Association FAQs

A community association management company is contracted by the Board of Directors to provide such services as: Collection of assessments, supervision of subcontractors, obtaining bids for subcontracted services, providing financial statements and collection reports, as well as a general clearing house for problem solving, communications with homeowners and the Board of Directors and to serve in an advisory capacity. The management company reports directly to the Board and all decisions are made by a majority vote of the Board of Directors. EJF Real Estate Services may be reached a number of ways - the easiest is to use the Contact Us page of this website or by calling our main line at 202 537-1801.

An HOA, or Homeowners Association, is a non-profit group registered you’re your state/District of Columbia and organized to maintain common areas within a community, while also governing the community to ensure that members function in accordance with the Bylaws, Articles of Incorporation or CC&Rs. These groups are governed through the oversight of an elected board of directors. To live in a community that has an HOA, community members must support the association financially and agree to live by the legal documents that govern the group. Membership in a HOA is automatic and mandatory when an individual purchases a home in the community. The governing legal documents for your association may be viewed online on your association’s website (link to CINC’s EJF association login).

Developers, board members and homeowners who are part of the decision-making process for a community can benefit from working with an HOA management firm. Management firms are viewed as the "back office support" of the community. Board members generally delegate most of the administrative tasks of managing the common areas and community to the HOA management firm, thus freeing them to focus on maintaining good communication with the members of the community.

A full service HOA management company, like us, takes much of the responsibility of managing the HOA off of the board members' shoulders. HOA management companies do not make decisions on behalf of the board, but most tasks the board does can be given to the HOA management company. With the help of a quality homeowner’s association management firm, board members can save a substantial amount of time and money. HOA community management companies know HOA laws and will be able to apply those to the community. Together, they will work with the board to make the organization and community as successful as possible.

The Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions (CC&R's) are the governing legal documents that set up the guidelines for the operation of the planned community as a non-profit corporation. The CC&R's were recorded by the County Register of Deeds office of the County in which the property is located and are included in the title to your property. Failure to abide by the CC&R's may result in a fine to a homeowner by the Association. The governing legal documents for each association may be viewed online within each communities' website. What are the Bylaws? The Bylaws are the guidelines for the operation of the non-profit corporation. The Bylaws define the duties of the various offices of the Board of Directors, the terms of the Directors, the membership's voting rights, required meetings and notices of meetings, and the principal office of the Association, as well as other specific items that are necessary to run the Association as a business. The Bylaws for the association may be viewed on your association’s website.

The Homeowner's Association is a corporation and therefore a governing body that is required to oversee its business. The Board of Directors is elected by the homeowners, or as otherwise specified in the Bylaws. The limitation and restrictions of the powers of the Board of Directors is outlined in the Association governing documents found on each communities' website.

Most associations have developed Rules and Regulations as provided for in the CC&R's and adopted by the Board of Directors. Rules are established to provide direction to the homeowners for common courtesies with regard to parking, vehicles, pets and pool use hours, etc. In addition, your Association will adopt Architectural Guidelines with procedures for submitting requests to make exterior changes to your home. Such changes may include patio covers, decks, landscaping, exterior color changes or extensive interior changes and additions. These rules and guidelines are set up to maintain the aesthetic value and integrity of the community on behalf of all owners, and hopefully protect the market value of your investment as well. Violations of these rules may result in action by the Board of Directors and a fine. In addition, if you proceed with an exterior improvement or change, without written approval of the Board of Directors, or Architectural Committee, as applicable, you will be required to remove or correct the alteration and/or be fined for the violation.

If residents cannot resolve a situation between themselves, then turn to your Association. Should you have a situation that does not appear to be resolved through neighborly means, and you are willing to actively participate in the enforcement provided by the Policies and Guidelines, you may complete a Covenant Violation form online. The Violation form may be found within the Management Office on each community website. If the situation is deemed in violation of the Policies and Guidelines, the Board of Directors will institute the enforcement policy. Your continued assistance may be required.

Not all Board meetings are open to the public. The Board will have periodic meetings that are open to the public. Contact 202.537.1801 to find out your Board’s meeting schedule.

Your community website will inform you of the status of current committees organized and committee contact information. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact the committee chairperson.

The assessment is the periodic amount due from each homeowner to cover the operating expenses of the common area and provide for reserve funds for replacement of common facilities in future years. The Board of Directors determines the due date and grace period for paying assessments.

The developer of each new community prepares the initial annual budget and determines the initial assessment amount. This budget is set upon specific guidelines for utilities, landscaping, administration, etc. Reserve funds are monies set aside for future expenses due to the life expectancy of certain items: lighting, street resurfacing, pool equipment, etc. These amounts are then divided by the number of units built in a given phase of the development. Subsequent budgets are developed by the Board of Directors and adjusted periodically to meet anticipated expenses.

There is no concrete answer to this. Typically, the CC+ R's provides for annual increases. Many CC+R's have a maximum increase per year without the vote of the membership. The Board of Directors may approve an increased budget, increasing your assessment up to this percentage in order to cover increased costs of operating and maintaining the common area and sufficient reserve funds.

The maintenance and management services incurred by the Association are dependent upon timely receipt of the assessments due from each homeowner. Late payments will result in a late charge. In addition, the CC&R's allows the Association to charge late charges and interest and proceed with a lien on your property, or foreclosure proceedings for nonpayment of assessments.

The annual budget of the Association states the expenses anticipated each year. Usually the expenses provide for items such as insurance, operating and maintenance of common facilities (such as pools, clubhouses, etc.), storm water ponds, common areas and entrances. HOA fees may also cover insurance and the salaries of HOA employees or independent contractors such as an outside management company. They are intended to pay for the repair, maintenance, and upkeep of all areas of the property that are owned collectively, rather than individually. The funds are not used to maintain any individual home or unit. How high the HOA fees are will naturally depend partly on how new, large, and luxurious the community facilities are. Also, don't expect your fees to be reduced based on services you don't use: Even if you never take a swim in the pool or work out in the gym, you're expected to pitch-in to maintain them. Who determined the assessment amount? HOA fees (also known in some markets as “assessments” or “maintenance fees”) are set by the Board of Directors, who determine each owner’s share based on projected annual expenses. Board members do not profit from HOA fees; they are homeowners just like you and obligated to pay them like all owners. If and when an HOA decides that an emergency or special project is necessary for the community, such as painting the exterior of all buildings in the community or repairing flood damage that wasn't covered by insurance, the HOA may require all owners (perhaps after a community vote) to pay a special assessment to cover the costs.

The Board of Directors determine the policies, rules & regulations involved in the operation of the association’s business affairs. Any amendments to the governing documents themselves, however, must be approved by a vote of the unit owners.