There are many reasons why people choose to live in a condo building or homeowner’s association. It might be the building’s close proximity to a job or family, or maybe the resident would prefer for someone else to mow the lawn, fix the roof and take care of the property. For some residents, the biggest appeal of this type of living is the built-in community of neighbors that come with multifamily living.

Teresa Mears lived in a condo of about 100 units in Miami overlooking Biscayne Bay for a year. It was part of a larger complex of three buildings with separate facilities and associations. “I used the pool occasionally, though not as often as I should have, and I liked using the hot tub,” she says.

However, the line "If you build it, they will come" may have worked for Kevin Costner's character in the movie Field of Dreams, but the same doesn't always hold true for condos and HOAs. Simply having a common space for residents to use—whether it be a hot tub, a wine cellar, or a barren conference room—doesn’t magically entice them to leave their units and gather together. Making your common spaces into true community magnets often requires some effort.

Creating Value

“Fully utilizing amenities is a terrific method for enhancing values in any community, because it creates an identification for the community as a place where people really want to live,” says Barbara Proctor, a senior property manager at Konover South in Deerfield Beach. “Every community is unique in terms of what it has to offer. The question becomes, how do you identify what needs to be done to maximize the value and usefulness of these common spaces?”

To name one key example, the South Florida weather makes outdoor spaces among the most common and popular venues for socializing. “Most communities feature one or more pools with a lot of lounge seating,” says Byron Moger, executive director for multifamily business development and client services at Cushman & Wakefield, based in Tampa. “Some have inflatable movie screens for outdoor movie nights, outdoor kitchens and bars for entertaining, fire pits, putting greens, playgrounds and other recreational areas.” He adds that one of the fastest growing amenities are dog parks for socialization among the residents and their four-legged 'children.'

Indoors, Moger says that community rooms have become more like living rooms with sofas and big screen televisions, bars and game areas. Along with that, “Perhaps the areas that have seen the biggest changes are the fitness centers,” he says. “What used to be a few treadmills and an all-in-one weight machine have grown into multi-story gyms with elaborate equipment, spaces for classes, yoga and Pilates. Even the new aerial yoga with residents hanging from straps in the ceiling.”

But even so, the idea of 'mandatory fun' isn't appealing, say the pros. According to Eric Clark, director of marketing for the Altman Companies in Boca Raton, “Residents like the ability to be together—but not always in a community experience where they are forced to interact.”

Organizing Space

With a little creativity, the common spaces can bring residents together, but how these spaces are actually utilized depends on the individual community. Boards and building developers have to get very creative when it comes to giving their residents spaces where they can spend time with family and friends or get to know their neighbors.

For example, In Boca Raton, Sea Ranch Club has a card room, library and billiard room. The Addison has a library and meeting room, while the ultra-luxury Aragon has a designated barbecue area. At Brighton, there’s a billiards room. In addition, some buildings have screening rooms, wine storage areas, and play areas for children. Fitness centers are still popular common spaces, but now residents want rooms that are multi-use and come with a lounge, dining room and large screen TV.

But how should communities address social programming and use their spaces without forcing the issue or making residents feel obligated? The first step is to convene a committee to assess the community's spaces and determine how they're being used—or not used. Proctor explains that “communities that are smaller or have tighter budgets must rely on volunteers. The motion might be to appoint a special committee to investigate the best use of existing common areas and report back at the next board meeting.”

This committee should make an inventory of what amenities and common areas were included in the community's original offering plan. “Then they review the budget to determine how much money is available, and visit and inspect the existing conditions of these areas and watch to see how they are being used,” says Proctor.

One way to generate residents’ interest in the common rooms is to schedule regular programming. “Residents like the ability to be together, but...they want more of a lounge environment,” says Clark, “so we have demonstration kitchens and local chefs who come in to give cooking classes. We also rent out spaces for private events and parties. In other rooms, residents come in, plug in and use their Wi-Fi and laptop and lounge while working or watching a movie. They create their own space.”

What's Good?

One way to generate residents’ interest in the common rooms is to schedule regular programming. “Residents want more of a lounge environment, so we have demonstration kitchens and local chefs who come in to give cooking classes,” says Clark. “We also rent out spaces for private events and parties. In other rooms, residents come in, plug in and use their Wi-Fi and laptop and lounge, while working and watching a movie. They create their own space.”

Mears moved into her 55-plus HOA last year that has a pool and clubhouse. “When I first moved in, someone taught exercise classes in the clubhouse, and I went to those,” she said. “We have a library in our clubhouse that operates on the honor system, and I sometimes borrow books.”

Mears’ community also has organized activities, including a monthly Sunday brunch and a monthly dinner-dance, “I also started going to weekly bingo to get to know people, though I'm not that fond of bingo,” she says. “We have a new park with exercise equipment that is adjacent to our community that is owned by the city, and I go there to use the walking trail.”

Proctor says that residents should communicate their ideas to the board. “With the excitement, everything will become very complicated very quickly, which is why it is necessary to consider each recommendation one at a time, and for each recommendation to be specific so the board can easily decide how to best proceed,” she says. “A considerable amount of input is needed from residents, not only to provide what the community wants, but also to bring individuals into the community.”

Mears says that if she were retired, she would probably go to the pool more often just to see people. “And I may do that anyway in the summer, when it's just the full-time residents,” she says. “I'm also thinking of organizing some more informal gatherings, like happy hour or coffee and doughnuts where the sole goal is socializing.”

A simple Internet search can provide other programming ideas for unique rooms as well as events, from psychic readings to professional comedians, piano performances to readings by professional authors.

“Look within the community to determine resources—perhaps there is a yoga instructor, a musician, or a retired school teacher or other professional willing to share their expertise,” says Proctor. “Outside resources may include local non-profit organizations, civic organization and local retail businesses—all have motivated individuals willing to share their time and to network.”

Other ideas she has include: bedtime stories with kids in pajamas may entice children at home too young for school, story-telling or musical games are great for older children, teenagers would be more interested in learning how to play an instrument, drama or singing classes, tennis lessons, magic or scientific tricks, writing sci-fi, or video game contests.

Other Considerations

Proctor explains that larger communities that enjoy the benefits of a management company may have the personnel on staff to monitor, promote, and to supervise the use of various amenities. “You can also increase the use of the common spaces by modifying some rules,” she says. “For example, leaving tennis court lights on until 9 p.m. instead of 7 p.m. to allow residents commuting from work to have time to get home and play. You can also add new educational, social, or fitness activities or changing the use to meeting the changing needs of the community. For example, convert the shuffleboard area into a playground or vice versa.”

Keeping up with the Joneses, or in this case where the Joneses live¸ isn’t just about showing off the building’s latest, and maybe the greatest, common spaces to the residents and hoping they’ll come and use it to meet their neighbors. In some cases, promoting the use of common spaces can actually improve a building’s bottom line.

While many community programs are free for residents, other programs require that they pay admission fees, which can generate revenue. Also, a successful common area often gets residents talking about how much they enjoy living in the building. As a result, word-of-mouth from current residents generates interest from other potential buyers who want to enjoy the same amenities. Funds can also be raised by renting out desirable common spaces to residents who wish to host their own events, such as holiday or birthday parties.

Believe it or not, not every building actually needs a separate common space to create a strong sense of community among its residents. At some buildings, lobbies are used for residents to throw Halloween or Christmas parties.

Proctor says that success is dependent on planning, but even buildings with the biggest, flashiest and fanciest common rooms and event programming sometimes struggle with getting residents away from their computers, televisions and couches, out their front door and using the spaces. While it’s not required, a building with a sense of community can turn a simple building into a home where residents tell others how much they love living there.

Lisa Iannucci is a freelance writer and a frequent contributor to The South Florida Cooperator.