Posts by Earl Laing

Key Takeaways Indiana HOA laws changed more in the 2026 legislative session than in the previous decade, and the changes landed hardest on self-managed boards with no management company to flag them. A board that fines owners under a decades-old covenant clause, charges $35 per hour to pull records, or demands 75 percent approval to…

Key Takeaways Timing is critical when dealing with Washington HOA laws. Most HOAs established before July 1, 2018 are still governed day-to-day by the Homeowners’ Associations Act (RCW 64.38), while associations created on or after that date fall under the Washington Uniform Common Interest Ownership Act (WUCIOA, RCW 64.90). Several WUCIOA provisions already apply to…

Key Takeaways Following your own governing documents should be the extent of the job. In New Jersey, it isn’t enough. New Jersey HOA laws always override association governing documents, and recent legislation has raised the stakes.. Most notably, the state’s 2024 reserve study mandate has raised the stakes for boards that aren’t paying attention. The…

Key Takeaways Real Property Law Article 9-B, better known as the Condominium Act, anchors New York condominium laws, and it says far less than most new board members expect. The statute sets the outer boundaries of the law and then leaves the specifics to your building’s declaration and bylaws. Where your governing documents conflict with…

Key Takeaways Illinois HOAs answer to more than their own governing documents. Board members are also obligated to know Illinois HOA laws and apply them correctly, and missteps can create disputes or even personal liability. The anchor law is the Common Interest Community Association Act (CICAA) at 765 ILCS 160, with related obligations in the…

Key Takeaways When you volunteered for your condo board, you wanted to help your community run smoothly. You did not expect to coordinate structural engineering inspections, commission reserve studies, and track a state regulator that can levy fines up to $5,000 per violation. Yet, that’s what Florida condominium laws now require. The governing statute is…

Key Takeaways Serving on a Colorado HOA board, you likely have governing documents to follow. But do those documents and your policies actually align with Colorado HOA laws? Are you confident that the last fine notice you sent to a delinquent homeowner would stand up to a $25,000 procedural-violation lawsuit? If not, it’s time to…

Key Takeaways Most HOA board decisions feel routine, like issuing a fine or responding to a records request. But many of those everyday tasks carry specific legal requirements, and missing one can create real problems for your board. Knowing the Virginia HOA laws behind these situations helps your board handle them with confidence. The laws…

Key Takeaways Most people who join an HOA board do it for straightforward reasons. Maybe the neighborhood needed help after the previous treasurer moved away. Or someone had to step up at the annual meeting, and the hand that went up was yours.  What rarely comes up in that moment is the full weight of…

Key Takeaways As a volunteer HOA board member, you’re contributing your time and efforts to improve your community, support your neighbors, and make your neighborhood a nicer place to live. You’re probably not signing up to make yourself vulnerable to being personally liable by state law for compliance issues that come from haphazard physical recordkeeping…