Texas Reforms HOA Operations
Texas lawmakers passed legislation (Senate Bill 1588) in 2021 that will ensure HOA operations are transparent and resident-friendly, and provide an appropriate balance between private-property rights and agreed-upon community standards.
Texans agree that these changes are needed — view the poll results
Here’s what the bill does:
- Limits fees for resale certificates
- Creates a central database of Texas homeowners’ associations
- Requires HOAs to maintain a website with management certificates and meeting information and notification
- Protects property owners from negative credit reporting when a fine or fee is under dispute
- Prevents some conflicts of interest within their governing boards
- Provides better due process in dispute resolution
- Protects owners’ and tenants’ private information by specifying HOAs may not require access to lease agreements
- Requires an association to solicit bids for any contract for services over $50,000
- Provides enforcement mechanism for dedicatory instruments and management certificates
- Bars an HOA from prohibiting certain pool safety enclosures
- Bars an HOA from prohibiting the installation of security measures on an owner’s private property
- Bars an HOA from prohibiting religious displays
- Provides additional legal avenues when seeking resolutions from a dispute with a HOA
