The Pennsylvania General Assembly enacted Act 115, which amends Title 68 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes and impacts the governance of homeowners associations (also known as planned communities), inium associations and cooperatives in the Commonwealth.
Can you refuse to join a Homeowner's Association? The short answer is yes. Under the law, all homeowners are qualified to join a HOA, but they are not required or mandated to be members. Membership is optional unless it's stipulated in the Deed of Sale or relevant documents are annotated in the title of the property.
SECTION 37. Association officers - Unless otherwise provided in the by-laws, an Association should have the following executive officers who shall be responsible for the management of the Association's business: president, vice-president, secretary, treasurer and auditor.
Iniums in Pennsylvania are governed by the Uniform inium Act, 68 Pa. Stat. §§ 3101 to 3414 (the “UCA”). Although “inium” is a term generally used to refer to an individually-owed unit, it is also a form of ownership where property other than the individual unit is deemed to be common property.
For instance, in Pennsylvania, HOAs are regulated by the Uniformed Planned Community Act (UPCA). This act applies to all planned communities with more than 12 units and creates responsibilities for HOAs to oversee these communities. That said, HOAs typically have documents that regulate themselves.
In Pennsylvania, homeowner associations (HOAs) are governed by specific state laws to maintain order and regulate affairs within planned communities. These regulations are primarily outlined in the Uniform Planned Community Act (UPCA), codified in Title 68, Chapters 51-54 of the Pennsylvania statutes.
— 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.
In some states, such as California, HOA bylaws are considered public record and must be made available upon request.