Bylaws of the Hyde Park Neighborhood Association

The following bylaws for the HPNA are in effect, as of their approval at HPNA General Membership Meeting on October 3, 2022:

I. NAME

The name of this organization is the Hyde Park Neighborhood Association, also referred to as “HPNA.” HPNA is an unincorporated, nonprofit association, operating under the Uniform Nonprofit Association Act.

II. BOUNDARIES

South of 45th Street, HPNA is bounded by 38th Street, 45th Street, Guadalupe Street and Duval Street. North of 45th Street, HPNA is bounded by 45th Street, 51st Street, Red River Street and Guadalupe Street except for the University of Texas Intramural Fields, which are not a part of HPNA. The above area shall be referred to as “Hyde Park” in this document.

III. PURPOSE

HPNA exists to foster a closer, more genuine community of neighbors and the historic and unique character, amenities, and ecology of Hyde Park.

We accomplished this through meetings and events of HPNA and the activities of HPNA’s committees in service of the community. HPNA pursues a variety of goals beneficial to the community by combining the efforts of residents to enhance, improve, and restore the Hyde Park neighborhood.

HPNA will not engage in partisan politics to achieve any of its goals, nor will HPNA endorse or otherwise support political candidates. HPNA is not organized for profit and no profit shall accrue to anyone by virtue of being a member or officer of HPNA. HPNA shall maintain its status as a 501(c)(4) organization in accordance with the Internal Revenue Code.

IV. GOALS

The goals of HPNA include but are not limited to the following:

  • To promote a sense of community among Hyde Park residents.

  • To seek the maintenance and improvement of single and multiple family dwellings by residents and absentee homeowners and apartment owners.

  • To support and engage in activities and policies that promote social and economic diversity, equity, access, and inclusion in Hyde Park and among its residents, and take steps to acknowledge the legacy of Hyde Park as a segregated neighborhood.

  • To facilitate the education of residents regarding all available options open to them relating to the problems of home ownership, zoning rights, etc.

  • To promote the preservation and celebration of historically significant buildings and features in Hyde Park and to support and preserve the Elisabet Ney Museum.

  • To participate in the observance of city zoning and development codes and to help address zoning and development concerns in Hyde Park and surrounding areas.

  • To work toward development and preservation of natural green spaces, creeks, parks, trees, appropriate landscaping and general land use.

  • To establish mutual protection and safety.

  • To promote recreation and neighborhood community-building events.

  • To aid in procuring cultural facilities in the Hyde Park area.

  • To provide a greater emphasis on inclusion of renters and students as integral members of the community.

  • To work towards the establishment and maintenance of zoning standards that preserve and enhance the unique character of Hyde Park including the Hyde Park NCCD, the North Hyde Park NCCD, the Hyde Park National Register District, and the Hyde Park Local Historic District.

  • To accomplish any other activities in furtherance of the purposes of HPNA.

V. MEMBERSHIP

Membership in HPNA is open to all residents aged 18 or older.

HPNA has three categories of membership:

  • Voting membership: This is open to all residents of Hyde Park and those who reside on the opposite side of any of the streets that compose the boundaries of Hyde Park.Voting Membership confers the right to make and second motions and to vote at meetings.

  • Non-voting membership: This is open to any individual interested in Hyde Park, including business owners and non-resident property owners.

  • Honorary membership: This may be conferred upon individuals with a majority vote of HPNA membership and is a recognition of services performed to Hyde Park or the Hyde Park community. Honorary membership does not confer voting rights.

A voting member must be 18 years of age or older, have held membership for at least 30 days, and be current on dues. The 30 day period shall be determined by the date of receipt of membership dues by the Membership Committee; the date of postmark, in the event the membership dues are mailed; or the date an electronic payment is made.

The HPNA membership year begins on January 1 of each year and ends on December 31 of that year. Members at the time these bylaws are adopted shall have their memberships extended to December 31.

VI. DUES

Membership in HPNA is contingent upon payment of annual dues. The amount of such dues will be determined by vote of the membership upon recommendation of the Steering Committee. Dues paid at any time during the year shall convey membership only until the end of the HPNA year, December 31.

To be eligible to vote, a member must be current on dues. Renewing members have continuous voting rights provided their dues have not lapsed for more than 6 months.

VII. MEETINGS

General meetings of the membership of HPNA are held on the first Monday of each month, unless the first Monday falls on a holiday, in which case the Steering Committee shall designate an alternate meeting time. The time and place of all meetings shall be set by the Steering Committee and announced to the membership in accordance with Article VIII of these Bylaws.

A special meeting of the membership may be called at any time by at least two officers or 15 members of HPNA in time-sensitive situations that require immediate attention. Membership must be given 24 hour notice of any special called meeting.

A quorum is defined as 15 members. A quorum is required to be present at any meeting of the membership of HPNA at which a record vote is taken.

Presentations by candidates for political office shall be limited to a brief introduction and statement of qualifications, except when such presentations are part of a general candidate forum invited by HPNA.

Meetings may be held in person, by synchronous online video, or by a combination of those options.

VIII. NOTICE

HPNA shall maintain an official announcement email list. Subscription to the official announcement email list shall be offered to all members.

Notice of any issue to be voted on at any meeting of HPNA must be posted on the official announcement email list at least seven days prior to the meeting at which the vote on that issue is to be taken, with the exception of emergencies as provided herein.

It is recommended that any non-financial issue or draft resolution to be voted on be shared with members prior to a vote, either electronically, in the HPNA monthly newsletter, or both.

A vote may be taken on an emergency basis with fewer than seven days’ notice with the vote of three officers of HPNA certifying that an emergency exists. Notice of such emergency votes must be posted on the official announcement email list at least 24 hours prior to the general meeting or special meeting at which the vote is to occur.

IX. VOTING

A recorded vote of the membership is required for the following issues as well as for any other issue for which a record is appropriate:

  • Election of officers

  • Adoption of the budget

  • Setting of dues

  • Setting or change of any policy of HPNA

  • Amendment of the bylaws

  • Adoption of any position of HPNA, including all positions to be communicated to any governmental body, with the exception of specific cases for which the City of Austin asks the opinion of the HPNA

Voting members (see section V) must be present either in person or via synchronous online conference. Those voting online should participate using tools and instructions provided during the meeting.

No member shall accept consideration for voting the interest of another.

No proxy or absentee voting shall be allowed.

The HPNA Membership Committee shall verify the membership status of voting attendees of HPNA meetings using a procedure appropriate to the type of meeting (in person or online).

X. OFFICERS

HPNA shall have the following officers: President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer. Each officer shall perform the duties of the office, as follows:

  • President: The duties of the President shall include presiding over meetings of HPNA and serving as a spokesperson for the association.

  • Vice President: The duties of the Vice President shall include performing the duties of the President in the absence of the President or at the request of the President. The Vice President shall have responsibility for implementing programs for Association meetings.

  • Secretary: The Secretary shall record the minutes of each meeting of the general membership and shall maintain the organizational records of HPNA.

  • Treasurer: The Treasurer shall maintain all financial records and banking accounts of HPNA, and conduct all associated activities, including reconciling banking records, performing billing, and paying invoices. The Treasurer shall be responsible for production of a general financial summary yearly, for review by the Finance Committee.

Officers shall be elected in October, to begin serving at the January meeting. The slate of nominees shall be presented to the membership no later than one month before the meeting at which voting takes place. Nominations shall also be taken from the floor at the October meeting.

Officers shall serve one-year terms. No member shall hold the same office for more than two consecutive terms with the exception noted in XI. Steering Committee. However, a member may hold the same office again after an absence from that office. Any office may be filled by more than one person. Any vacancy that occurs during a term shall be filled by a candidate nominated by the Nominations Committee upon a vote of the Steering Committee.

The Treasurer is not required to reside in Hyde Park. While residing outside of Hyde Park, the Treasurer shall be a non-voting member.

In the event that a member who holds an elected office fails to perform the duties of that office, the member may be removed from office by a majority vote of the Steering Committee. The member who is being considered for removal from office shall not participate in the removal vote. Three consecutive absences without advance notice to at least one officer shall be considered grounds for removal from office.

All members who hold elected office in the association are encouraged to regularly attend both the general membership meetings and the Steering Committee meetings of the association.

XI. STEERING COMMITTEE

The Steering Committee shall be the principal representative, governing, and policy-recommending body of HPNA. Actions of the Steering Committee shall be governed by the will of the membership as expressed at general and special membership meetings.

The Steering Committee shall comprise the officers of HPNA, the immediate past president or past co-presidents of HPNA and six current at-large members of HPNA who are elected at large for a two-year term and have voting rights on the committee. These six positions will be staggered so that three positions are filled each year at the same time officers are elected. An up-to-date list of the members of the Steering Committee will be published in the Pecan Press and on the HPNA web site.

The at-large members may be re-elected; however, an at-large member shall not serve in excess of two consecutive full two-year terms, except with a majority vote of the general membership to waive a term limit.

A member may be reelected as an at-large member of the Steering Committee after a two-year absence from that office. For the purposes of term limitation, more than one year of a two-year term shall be treated as a full two-year term and one year or less of a two-year term shall not be treated as a full two-year term.

If the immediate past president or co-president is unable to serve on the Steering Committee, an additional member shall be elected to the Steering Committee. If the position is vacant at the regular time for the election of officers, it shall be filled by a candidate elected by the membership. If the vacancy occurs during a term, it shall be filled by a candidate nominated by the Nominations Committee and elected by the Steering Committee.

The President shall serve as chairperson of the Steering Committee.

The Steering Committee meets monthly at a time and day to be determined annually by the Steering Committee.

The Steering Committee meetings are open to all members of HPNA, however, only Steering Committee members can vote on issues.

XII. REPRESENTATIVES AND COMMITTEES

All representatives, standing committees, and ad hoc committees exist by appointment of the Steering Committee. All standing and ad hoc committees shall be listed, with their chairs and contact information, in the Pecan Press and on the HPNA website. All committees and representatives should report their activities and recommendations to the Steering Committee.

A. Representatives: Representatives are members of HPNA who volunteer to fill positions needed to conduct the ongoing business of HPNA. They are appointed by the President as needed.

B. Standing Committees: Standing Committees are committees that operate on an ongoing basis to conduct the business of HPNA. They may meet regularly, for a specific period of time or purpose, or on an as-needed basis. The Standing Committees of HPNA shall include the following:

  • Development Review Committee: This committee will deal with questions of proposed development within the boundaries of HPNA. If there is a need for HPNA to provide an opinion to the City for a particular development case, the Development Review Committee will report its findings to the Steering Committee and the Steering Committee can vote in support or opposition. The Steering Committee may also request that a developer present plans to the Steering Committee. The Steering Committee can decide to refer the case to the membership for vote.

  • Finance Committee: This committee shall be responsible for guidance, oversight, and review of the financial affairs of HPNA. It shall prepare a proposed annual budget and proposed expenditure limits to submit for a vote of the membership of HPNA no later than the first general meeting of the budget year. The committee shall annually recommend which officers and chairpersons shall have authority to approve expenditures.

  • Homes Tour Committee: This committee shall be responsible for the planning and conducting of the annual Hyde Park Homes Tour. The committee shall be responsible for obtaining financial underwriting, sponsorships, and advertising to support the event.

  • Membership Committee: This committee shall be responsible for determining eligibility for membership, maintaining the official membership records of HPNA, maintaining the official announcement email list, and certifying membership status for the purpose of determining eligibility to vote.

  • Nominations Committee: This committee shall be responsible for recruiting and proposing a slate of candidates for the annual election of officers and Steering Committee members. The committee shall further be responsible for recruiting and nominating members to fill any vacancy on theSteering Committee that occurs during the HPNA year.

C. Ad Hoc Committees: Ad Hoc Committees shall be appointed by the Steering Committee as necessary to the business of HPNA.

XIII. COMMUNICATION

HPNA shall publish its newsletter, the Pecan Press, monthly. The Pecan Press is distributed publicly in printed form and available in electronic form through the HPNA website.

HPNA shall also maintain a website to provide information about HPNA activities and content of interest to Hyde Park residents.

HPNA shall maintain an electronic distribution list of current members and use it to publicize HPNA activities and meetings.

XIV. FINANCIAL PROCEDURES

Financial matters of HPNA, including the budget, shall operate on a calendar year basis. The Finance Committee shall present to the Steering Committee its proposed budget and its recommendation for the level of expenditures that HPNA officers and chairpersons can authorize. The Steering Committee shall review and may amend the Finance Committee’s proposed budget and expenditure authorizations. After the Steering Committee votes to approve the proposed budget and expenditure authorizations, the Steering Committee shall present the proposed budget and expenditure authorizations for a vote no later than the first general meeting during that budget year.

Appropriate banking and investment accounts shall be maintained and audited by HPNA.

The Treasurer shall sign checks on behalf of HPNA, but shall not have authority to approve out-of-budget expenditures.

XVI. CONFLICT OF INTEREST

A conflict of interest exists when a HPNA officeholder, representative, or committee member might realize any direct financial or material benefits from business before the HPNA. HPNA requires these individuals to recuse themselves as voting members from any such business before the HPNA. This conflict of interest can be disclosed by the individual or by any other individual aware of the situation.

XVII. PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY

The rules contained in Robert’s Rules of Order, current revised edition, shall govern in all HPNA proceedings, except where inconsistent with these Bylaws.

The President or other presiding officer may appoint an officer or other member of HPNA to serve as Parliamentarian for a general or special meeting of the membership if the need arises.

XVIII. AMENDMENT OF BYLAWS

The bylaws may be amended, altered, or repealed by a two-thirds vote of the members present at any meeting of the membership, provided that the exact wording of the proposed changes have been published at least 60 days prior to such meeting on the official HPNA announcement email list and in at least one issue of the Pecan Press, which is published at least 30 days prior to the date of such meeting.

XIX. REPEAL

With adoption of these Bylaws, all previous Bylaws are hereby repealed.