Between now and June 1, 2021, it is “annual meeting season” in Arizona! With the Covid-19 Pandemic still in full force, it is our opinion that associations should be conducting their 2021 annual meeting via a “virtual” platform such as Zoom. Under Arizona law, A.R.S. 33-1804(B) and 33-1248(B), an association must conduct an annual meeting of its membership at least [...]
The 2021 “virtual” Arizona Legislature is in full swing and many bills have been introduced already in this session. Short term rentals are a hot topic for HOAs/condos in Arizona. Below is a brief summary of three pending bills in the Arizona legislature on short term rentals. It is expected that aspects of each of these pending bills will be [...]
HOA and condo owners in Arizona have broad legal rights to inspect and copy their association’s books and records. In fact, there are very few association records an association can withhold from disclosure to its members. Arizona law requires planned communities (A.R.S. Section 33-1805) and condominiums (A.R.S. Section 33-1258) to make all financial and other records of the association reasonably [...]
I’m often asked for a quick 5 minute summary of what board members need to know to stay out of trouble while they are serving on their board. Here is a quick overview of a board member’s responsibilities. 1. Run the association as a business (for example, use licensed, bonded and insured vendors). 2. Follow your association’s documents and the [...]
The Arizona Legislature has been busy, with a total of 1,350 bills having been introduced as of last week, several of which may potentially impact community associations. Despite a spike in COVID cases among staff, and potentially members, the Legislature expects to continue moving forward virtually. Below if a brief summary of bills that we are currently tracking. • First [...]
Let’s face it, the COVID-19 pandemic has changed how Arizona HOAs and condos conduct business. For everyone’s safety, in-person board meetings are not recommended until there is widespread vaccination in our country. Set forth below are “tips from ten months in the trenches” on how associations can comply with the Arizona Open Meeting law and conduct successful virtual board meetings. [...]
While it is difficult to predict 2021 with 100% accuracy (hello...2020 COVID-19 pandemic!), here are our law firm’s 10 predictions for HOA and condo boards/managers in 2021. Continued Use of Virtual Meetings: Boards will continue to conduct virtual board/annual meetings until there is widespread vaccination available (and maybe even beyond!). I encourage boards and managers to check out our Cheat [...]
The spread of COVID-19 and politics continue to be hot topics this week in Arizona. Our law firm continues to keep a close-eye on the Arizona Department of Health Services data dashboard regarding COVID-19. The bad news: According to several reports published earlier this week, Arizona ranks No. 1 for its rate of new COVID-19 cases and hospitals are experiencing [...]
During the 2020 General Election, Arizona voters approved Proposition 207, which legalizes and governs the adult use, regulation and taxation of recreational marijuana. On November 30, 2020, the Arizona Secretary of State certified the voters’ approval and the Proposition became the Smart and Safe Arizona Act (the “Act”). Please also note that local (County, City and/or Town) ordinances may enact [...]
The ongoing global pandemic has created numerous challenges for community associations, which has further emphasized the importance of Board leadership. With that in mind, right now is a great time to focus on leadership qualities, several of which are discussed below in more detail: (1) Emphasizing Teamwork: Your Board can achieve success by acting as a team (consider participating in [...]
