In some states, such as California, HOA bylaws are considered public record and must be made available upon request. In other states, such as Virginia, HOA bylaws are not considered public record and therefore are not required to be made publicly available.
Bylaws state when the meetings of the association are held. Standing rules tell where and what time association meetings are held, and when executive board meetings are held. Bylaws give the primary responsibilities of officers and chairmen. Standing rules give the specifics.
Generally speaking, the declaration is the document that creates the inium. The bylaws spell out the day-to-day operations of the association. If your association is more than 10 years old and the bylaws have remained unchanged, board members may want to consider making updates.
In a word, yes. There are certain decisions the board can make unilaterally. On the flip side, there are also some decisions that must go through a membership vote. The limitations of an HOA board's authority differ from one community to another.
Board members are volunteers who are elected to the position by other association members. Homeowners' association board responsibilities include handling a variety of tasks, including creating and enforcing guidelines, overseeing finances, and maintaining shared spaces.
What are unenforceable HOA rules? Keep you out of court. Hush up litigation. Discriminate indiscriminately. Enter your home without cause or notice. String you out on the (clothes)line. Fine you for fun. Change rules on the fly. Demand you take down your dish.
The Davis-Stirling Act in California spells out the rules for open meetings, which greatly affects when and how HOA boards can have closed meetings. 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.
Laws always supersede governing documents IF they conflict and the law applies to your HOA. In California, the Davis-Stirling Act may take precedent over general corporation codes because it's specific to HOAs.
The local law supersedes the rules and regulations of the HOA, meaning that HOAs must ensure they are operating under the law.
An HOA has the authority to enforce the rules and regulations of the community using the community rules, or “bylaws and covenants.” These rules are considered “agreed upon” since homeowners approve them through board-elected representatives.