Plain-language references for boards and managers. hoa.to is jurisdiction-aware: notices, reserve rules and templates adapt to each state.
Community-association law is set at the state level in the US, and it covers the details boards deal with constantly: how much notice a meeting requires, how owners can access association records, whether electronic voting is allowed, how reserve studies and lien notices work, and what a board must disclose before assessing a fee. Each state page below summarizes these rules in plain language, sourced from statute where one exists.
Pick your state to see its reference, or use it to sanity-check a decision your board is about to make. many disputes trace back to a notice period or a records request that didn't follow the statute. This is general guidance, not legal advice; confirm anything consequential with licensed counsel in your state.
Coverage today includes California, Florida, Texas and New York, states with large volumes of community associations and well-documented statutes. We’re adding more states as we complete a statute-specific review for each one, rather than publishing generic content that isn’t actually tied to that state’s law.
More states are added as we complete statute-specific reviews. Managing a Canadian community? See condo & strata by province →
The first question in any state is what kind of association you are, because several states use different statutes for different forms. Get this wrong and every day count you look up will be wrong too.
| State | Homeowners association | Condominium | Regulator or tribunal |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | Davis-Stirling Common Interest Development Act (Civil Code 4000 to 6150) | Same Act; California treats all forms as common interest developments | None; courts and the Act's dispute-resolution steps |
| Florida | Chapter 720, Homeowners' Associations | Chapter 718, Condominium Act | DBPR Division of Florida Condominiums, Timeshares, and Mobile Homes (condos; HOA election and recall arbitration only) |
| Texas | Property Code Chapter 209, Texas Residential Property Owners Protection Act (Title 11) | Property Code Chapter 82, Uniform Condominium Act | None; courts, with owner protections built into Chapter 209 |
| New York | Not-for-Profit Corporation Law plus declaration and bylaws | Real Property Law Article 9-B, Condominium Act (co-ops: Business Corporation Law) | None; courts |
State law and the governing documents share the work. As a rule the statute sets floors and procedures (minimum notice, owner rights, what a fine notice must contain) and the CC&Rs, bylaws and rules set the specifics (assessment amounts, use restrictions, architectural standards). Where they conflict, a mandatory statutory rule wins.
| Topic | Usually set by statute | Usually set by governing documents |
|---|---|---|
| Meetings | Minimum notice, open-meeting rights, executive session limits | Quorum, meeting frequency, proxy form |
| Records | Which records owners may see and the response deadline | Copy charges within statutory caps, request procedure |
| Reserves | Whether a study is required and how often; disclosure | Funding target and contribution amount |
| Assessments and collections | Pre-lien notice, hearing rights, foreclosure limits, fine caps | Amount, due dates, late fee schedule within caps |
| Elections | Secret ballot, inspector, electronic voting consent | Board size, terms, nomination process |
| Resale | Estoppel or resale certificate content, deadline and fee cap | Who prepares it and how it is requested |
No. Community association law is state law, layered on the recorded governing documents. Federal law touches specific topics such as fair housing, debt collection by third parties, and satellite dishes, but not day-to-day governance.
Each state page links the official legislature site for the sections it cites. For states not yet covered here, start with the state legislature's website and search for homeowners association, common interest community or condominium.
Yes. Each page explains which statute applies to HOAs and which to condominiums in that state, and where the rules differ (for example Florida's separate Chapters 718 and 720).
No. They are plain-language references with official sources. Statutes change every session and your governing documents matter as much as the statute, so confirm anything consequential with licensed counsel in your state.
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