M100 EXAM STUDY GUIDE
Community Association - Answer -a legal entity in which the owners enjoy the
PROTECTION, ENHANCEMENT, MAINTENANCE and PRESERVATION of their
homes and property.
3 Defining Characteristics of a Community Association - Answer -1. Membership in the
community is MANDATORY and automatic for all owners.
2. Certain association governing documents bind the owners and the association to
each other through mandated actions.
3. Mandatory lien-based assessments (maintenance fees) are levied on each owner in
order to operate and maintain the community association.
Lien - Answer -a legal claim by one party (community association) on the property of
another (delinquent owner) to obtain the payment of a debt or the satisfaction of an
obligation.
>Placing a lien on an owner's property protects the community association's interest. It
encourages payment of the debt.
Purpose of a Community Association - Answer -to provide for the COMMUNITY,
BUSINESS, and GOVERNANCE aspects of the association.
>This is achieved by administering, maintaining and enhancing a residential real estate
development, and through the establishment of a system of property rights, binding
covenants and restrictions, and rules and regulations.
3 Basic Types of Community Associations - Answer -1. Planned Community - An owner
owns his lot/unit and the community owns common areas.
2. Condominium - Individual owns his living unit and owns an undivided interest in the
common elements.
3. Cooperative or Stock Cooperative - Individual owns stock or membership in the
cooperative and owns a proprietary lease or occupancy agreement for his living unit.
>A proprietary lease or occupancy agreement defines the member or stockholder's
rights and obligations in relation to the living unit. For most cooperatives, the community
association owns all of the real estate as a not-for profit corporation.
3 Types of Residential Community Associations that can exist by themselves or can be
grouped in CLUSTERS called: - Answer -1. Master or Umbrella Associations - consists
of more than one residential community associations.
2. Mixed-Use Development - consists of a mixture of residential and commercial and/or
industrial uses grouped together. Their marketing slogan is often "live, work, play."
3. "55 and Older" Communities - must have one person who is 55 years of age or older
living in at least 80% of its occupied units.
Sources of Legal Obligations of a Community Association - Answer --Federal, state and
local statutes, regulations, and case law (court decisions).
,-Legal documents unique to the community association that bind the association and its
owners.
-Lender requirements - for example, requirements set by secondary mortgage
institutions (FHA, Fannie Mac, Freddie Mae, etc.)
-Standards set by professional bodies - for example, auditing standards set by the
American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.
Additional legal Obligations of Community Associations cont. - Answer --US Bankruptcy
Code - helps honest people and business find a way to pay their debt or get a fresh
start.
-Federal Communications Commission (FCC) - overrides a community association deed
restriction that bans satellite dishes and antennae from property that is exclusively used,
controlled or owned by the resident.
-Fair Housing Act - prohibits discrimination in the sale, rental, financing insuring and
other housing related services.
3 Types of State Statutes - Answer -1. General State Statutes - applies to community
associations, as well as to other types of organizations (Regular, corporate or not-for-
profit).
2. Specific State Statutes - applies only to one or more types of community
associations. The specific state statutes take precedence.
3. Uniform State Statutes - the national conference of commissioners on uniform state
laws has attempted to standardize specific state statutes like: Uniform Condominium
Act, Uniform Planned Communities Act, Model Real Estate Cooperative Act, Uniform
Common Interest Act.
Governing Documents - Answer -to provide for the legal structure and operation of the
community.
>Define the rights and obligations of both the community association and its owners.
>Create a binding relationship between each owner and the community association.
>Establish the mechanism for governing and funding the community association's
operations including the establishment of the automatic lien.
>Set forth rules and restrictions for the: protection of both owners and the community,
enhancement of property values and promotion of harmonious living.
General Hierarchy of Authority for Governing Documents - Answer --Recorded map,
plat, or plan (to show precise location of units, lots, and/or common area.
-Declaration, CC&R's, Master Deed
-Proprietary lease or occupancy agreement
-Articles of Incorporation (if incorporated)
-By-Laws
-Board Resolutions (cannot conflict with documents above it in the hierarchy.
Additional Legal Obligations of Community Associations - Answer --Equal Employment
Opportunity Commission (EEOC) - protects against discrimination.
, -Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) - protects debtors from unscrupulous debt
collectors and to impose a consistent and fair method to collect debts.
-Fair Labor and Standards Act (FSLA) - dictates standards for the basic minimum wage
and overtime pay.
-Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) - requires employers of 50 or more employees
to provide up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave to eligible employees for the
birth or adoption of a child or serious illness.
-Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) - requires employers and employees to
make matching contributions to social security.
-Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) - prevents injuries.
-Soldiers' and Sailors' Civil Relief Act of 1940 - delays civil court actions.
Recorded Map, Plat, or Plan - Answer -a map or plat or plan that is recorded in the
county or parish (or similar jurisdiction) recorder's office before any lots or units shown
on it are sold. The purpose is to show the precise location of each lot, or unit, as well as
the common elements.
>A map or plat or plan may help define an owner's or a community's title to property.
Declaration, CC&R's or Master Deed - Answer -the provisions in the declaration which
define or limit the rights of ownership are often called deed covenants or deed
restrictions.
>More than any other single document, the declaration brings the condominium or the
planned community into existence because it spells out the essential elements of
ownership.
>The condominium or planned community comes into existence when the declaration is
filed in the office of the local recorder of deeds or registrar of titles.
The Declaration, Master Deed or CC&Rs Generally: - Answer --Defines the portions of
the development owned by the individual owners and those owned by the community
association.
-Creates interlocking relationships binding all the owners to one another and to the
community association for the purpose of maintaining, governing and funding the
development.
-Establishes standards, restrictions, and obligations in areas ranging from arch control
to prohibitions on various activities in order to promote harmonious living.
-Creates the administrative framework for the operation and management of the
community association, although many of the specific admin details are spelled out in
the by-laws.
-Provides the mechanism for financial support of the community association through
assessments.
-Provides for a transition of control of the association from the developers to the owners.
Proprietary Lease or Occupancy Agreement - Answer -in a cooperative, it defines the
member or stockholder's rights and obligations in relation to the living unit.
>Identifies the premises that the stockholder is permitted to occupy exclusively.
>Defines the term of the lease and the rent that is payable by the stockholder.
Community Association - Answer -a legal entity in which the owners enjoy the
PROTECTION, ENHANCEMENT, MAINTENANCE and PRESERVATION of their
homes and property.
3 Defining Characteristics of a Community Association - Answer -1. Membership in the
community is MANDATORY and automatic for all owners.
2. Certain association governing documents bind the owners and the association to
each other through mandated actions.
3. Mandatory lien-based assessments (maintenance fees) are levied on each owner in
order to operate and maintain the community association.
Lien - Answer -a legal claim by one party (community association) on the property of
another (delinquent owner) to obtain the payment of a debt or the satisfaction of an
obligation.
>Placing a lien on an owner's property protects the community association's interest. It
encourages payment of the debt.
Purpose of a Community Association - Answer -to provide for the COMMUNITY,
BUSINESS, and GOVERNANCE aspects of the association.
>This is achieved by administering, maintaining and enhancing a residential real estate
development, and through the establishment of a system of property rights, binding
covenants and restrictions, and rules and regulations.
3 Basic Types of Community Associations - Answer -1. Planned Community - An owner
owns his lot/unit and the community owns common areas.
2. Condominium - Individual owns his living unit and owns an undivided interest in the
common elements.
3. Cooperative or Stock Cooperative - Individual owns stock or membership in the
cooperative and owns a proprietary lease or occupancy agreement for his living unit.
>A proprietary lease or occupancy agreement defines the member or stockholder's
rights and obligations in relation to the living unit. For most cooperatives, the community
association owns all of the real estate as a not-for profit corporation.
3 Types of Residential Community Associations that can exist by themselves or can be
grouped in CLUSTERS called: - Answer -1. Master or Umbrella Associations - consists
of more than one residential community associations.
2. Mixed-Use Development - consists of a mixture of residential and commercial and/or
industrial uses grouped together. Their marketing slogan is often "live, work, play."
3. "55 and Older" Communities - must have one person who is 55 years of age or older
living in at least 80% of its occupied units.
Sources of Legal Obligations of a Community Association - Answer --Federal, state and
local statutes, regulations, and case law (court decisions).
,-Legal documents unique to the community association that bind the association and its
owners.
-Lender requirements - for example, requirements set by secondary mortgage
institutions (FHA, Fannie Mac, Freddie Mae, etc.)
-Standards set by professional bodies - for example, auditing standards set by the
American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.
Additional legal Obligations of Community Associations cont. - Answer --US Bankruptcy
Code - helps honest people and business find a way to pay their debt or get a fresh
start.
-Federal Communications Commission (FCC) - overrides a community association deed
restriction that bans satellite dishes and antennae from property that is exclusively used,
controlled or owned by the resident.
-Fair Housing Act - prohibits discrimination in the sale, rental, financing insuring and
other housing related services.
3 Types of State Statutes - Answer -1. General State Statutes - applies to community
associations, as well as to other types of organizations (Regular, corporate or not-for-
profit).
2. Specific State Statutes - applies only to one or more types of community
associations. The specific state statutes take precedence.
3. Uniform State Statutes - the national conference of commissioners on uniform state
laws has attempted to standardize specific state statutes like: Uniform Condominium
Act, Uniform Planned Communities Act, Model Real Estate Cooperative Act, Uniform
Common Interest Act.
Governing Documents - Answer -to provide for the legal structure and operation of the
community.
>Define the rights and obligations of both the community association and its owners.
>Create a binding relationship between each owner and the community association.
>Establish the mechanism for governing and funding the community association's
operations including the establishment of the automatic lien.
>Set forth rules and restrictions for the: protection of both owners and the community,
enhancement of property values and promotion of harmonious living.
General Hierarchy of Authority for Governing Documents - Answer --Recorded map,
plat, or plan (to show precise location of units, lots, and/or common area.
-Declaration, CC&R's, Master Deed
-Proprietary lease or occupancy agreement
-Articles of Incorporation (if incorporated)
-By-Laws
-Board Resolutions (cannot conflict with documents above it in the hierarchy.
Additional Legal Obligations of Community Associations - Answer --Equal Employment
Opportunity Commission (EEOC) - protects against discrimination.
, -Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) - protects debtors from unscrupulous debt
collectors and to impose a consistent and fair method to collect debts.
-Fair Labor and Standards Act (FSLA) - dictates standards for the basic minimum wage
and overtime pay.
-Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) - requires employers of 50 or more employees
to provide up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave to eligible employees for the
birth or adoption of a child or serious illness.
-Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) - requires employers and employees to
make matching contributions to social security.
-Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) - prevents injuries.
-Soldiers' and Sailors' Civil Relief Act of 1940 - delays civil court actions.
Recorded Map, Plat, or Plan - Answer -a map or plat or plan that is recorded in the
county or parish (or similar jurisdiction) recorder's office before any lots or units shown
on it are sold. The purpose is to show the precise location of each lot, or unit, as well as
the common elements.
>A map or plat or plan may help define an owner's or a community's title to property.
Declaration, CC&R's or Master Deed - Answer -the provisions in the declaration which
define or limit the rights of ownership are often called deed covenants or deed
restrictions.
>More than any other single document, the declaration brings the condominium or the
planned community into existence because it spells out the essential elements of
ownership.
>The condominium or planned community comes into existence when the declaration is
filed in the office of the local recorder of deeds or registrar of titles.
The Declaration, Master Deed or CC&Rs Generally: - Answer --Defines the portions of
the development owned by the individual owners and those owned by the community
association.
-Creates interlocking relationships binding all the owners to one another and to the
community association for the purpose of maintaining, governing and funding the
development.
-Establishes standards, restrictions, and obligations in areas ranging from arch control
to prohibitions on various activities in order to promote harmonious living.
-Creates the administrative framework for the operation and management of the
community association, although many of the specific admin details are spelled out in
the by-laws.
-Provides the mechanism for financial support of the community association through
assessments.
-Provides for a transition of control of the association from the developers to the owners.
Proprietary Lease or Occupancy Agreement - Answer -in a cooperative, it defines the
member or stockholder's rights and obligations in relation to the living unit.
>Identifies the premises that the stockholder is permitted to occupy exclusively.
>Defines the term of the lease and the rent that is payable by the stockholder.
