Legal & Compliance
State-specific HOA laws, compliance requirements, and legal obligations for community associations.
13 articles
Can an HOA Borrow From Its Reserve Fund? Rules & Repayment
Most states let a board borrow from reserves to bridge a cash crunch — California even prescribes the procedure: agenda notice, written finding, one-y...
Fannie Mae Condo Reserve Requirements: 10% to 15% in 2027
The lending rule that decides whether buyers can finance a unit in your building gets 50 percent stricter on January 4, 2027. Here's the 10-percent-be...
Washington HOA Reserve Study Exemption Ends Jan 1, 2028
Washington repeals its small-association and 5-percent-of-budget reserve study exemptions on January 1, 2028, and RCW 64.90.545 becomes the standard f...
Florida SIRS Requirements: A 2026 Guide for Small Condos
Florida now requires condo buildings three habitable stories and taller to complete a structural integrity reserve study and fund what it finds — no m...
Homeowner Rights: 12 Things Your HOA Cannot Legally Do
HOAs have broad authority to enforce community rules, but that authority has clear legal limits. Federal law, state statutes, and your own governing d...
HOA Liens: How They Work, State Rules, and Homeowner Rights
An HOA lien is one of the most powerful collection tools available to community associations — and one of the most consequential actions a homeowner c...
Florida HOA Laws: Chapter 720 Guide [2026]
Florida has more HOAs than any other state — roughly 48,500 associations governing 10 million residents. Chapter 720 of the Florida Statutes is the pr...
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HOA Insurance Requirements: A Board Guide [2026]
Here's a scenario that plays out more often than anyone likes to admit: a homeowner trips on a cracked sidewalk in the common area, breaks her wrist, ...
How Long to Keep HOA Records: 2026 Retention Schedule
A board member calls in a panic: there's a lawsuit alleging the HOA approved a modification 6 years ago that violated the CC&Rs. The board wants to ch...
California HOA Laws: Davis-Stirling Act Guide [2026]
California has the most HOAs of any state and some of the most detailed HOA laws in the country. The Davis-Stirling Common Interest Development Act go...
Texas HOA Laws: Understanding Property Code Chapter 209
Texas has more HOAs than any state except California and Florida, and the Texas legislature has been actively reforming HOA laws over the past decade....
Washington HOA Laws: RCW 64.38, WUCIOA & the 2028 Transition
Washington HOAs are navigating two legal frameworks: RCW 64.38 and WUCIOA (RCW 64.90). All communities must transition to WUCIOA by January 1, 2028. T...
Oregon HOA Laws: ORS Chapter 94 Guide [2026]
Oregon has approximately 3,885 community associations governed by ORS Chapter 94. This guide covers meeting requirements, financial reporting threshol...
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