Articles About Documents and Rules for Condominium and Homeowner Associations
Amending Documents in Condominium and Homeowner Association
- Overland Park removes outdated restrictive covenants (KS) May 5, 2025Overland Park is committed to being a welcoming and inclusive community for all who live, work and visit the city. As part of this commitment, the City took action to remove outdated and unenforceable restrictive covenants from legal property documents in many neighborhoods. Read the article…………………………….
- Maximizing Owner Votes: Practical Solutions for Turning Around Voter Apathy (FL) May 3, 2025Are your association’s governing documents woefully outdated but the voting threshold required to approve amendments to update your documents so high that it seems you can never make the changes necessary to bring them into the modern age? Is your community in need of improvements or modernization but you are unable to get owner participation in a vote required to approve alterations or improvements? Read the article…………………………….
- Standalone Reasons to Amend Your Governing Documents (CO) May 1, 2025Many boards struggle with the question of whether or not to amend their governing documents. Below are some standalone reasons to amend certain governing documents in order to protect your community, property values, and the volunteers who serve on the board. Read the article…………………………….
- Proper Use of “Friendly Amendments” During Meetings April 29, 2025At meetings conducted under parliamentary procedure, you may hear references to a “friendly amendment.” Despite how common the term has become, Robert’s Rules of Order barely addresses the concept—and did not mention “friendly amendments” at all until the 10th Edition, published in 2000. Read the article…………………………….
Creating Rules & Regulations for Condominium and Homeowner Associations
- Making the Most of Your Annual Board Meeting May 23, 2025Every condo, co-op and HOA resident has a stake in what happens in their community. Each decision—from financial oversight to building improvements—impacts everyone collectively. That’s why holding and attending annual board meetings is so important; it’s a great opportunity to get updates on projects, policies, and procedures, and a chance for residents to collaborate and voice their concerns. Read the article…………………………….
- Avoiding Board Burnout: Staying Engaged When it Feels Thankless May 23, 2025One of the perpetual challenges of multifamily, shared interest living is the relatively small number of community members who are willing to volunteer their time to govern and run the community. It’s not uncommon for any building or association to have a small, core group who run for and serve on the community’s board year after year…after year. Read the article…………………………….
- HOA Liability FORE Errant Golf Balls (CA) May 23, 2025Golfers sustaining injury while out on the links is sometimes “par for the course”. Due to the nature of the sport, California courts consistently apply the “assumption of the risk” doctrine to claims by golf participants against golf course operators for injuries sustained from risks that are inherent in the sport itself. Read the article…………………………….
- What’s The Deal With Homeowners Association Rules (HOA Rules)? May 23, 2025Homeowners association rules play an important role in a community’s success. They help maintain peace, order, and harmony. The HOA board is responsible for enforcing these rules. To do that, board members must first understand what rules are, how they affect the association, and what happens when residents violate them. Read the article…………………………….
Creating Rules & Regulations Archives
Enforcing Documents & Rules
- Making the Most of Your Annual Board Meeting May 23, 2025Every condo, co-op and HOA resident has a stake in what happens in their community. Each decision—from financial oversight to building improvements—impacts everyone collectively. That’s why holding and attending annual board meetings is so important; it’s a great opportunity to get updates on projects, policies, and procedures, and a chance for residents to collaborate and voice their concerns. Read the article…………………………….
- Avoiding Board Burnout: Staying Engaged When it Feels Thankless May 23, 2025One of the perpetual challenges of multifamily, shared interest living is the relatively small number of community members who are willing to volunteer their time to govern and run the community. It’s not uncommon for any building or association to have a small, core group who run for and serve on the community’s board year after year…after year. Read the article…………………………….
- HOA Liability FORE Errant Golf Balls (CA) May 23, 2025Golfers sustaining injury while out on the links is sometimes “par for the course”. Due to the nature of the sport, California courts consistently apply the “assumption of the risk” doctrine to claims by golf participants against golf course operators for injuries sustained from risks that are inherent in the sport itself. Read the article…………………………….
- What’s The Deal With Homeowners Association Rules (HOA Rules)? May 23, 2025Homeowners association rules play an important role in a community’s success. They help maintain peace, order, and harmony. The HOA board is responsible for enforcing these rules. To do that, board members must first understand what rules are, how they affect the association, and what happens when residents violate them. Read the article…………………………….
- 1 dead after condo fire in Hilliard (OH) May 23, 2025One person died following a fire inside a Hilliard condo on Friday. According to the Norwich Township Fire Department Battalion Chief Chris Griel, a neighbor called 911 around 6:30 a.m. after seeing black smoke coming from inside a condo in the 5000 block of Vinings Boulevard. Read the article…………………………….
Enforcing Documents & Rules Archives
General Articles About Documents & Rules
- HOA Backyard Rules: What You Can (and Can’t) Do In Your Own Backyard (TX) May 8, 2025There’s nothing like stepping outside, coffee in hand, to enjoy your little patch of Texas sky. But if you live in an HOA-managed community, you already know — not every backyard project gets a green light. Read the article…………………………….
- Documents and Disclosures for Buyers of Newly Built Condominiums February 24, 2025For those in the market for new condominiums at one of the many Florida enclaves that are currently under construction or have recently been completed, the various documents and disclosures provided by developers can be a bit confusing and overwhelming. Buyers for such properties need to understand they are agreeing to the stipulations under the community’s governing declaration and bylaws, which are akin to a contract between the parties. Prior to deciding to buy, they should carefully review and consider ...
- HOA Covenants: What to Know About CC&Rs January 31, 2025With 75.5 million Americans living in communities governed by homeowners associations (or HOAs) and 3,000 new HOAs expected to form in 2024, community associations are quickly becoming an important aspect of real estate transactions. An HOA is an organization that creates and enforces rules and regulations for the properties and residents of a given residential community. The regulations or guidelines governing the HOA community are called restrictive covenants and are outlined in a document called a Declaration of Covenants, Conditions, ...
- HOA Covenants: What to Know About CC&Rs January 30, 2025With 75.5 million Americans living in communities governed by homeowners associations (or HOAs) and 3,000 new HOAs expected to form in 2024, community associations are quickly becoming an important aspect of real estate transactions. Read the article…………………………….
General Articles About Documents & Rules Archives
Dispute Resolution for Community Associations
- Solving Problems Early: Preventing Lawsuits While Building Community (CA) May 20, 2025Community associations often deal with upset homeowners. Sometimes the issues are small, like a neighbor’s barking dog. Other times, the problems are bigger, like unpaid assessments or rule violations. No matter the situation, if it is not handled well, it can quickly escalate and get worse—and even lead to a lawsuit, which will likely be expensive, as well as unnecessary, for everyone involved. Read the article…………………………….
- Effective Conflict Resolution Strategies for HOAs? (CA) May 1, 2025Homeowners associations (HOAs) are vital to maintaining the quality, appearance, and functionality of residential communities. But where people live, emotions can run high—and disagreements are inevitable. The key to a harmonious community lies in how those conflicts are addressed and resolved. Read the article…………………………….
- Dealing with ‘Bridezilla’ Behavior and Managing Conflict in Community Associations April 29, 2025Managing a community association often involves navigating challenging personalities, and occasionally, residents may display “bridezilla” or “groomzilla” behavior—demanding, emotional, and resistant to compromise. These individuals may have unrealistic expectations, a sense of entitlement, or emotional reactions that disrupt productive communication. Read the article…………………………….
- Understanding ADR for Community Associations April 24, 2025What happens when a dispute within a community association cannot be resolved? Court is the logical answer, but there may be one step before that. Alternative dispute resolution (ADR) is a formal process that aims to resolve a dispute or conflict outside of court. Read the article…………………………….
Pets in Condominium and Homeowner Associations
- Laredo homeowner voices concerns over feral hog, javelina damages (TX) May 21, 2025….She and her husband set up the barrier without any issues from the Homeowners Association (HOA). However, District 6 Councilmember Dr. Tyler King mentioned that they are considering a possible ordinance that would override the HOA guidelines that currently prohibit residents from installing fences. Read the article…………………………….
- Texas backyard chicken bill sparks backlash among San Antonio HOAs May 20, 2025Once again, Texas lawmakers are ruffling feathers, this time over homeowners’ associations (HOAs) and their crackdowns on backyard chickens. As more city dwellers look to raise hens at home, fueled in part by rising egg prices, a new debate is taking shape: personal food freedom versus neighborhood rules. Read the article…………………………….
- Thailand: Snakes released in condo hallway to protest noisy dog May 20, 2025A resident of a Bangkok condominium that has a no-pets policy released two large snakes in the corridor to warn a neighbour who kept a noisy dog. The resident was angry because the dog had been making noise for about two years. The building management had ignored complaints from other residents. Read the article…………………………….
- Best way to get rid of our neighbour’s untamed dogs? (BC) May 17, 2025Dear Tony: We have an owner with two aggressive dogs. One of the dogs recently escaped their back yard and attacked a neighbour’s dog. While the dog was not injured, it did everyone quite shaken in our community. We have tried to convince the owner to keep the dogs inside their home when they are away, but they insist on leaving them loose in their back yard. Read the Q&A………………………………..
- Large alligator wrangled, relocated from condo community (FL) May 16, 2025A 7-foot gator was caught in a condo complex, according to the Temple Terrace Police Department. Video news report……………………..
Renting in a Community Association
- Rental Cap Legislation Advances in Indiana: Impact on HOAs and Condo Associations April 22, 2025April 21, 2025 marked a significant day for rental regulations in Indiana. The City of Fishers, Indiana officially passed an ordinance that restricts rental occupancy within residential subdivisions to no more than 10% of the homes. Following public comments from constituents and other interested individuals, many providing passionate remarks on both sides, the City Council unanimously approved the ordinance. This new rental cap law takes effect on January 1, 2026 and has significant implications for homeowners and property investors in ...
- An Unanticipated Complication of Investing in SFR: Investors Sometimes End Up Being HOA Managers April 5, 2025Build-to-Rent (“BTR”) is a subsector of Single Family Rentals (“SFR”). As a subsector of SFR, BTR occupies a unique space within the U.S. residential rental market. The broader category of SFR includes scattered homes for rent, while BTR communities are entire neighborhoods of new homes being rented instead of sold to homebuyers. Read the article…………………………….
- Commercial Condo Leases & Right of First Refusal Recent: Ruling Offers Boards a Valuable Reminder (NY) March 27, 2025A recent court case involving a dispute between the board of The Parc Vendome—a 587-unit prewar condo building on Manhattan’s West Side—a commercial tenant in the building, and the building’s own residents has thrown new light on the question of how and what is the proper process for condominium boards to approve commercial leases, or exercise their right of first refusal in rejecting one. Read the article…………………………….
- An Unanticipated Complication of Investing in SFR: Investors Sometimes End Up Being HOA Managers (TX) March 19, 2025Build-to-Rent (“BTR”) is a subsector of Single Family Rentals (“SFR”). As a subsector of SFR, BTR occupies a unique space within the U.S. residential rental market. The broader category of SFR includes scattered homes for rent, while BTR communities are entire neighborhoods of new homes being rented instead of sold to homebuyers. Read the article…………………………….
- Fishers, Indiana Poised to Adopt Rental Cap for HOAs, Condominium & Townhome Associations March 10, 2025The City of Fishers, Indiana, has introduced an ordinance capping the number of single-family rental homes in each subdivision to 10%. The Ordinance, No. 022425A, seeks to address the growing trend of corporate investors purchasing large numbers of homes for rental purposes in the area. This issue, which has been the focus of community associations across the nation in recent years, has raised concerns about housing affordability and neighborhood stability. Read the article…………………………….
Parking Issues in Condominium and Homeowner Association
- Vehicle and Property Use Regulations in Community Associations April 26, 2025Homeowners’ associations (HOAs) and condominium associations across North and South Carolina frequently navigate complex regulations regarding vehicle use and property restrictions within their communities. As boards work to maintain community standards and property values, understanding these regulations and ensuring consistent enforcement is crucial. This blog post explores areas of vehicle and property use regulations, their legal foundations, and provides practical guidance for fair enforcement. Read the article…………………………….
- New HOA Laws on Vehicle Parking Questioned (FL) April 21, 2025Q: Can you comment on the new laws that apply to homeowners’ associations regarding parking vehicles in driveways? Does this law include boat trailers? A: This is an issue that has gotten a fair amount of attention recently but is not easy to answer or explain. Read the Q&A………………………………..
- Florida’s New Ban on HOA Parking Restrictions April 9, 2025Restrictions prohibiting the parking of pickup trucks and commercial vehicles, which for the most part was understood to mean any vehicles with added signage or insignias for marketing purposes, have been enforced by Florida associations for decades. Such vehicles have been perceived as detriments to community aesthetics that negatively impacted their overall appeal and property values, so they were banned from overnight parking in owners’ driveways as well as in other areas in the community. Read the article…………………………….
- Florida’s New Ban on HOA Parking Restrictions April 5, 2025Restrictions prohibiting the parking of pickup trucks and commercial vehicles, which for the most part was understood to mean any vehicles with added signage or insignias for marketing purposes, have been enforced by Florida associations for decades. Such vehicles have been perceived as detriments to community aesthetics that negatively impacted their overall appeal and property values, so they were banned from overnight parking in owners’ driveways as well as in other areas in the community. Read the article…………………………….
- Frequently Asked Questions Related to the Accessible Parking Policies for Condominium Associations (IL) April 3, 2025Section 18.12 was recently added to the Illinois Condominium Property Act and was effective as of January 1, 2025. Section 18.12 requires all condominium associations that have parking to adopt a policy to reasonably accommodate a unit owner who is a person with a disability who requires accessible parking. Many boards understandably have questions about this new requirement. Below are the most frequently asked questions and answers to each. Read the article…………………………….
Noise Issues in Condominium and Homeowner Associations
- Noise Complaint Do’s and Don’ts for Associations May 16, 2025One of the common issues that condominium and homeowners association directors face entails responding to noise complaints. Barking dogs, loud music, disruptive parties, crying infants, and other sources of noise can, and often do, lead to complaints from neighbors who wish to enjoy restful peace and quiet in their abodes. Read the article…………………………….
- Huge beach concert moved after condo owners sue to stop it, Jersey Shore mayor says (NJ) May 6, 2025A three-day music festival on Atlantic City’s beach this summer will move out of the area away from a luxury high-rise after the condominium’s residents sued promoters, officials said Tuesday. When the Big Road Trip “BRT” Weekend’s return was announced, it escalated tensions between the Ocean Club Condominiums and the Cocorico Beach Bar, which are neighbors across from each other along the boardwalk. Read the article…………………………….
- Wall Street condo tormented by ear-blasting noise, black smoke from neighboring building’s generators (NY) April 24, 2025These Wall Streeters would trade anything for a good night sleep. Residents at a Financial District condo building have had their lives upended after a neighboring building installed emergency generators right beneath their windows — tormenting them with constant ear-shattering that sent some fleeing the state. For three long weeks, the three massive commercial generators have been sputtering black smoke against the now-stained facade of 101 Wall Street, whose neighboring 500-unit luxury building is utilizing the obnoxious power sources after ...
- ‘We Need This Party’: Bar Owner Vows To Fight Condo Lawsuit Over Jersey Shore Summer Ragers (NJ) April 5, 2025Tensions are flaring once again between a Jersey Shore condo tower and a beachfront bar — this time, over late-night after-parties tied to one of Atlantic City’s biggest summer events. The Ocean Club Condominium Association filed legal papers in Atlantic County Superior Court on March 28, accusing Cocorico, tropical-themed beach bar next door owned by SECAA LLC, of breaking a 2018 settlement agreement that bans entertainment past 1 a.m. Read the article…………………………….
- Jersey Shore condo owners sue to stop beach bar concerts that run until 3 a.m. (NJ) April 3, 2025A years-long feud between a luxury high-rise at the Jersey Shore and a nearby beach bar is intensifying again about a month after residents publicly opposed the business’s plans to add a built-in swimming pool. Residents of the Ocean Club Condominiums in Atlantic City have long quarreled with the Chelsea Beach Bar, now called Cocorico. Read the article…………………………….