— Homeowners' associations shall complement, support and strengthen LGUs in providing vital services to their members and help implement local government policies, programs, ordinances, and rules.
Section 4900 of the Act says that all HOA board meetings must be open to all association members, with a few exceptions for private sessions. In California, executive sessions are closed-door talks that only board members, and certain other people can attend.
Most HOA documents are public record, including governing documents. Some states only require the HOA to make certain documents public, while others can be kept confidential. These confidential records can include things like board meeting minutes, financial records, and insurance claims.
You can contact your local government office for assistance. For example, you can visit the California Attorney General's HOA Consumer Information page for more details. Online Databases: There are online databases and resources that compile HOA documents. These can be helpful if your HOA participates in such programs.
HOA Documents - The association's Declaration of Covenants, Conditions, and Restrictions (CC&Rs), Amendments to CC&Rs, Bylaws, Lien Notices, HOA Notices, Plats, Maps, and other community documents can be found by visiting the county recorder's office website in which the association is located.
In some states, such as California, HOA bylaws are considered public record and must be made available upon request.
Thus, with regard to its organizational structure and general management, an association is subject to the authority of the Ohio Secretary of State. To the extent an HOA's activities implicate any consumer protection statutes, the HOA is subject to the enforcement power of the Ohio Attorney General.
Generally speaking, most HOAs can control anything that is visible from outside the house. So that includes anything that goes on outside, up to the siding, roofing, etc on the house itself. It wouldn't be too far of a stretch to assume they would have requirements for backyard items.
Homeowners can typically access their association's rules and regulations through a request to the HOA board. All governing documents, including bylaws and covenants, should be made available to members. Documentation might also be obtained via the Ohio Secretary of State.
- Homeowners' associations shall complement, support and strengthen LGUs in providing vital services to their members and help implement local government policies, programs, ordinances, and rules.