What is an HOA Homeowners Association?
Homeowners associations (HOA) are common in single-family housing developments, as well as condominium and townhouse complexes. An HOA is the governing body of the neighborhood or complex. They are usually responsible for enforcing the Covenants, Conditions, and Restrictions (CC&Rs), which is just a fancy way of saying the rules of the community.
Is Membership to an HOA Mandatory?
When an owner buys a property governed by a Homeowners Association, they automatically become a member of the association. They don’t have the choice of not joining. The purchase of the home becomes a contract with the HOA. They agree that will obey all the HOA rules. When you rent a home in an HOA you agree also to obey the rules of that HOA.
What are the rules for homeowners and tenants?
HOA rules are called covenants, conditions, and restrictions and usually apply to both you and your home. They might cover what color you can paint your home, what you can plant in your yard, how many cars you can own and park, and whether you can own a pet. There are usually noise restrictions as well.
Are There Penalties for Breaking the Rules?
When rules are broken, many HOAs punish homeowners and tenants. The usual penalty for breaking a rule is a fine. The tenant must comply with any owners’ association rules or restrictive covenants affecting the Property. The tenant will reimburse Landlord for any fines or other charges assessed against Landlord for violations by Tenant of any owners’ association rule or restrictive covenant.
Must I pay HOA Dues?
Homeowners in a covenant-controlled development pay mandatory association fees or dues, either monthly or yearly, as part of their membership. In some HOA’s the pool or park and other amenities may be included in the mandatory association fees. Often times you may need to get a letter from Liberty Management giving you permission to use the HOA’s amenities.
Tenants are only responsible for optional or voluntary dues. Some HOA has optional dues to use their pool or clubhouse or other amenities that the tenant would have to pay for to use. HOAs use this money for the maintenance of common areas used by all the homeowners, such as walking paths, swimming pools, or recreation centers.
