A homeowners association (HOA) is a nonprofit organization consisting of property owners living in a specific building or residential neighborhood. It usually involves a board of directors who is responsible for holding meetings, making key decisions, and enforcing rules. You can be elected to the board if you are part of the homeowners association.
The main goal of an HOA is to ensure common areas are well-maintained and that certain use and building restrictions are enforced. HOA laws outline the rights and responsibilities of both homeowners and the association. The legal framework combines federal laws, state statutes, local ordinances, and private contractual agreements, making it multi-layered and challenging.
At Calabrese Law Associates, we offer professional HOA legal services to resolve disputes and ensure legal compliance.
Experienced HOA Law Firm in Massachusetts
Sometimes issues arise between residents and their HOA that require legal action. Often, such disputes become contentious. Consulting with a homeowners association attorney at Calabrese Law Associates can help you address the problem swiftly, which is critical since you continue to live by the HOA’s regulations during your disagreement.
Count on us to provide you with a reliable lawyer for various HOA issues. Our legal experts can handle a wide range of HOA problems, helping associations and property managers resolve disputes, avoid costly mistakes, and operate within the full scope of law.
Schedule a Free Legal Consultation Today
Table of Contents:
- HOA Issues Common in Boston
- Challenges to Boston, MA, Law
- Challenges With HOA Disputes
- Handling HOA Cases
- Do You Need a Lawyer to Solve An Issue With Your HOA?
- Why Trust Us for HOA Law Services in the Greater Boston Area?
HOA Issues Common in Boston
Homeowners associations are supposed to ensure the peaceful coexistence of neighbors within the community. Often, disagreements happen between neighbors, but that doesn’t impact the HOA. Most HOA disputes relate to things that the homeowners association decides directly. These disagreements may involve short- or long-term conflicts that can affect the entirety of the HOA community.
HOA disputes often involve their own rules and regulations. Some of the most common issues include:
- Disputes over allegedly restrictive HOA rules or regulations
- Disputes over suing an HOA for selective enforcement
- Disputes regarding HOA boards or elections
- Nonpayment and collection issues
- Civil litigation concerning the use of common areas
- Land use and zoning issues
- Disagreements over changes to the HOA’s governing documents (e.g., a Declaration of Covenant or HOA Bylaws)
- Construction disputes due to a contractor’s failure to follow the HOA building rules and restrictions
- Renting a home that is part of the HOA and is in violation of the HOA’s rules and regulations
Issues don’t necessarily have to arise at meetings. While meetings can be contentious if changes to the Declaration of Covenant happen, for instance, you may also find out about a new policy in the HOA newsletter or just by speaking with a neighbor.
Your HOA’s board should be open to listening to concerns at meetings. By directing your questions to the board of directors, you can get solid answers and decide how you would like to proceed with your complaint. When issues can’t be settled by talking things out, you will need to move forward by speaking with an attorney for HOA issues.
Challenges to Massachusetts HOA Laws
Legal challenges to HOAs or condominium associations differ from other legal disputes because the person who is making the challenge usually lives within the HOA while the dispute plays out. This can make for awkward interactions with neighbors since HOA members are also residents of the community. You will need to walk a fine line between challenging the problem and keeping the peace with your neighbors so that an unpleasant situation doesn’t become worse.
Enlist an experienced homeowners association lawyer who is dedicated to finding creative ways to resolve your case quickly. An out-of-court settlement may be your best option, avoiding a broader confrontation that could leave lasting scars on your community. The goal of your challenge should be to make living conditions for everyone within your neighborhood better, and legal action should be a means of improving the community. Working with a specialized attorney for HOA issues increases the chance of this outcome.
Challenges With HOA Disputes
HOA disputes are not like other types of construction or real estate challenges. The legal framework of HOAs can quickly become complex and contentious if it is not handled with clarity and consistency.
Maintaining Impartiality in Community Disputes
In many cases, the people who are affected by the HOA are property owners who are part of the HOA and the community. When HOA disputes arise, it’s critical to work with an experienced homeowners association attorney because there is a delicate balance to strike in these situations — handling the dispute while maintaining an open line of communication with the HOA and members thereof.
Changing Regulations
Another issue with Massachusetts HOA laws is that homeowners associations are controlled by documents that outline the rules and regulations of the HOA. These documents often change, and not everyone who owns a unit may agree with the change being proposed or changes made. For example, unit owners may oppose an increase in homeowners association costs or a new rule regarding parking or land use. Regulations that unit owners agreed with when they first purchased their unit may change and become unrecognizable over time, creating friction and tension within the community.
Concerns With Property Value
Homeowners associations also have a powerful impact on property values. If a homeowner moves into a condo and after a few years the homeowners association makes changes to common areas potentially affecting the unit owner’s property value, this can easily lead to disputes and legal claims.
Handling HOA Concerns and Cases
Again, since the people typically involved in HOA disputes often live in the community while the dispute is ongoing, working with an experienced real estate HOA attorney is critical. Reliable legal experts can help resolve the HOA issue fairly before it escalates to litigation and reaches the courtroom. At Calabrese Law Associates, we understand how costly and time-consuming legal battles are, so we help with the early intervention backed by a clear understanding of governing HOA regulations and relevant state laws.
Resolving HOA disputes efficiently and effectively enables parties to continue being part of the community and living in their homes while we handle their case — this reduces the number of potentially contentious discussions between neighbors and board members.
Do You Need a Lawyer to Solve an Issue With Your HOA?
Lawyers can be a tremendous advantage when confronting your HOA dispute. Working with an experienced lawyer for HOA issues is critical because HOA cases can be delicate. You want an attorney who understands how to use diplomacy and legal tactics to force changes without becoming confrontational. Contacting a lawyer as soon as possible is vital to ensuring that the issue is resolved with the best chance of keeping the relationship between all parties intact.
When a homeowners association lawyer steps in to handle your dispute, you are free to continue living within the HOA community. You can defer questions to your lawyers, keeping interactions with your neighbors in a mannerly way.
Why Trust Us for HOA Law Services in the Greater Boston Area?
When looking for reliable HOA attorneys in Boston, you can trust Calabrese Law Associates to assist you. We bring unparalleled knowledge and experience in handling cases concerning HOA disputes, contract law, condominium law , real estate law, and construction law on a regular basis. In every case, our attorneys provide clients with industry-leading legal representation at all phases of their matters.
At Calabrese Law Associates, we have assisted many condominium and homeowners who need expert legal representation. Our skilled HOA attorneys offer professional advice and a clear assessment of your options to resolve disputes quickly. In litigation cases, we can provide legal representation at all stages. We efficiently resolve your case to reach the best possible outcome, using our industry-leading expertise to craft strategies that will move you closer to your goals.
Contact Calabrese Law Associates for Your HOA Concerns In Boston
As the trusted homeowners association law firm in Boston, we take the time to understand your community’s governance structure, specific needs, and challenges. Our legal experts turn complex statutes into clear guidance to deliver customized service and provide the best available legal solutions that protect your long-term interests. We place our clients’ interests first and achieve their goals while keeping their legal spending to a minimum.
Contact Calabrese Law Associates today to set up a free consultation . You can also call us at 617-340-6623 to discuss your HOA concerns. We look forward to connecting with you.
While we offer legal assistance for landlord-tenant disputes, our firm only takes about 1% of tenant-related cases and 10% of landlord-related cases.
This publication and its contents are not to be construed as legal advice nor a recommendation to you as to how to proceed. Please consult with a local licensed attorney directly before taking any action that could have legal consequences. This publication and its content do not create an attorney-client relationship and are being provided for general informational purposes only.
Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
