United States HOA and condo glossary: community association terms by state
There is no federal law of community associations, so in the United States every rule below belongs to a state, and Florida, Texas, California and Arizona differ on almost every point. Each legal entry names its state and statute, and the wording was checked against the statute text between September 16 and October 8, 2026. Florida changes its condominium chapter in most sessions, so confirm against the current statute and your own governing documents before acting. This is general information, not legal advice.
- Community association
- Florida's licensing statute defines a community association as a residential homeowners' association in which membership is a condition of ownership of a unit or lot and which can impose a charge that may become a lien on the parcel (Fla. Stat. § 468.431). Texas applies chapter 209 to a residential property owners' association whatever it calls itself, naming "community association" among the alternatives (Tex. Prop. Code § 209.003). This glossary says community association management rather than property management, which in US usage points to rental.
- HOA, condominium association and cooperative
- Florida regulates them under chapters 718, 719 and 720 (Fla. Stat. § 718.103, Fla. Stat. § 719.103, Fla. Stat. § 720.301); Texas separates condominiums from property owners' associations (Tex. Prop. Code § 209.003); California puts four forms under one act (Cal. Civ. Code § 4100). The standalone page compares the definitions.
- Common interest development (CID)
- California's Davis-Stirling Act defines a common interest development as any of four forms: a community apartment project, a condominium project, a planned development or a stock cooperative (Cal. Civ. Code § 4100). Florida and Texas have no single equivalent: each splits these forms across separate chapters.
- CC&Rs
- In the Florida, Texas, California and Arizona statutes this glossary draws on, the constitutive document is called the declaration, and Texas adds dedicatory instrument as its umbrella for declaration, bylaws and rules. CC&Rs is common industry usage, so this glossary uses declaration whenever a sentence rests on a statute.
- Declarant and period of declarant control
- Arizona defines the period of declarant control as the time during which the declarant or persons designated by the declarant may elect or appoint the members of the board of directors under the condominium documents or by virtue of superior voting power. During it, condominium votes may be cast by proxy; after it ends, they may not (A.R.S. § 33-1250). The planned-community section carries the same definition and the same proxy ban (A.R.S. § 33-1812).
- Assessment, special assessment and dues
- Texas speaks of delinquent regular or special assessments (Tex. Prop. Code § 209.0062) and California of a regular or special assessment as a debt of the owner (Cal. Civ. Code § 5650). Notice, voting and lien rules for special assessments differ by state, and the standalone page walks through Florida condominiums, Texas, California and Arizona.
- Late fee, interest and payment order
- A Florida condominium may charge an administrative late fee of up to the greater of $25 or 5 percent of the delinquent installment where the documents provide for it, and Florida HOAs have the same cap (Fla. Stat. §§ 718.116 and 720.3085); California caps the late charge at the greater of 10 percent or $10 and interest at 12 percent a year (Cal. Civ. Code § 5650); the Texas payment order is in Tex. Prop. Code § 209.0063. The standalone page compares the four states.
- Assessment lien and foreclosure
- In a Florida condominium the lien secures the payment of assessments and is not effective one year after a claim of lien is recorded unless an action to enforce it is commenced (Fla. Stat. § 718.116). In Arizona the lien arises when the assessment comes due, and foreclosure needs eighteen months of delinquency or $10,000, whichever comes first (only the eighteen months for a special assessment of $10,000 or more), after reasonable efforts to reach the owner and an offer of a payment plan (A.R.S. § 33-1256). California requires a certified-mail notice at least 30 days before a lien is recorded (Cal. Civ. Code § 5660).
- Estoppel certificate (Florida condominium)
- Florida condominium law requires the association to issue the certificate within 10 business days after a written or electronic request from the owner, the mortgagee or their designees, on a statutory form, with capped fees that are adjusted every 5 years (Fla. Stat. § 718.116). The standalone page covers contents, validity period and fees.
- Reserve fund (Florida condominium)
- The accounts must include roof replacement, building painting and pavement resurfacing regardless of cost, and any other item over $25,000 or the inflation-adjusted amount, computed with a formula based on remaining useful life and replacement cost (Fla. Stat. § 718.112). For budgets adopted on or after December 31, 2024, owners of a unit-owner-controlled association that must obtain a SIRS may not vote to provide no reserves, or less than the required reserves, for the items the study covers; a multicondominium may do so only with an alternative funding method approved by the state division, and for budgets adopted on or before December 31, 2028 a temporary pause of up to two budgets is possible after a milestone inspection (Fla. Stat. § 718.112(2)(f)).
- Structural integrity reserve study (SIRS), Florida
- It covers the roof, structure, fireproofing and fire protection, plumbing, electrical systems, waterproofing and exterior painting, windows and exterior doors, and other items over $25,000 whose failure would affect them (Fla. Stat. § 718.112). The standalone page has the deadlines and the 45-day owner notice.
- Milestone inspection (Florida)
- The first inspection is due by December 31 of the year the building reaches 30 years of age from its certificate of occupancy; a local enforcement agency may require it at 25 years where local circumstances such as proximity to salt water warrant it (Fla. Stat. § 553.899). The "25 years within 3 miles" rule often repeated is not in the statute.
- Annual meeting notice (Florida condominium)
- Written notice of an annual meeting must include an agenda, be mailed, hand delivered or electronically transmitted to each unit owner at least 14 days before the meeting, and be posted on the property at least 14 continuous days before it, with an affidavit or postal certificate of mailing kept in the official records (Fla. Stat. § 718.112). Board meetings need 48 continuous hours' posted notice, except in an emergency (Fla. Stat. § 718.112). These clocks are for Florida condominiums only.
- Board elections (Florida condominium)
- Elections are decided by a plurality of ballots cast; there is no quorum requirement, but at least 20 percent of the eligible voters must cast a ballot for a valid election, and an election is not required unless more candidates file than there are vacancies. Proxies may not be used in electing the board, unless the association has 10 or fewer units and its owners have voted, by a majority of the total voting interests, to adopt different election procedures, which may use proxies (Fla. Stat. § 718.112(2)(d)). Timeshare condominiums are excluded.
- Proxy voting
- Texas lists in person or by proxy among the voting methods, but unless its dedicatory instrument says otherwise an association need offer only one of absentee ballot, proxy or electronic ballot (Tex. Prop. Code § 209.00592). Arizona bars proxies after the period of declarant control (A.R.S. § 33-1250). Florida condominium boards may not be elected by proxy, unless the association has 10 or fewer units and its owners have voted, by a majority of the total voting interests, to adopt different election procedures, which may use proxies (Fla. Stat. § 718.112(2)(d)). Timeshare condominiums are excluded.
- Electronic voting
- Florida condominiums may use an online voting system with owner consent (Fla. Stat. § 718.128); Texas accepts an email, fax or website ballot when the association offers electronic ballots, the owner's identity can be confirmed and a receipt is available (Tex. Prop. Code § 209.00592); California allows an electronic secret ballot through an inspector of elections except on assessments (Cal. Civ. Code § 5105); Arizona permits email and fax delivery of ballots (A.R.S. § 33-1250). The standalone page compares them.
- Inspector of elections (California)
- An electronic secret ballot is conducted through an inspector or inspectors of elections, and a vote is effective when transmitted to the system the inspector designates (Cal. Civ. Code § 5105). Votes are counted in public at a properly noticed open meeting, and no one, including an employee of the management company, may open a tally sheet of electronic votes before counting (Cal. Civ. Code § 5120).
- Community association manager (CAM) license, Florida
- The licensed activity is a statutory list of tasks, such as controlling funds, preparing budgets, determining amounts due, calculating quorum and votes, and preparing estoppel certificates, done for pay (Fla. Stat. § 468.431). Subject to the statute's exceptions, a person may not manage a community association in Florida without a license, and a firm responsible for more than 10 units or a budget of $100,000 or greater needs a firm license (Fla. Stat. § 468.432); the practices are regulated for an individual when the association has more than 10 units or an annual budget in excess of $100,000 (Fla. Stat. § 468.431). This entry covers Florida only.
