the Texas Property Code, Chapter 209, unless noted.

Module 1

Board roles and responsibilities

  • Directors owe the association a duty of care and loyalty: decide on facts, not friendships.
  • The board sets policy; the manager carries it out. Knowing that line prevents most frustration.
  • A person convicted of a felony or crime of moral turpitude in the past 20 years may not serve (§209.00591).
Watch module 1

Module 2

Governing documents

  • Declaration, bylaws, certificate of formation, rules and policies: know which one wins when they conflict.
  • Dedicatory instruments must be recorded in the county real property records to take effect (§202.006).
  • Texas protects some owner choices outright, like flags, solar devices, rain barrels and standby generators (Ch. 202).
Watch module 2

Module 3

Effective board meetings

  • Board meetings are open to owners. Mailed notice goes out 10 to 60 days ahead, or post 144 hours ahead for a regular meeting and 72 hours for a special one (§209.0051).
  • Executive session is limited to topics like personnel, litigation, contract negotiations and enforcement actions.
  • Fines, assessment increases, the budget and filling a board vacancy can only be voted on in an open meeting, never by email.
Watch module 3

Module 4

Communicating with homeowners

  • The board speaks with one voice. Individual directors don't make promises the board hasn't voted on.
  • Owners can request association records; the association has 10 business days to respond (§209.005).
  • Answer the facts, not the tone. A calm written reply ages better than a heated one.
Watch module 4

Module 5

Budgeting and financial management

  • Keep the operating budget (this year's bills) separate from reserves (next decade's roofs and pools).
  • The annual budget must be approved in an open board meeting.
  • Read the monthly financial packet: bank balance, budget versus actual, and unpaid invoices tell different stories.
Watch module 5

Module 6

Reserves and long-term planning

  • A reserve study lists every major component, its remaining life and its replacement cost.
  • Underfunded reserves usually end in a special assessment, and special assessments need an open-meeting vote.
  • Update the study on a schedule so the numbers keep up with real construction costs.
Watch module 6

Module 7

Insurance

  • Know what the association's policy covers and what each owner's policy has to cover.
  • Directors and officers (D&O) coverage protects volunteers who make decisions in good faith.
  • Review coverage before renewal, not after a storm. See our HOA insurance program.
Watch module 7

Module 8

Assessments and collections

  • Associations with more than 14 lots must adopt payment-plan guidelines, with a minimum term of 3 months (§209.0062).
  • Payments apply in a set order: delinquent assessments first, fines last (§209.0063).
  • An assessment lien can't be filed until 90 days after a delinquency notice (§209.0094).
Watch module 8

Module 9

Vendor management

  • Write the scope first, then collect bids. Three bids only help if they price the same work.
  • A contract with a director or their relative requires disclosure and approval by the uninterested directors (§209.0052).
  • Check insurance certificates and licenses before work starts, not after a claim.
Watch module 9

This training is general information, not legal advice. Your governing documents and your association's attorney have the final word for your community.

Watch the full HOA board member training series.

Start with the introduction, or pick the topic on your next agenda. Every video plays free on Vimeo.

Volunteer board. Real decisions.
Better questions make better votes.

Coming next: Real-Life Decisions.

A new season of short videos built around the moments boards actually face. Each one stops at the decision, shows the evidence, and ends with one question your board can reuse.

In production

We have money in the bank. Why can't we spend it?

A walk through a financial packet: why the bank balance, the budget and the reserve plan tell different stories.

In production

The manager handles that… right?

One maintenance request, followed from homeowner to vendor, and the point where nobody owned it.

In production

The neighborhood Facebook post is wrong. Now what?

How a board corrects the record without starting a second argument.

Guides for HOA board members.

Longer reads for the topics that come up at every annual meeting.

Annual meeting prep: your 60-day checklist

Notices, ballots, quorum and the agenda, in order.

A board member's guide to 2026 budgeting

Reserves, budget planning and avoiding special assessments.

What does an HOA community manager do?

Where the manager's job ends and the board's begins.

10 common HOA board member mistakes

The ones we see most, and how to avoid them.

HOA financial transparency

Building trust with owners through open books.

How to meet quorum at annual meetings

Practical ways to get enough owners in the room.

Homeowner questions? Start with our HOA FAQ for Texas.

Questions new board members ask.

Is the HOA board member training really free?

Yes. Every video is free to watch, with no sign-up. It's built for board members of any Texas HOA or condo association, whether or not PS Property Management manages your community.

Where should a new board member start?

Watch modules 1 through 3 (roles, governing documents and meetings) before your first board meeting. Then read your own community's declaration and bylaws.

Can our board decide things by email?

Some routine actions can be taken outside a meeting if every director gets a chance to weigh in and the action is recorded at the next meeting. But Texas lists 15 items, including fines, assessment increases, the budget and filling a vacancy, that may only be voted on in an open meeting with notice (Property Code 209.0051).

Is this legal advice?

No. It's general training. Your governing documents and your association's attorney have the final word for your community.

Want a manager who trains your board?

New communities get an orientation meeting that covers the board's role and ours. Tell us about your community and we'll start with a conversation.

Request a Proposal Call (512) 251-6122

PS Property Management · (512) 251-6122 · Round Rock & South Austin