How Homeowners Associations Work

First of all, a homeowners association is usually a corporation that has a set of articles of incorporation that defines the purpose and powers of the association. The articles of incorporation are filed with the state the development is in.
The bylaws of an association contain the basic governing rules. They can be amended or changed by majority vote of the members, subject to state statutes that govern homeowners associations. Ideally, the community is run like a small city government, with elected board members representing the will of the owners. Federal laws as well as local ordinances and laws such as zoning, building codes, parking, and traffic restrictions and even resale regulations and rent control provisions apply to homeowners associations and CC&Rs.
CC&Rs are the rules that govern what you can and can’t do with your property. For better or worse, it’s one of the homeowners association’s responsibilities to enforce these rules to protect the value of the community.
Conflict between the association and the homeowners can arise when differing interpretations of the rules occur. Some owners want strict rules and uniformity to keep values high, while others give individuality and a looser interpretation higher priority.
The number of directors, term of office, and duties are found in the declarations, articles, or the bylaws. Most boards have three to five directors or an odd number to avoid voting deadlocks. Terms of elected office are usually for one to three years. However, if there are five or more members, the terms are usually staggered.