Guides
HOA guides
How homeowners associations work, what your documents mean, and how to deal with fines, assessments, records, and the board. Each guide lists its sources, and we point to state law where it matters.
HOA basics
What is an HOA, and what can it actually do?
How homeowners associations are created, what powers they get from the declaration and state law, and where those powers stop.
Read the guide →How to read your HOA documents
Declaration, bylaws, articles, and rules: what each document does, which one wins when they conflict, and the sections worth reading first.
Read the guide →Your rights
How to request HOA records (and what to do if they stall)
Which HOA records owners can see, deadlines in Florida, California, Texas, and Arizona, what can be withheld, and how to follow up.
Read the guide →How to fight an HOA fine
Read the notice, check the rule and your state's hearing requirements, respond in writing, and prepare for the hearing. With Florida, California, and Texas rules.
Read the guide →Resolving HOA disputes: from a letter to mediation
The usual path for HOA disputes: talk, write, internal dispute resolution, state offices, mediation, and when to call a lawyer. With California's IDR rules.
Read the guide →How to get HOA architectural approval for a home project
What needs architectural review, how to write an application the committee can approve, what to do about delays and denials, and the state laws that set deadlines.
Read the guide →What your HOA can't ban: flags, satellite dishes, solar panels and more
The federal and state laws that stop HOAs from prohibiting U.S. flags, satellite dishes, solar panels, EV chargers, drought-tolerant yards and reasonable accommodations, and what the HOA can still regulate.
Read the guide →HOA rental restrictions: caps, minimum lease terms and short-term rental bans
How HOAs limit renting, what rental caps and minimum lease terms look like, the California law that blocks most rental bans, and how to rent legally in an HOA community.
Read the guide →Disability accommodations in an HOA: assistance animals, parking, ramps and rule exceptions
How the Fair Housing Act applies to HOAs, the difference between reasonable accommodations and reasonable modifications, how to make a request, what the association may ask, and what to do if it says no.
Read the guide →Who fixes it? HOA vs. owner maintenance responsibility for leaks, roofs, decks and more
How to work out whether the HOA or the owner must repair a leak, roof, balcony, fence, or utility line, using the declaration and California's default rules, plus how to report problems and handle damage between units.
Read the guide →Neighbor disputes in an HOA: noise, pets, parking and smoke, and when the association gets involved
How to handle common neighbor problems in an HOA community, when the association can and can't act, how to file an effective complaint, and where city ordinances, mediation and small claims fit in.
Read the guide →Money
HOA special assessments, explained
Why associations levy special assessments, how your share is calculated, what approval may be required, and how to plan for one.
Read the guide →HOA reserve studies: what they are and how to read one
What a reserve study measures, how often California requires one, what 'percent funded' means, and the warning signs to look for.
Read the guide →HOA dues, late fees, and liens: what happens if you fall behind
How HOA assessments are collected, what late fees and liens mean, state limits in Florida and California, and what to do if you can't pay.
Read the guide →Are HOA fees tax deductible? Primary homes, rentals, home offices and special assessments
What IRS publications say about deducting HOA dues and assessments: not deductible on a personal residence, often deductible on a rental, partly deductible for some home offices, and how special assessments affect basis.
Read the guide →Can an HOA foreclose on your home? How association foreclosure works and how to stop it
How unpaid HOA dues turn into a lien and, in some states, foreclosure; the protections in California and Florida law; the notice steps; and practical ways to stop the process early.
Read the guide →How to read your HOA budget: line items, reserves, loans and red flags
A line-by-line guide to an HOA's annual budget report: operating income and expenses, reserve contributions, the reserve summary, deferred repairs, loans, and the questions to ask before the board adopts it.
Read the guide →HOA insurance explained: the master policy, your own policy, deductibles and loss assessments
What an HOA's master insurance policy usually covers, what you need to insure yourself, how deductibles can be charged back to owners, loss assessment coverage, and how to find your association's policy details.
Read the guide →Buying
Buying a home in an HOA: what to check first
The documents, finances, and rules to review before you buy into a homeowners or condo association, and the red flags that deserve a closer look.
Read the guide →HOA estoppel and resale certificates: what they show, what they cost, and why they matter at closing
What an HOA estoppel or resale certificate is, who orders it, typical contents, Florida's fee caps and 10-business-day deadline, California's resale document rules, and how to avoid closing surprises.
Read the guide →Selling a home in an HOA: disclosures, documents, fees and a timeline
What sellers in HOA communities must disclose and provide, using California and Florida as examples, plus who pays which fees, how to handle violations and balances, and a step-by-step timeline.
Read the guide →Governance
HOA board meetings and elections: how owners can take part
How HOA boards are elected, what happens at meetings, how to get on the agenda, and how to run for the board, with pointers to state rules.
Read the guide →How HOA elections work: nominations, ballots, quorum and counting, step by step
A step-by-step walk through an HOA director election, using California's detailed election rules as an example: nomination notice, candidate lists, secret ballots, quorum, inspectors of elections, and challenges.
Read the guide →Working with an HOA management company: what managers do, who they answer to, and how to get results
What community association managers do, the difference between the manager and the board, conflict-of-interest disclosures, how to communicate effectively, and what to do when service falls short.
Read the guide →What HOA directors owe owners: fiduciary duty, conflicts of interest and the business judgment standard
The legal duties of HOA board members in plain English: good faith, reasonable care and loyalty; when directors can rely on experts; the votes California directors must sit out; and what owners can do about a board that isn't meeting its duties.
Read the guide →