The main difference is that covenants dictate property-related restrictions, while bylaws govern how the HOA operates — things like board elections, meeting procedures, and voting rights. Because covenants are recorded with the property deed and tied to real estate law, they generally hold more weight.
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.
Statutory Basis: RA 9904 (Magna Carta for Homeowners and Homeowners Associations) and its IRR grant HOAs the right to impose and adjust reasonable fees and assessments. Procedure: Increases require: A board resolution. Proper notice to members.
Association bylaws are detailed rules and regulations within your organization or association that help with internal operations like your organizational makeup. They also provide guidelines for members and the board to follow. For nonprofit organizations, bylaws are a legal document that must be adhered to.
The law says: An association shall, upon payment of the prescribed fees, submit to the proper Regional Office of HLURB its Articles of Association, duly notarized and signed on each and every page by all the incorporators consisting of not less than five (5) nor more than fifteen (15) natural persons.
— Every association of homeowners shall be required to register with the HLURB. This registration shall serve to grant juridical personality to all such associations that have not previously acquired the same by operation of the General Corporation Law or by any other general law.
In homeowners association cases, the Complaint shall be filed in the RAB which has jurisdiction over the region where the association is registered with the DHSUD. (Rule 2, Section 7, Rules of Procedure of the Human Settlements Adjudication Commission).
Republic Act No. 8763 (March 7, 2000) transferred the powers of the Home Guaranty Corporation (HGC) over concerned Homeowners Association (HOAs) to HLURB. The Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board (HLURB) is government's regulatory body for housing and land development.
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.