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With only weeks before the election, Northern Virginia residents continue to engage in the high-stakes battle of the placement of campaign yard signs. But, can they be asked to remove these signs? For the thousands of residents who live in one of the hundreds of homeowners and condominium associations throughout the region, the answer is…

Well-maintained amenities – well manicured common area lawns, lighting that works, clean play areas, etc. 2. Increased amenities – lots of amenities, such as walking trails, sport courts, swimming pools, treed areas and neighborhood parks 3. Aesthetically pleasing homes – well maintained homes and lawns 4. Rules and regulations deter nuisance activity and promote conformity…

This is an acronym for the associations, Covenants, Conditions & Regulations. These are the rules set forth in the Declaration. In some associations the Declaration is titled “Declaration of Covenants, Conditions & Regulations”.

When the developer of your association first envisioned the community, he/she visited with an attorney to draft the original governing documents. Below are the documents, in the order of their priority over each other: Declaration (or Master Deed) – This document is recorded in the county where the community is located and creates the covenants…

The board of directors has the obligation to repair and replace major capital facilities, buildings, and equipment of the association. The ideal method of providing for these future expenses is the establishment of a capital reserves system and budget to assure that such funds are available when needed. In Virginia the law requires each association…

Most associations will ask the management company to perform an annual property inspection. The manager will drive through the community or walk the community, perhaps with a board member(s) to inspect each owner’s property to determine if there are any maintenance issues that need attention. The purpose of this inspection is definitely not to harass…

Okay, you’ve been elected to your HOA’s Board of Directors. Now what do you do? If you’ve already served on committees or attended previous board meetings, you may already have a good understanding of your duties. You may or may not be familiar with the variety of documents you will be asked to review and…

Generally, a Proxy Form has three options: an instructed proxy, an uninstructed proxy, and the option to be counted toward the HOA’s quorum for the meeting. The Proxy Form should also have the names of candidates for election to the Board of Directors, as well as any other issues to be voted on. An instructed…

Every year when your community schedules it’s Annual Meeting, a Notice is mailed out typically with a Proxy Form.  The Proxy Form allows you, as an owner to vote for candidates for your Board of Directors, vote on other issues if applicable, and/or select the option to be counted toward a quorum.  A quorum is…