HOA Emergency BOLO Announcements
When something needs the whole community’s attention, publish a Be On the Look Out (BOLO) notice once — then notify residents by email and/or text based on each resident’s preferences, with an official record on your HOA portal. Pro upgrade available for higher SMS capacity.
HOA Emergency BOLO Announcements
Publish Be On the Look Out notices to the resident portal and notify opted-in residents by email and/or SMS based on each resident’s preferences (Core monthly SMS allowance).
Higher SMS capacity
Pro raises the monthly SMS allowance (up to 1,000 messages) and adds an Additional SMS bank from idle-month credits so boards have more capacity for urgent lookouts.
What HOA Emergency BOLO Announcements are
BOLO stands for Be On the Look Out. In an HOA, that means a time-sensitive community safety alert — suspicious activity, hazards, urgent access changes, or lost-person/pet lookouts — not a routine landscaping reminder or social RSVP. On HOAResidents.com, HOA Emergency BOLO Announcements publish as an official “Be On Look Out Notice” on the resident portal so late readers and new owners can still find the alert after the first notification is buried.
Boards choose email and/or SMS at publish time. Residents receive channels they opted into for BOLO alerts — preference-based email and preference-based text — so you are not blasting personal numbers from a stale spreadsheet. These alerts are informational community notices, not a substitute for 911 or official emergency systems. Use BOLO labeling sparingly so residents still pay attention when it matters.
In the product
Enter a Be On the Look Out notice once — choose email and/or SMS for opted-in residents. 
Keep urgent lookouts distinct from routine announcements with dedicated BOLO channels. 
Residents who opted in can receive BOLO alerts by text — like this Running River HOA road closure notice.
When boards use HOA Emergency BOLO Announcements
Safety lookouts and suspicious activity
Publish a short, factual lookout with what residents should watch for and how to contact the board or authorities — delivered to opted-in email and SMS recipients and pinned on the portal.
Hazards and urgent access changes
Road closures, water main breaks, or gate outages that need same-day reach. Residents who prefer text get SMS; others get email — based on their preferences.
Missing person or pet lookouts
Share a clear description and where to find the official notice. The portal record stays available after the first text or email is scrolled past.
Key benefits for volunteer boards
- Publish one official Be On Look Out Notice residents can re-read on the portal
- Notify by email and/or text based on each resident’s opt-in preferences
- Keep urgent lookouts separate from routine community announcements
- SMS includes locked STOP opt-out wording and never texts without consent
- Pro upgrade available for higher monthly SMS capacity and an Additional SMS bank
Frequently asked questions
- What is a BOLO announcement for an HOA?
- A BOLO (Be On the Look Out) announcement is a time-sensitive community safety alert — not routine news. On HOAResidents.com it appears as an official Be On Look Out Notice on the portal and can notify residents by opt-in email and/or opt-in SMS.
- Can HOA Emergency BOLO Announcements email and text residents?
- Yes. Boards can send BOLO alerts by email and text message based on each resident’s preferences. Residents must opt in separately for BOLO email and BOLO SMS; imported phone numbers are never texted without consent.
- Is a Pro upgrade available for SMS?
- Yes. Core includes HOA Emergency BOLO Announcements with opt-in email and SMS (Core monthly SMS allowance, typically up to 400 messages). Pro raises the monthly SMS allowance (typically up to 1,000) and adds an Additional SMS bank from idle-month credits.
- Is this a substitute for 911 or official emergency alerts?
- No. HOA Emergency BOLO Announcements are informational community alerts. They are not a replacement for 911, law-enforcement alerts, or official emergency notification systems.
- How is this different from regular announcements?
- Regular announcements cover everyday notices with automated resident email. HOA Emergency BOLO Announcements are reserved for urgent lookouts, use separate BOLO opt-in lists for email and SMS, and keep the alert distinct so the urgent signal stays strong.
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