No Super Lien for You: New Case on the Priority of HOA Liens in North Dakota

In a case of first impression, the North Dakota Supreme Court ruled that, despite the language of a declaration of covenants and restrictions to the contrary, a homeowners’ association (HOA) lien for unpaid assessments does not have super priority over a later recorded mortgage. In the Industrial Commission of North Dakota v. Gould, 2024 ND […]

Recent Short-Term Rental Case (SD)

The Supreme Court of South Dakota recently ruled upon a short-term rental case involving a community association. In Wilson v. Maynard, No. 29307 (S.D. Jun. 16, 2021), the community association’s declaration only permitted “residential purposes”. After the Maynards began renting their property to large groups as a short-term rental, a neighbor (Wilson) file suit alleging […]

CAI Best Practices: Ethics

Simply put, when someone is employing ethics, he or she recognizes what is right and what is wrong and is choosing to do the right thing; however, as a great deal of business ethics literature will attest, “the right thing” is not always straightforward. For example, most ethical dilemmas in the workplace are not simply […]

From Good to Great: Principles for Community Association Success

Every community has its own history, personality, attributes and challenges, but all associations share common characteristics and core  principles. Good associations  preserve the character of  their communities, protect  property values and meet  the established expectations of homeowners. Great  associations also cultivate  a true sense of community,  promote active homeowner  involvement and create a  culture of […]

Introduction to Community Association Living

Community Volunteer Leadership Development Program Community volunteer leaders and members can maximize the benefits of community association living by better understanding the history, purpose, and function of community associations. One way to do so is by participating in the Center for Community Association Volunteers’ (CCAV) Community Volunteer Leadership Development Program – offered online or by […]

So Now You’re On the Board

The first steps to superior board performance are clarifying your board’s job and then following through with appropriate plans, actions and evaluation of results. The checklists presented here are intended to assist you in those tasks. They cover a significant number of your responsibilities. The checklists will apply to virtually any association. To use them, […]