Founding father John Adams observed that a republic is, “a government of laws, and not of men.” Adams contrasted a republic with an empire, where, “what pleases the prince has the force of law.” In Adams view, a government of laws surpasses one where a single individual (or a small group) holds unlimited power. If […]

HOAs and condominiums continually chase after their members for unpaid assessments imposed for maintenance of common areas and amenities. Normally, a creditor who wants to go after a defaulting “customer’s” property or assets needs to sue them for a judgment if they want to record a lien in the land records. Association boards grew tired […]

Most homeowners’ associations require owners to submit a Design Review Application Form to approve changes to exterior features of their lots, be it a deck, patio, fence, driveway, or addition. Some even require approval to remove or add trees or change the grading. Owners often misunderstand their rights because the Design Review Application form includes […]

In March 19, 2020, I posted an article entitled, “Do HOAs Have to Meet Openly During the Coronavirus?” This explored how existing community association open meeting statutes might apply during the Coronavirus epidemic. The epidemic has since spread, particularly in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan region and other cities. On March 23, 2020, Virginia Governor Ralph […]

Updated March 20, 2020 Landowners frequently complain that the board for their HOA or condo association makes important decisions in secret. Virginia law imposes significant “open meeting” requirements on community associations, allowing for attendance and participation by members. This is almost always in person. Open meeting laws can protect landowners from arbitrary or self-interested board […]