Won’t You Be My Neighbor?
In 2024, New Jersey Assemblywoman Annette Quijano introduced legislation (Bill A2449), which, if passed, would require community association board members to undergo board member training. While the bill is gaining traction...more
Well-manicured lawns, beautiful entranceways, uniformity of appearance, security cameras, and clutter- free home exteriors are but a few of the many benefits of living in a community controlled by a “homeowners’ association...more
Many homeowners in North Carolina experience issues with excessive surface water flow and localized nuisance flooding after rain events. How communities deal with these problems was the focus of Ward and Smith's latest...more
A planned community developer needs to control operation and administration of the covenants and community association for some period of time to ensure orderly development and sale of project. The developer has invested...more
Residents of planned communities often must obtain approval prior to making any modifications to their homes and lots. Through their declaration of covenants, conditions, and restrictions - commonly referred to as the...more
It's that time of year again. The holidays are upon us, and the end of the year is drawing near. As we reflect on the unprecedented past year, many of us begin to look forward and think, "What's next?" With a New Year...more
People often view Community Associations as simple collections of rule-obsessed homeowners that do little more than debate the color of the flowers under the monument signs leading into the community. But at their best,...more
Nearly 30 percent of North Carolina's population lives in a community association of some sort, be that a condominium or single-family community. Yet, confusion among the general population about the nature of community...more
The unfortunate reality for many community associations and their boards of directors is that at some point in their existence they will be sued. When that happens, there are a number of basic but important "to-do's"...more
The Board of Directors for a Community Association functions in a very similar capacity as the Board of a standard corporation. Approximately 95% of all decisions to be made on behalf of a Community Association will be...more
North Carolina has the third most planned communities in the United States after California and Florida. All of these planned communities typically evolve in a similar three-step process. First, a real estate developer...more