Blog

The real estate development industry is full of trends. Usually, the trends involve design aspects of the home or community or the latest in amenities, but recently new trends in land banking are arising. One of these new trends is land banking by homebuilders, which has added complications for common interest ownership communities. What isRead more

The annual meeting is an important moment in the year for a POA. It is time for the members to come together and meet, elect new board members and/or vote on special assessments or changes to the governing documents. But, if not carefully planned and structured, the annual meeting can be a source of contentionRead more

The lifeblood of all types of property owners associations (POAs) is the collection of monthly, quarterly, or annual assessments.  Assessments pay for things such as common area maintenance and insurance, amenities like pools, gyms and tennis courts and other responsibilities covered by the POA, so when an owner fails to pay their assessment, it isRead more

Deed restrictions are unique in every POA. Each community has different needs and different requirements to ensure the aesthetics of the neighborhood are maintained. The terminology surrounding deed restriction enforcement is extensive. The following “ABCs” can serve as an introductory map of the deed restriction enforcement process. This article focuses specifically on single-family property owners’Read more

The questions surrounding the Corporate Transparency Act have made property owners associations (POAs) take a closer look at their tax status. POAs that are tax exempt usually maintain an exemption under Section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code. Some non-profit corporations, including those that maintain a 501(c)(4) tax exemption, may be exempt from the filingRead more

The journey to becoming an attorney takes on many paths. For some, it is the family business. For others, they are inspired by someone they know. For Melissa McLain, it was a decision that just came naturally from an early age. Melissa recalls fondly how her interest in becoming an attorney was not sparked byRead more

You’ve lived in your community for a few years, and now you are determined to get more involved because you believe you can make a difference. Instead of jumping into the full commitment of serving as a Board member, you decide to ease into service for your POA and answer the call for volunteers toRead more

The community association board meeting is an essential function for the business operations of the association. Not every aspect of association business will be discussed during the meeting. But for single-family associations, Chapter 209 of the Texas Property Code details fifteen (15) items where actions on these items must take place during the open sessionRead more

Fall 2024 marks the closing stretch of another highly contentious election season. From local officials and issues such as school board members and bonds, to the U.S. Presidential decision, all different types of signs have appeared or will be appearing throughout communities over the next few weeks. For board members and managers, it is importantRead more

The United States was founded on the principle of religious freedom. This is an aspect of our laws we learn in our earliest history class. The issue of religious freedom was so important to the Founders that the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution protects citizens’ right to freely exerciseRead more