All North Carolina homeowners associations must be incorporated. If an HOA is organized as a nonprofit, it is subject to the North Carolina Nonprofit Corporation Act. One or more persons may incorporate the organization by filing the Articles of Incorporation with the North Carolina Secretary of State.
Subdivisions with homeowners' associations established after Jan. 1, 1999, are governed by the North Carolina Planned Community Act found in Chapter 47F of the North Carolina General Statutes. However, no state or federal agency oversees homeowners' associations.
Exact steps to take to fight HOA fines: Research Your HOA's Regulations and Guidelines. Understand Your Rights as The Homeowner. Contact Your HOA. Prepare Your Appeal. Attend Your Appeal Meeting. Await the Decision.
These are just a few categories in which an HOA may have regulations. However, the HOA must comply with local laws, and the law will supersede the HOA's rules. For this reason, HOAs should check that their regulations do not conflict with local, state, or federal laws.
Once you buy a home that's part of an HOA, you automatically become a member of the HOA. HOA rules are legally binding, and you must adhere to all rules and regulations in the governing document. Yes, there are bylaws that you may not like, but there are no HOA loopholes.
Victims can file a complaint with the state's Attorney General's Office, FTC, or the CFPB. Recommended Reading: Davis Lake Community v. Feldmann, 138 N.C. App.
Duties and powers of an HOA's board, granted by the NCPCA and the community's declaration, include enforcement of covenants, adopting budgets, assessing and collecting member fees, maintaining and regulating commons areas, and acting on behalf of the association in legal matters. N.C. Gen. Stat. §47F-3-102.