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.
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.
Finally, is an HOA considered a local government? No—HOAs are not considered a local government entity. While they do hold some administrative functions for a community, such as collecting assessments and enforcing rules, they do not possess the authority granted to real government bodies.
Federal Law Supersedes State Law. While a municipality can write local laws they can be stricter than the State law (as long as they do not run counter to the State or U.S. Constitution) But cannot contradict state law.
Criminal law, you should contact your local law enforcement office or Commonwealth Attorney's office. Fair Housing violations, you can contact the Office of Fair Housing at 804-367-8530 or fairhousing@dpor.virginia.
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.
A Common Element inium is comprised solely of common elements such as a private road, parking spaces, mailbox pad, play area and any other common elements and do not include dwelling units/lots.
A common element is defined as all portions of the property except the units. Examples of common elements include fitness centers, elevators, lobbies, walkways, lighting in common hallways, garbage collection areas, swimming pools, landscaping, club houses, and more.
Many HOAs maintain a website where governing documents are posted. To find HOA rules and regulations online: Navigate to the HOA's official website. Look for sections labeled “Documents,” “Governing Documents,” or “Rules and Regulations.”
Common elements are owned in undivided shares by all inium unit owners as tenants in common and include portions of the inium shared or used in common by the inium's residents. Examples of common elements are: Building structural components and systems. Lobbies. Parking areas.