Category Archives: Association Law

Category Archives: Association Law

Hey You! Get Off My Common Area!

By Lesley A.Z. Rigney While association members generally possess easement rights to use and access common area properties and facilities of the association, may members store, alter, build or grow items on the association’s common area? The answer… Generally, No!   Unless permitted by the association’s governing documents or rules adopted by the association’s board […]

Revisiting Flag Restrictions on Flag Day

By Tiago D. Bezerra On June 14, 1777, the Continental Congress adopted a resolution establishing the general design of the flag of the United States of America.  In fall 1949, over one hundred seventy years later, June 14th was designated as Flag Day, a day of national observation for all Americans.  In recognition of Flag […]

2022 Virginia Legislative Update

By Tiago D. Bezerra For the first time since 2014, the Virginia General Assembly convened with the legislature featuring divided party control between the Republican-controlled House of Delegates and the Democrat-controlled Senate.  The previous two sessions featured Democratic control of both houses of the General Assembly, and the five legislative sessions before that were under […]

E-Meetings of Boards and Membership Approved for Virginia Condominiums and POAs

In the wake of the COVID19 pandemic, the Virginia General Assembly passed emergency legislation temporarily allowing condominium and property owners’ association boards of directors to hold meetings by electronic means during the declared state of emergency.  Under this approach, boards could meet via video-conference or other electronic means as long as unit and lot owners […]

Collecting Delinquent Assessments During the Coronavirus Crisis

The spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19) and the uncertainty it brings, especially to the economy, has caused concern among many association managers and members regarding the impact this crisis could have on their community’s ability to collect assessments. Assessments sustain operation of an association’s affairs, pay for upkeep of facilities on common areas/elements, and enable the […]

What Does “Good Standing” Mean? 

Do you know?  With respect to community associations, the term appears twice in the Virginia Condominium Act (Section 55.1-1939, pertaining to unit owner rights, and Section 55.1-1945, pertaining to inspection and copying of association books and records) and twice similarly in the Virginia Property Owners’ Association Act (Section 55.1-1807, pertaining to lot owner rights, and 55.1-1815, pertaining to inspection and […]

HUD’s Latest Guidance Regarding Service/Support Animals

In late January 2020, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (“HUD”) issued updated guidance regarding service / support animals as “reasonable accommodations” pursuant to the Fair Housing Amendments Act of 1988, specifically 42 U.S.C. 3604f(3)(B).  Of note is that this “guidance” does not have the force of law or even federal regulation.  Failure by a housing provider to abide by the guidance “does […]

You MUST Beat the Architectural Review Shot Clock

March Madness would be approaching right now, if the NCAA tournament had not been cancelled because of COVID-19. This article was written before that unfortunate occurrence. Nevertheless, we’ll stand pat on the basketball analogy to remind our association clients to keep their eyes and minds on the (figurative) shot clock relative to their architectural application […]

Virginia Supreme Court Ruling: Can Your Association Regulate Holiday Lighting?

In late August 2019, the Virginia Supreme Court issued a ruling that overturned a homeowners’ association’s guidelines regarding holiday decorations.  In Sainani v. Belmont Glen Homeowners Association, Inc., the Court ruled that Belmont Glen did not have the requisite authority in its recorded declaration to regulate seasonal or holiday lighting, continuing a trend whereby the […]

Revised Virginia CICB Disclosure Forms Now Available

As we reported in our  Seminar Series, the 2018 Virginia General Assembly passed legislation effective July 1, 2018, directing the Virginia Common Interest Community Board (CICB) to revise the CICB Disclosure Form that accompanies POA disclosure packets. The legislation also required the CICB to create a new similar Disclosure Form to accompany Condominium resale certificates. These […]

Quick Contact Form

Quick Contact Form

    Confidential information should not be submitted through this website. By clicking “submit” below, you agree and understand that your submission of the above information does not create an attorney-client relationship and any information received will not be treated as confidential information.