Homes People Hoa Property Areas Pay Homeowners Association

Homeowner's associations, also known as HOAs, are common in communities where there are many similar homes or "condos" (apartments that are owned, not rented). In general, they are responsible for trying to maintain the "value" (how much something can be sold for) of the property by controlling what people can and cannot do with their homes or condos.

Homeowner's associations are responsible for operating and maintaining any "common areas" (shared spaces; areas used by all people in an area), such as parking lots, community centers, gyms, pools, and "landscaped" (with nice plants) areas. Normally the monthly HOA dues that property owners pay are used to pay for "custodians" (people who clean) and basic maintenance and "repairs" (fixing broken things). However, if the HOA needs to make a "major" (very large or significant) repair, members might have to pay a special assessment to make sure the HOA has enough money for that repair.

HOAs also "establish" (create) and "enforce" (make sure people follow) rules about what property owners can and cannot do with their homes and co-ops. For example, an HOA might "restrict" (place limits on) which colors people can use to paint their homes or what can be seen on their "decks" (outdoor areas attached to the home) and in their "carports" (covered areas where cars are parked). Many HOAs believe that homes in the area might "lose value" (no longer be able to be sold for as much money as before) if people begin painting them ugly colors or putting a lot of old, broken cars in the carports.