Understanding Your Homeowners Association’s “Bylaws”

Every incorporated homeowners association needs to have bylaws as part of their association’s governing documents. Understanding the significance of bylaws and the content of your association’s bylaws is critical to the proper functioning of a homeowners association. Frequently, association members are familiar with their HOA’s “CC&Rs” (the abbreviation of “Conditions, Covenants, and Restrictions”), but they overlook the bylaws. Board and association members who are trying to determine the proper procedures for their association’s actions must be familiar with the content of the association’s bylaws. A homeowners association’s bylaws contain provisions concerning the operations of the association such as the association’s internal governance and the manner in which the association conducts its business and provides notice of its board of director and membership meetings. The bylaws specify in detail the rules for the proper functioning of a homeowners association and detail such things as: