HOA Leaders' Brief
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Digital Accessibility Compliance Program

Digital Accessibility Compliance Program

December 22, 2025

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Good morning!

As we head into Christmas this week, I’m proud of how steady and committed my team has been, even during a busy season. The progress we’ve made is the result of showing up and doing the work the right way. Take time to rest and be present with the people who matter - we’ll finish the year strong together.

— Lucas Robinson, Founder & CEO at BudgetMailboxes.com

🎯 This Week’s Strategy:

Digital Accessibility Compliance Program

🌐 Boardroom Brief:

Holiday Decorations, HOA Enforcement, and the Risk of Overreach

Strategy

🎯 Digital Accessibility Compliance Program

As HOAs increasingly rely on digital tools, websites, resident portals, online payments, email communications, and virtual meetings - digital accessibility has become both a legal consideration and a leadership responsibility. A Digital Accessibility Compliance Program ensures that all residents, including those with disabilities, can access information, services, and communications without barriers.

Beyond compliance with laws such as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and related state regulations, accessibility is about equity, risk mitigation, and community trust. Proactively addressing digital accessibility reduces legal exposure, improves resident engagement, and demonstrates responsible governance in a digitally connected environment.

How HOA Leaders Can Implement a Digital Accessibility Compliance Program

1. Assess Current Digital Assets

The first step is understanding where your HOA stands today. Many associations unintentionally exclude residents due to inaccessible design or technology choices.

Action Steps:
✅ Inventory all digital touchpoints: HOA website, resident portals, online forms, payment systems, email templates, and shared documents.

✅ Conduct an accessibility audit using recognized standards such as WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines).

✅ Identify high-risk issues such as missing alt text, unreadable PDFs, poor color contrast, or navigation that relies solely on a mouse.

2. Establish Accessibility Standards and Policies

Accessibility should not be a one-time fix, it should be embedded into how the HOA operates digitally.

Action Steps:
✅ Adopt WCAG 2.1 (or later) Level AA as your baseline accessibility standard.

✅ Create a simple internal policy stating that all new digital content must meet accessibility requirements.

✅ Assign responsibility to a board member, manager, or vendor for ongoing compliance oversight.

3. Remediate High-Priority Barriers First

Not all issues need to be fixed at once. Prioritizing the most impactful improvements ensures quick progress without overwhelming resources.

Action Steps:
✅ Fix critical access barriers such as unreadable documents, inaccessible payment pages, or broken screen-reader navigation.

✅ Replace image-only notices with text-based communications.

✅ Ensure key documents (rules, meeting notices, budgets) are available in accessible formats.

4. Work with Accessible Vendors and Platforms

Technology decisions can either reduce or increase compliance risk. Choosing the right partners is essential.

Action Steps:
✅ Ask software vendors and website providers for accessibility compliance documentation.

✅ Include accessibility requirements in new contracts and renewals.

✅ Avoid custom tools that cannot demonstrate alignment with accessibility standards.

5. Communicate Accessibility Options to Residents

Accessibility efforts are most effective when residents know support is available.

Action Steps:
✅ Add an accessibility statement to the HOA website explaining your commitment and how residents can request assistance.

✅ Provide a clear contact method for reporting access issues or requesting accommodations.

✅ Periodically remind residents of available options through newsletters or annual notices.

Why It Matters

A Digital Accessibility Compliance Program protects the HOA from growing legal and reputational risks while reinforcing inclusivity and professionalism. As courts increasingly recognize digital platforms as extensions of physical spaces, accessibility is no longer optional. HOAs that act proactively demonstrate strong governance, reduce liability, and ensure that every resident - regardless of ability, can fully participate in community life.

In a digital-first era, accessible communication is not just compliant, it is responsible leadership.

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Boardroom Brief

Holiday Decorations, HOA Enforcement, and the Risk of Overreach

A recent case out of Germantown, Maryland, where a homeowner was fined $650 for an elaborate Christmas light display deemed a “nuisance” by the HOA - highlights a recurring challenge for association leaders: balancing rule enforcement with fairness, consistency, and community goodwill. While governing documents often grant boards broad discretion to regulate aesthetics and nuisances, this situation underscores how sudden or selective enforcement can quickly escalate into reputational risk, resident distrust, and potential legal scrutiny, especially when neighbors report no disturbance and similar displays go unpenalized. For HOA leaders, the takeaway is clear: seasonal rules should be clearly defined, applied uniformly, and communicated in advance, with room for reasonable accommodation and dialogue. Proactive policy clarity and measured enforcement are essential to avoiding conflicts that can turn routine governance into a public controversy.