As the owner of a homeowners association, you know that you have a legal right to set up certain rules that the homeowners are going to have to follow. This goes far beyond the rules that traditional property owners are bound by, which are typically just defined by law. Below are a few examples of common types of rules HOAs set up:
- Determining what types of pets are allowed on the property
- Establishing how renovations or home upgrades must be done
- Creating a color scheme or other aesthetic design for the neighborhood that homeowners need to follow
- Mandating where cars, trailers and other vehicles can be stored on the property
- Setting up rules for property use, such as potential noise violations
- Determining whether or not homeowners are allowed to sublease or rent out their homes
A lot of HOA rules are just based around conformity to the norms of the neighborhood. You may want all of the homes and public spaces to look similar, and you may have rules about pet ownership and things of this nature to create a safe space for everyone who lives in the HOA.
Communication is the key
Conflicts do sometimes occur due to these rules. Often, the key is just communication. Ideally, homeowners should be informed of all of the rules that they have to follow, and they need to agree to these upfront when they buy their property in the HOA.
Another important step to take is equal enforcement. If you do have rules, you need to make sure that everyone is required to follow them. If certain homeowners feel that they are being targeted for violations but others are not, that can lead to significant conflict.
When these conflicts and disputes do arise, be sure you also know what legal options you have and what steps to take.