Creating Harmony in Diverse Communities
Community associations bring together people of different backgrounds, experiences, identities, and perspectives. Creating a genuine sense of belonging requires thoughtful communication, opportunities for connection, fair and consistent practices, and clear procedures for responding when conflicts or discrimination concerns arise.
The Foundation’s 2021 research examined community association experiences with diversity and discrimination complaints, how communities responded, and the role that communication and neighbor-to-neighbor connections may play in preventing or resolving disputes.
About the Research
The Foundation surveyed nearly 700 community association managers and more than 300 residents in late 2020. The study established a baseline for understanding diversity and discrimination concerns in community associations and identified opportunities for education, training, communication, and more formal response procedures.
Because the research reflects experiences reported in 2020, its findings should be understood as a snapshot of that period. The recommendations, however, continue to offer useful guidance for building respectful, connected communities.
Key Findings
%
of managers reported at least one diversity or discrimination complaint
%
of residents reported no board training on discrimination issues
%
of reported complaints involved disputes between residents
%
said knowing their neighbors would make them more likely to discuss a dispute directly
%
of complaints were prompted by a collection notice, violation letter, or social media post
%
agreed that association events helped them get to know their neighbors
Building More Connected Communities
The research suggests that creating harmony requires more than responding to individual complaints. Community associations can strengthen relationships and reduce conflict by building trust before problems arise. Practical approaches include:
- Communicating regularly, clearly, and consistently with residents.
- Providing opportunities for neighbors to meet and build relationships.
- Establishing written procedures for receiving and reviewing complaints.
- Training board members and managers on discrimination, fair housing, and applicable laws.
- Applying rules, collection practices, and enforcement procedures consistently.
- Encouraging respectful dialogue and appropriate informal resolution when possible.
- Consulting qualified legal counsel when complaints involve potential legal or civil rights issues.
Communication and Community Connection
The findings point to the value of helping residents know and communicate with one another. Eighty percent of surveyed residents said they would be more open to discussing a dispute directly with a neighbor if they knew that person.
Regular communications and inclusive community events cannot prevent every dispute, but they can help create the familiarity, trust, and shared understanding needed to address differences constructively.
Responding to Complaints
The 2021 study found that many communities lacked formal procedures for handling diversity-related concerns. The most commonly reported responses involved board review or referral to legal counsel.
Community associations should consider establishing clear processes that explain:
- How residents may submit a concern.
- Who is responsible for reviewing it.
- When legal counsel or another professional should be involved.
- How the association will document and communicate its response.
- How confidentiality, fairness, and consistency will be maintained.
“Strong communities do not avoid difficult conversations. They create the relationships, policies, and practices needed to navigate them respectfully.”
Explore the Research
Creating Harmony in Diverse Communities
Published April 2021
This report examines discrimination complaints in community associations, common response procedures, the relationship between community connection and conflict, and recommended preventative measures.
Continuing the Research
The Foundation is exploring opportunities to revisit this research through a future Snap Survey examining how community experiences, practices, and priorities have evolved since the original study.
2021 Project Acknowledgments
The Foundation gratefully recognizes the volunteer leaders and contributors whose expertise made the original research possible.