We’ve received a number of calls recently about FHA recertification for condominiums. This is due in large part to the December 7, 2010 deadline for recertification of many of the condominiums in Washington. Certification for all condominiums approved prior to October 1, 2008 will expire on December 7, 2010. If your condominium received FHA approval…
Category Archives: Condominium Laws
Compliance with the Red Flags Rule
The “Red Flags” Rule is a regulation which will go into effect December 31, 2010 and which will apply to all “financial institutions” and “creditors” with “covered accounts.” “Creditors” are defined as: any person who regularly extends, renews, or continues credit; any person who regularly arranges for the extension, renewal, or continuation of credit; or…
Do the New Federal Regulations on Old Lead Based Paint Affect Your Association?
To protect against the harm which can be caused by lead-based paint, new regulations from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) affecting apartments and condominiums took effect April 22, 2010. These regulations may apply to repair and maintenance projects at your condominium. The Renovation, Repair, and Painting Rule applies to renovation, repair, or painting activities in…
New Regulations for Carbon Monoxide to Impact Condominiums in 2011
The building code adopted in 2010 by Washington State has a new provision that requires Carbon Monoxide (CO) detectors in the immediate vicinity of the bedroom in all dwelling units. For new construction this requirement takes effect on January 1, 2011. More important, EXISTING dwelling units (read that as any residential condo unit) must be…
Reasonable Accommodation – Interpreters
Many clients ask us whether they are obligated to pay for a sign language interpreter to be present at meetings at the request of a deaf homeowner. The short answer to this questions is yes. A community association must provide interpreters to enable deaf or hearing-impaired owners to participate in the association meetings. The only…
Resale Certificates – What to Disclose
Sometimes our clients ask us: what are the legal requirements for language used in resale certificates regarding damages where repairs are needed? Our basic recommendation is that it is always better to disclose something and have a sale fall through than to risk a lawsuit against the property manager and/or the association for failure to…
Notice & Opportunity to be Heard
Over the past several weeks, we have dealt with many questions about the proper procedure to follow when issuing fines against owners who do not comply with association rules. One important requirement that many associations do not know about or understand is the obligation to give owners notice and an opportunity to be heard before…
Service Animals: General Information
Our clients contact us frequently to ask what accommodation, if any, must be made for owners (or even tenants) who have service animals. Based on extensive research and multiple experiences with clients responding to discrimination complaints, the information we provide to our clients is as follows. The FHA makes it unlawful to discriminate against any…
Accommodating Owners with Disabilities
We receive many questions from our clients related to owner requests for disability accommodations, such as permission to install a wheelchair ramp on association property. Our research on this issue has led us to share the following information with our clients: Associations must follow the requirements of the Fair Housing Act (the “Act”), even those…
Introduction to Community Association Laws
Welcome to the Condominium Law Group Blog! Welcome to the newly minted Condominium Law Group, PLLC blog. We are the newest condo law blog in Washington State, and we are excited to provide our readers with valuable information in the field of community association law. Wait, community association law? What’s that? We think our first…
Category Archives: Condominium Laws
FHA Recertification
We’ve received a number of calls recently about FHA recertification for condominiums. This is due in large part to the December 7, 2010 deadline for recertification of many of the condominiums in Washington. Certification for all condominiums approved prior to October 1, 2008 will expire on December 7, 2010. If your condominium received FHA approval…
Compliance with the Red Flags Rule
The “Red Flags” Rule is a regulation which will go into effect December 31, 2010 and which will apply to all “financial institutions” and “creditors” with “covered accounts.” “Creditors” are defined as: any person who regularly extends, renews, or continues credit; any person who regularly arranges for the extension, renewal, or continuation of credit; or…
Do the New Federal Regulations on Old Lead Based Paint Affect Your Association?
To protect against the harm which can be caused by lead-based paint, new regulations from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) affecting apartments and condominiums took effect April 22, 2010. These regulations may apply to repair and maintenance projects at your condominium. The Renovation, Repair, and Painting Rule applies to renovation, repair, or painting activities in…
New Regulations for Carbon Monoxide to Impact Condominiums in 2011
The building code adopted in 2010 by Washington State has a new provision that requires Carbon Monoxide (CO) detectors in the immediate vicinity of the bedroom in all dwelling units. For new construction this requirement takes effect on January 1, 2011. More important, EXISTING dwelling units (read that as any residential condo unit) must be…
Reasonable Accommodation – Interpreters
Many clients ask us whether they are obligated to pay for a sign language interpreter to be present at meetings at the request of a deaf homeowner. The short answer to this questions is yes. A community association must provide interpreters to enable deaf or hearing-impaired owners to participate in the association meetings. The only…
Resale Certificates – What to Disclose
Sometimes our clients ask us: what are the legal requirements for language used in resale certificates regarding damages where repairs are needed? Our basic recommendation is that it is always better to disclose something and have a sale fall through than to risk a lawsuit against the property manager and/or the association for failure to…
Notice & Opportunity to be Heard
Over the past several weeks, we have dealt with many questions about the proper procedure to follow when issuing fines against owners who do not comply with association rules. One important requirement that many associations do not know about or understand is the obligation to give owners notice and an opportunity to be heard before…
Service Animals: General Information
Our clients contact us frequently to ask what accommodation, if any, must be made for owners (or even tenants) who have service animals. Based on extensive research and multiple experiences with clients responding to discrimination complaints, the information we provide to our clients is as follows. The FHA makes it unlawful to discriminate against any…
Accommodating Owners with Disabilities
We receive many questions from our clients related to owner requests for disability accommodations, such as permission to install a wheelchair ramp on association property. Our research on this issue has led us to share the following information with our clients: Associations must follow the requirements of the Fair Housing Act (the “Act”), even those…
Introduction to Community Association Laws
Welcome to the Condominium Law Group Blog! Welcome to the newly minted Condominium Law Group, PLLC blog. We are the newest condo law blog in Washington State, and we are excited to provide our readers with valuable information in the field of community association law. Wait, community association law? What’s that? We think our first…
