Governing Documents

• State law
• Declaration of Covenants or Master Deed
• Conditions and Restrictions
• Bylaws
• Rules and Regulations
• Plats of Survey and Easment Agreements (may be separate, often included in the declaration)

Basic Condominium/Townhome Legal Documents

• State Enabling Statute—permits the creation of condominium/townhome form of ownership and prescribes the basis of determining ownership interest, rights and obligations of the owners, duties and powers of the association, and the process of dissolution of the condominium.
• Subdivision of Condominium/Townhome Plat—describes the location and nature of the common elements and the units
• Condominium Declaration or Master Deed—defines the units, common and limited common elements, and is the collection of covenants imposed on the property provide for:
  • The basis for allocation of percentage ownership interest.
  • The obligation of each owner to share in funding the cost of association operations.
  • The power, authority, and responsibility of the association in its operations and in making and enforcing rules.
• Individual Unit Deeds—comprises the individual unit deed.
• Articles of Incorporation—creates the association as a corporation under state corporation statute and defines its membership and sets forth the process for creating the board of directors, voting procedures, etc.
• Bylaws—implements, in specific detail, the provisions of the Declaration and the Articles of Incorporation regarding the association operations, including delineation of the meeting process, election procedures, powers and duties, board meetings, committees, insurance requirements, rule-making, and enforcement process.
• Rules and Regulations—sets forth the operational powers or provisions and the use restrictions adopted by the association.

Legal Docs for Homeowner Associations and the Hierarchy of such Documents

• Subdivision Plat—describes the location and nature of the common property and the individual lots.
• Property Deeds—comprise the individual lot deeds and the deeds to common property which give a legal description of the property.
• The Declaration of Covenants, Conditions, and Restrictions—the declaration of CC&Rs is the collection of covenants imposed on all property within the development and provides:
  • For automatic association membership of all owners and the basis for voting rights.
  • The obligation of each owner to share in funding the cost of association operations.
  • Certain restrictions (architectural control and other rules) on the use of the property and the association's enforcement powers.
  • Sets forth the power and authority of the association to own and maintain the common property and to make and enforce rules.
• Articles of Incorporation—creates the association as a legal entity under state corporate statute; defines the board powers and responsibilities of the association and its membership; and, sets forth the process for creating the board of directors, voting system, etc.
• Bylaws—implements, in specific detail, the provisions of the CC&Rs and the Articles of Incorporation regarding the association operations, including delineation of the meeting process, election procedures, powers and duties, board meetings, committees, insurance requirements, rule-making and enforcement process.
• Rules and Regulations—sets forth the operational powers or provisions and the use restrictions adopted by the association.

Applicable Civil Rights Laws

• Prohibition against racial discrimination as stated by the Civil Rights Act of 1866.
• Equal Credit Opportunity.
• Fair Housing Amendments Acts, 1988, applies to sale of residence.
  • Does not prohibit discrimination by owners, if selling or renting, as long as they own 3 or less homes.
• Board is prohibited from discrimination in exercising its 1st right of refusal.
• Association must abide by laws prohibiting discrimination against families with kids.
• Persons with disabilities (at own expense) must be allowed to make accommodations per the Americans with Disabilities Act, 1993.