The Utah general legislative session for 2025 was January – March 2025. All of the following laws go into effect May 7, 2025. Read the article…………………………….

Construction Defects can financially cripple community associations. The cost to repair leaky and sinking buildings is not budgeted for when the community is created, is not planned for in reserve analyses, and is not anticipated by homeowners at the time of purchase. Purchasers legitimately expect the residences are well constructed in a manner that “can be maintained.”    Read the article…………………………….

Homeowners association (HOA) disputes or enforcement should not require personal, face-to-face, confrontation with members. A recent tragedy in Florida underscores the risk of confrontations in the HOA context. It is alleged that on December 3, 2022, 75-year-old Hugh Hootman shot and killed his HOA president and her husband, Ginger and Henry Wallace, who were both in their 80s.   Read the article…………………………….

You may have heard about ChatGPT but not really know what it is or what it does. “ChatGPT Educators are concerned about the ease with which students can complete assignments without engaging in the work and learning required to produce an assignment.   Read the article…………………………….

If those names don’t sound familiar to you, this one surely will: Champlain Towers South.  The unfortunate thing these communities all share is negative media press. Now admittedly, for these specific examples, it was earned. Lamplight Village and Champlain Towers South were both avoidable tragedies caused by deferred maintenance. Auburn Greens overstepped their authority and created ridiculous rules. Lava Bluff, well, that’s just out and out fraud.    Read the article…………………………….

Utah homeowners associations (HOAs) help maintain the peace and beauty of their communities. However, homeowners can feel targeted when told they’ve broken the community rules. This has caused many misconceptions about how rules and regulations are enforced.   Read the article…………………………….

For many, homeowners association (HOA) living is nothing but strict rules and high fees. That’s a reality for some, sure, but many HOAs have far more to offer. HOAs should be dedicated to an equally important role: encouraging a sense of community and belonging among residents.   Read the article…………………………….

Living in a homeowners association can be complicated. Many homeowners are confused about the general operational setup of their neighborhood. Why do the assessments seem to keep going up? What does my money even pay for? Who actually calls the shots?   Read the article…………………………….

As a homeowner in a Utah HOA community, you have more power than you may realize.  For some homeowners, living in a homeowners association can feel like a maze of rules and regulations. It may seem at times that the HOA simply exists to put up roadblocks that tell you “no”.  This can lead to homeowners feeling powerless when it comes to their own home, but in actual fact, as a homeowner, you have the ability to effect change in your association – and with that ability also comes some responsibility.    Read the article…………………………….

Winter is one of the most beautiful and exciting times to live in Utah. We have majestic mountains with stunning vistas, over 22 million acres of public land, and abundant opportunities for outdoor recreation during our long winter season.   Read the article…………………………….

Sometimes, a small gesture of kindness and community can mean a lot to those affected by natural disasters. Following the deadly wildfires that tore through the historic town of Lahaina, Hawaii, in early August, many in the community association industry wanted to show their support to Maui homeowners displaced by the fires. The wildfires are considered to be the deadliest in modern U.S. history, according to The Washington Post.   Read the article……………………………..

The board of directors in a homeowners association (HOA) is responsible for the functionality and governance of the community. One of the powers and duties delegated to the board of directors is the power to negotiate and enter into contracts, which is highly significant to the operation and bylaws of an HOA.   Read the article………………………..

Running an HOA board meeting is no simple task–it’s easy to get caught in the weeds and risk losing track of time or missing an important topic. Determining all of the things that need to be discussed and decided upon can be overwhelming. But it doesn’t have to be.   Read the article………………………..

(Very interesting) I recently tried ChatGPT for the first time and decided to find out what computers think about homeowners associations. As Thomas Kuhn has been attributed as saying, The answers you get depend on the questions you ask.” So if you like HOAs, you may get positive answers. If you don’t like HOAs, I’m sure ChatGPT can help validate your concerns. Below are three prompts I inputted to ChatGPT and the responses I received. Enjoy.   Read the article………………………..

Homeowners association (HOA) disputes or enforcement should not require personal, face-to-face, confrontation with members. A recent tragedy in Florida underscores the risk of confrontations in the HOA context. It is alleged that on December 3, 2022, 75-year-old Hugh Hootman shot and killed his HOA president and her husband, Ginger and Henry Wallace, who were both in their 80s.  Read the article………………………..

The end is in sight, folks! We’ve spent a lot of time discussing what it takes to create “the perfect HOA.” A strong foundation made up of governing documents, knowledgeable board members, engaged homeowners, and emergency planning is the basis of that achievement. So what’s the final piece of the puzzle?   Read the article………………………..

When it comes to perfection in a homeowners association, there’s one area in which almost all communities typically fail: emergency preparedness & maintenance planning. Okay, yes, that’s two things technically, but they rely largely on the same information to accomplish, and they are very closely related, so they’re typically bundled into one neat package. Community maintenance and emergency preparation both require forethought and strategic planning.   Read the article………………………..

The Utah general legislative session for 2022 was January – March 2022, and the general effective date for legislation from the session was May 4, 2022.   Read the entire article……………………………….

Communication is the key to success. Period, full stop, end of story. Without quality, consistent, transparent communication, relationships of all kinds crumble, including those in community associations. Boards have a responsibility to the community to keep everyone informed and involved in the decisions being made. Communication in the perfect HOA should cover a lot of ground:   Read the entire article……………………………….

The more time I spend with community association boards of directors (“BODs”), the more my faith in humanity is restored. Sure, we’ve all experienced the odd bad apple. But more often than not, board members like you are dedicating their time and energy into their communities to make it amazing.   Read the entire article……………………………….

“The Perfect HOA.” What a concept, right? To say the “perfect” anything exists is already a bit of a stretch. (Unless we’re talking about the perfect midnight snack because I think we can all agree that it’s double-stuf Oreos and milk!) So the idea of perfection in something as complex and challenging as a community association can feel impossible.    Read the entire article……………………………….

The tragic collapse of the Champlain Towers in Florida has forced lenders and other industry stakeholders to look for clear and standardized guidance on how to analyze ongoing risk in residential buildings with aging infrastructure and significant deferred maintenance. This concern is expected to grow in the future as most of the nation’s stock of condominium and cooperative projects were built more than 20 years ago. Read the entire article……………………………….

As a management company, when budget season rolls around every year we get board members asking us, “Can we compare HOA assessments to what other communities are charging?” Not only is this the wrong way to calculate your budget, it is also dangerous for your community’s fiscal health. Here’s why:  Read the entire article……………………………….

More than 70% of all new developments in the United States are common interest realty associations, also known as Community Associations. The benefits of community associations are many. For the developer, it ensures that home values remain high, cementing in resale profits as the homes are sold. For the homeowner, it allows you to have access to a wide range of amenities and facilities that you might not have been able to afford on your own.   Read the entire article……………………………….

Almost summertime, and living is…okay well it’s HOA landscaping season so it might be a little chaotic. Water is getting turned back on any day now, pools are reopening in just a few short weeks, and a parade of new faces (landscapers and other assorted grounds maintenance folk) are about to start making weekly appearances. This is going to stress out your fellow homeowners, and if you don’t have a strong management team to handle your community’s summer needs, you’re going to have some headaches of your own.    Read the entire article……………………………….

For most community associations around the country, monthly assessments make up the bulk of an HOA’s income sources. Homeowners need to collectively contribute enough each year to cover the operating costs of the community, contribute to reserves, and fund any capital improvements that will improve life in the community.   Read the article……………………………..

The Condo Act applies to property which the owner (generally, the “declarant”) submits to the Act by recording a declaration as provided in the Act. To determine if the property has been submitted to the Act, look for language in the first few pages of the CC&Rs/declaration that says the property is submitted to the Condominium Act.   Read the article………………………………….

Both the Utah Condominium Ownership Act and the Utah Community Association Act require board meetings to be open to each homeowner (or the homeowner’s designated representative).   Read the article…………………………………..

Recently, a Federal District Court in Nevada made clear that homeowners associations, their boards of directors, and their management companies should ensure that their actions and omissions are reasonable, even when dealing with residents that may not be acting in good faith. This article summarizes a case where an HOA initially prevailed in the face of a frivolous assistant animal request, but later was heavily penalized for subsequent unreasonable treatment of the homeowner.   Read the article…………………………….

Before you even start your search for a professional management company, be sure the board has agreed on what the community needs. It may be that you have an active board and a robust architectural committee, and so you only need help managing the books. Or you may find that you just want someone to take over the full day-to-day operation and be on hand to answer the board’s questions whenever you need them. Whatever your needs, you should be able to articulate them into a list, which will form the basis for your request for proposal (RFP).   Read the article…………………………………..

You are not alone.  Every community association struggles with filling empty board seats. And why not? In today’s society, we are busier and more connected than ever before. More and more things are clamoring to take up our attention and limited free time. Mix that with the fact that a board seat is an unpaid volunteer position, and it’s no wonder HOAs and Condo Associations are struggling to keep board seats filled.   Read the article………………………

No homeowner ever thought to themselves, “Gee, I wish my condo association charged me higher dues!”  It’s a struggle Boards of Directors face universally. Assessments need to be high enough to accommodate the needs of the community, but not so high that homeowners struggle to pay them. If you serve on a board of directors for a Condo, HOA, Townhomes or Co-op, you’ve probably faced this same struggle yourself.    Read the article…………………………….

For members of the board, an HOA board meeting can be exhausting. Not only do you have to prepare what you’ll be presenting to the rest of the board, plus go over the agenda, previous meeting minutes and any other prepared statements, you then have the meeting itself to look forward to (or dread).   Read the article……………………………..

What would you do if you found out the treasurer of your community association had taken the money earmarked for reserves and bet it all on black at a roulette table in Vegas? You might be just a tad upset! Win or lose, gambling with the association’s future is risky and dangerous. It goes against the fiduciary duty to which every board member is held accountable. It’s Time to Review Your Reserve Fund Investment Strategy (Part 1 of 3) Reserve Fund Investment Strategy: Building Your Portfolio (Part 2 of 3) Reserve Fund Investment Strategy: Writing Your Investment Policy (Part 3 of 3)  

Can they do that? Whether it’s changing the pool hours, levying a special assessment, or foreclosing on your home, many homeowners are shocked when they realize just how much power an HOA Board of Directors has.  But do they really? It might surprise you to learn that the board has a lot less power (and a lot more responsibility) than you realized. Let’s dig a little deeper into HOA Governance:     Read the article………………………….

Two bills were passed this year in Utah changing parts of the Condominium Ownership Act and the Community Association Act. The new laws that were passed by the two bills go into effect today, May 12, 2020.   Read the article………………………………

Construction Defects can financially cripple community associations. The cost to repair leaky and sinking buildings is not budgeted for when the community is created, is not planned for in reserve analyses, and is not anticipated by homeowners at the time of purchase. Purchasers legitimately expect the residences are well constructed in a manner that “can be maintained.”     Read the article………………………………..

I am routinely asked if I will review amended governing documents (CC&Rs, bylaws, etc.) which the board, the property manager or another person has drafted in order to save money over having an HOA attorney draft them.    Read the article………………………………..

Many communities were established with governing documents that worked well for the developer, but may or may not work so well for the HOA and the homeowners. Many of these governing documents are outdated. Whether they are 10 years old or 50, Utah and federal laws, as well as best practices pertaining to community associations have changed substantially in recent years. If your board of directors has not engaged in an audit of your community’s governing documents in the past 6 to 8 years, it should.        Read the article……………………….

Recently, a Federal District Court in Nevada made clear that homeowners associations, their boards of directors, and their management companies should ensure that their actions and omissions are reasonable, even when dealing with residents that may not be acting in good faith. This article summarizes a case where an HOA initially prevailed in the face of a frivolous assistant animal request, but later was heavily penalized for subsequent unreasonable treatment of the homeowner.   Read the article……………………….

One of the most powerful but overlooked tools at the disposal of an association board is that of committees.  HOA boards can face a number of issues and be pulled in many directions that would tax any full time, paid board. But HOA boards are volunteer and are not full time. To deal with this and to avoid board member burnout, many associations elect a large board – 5, 7 or even 9 members. However, having a large board presents many difficulties. It is often difficult to find enough willing and able people to fill a 3 or 5 person board, and larger boards are that much more difficult to fill. Additionally, it is no small task to schedule and ...

HOA governance isn’t simple or easy and, unfortunately, board members are just volunteers doing their best with too little time and too little money. I think that’s why even basic principles of HOA governance are often misunderstood by board members (and managers too). Here is some clarification of 8 frequently misunderstood issues:    Read the article………………………………..

Oftentimes HOAs feel as though their hands are tied when dealing with problem renters. All one needs to do is a simple Google Search to see a litany of ugly situations. Luckily, HOAs have a variety of remedies that can be pursued to ensure that association rules are being followed by everyone, including renters.    Read the article………………….

A recent Utah Supreme Court ruling involving an HOA underscores how important contracts can be to protecting an HOA from liability and exposure to damages. The case is called Mounter Enterprises, Inc., v. Homeowners Association for the Colony at White Pine Canyon, 2018 UT 23.  The Mounteer case shows how Utah law strongly favors the enforcement of specific clauses contained within a contract. As a disclaimer, I have strong feelings on this case as I was personally named as a defendant by Mounteer Enterprises when the case was filed for engaging in an alleged civil conspiracy. I was immediately dismissed from the case in a summary judgment proceeding because there were no facts supporting the civil conspiracy nor was there ...

Question:  I live in a small planned unit development with four families. This is the second year we have lived in the community, as it is a new development. The control box for the sprinkler system is in my backyard. The park-strip grass we all share is watered by a valve in that control box. Every summer, I consult the water conservation website for irrigation frequency, and follow that guideline. This means that the grass is not lush and green, but rather, closer to yellow in color.  My retired neighbor is extremely unhappy about this and badgers me relentlessly to increase the watering for that area. He has become hostile and abusive     Read the article………………

Happy Laws Go Into Effect Day! (okay, I’m sure there’s a better name for that). Today, May 8, the HOA laws that were enacted this year go into effect. Specifically, those laws:   Read the article……………….

This bill amends provisions related to condominium and community associations.  Highlighted Provisions:  This bill: provides that a condominium or community association shall comply with certain requirements before bringing a legal action against a declarant, a management committee or board of directors, or an employee, an independent contractor, or an agent of the declarant or the management committee or board of directors, related to a period of declarant control or period of administrative control; and provides that certain provisions regarding open community association board meetings apply during the period of administrative control.     Read the article………….

HOAs have not come out unscathed by the 2017 Utah general legislative session, which ended yesterday, March 9. A new law was passed that requires an HOA to comply with rather onerous requirements before it may go after the developer for problems created by the developer.  House Bill 157 (HB 157 3rd Substitute) was passed stating that: (1) an HOA must comply with certain requirements before suing a declarant (the developer of the HOA) or a board related to a period of declarant control, and (2) certain provisions regarding open board meetings apply during the period of declarant control.    Read the article………….

On June 22, 2016 the Utah Supreme Court published the Fort Pierce Industrial Park Phases II, III & IV Owners Association v. Shakespeare case, 2016 UT 28. This case established a bright line rule that the Court rejected strict construction of restrictive covenants in favor of applying the rules of construction typically found in contracts.  While many practitioners of community association law felt that this was already in the law in Utah, there was some confusion due to dicta in St. Benedict’s Development Co. v. St. Benedict’s Hospital, that “restrictive covenants are not favored in the law and are strictly construed in favor of the free and unrestricted use of property.”    Read the article……………

On June 22, 2016 the Utah Supreme Court published the Fort Pierce Industrial Park Phases II, III & IV Owners Association v. Shakespeare case, 2016 UT 28. This case established a bright line rule that the Court rejected strict construction of restrictive covenants in favor of applying the rules of construction typically found in contracts.  While many practitioners of community association law felt that this was already in the law in Utah, there was some confusion due to dicta in St. Benedict’s Development Co. v. St. Benedict’s Hospital, that “restrictive covenants are not favored in the law and are strictly construed in favor of the free and unrestricted use of property.”    Read the article…………………………….