I think we can all agree that social media is becoming more and more pervasive. What used to be an occasional diversion to reconnect with high school friends, has become a significant source of news and social and political engagement for everyone from the Greatest Generation to Gen Z'ers. Of course, this includes homeowners and board members, many of whom believe social media should be a public square to discuss and debate association issues, and even to allow owners to air grievances. However, whether or not social media is a good thing for community associations is debatable. read more

Sheds, decks, hardwood flooring, and, yes, baseball fields. Homeowners associations and condominium owners associations in Washington and Oregon almost universally restrict what owners can and cannot construct on their lot or in their unit, and most use some version of an Architectural Review Committee ("ARC") to enforce it. read more

If an Association fails to act in a timely matter, its suit will be lost forever. read more

The 9th Circuit United States Court of Appeals issued an opinion recently in Goudelock v. Sixty-01 Association of Apartment Owners holding that an owner's personal obligation to pay assessments that become due after the debtor has filed a Chapter 13 bankruptcy are dischargeable under §1328(a) of the Bankruptcy Code. This means that if an owner receives a discharge in a Chapter 13 bankruptcy case filed in Washington, Oregon, Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, or Nevada, that owner will no longer be personally obligated to pay any post-petition assessments. read more

Over the last several years, mandatory arbitration provisions have become more and more prevalent in the contracts we sign and agreements we make. They have appeared in nearly every agreement we enter into as consumers - including the warranties for products we buy and agreements for services we use. That is no different for community associations. It is exceedingly important to be aware of when your association's contract requires arbitration instead of seeking a remedy through the court system. read more