HOABOARD DESK

BOARD TOOL

Board Decision Router

An HOA or condo board decision rarely turns on one number. The practical question is what applies to this association, what to verify, and in what order before the board acts. This routes that research step across 26 common governance decisions.

3 · Legal association type

Pick a decision to see its research sequence.

How to use the result

Start with the decision in front of the board. Before a threshold, deadline, vote rule, or required form is treated as resolved, identify the state and the association's legal type: planned community/HOA, condominium, cooperative, or unsure. The router then gives a short research sequence for authority, governing documents, procedure, notices, voting rules, records, and the primary-law section most likely to control.

That distinction matters. The same state can apply different statutes to planned communities and condominiums, and an older community may fall under different applicability rules. A declaration or bylaws may also supply a threshold, allocation formula, or procedure that the statute leaves to the governing documents — or impose a stricter rule than a statutory default.

Use the result as a research checklist, not a legal conclusion. Open the related HOA Board Desk guide, read the relevant declaration and bylaw provisions, then verify the current primary source and its effective date. For the state-specific rule, browse the 50-state governance index. Keep the source, effective date, and documents checked with the board record so the research can be reconstructed later.

Research-not-advice note: This tool routes your research; it is not legal advice and does not tell the board what outcome to choose. Your governing documents and applicable current law control. For a disputed, high-dollar, enforcement, lien, foreclosure, insurance-coverage, or litigation matter, confirm the governing rule with qualified association counsel or the appropriate licensed professional.