Written by Gil Price, Condominium Law Group’s Executive Director… As a past president of the Washington State chapter of Community Associations Institute and an active volunteer member of WSCAI, we’ve seen a tremendous amount of growth in our chapter over the past several years. I’ve heard stories from members saying the first Community Association (CA)…
Change in Resale Certificate Law
Whenever a condominium unit is sold in Washington State, a resale certificate must be prepared disclosing a long list of information which you will find in RCW 64.34.425. The required facts include (but are not limited to) information regarding the amount of the monthly assessments, any upcoming special assessments, the association’s annual financial statement, and…
New Definition of “Service Animal”
On March 15, 2011, a new definition of the term “service animal” went into effect, after United States Attorney General Eric Holder signed regulations revising the ADA regulations on this and other issues. The new definition states: “Service animal means any dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit…
Know Your Governing Documents
All associations, whether condominiums or homeowners associations, have a set of governing documents that…well…govern how that association is run. Many homeowners and even board members are unfamiliar with these documents, use the terms for them interchangeably, or don’t understand that there is a hierarchy within the documents themselves. Understanding what each documents should contain and…
Why it’s Important to Act Quickly on Delinquencies
There are many reasons why it is important that associations act quickly when an owner falls behind on their dues. There are also many competing factors which tempt boards or board members not to do so. For example, many board members feel a conflict between their duty to act in the best interest of the…
Reserve Contributions
What is a “fully funded reserve contribution”? Most condo boards, managers, and reserve study professionals do not understand that the “fully funded balance” is not directly related to the “contribution rate”, and that the “contribution rate” calculation required by the Washington condominium act has nothing to do with being fully funded. Just as a company’s balance…
Building Envelope Inspections Gone Bad
In the past month I have been handed 5 different “engineering inspection reports” by construction consultants who have found problems or defects with construction on condominium buildings. Every one has failed to evaluate the building in terms of any damage resulting from the as-built construction, and have left the condo association with a report saying…
Your Condo Declaration is Not a Contract Between You and the Developer
Many buyers of condominiums do not understand that the Condo Association and the Developer are not the same (even though they seem to be early on in the life of the Condo Association). The purchase and sale agreement that the buyer and seller have is not a contractual relationship between the Association and the buyer,…
Update on Carbon Monoxide Sensors
Since my posting last October regarding Carbon Monoxide sensors, the code revisor’s offices and the state have been busy making changes. There is a lot of confusion regarding the imposition of the new requirement, and different players putting their hands on the regulations. Originally it seems the legislation adopted a requirement, separate from the building…
Robert’s Rules of Order
The purpose of using Robert’s Rules of Order or some other rules of parliamentary procedure is to allow a group to make decisions, allow all members of the group an opportunity to speak, and to do so in an orderly and controlled fashion. If your group, regardless of size, has a process for meeting, talking, and…
Make a note of it – CA Day happens on September 24, 2011!
Written by Gil Price, Condominium Law Group’s Executive Director… As a past president of the Washington State chapter of Community Associations Institute and an active volunteer member of WSCAI, we’ve seen a tremendous amount of growth in our chapter over the past several years. I’ve heard stories from members saying the first Community Association (CA)…
Change in Resale Certificate Law
Whenever a condominium unit is sold in Washington State, a resale certificate must be prepared disclosing a long list of information which you will find in RCW 64.34.425. The required facts include (but are not limited to) information regarding the amount of the monthly assessments, any upcoming special assessments, the association’s annual financial statement, and…
New Definition of “Service Animal”
On March 15, 2011, a new definition of the term “service animal” went into effect, after United States Attorney General Eric Holder signed regulations revising the ADA regulations on this and other issues. The new definition states: “Service animal means any dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit…
Know Your Governing Documents
All associations, whether condominiums or homeowners associations, have a set of governing documents that…well…govern how that association is run. Many homeowners and even board members are unfamiliar with these documents, use the terms for them interchangeably, or don’t understand that there is a hierarchy within the documents themselves. Understanding what each documents should contain and…
Why it’s Important to Act Quickly on Delinquencies
There are many reasons why it is important that associations act quickly when an owner falls behind on their dues. There are also many competing factors which tempt boards or board members not to do so. For example, many board members feel a conflict between their duty to act in the best interest of the…
Reserve Contributions
What is a “fully funded reserve contribution”? Most condo boards, managers, and reserve study professionals do not understand that the “fully funded balance” is not directly related to the “contribution rate”, and that the “contribution rate” calculation required by the Washington condominium act has nothing to do with being fully funded. Just as a company’s balance…
Building Envelope Inspections Gone Bad
In the past month I have been handed 5 different “engineering inspection reports” by construction consultants who have found problems or defects with construction on condominium buildings. Every one has failed to evaluate the building in terms of any damage resulting from the as-built construction, and have left the condo association with a report saying…
Your Condo Declaration is Not a Contract Between You and the Developer
Many buyers of condominiums do not understand that the Condo Association and the Developer are not the same (even though they seem to be early on in the life of the Condo Association). The purchase and sale agreement that the buyer and seller have is not a contractual relationship between the Association and the buyer,…
Update on Carbon Monoxide Sensors
Since my posting last October regarding Carbon Monoxide sensors, the code revisor’s offices and the state have been busy making changes. There is a lot of confusion regarding the imposition of the new requirement, and different players putting their hands on the regulations. Originally it seems the legislation adopted a requirement, separate from the building…
Robert’s Rules of Order
The purpose of using Robert’s Rules of Order or some other rules of parliamentary procedure is to allow a group to make decisions, allow all members of the group an opportunity to speak, and to do so in an orderly and controlled fashion. If your group, regardless of size, has a process for meeting, talking, and…
