Generally, it is the laws that were in effect at the time the HOA documents were recorded. Your HOA documents are contracts between the HOA and its members so new laws cannot, generally, be applied retroactively to override them.
The Florida Homeowners' Association Act, Chapter 720 of the Florida Statutes, states that amendments to “governing documents” for homeowners' associations are not effective until they are recorded in the public records of the county in which the community is located.
Homeowners can sue a board member of an HOA in Virginia if they believe there has been a violation of the governing documents or state law. Legal action must be based on specific grievances, such as breach of fiduciary duty or failure to follow the association's rules.
In these situations, you can complain directly to this office by filing the CIC Complaint Form, which you can find under the “Forms and Applications” tab here: .dpor.virginia/cic-ombudsman.
In Florida, the statute of limitations for breach of contract (such as violating your HOA covenants) is five years. The time period within which the HOA could enforce the covenant has expired, at least as it pertains to those patios that were built more than five years ago.
Who governs homeowners associations in Virginia? HOAs are subject to a number of state, federal, and local laws and are governed by a common interest community board that creates and enforces certain rules and regulations contained in the HOA's governing documents.
Many associations have communication channels in place so that homeowners can talk to the board or the community manager about any issues. However, if you wish to file a complaint against your HOA, you can do so with the Office of the Common Interest Community Ombudsman.
Homeowners often ask whether local laws supersede the rules and regulations set forth by their homeowner association (HOA). The short answer is yes, local laws do supersede HOA rules.
The local law supersedes the rules and regulations of the HOA, meaning that HOAs must ensure they are operating under the law.
Iniums are primarily governed by Florida Statutes, the inium's governing documents (declaration, by-laws, articles of incorporation), and their rules and regulations. Generally, declarations supersede all other governing documents.