HOA's | Pennsylvania Road Salt Action

How to Approach HOA's (Home Owners' Associations)

Homeowners Associations play an important role in keeping neighborhoods safe and accessible during winter weather. At the same time, the way snow and ice are managed can have lasting effects on landscaping, infrastructure, budgets, and nearby waterways. Many HOAs rely on contracted winter maintenance services, and small changes in how those services are specified and managed can significantly reduce unnecessary road salt use—without compromising safety.

This page outlines practical steps for engaging your HOA board and property manager in a constructive, solution-focused conversation.

Photo: J Latzgo

Note: Please let PARSA know about any actions you have taken.

What were your successes and challenges?
Are there any other resources that you need?

Remember - Always Tailor Your Message to Your Audience:

Every HOA is different. Some prioritize tight budgets and do not want to take any actions that will raise residents' dues. Others focus heavily on landscaping and will be interested to hear how BMP's can prevent damage to plantings. Many HOAs are centered around water features like lakes, which residents hold dear, making them more receptive to learning ways to protect these waters.

1. Before you start, educate yourself

Visit our Road Salt Pollution Information webpage to learn about road salt pollution, its effects, and actions that can be taken. This will give you more confidence when talking about this issue and answering questions.

2. Observe and document

Note where excessive salt is being applied e.g. streets, parking lots, sidewalks, paths, playgrounds
Take photos

3. Look for chloride data

If there is chloride monitoring data for your area, it can be very persuasive. This type of evidence clearly links road salt use to water quality impacts. Our Researching Chloride Data for Your Watershed webpage gives information on how to find sources of chloride data.

4. Determine who to talk to at an HOA

Identify key decision-makers: Find out who on the board has authority over the areas you’re concerned about. Try to understand their priorities and concerns.
Learn who handles operations: Determine who manages winter maintenance—whether it’s the board directly or a professional management company—and who oversees contractors.
Build personal connections: If possible, connect personally with board members to introduce yourself and your goals and find out what their priorities are.
Find an ally: If you don’t live in the community, look for a resident who supports your cause and can attend meetings with you or provide insight.

5. Request an opportunity to speak

Depending on the HOA, you should reach out to:

Property Management Company: If your HOA uses a professional management firm, they are usually the best first point of contact to get on the agenda and verify the meeting time.
Board Secretary: In self-managed communities, the Board Secretary is responsible for records and agenda preparation.
Board President: If neither of the above is responsive, contact the Board President to request time during the homeowner forum

6. Prepare for the meeting

Find out if there will be a projector available to show a slide deck or if you will need to use notes to speak.

If it is possible to show a slide deck, Slide Deck for HOA's has information about why excessive road salt is a problem, information on BMPs, and information about hiring private contractors and types of contracts.

If possible, customize the slide deck with pictures, data etc. you have found from your area. HOA board members are usually very interested in seeing presentations with pictures of their own body of water.

Here are detailed instructions on how to download and customize slide decks.

If you read the speaker notes aloud, you will be able to give an informative and effective presentation.

Before the meeting, check whether you should share your slides electronically, bring a flash drive, or connect your laptop via a USB cable.

Always make sure you bring a printed copy of the speaker notes in case you are not able to see them on the screen while you are giving your presentation.

If it is not possible to use a slide deck, use these Talking Points for an HOA to give your presentation.

7. After your presentation:

1. Suggest that the management company or HOA board investigate hiring a contractor who will use BMP's such as brining (liquids), segmented plows, pre-wetting salt, mechanical snow removal etc.

Note: SIMA (Snow and Ice Management Association) is a non-profit trade association which provides training to private contractors that emphasizes best practices related to snow plowing, ice management and business management. They have a searchable database of contractors who have taken their training at: https://directory.sima.org/

2. Suggest that they award contracts with language that does not encourage over-salting.

Below are two resources from Wisconsin Salt Wise:

Model Snow and Ice Policies and Contracts

Sample contract for snow and ice management services

Maryland Dept. of the Environment: Things to Look for in a Winter Maintenance Contract