Category : Community Associations

Community Associations

Modernizing HOA Law or Exploiting a Crisis?

diligent multiethnic students doing homework together

“Never let a good crisis go to waste.” -Winston Churchill. The Virginia General Assembly is currently in session. One interesting bill to Virginia homeowners is 2021 HB1816. This bill seeks to amend the Property Owners Association Act and Virginia Condominium Act regarding the use of “electronic means” for meetings and voting. Making videoconference a larger […]

Read More
Community Associations

The Negativity Effect in Real Estate Decision-making

joyful adult daughter greeting happy surprised senior mother in garden

Kids, we are counting down the final days to Christmas 2020. Many of my readers are familiar with the 1957 Dr. Seuss book, “The Grinch Who Stole Christmas.” In honor of the Grinch and the Whos, I would like to share a few insights from a 2019 book I recently finished reading, “The Power of Bad: How […]

Read More
Community Associations Soft Skills

Presenting to HOA Boards and Committees in Remote Hearings

people on a video call

Following enactment of 2020 General Assembly legislation, most HOAs and condominiums in Virginia carry on business through “remote” videoconferencing technology such as Zoom, WebEx and Microsoft Teams. Because of the Coronavirus, Americans of all ages are now more familiar with this technology. In the HOA context, boards and committees use remote hearings to decide matters […]

Read More
Community Associations Litigation

The Voluntary Payment Doctrine and HOA Liens

young woman helping senior man with payment on internet using laptop

Homeowners disputes with HOAs and condominium associations frequently revolve around disputed demands for payments, large and small. Homeowners often wonder if they have to pay their monthly assessments if their HOA failed to fulfill an obligation. Generally speaking, if the assessments were legitimately determined by the HOA’s board of directors pursuant to its recorded instruments, […]

Read More
Community Associations Land Use & Zoning Litigation

Dead Tree Lawsuit Against HOA Arborist Dismissed

leafless trees behind metal fence in winter

Contemporary land development policies would not work well without trees. Lot owners use trees for shade, ornamentation, and to screening. Subdivisions, especially cluster developments, often include common areas where trees or shrubs provide dense visual screening of the development. Vegetation can be more attractive and taller than fences. When a tree dies, it transforms from an asset to a liability, threatening damage to nearby structures or people. It is in a lot owner’s self-interest to remove dead trees from their own lots to avoid […]

Read More
1 2 3 4 5 14