This Chapter is applicable to condominium developments formed before July 1, 1990. For more on applicability of provisions of this chapter, please read Section 64.32.020.

Key Notes:

  • Condominiums created after July 1, 1990: Chapter 64.34 RCW.

  • Conversion of apartments into condominiums notice required: RCW 59.18.200.

  • Mutual savings banks, powers as to condominiums: RCW 32.04.025.

  • RCW 64.34.380 through 64.34.390 concerning reserve accounts and reserve studies applicable to residential condominiums governed by chapter 64.32 RCW: RCW 64.34.380(4).

Complete Chapter
Section NameSection Number
Definitions.§ 64.32.010
Application of chapter.§ 64.32.020
Apartments and common areas declared real property.§ 64.32.030
Ownership and possession of apartments and common areas.§ 64.32.040
Common areas and facilities.§ 64.32.050
Compliance with covenants, bylaws, and administrative rules and regulations.§ 64.32.060
Liens or encumbrances—Enforcement—Satisfaction.§ 64.32.070
Common profits and expenses.§ 64.32.080
Contents of declaration.§ 64.32.090
Copy of survey map, building plans to be filed—Contents of plans.§ 64.32.100
Ordinances, resolutions, or zoning laws—Construction.§ 64.32.110
Contents of deeds or other conveyances of apartments.§ 64.32.120
Mortgages, liens or encumbrances affecting an apartment at time of first conveyance.§ 64.32.130
Recording.§ 64.32.140
Removal of property from provisions of chapter.§ 64.32.150
Removal of property from provisions of chapter—No bar to subsequent resubmission.§ 64.32.160
Records and books—Availability for examination—Audits.§ 64.32.170
Exemption from liability for contribution for common expenses prohibited.§ 64.32.180
Separate assessments and taxation.§ 64.32.190
Assessments for common expenses—Enforcement of collection—Liens and foreclosures—Liability of mortgagee or purchaser—Notice of delinquency.§ 64.32.200
Conveyance—Liability of grantor and grantee for unpaid common expenses.§ 64.32.210
Insurance.§ 64.32.220
Destruction or damage to all or part of property—Disposition.§ 64.32.230
Actions.§ 64.32.240
Application of chapter, declaration and bylaws.§ 64.32.250
Applicability to common interest communities.§ 64.32.260
Notice.§ 64.32.270
Voting—In person, absentee ballots, proxies.§ 64.32.280
Electric vehicle charging stations.§ 64.32.290
Short title.§ 64.32.900
Construction of term "this chapter."§ 64.32.910
Severability—1963 c 156.§ 64.32.920
 

DISCOVER MORE

Featured
Homeowners' Association As Vacation Destination: Short-Term Rental Restrictions in HOAs

Even if a community has a valid reason to restrict short-term rentals, it still needs legal and/or contractual authority to support the restriction. Typically, the authority comes from an HOA's declaration, from state law, or a combination of the two. A declaration is a contract among property owners in a community. The owners jointly agree to accept certain obligations and restrictions on how properties in the community can be used. If everyone complies, the community as a whole will benefit—or at least that is the idea.

Enforcing Conformity: Home Improvement Projects And Architectural Review Boards In HOAs

The U.S. legal system generally views any land-use restrictions with suspicion. However, the law also recognizes that reasonable restrictions are sometimes justified if they benefit the community as a whole. With that in mind, courts throughout the country have consistently upheld the right of HOAs to impose architectural restrictions as long as the restriction serves a legitimate purpose, is within the association's power under state law and/or the community's declaration, and does not violate any other law or public policy.

Step-By-Step Guide To The HOA Assessment Collections Process

When you purchase a property in a community with a homeowners’ association, you’re also acquiring the obligation to pay regular assessments. Unfortunately, though, homeowners are sometimes financially unable to pay assessments. Homeowners faced with potential collections action must understand how the HOA collections process works and the legal rights and redress available for both homeowners and the association. This guide will help all community members, including the board, resolve conflict, and avoid escalation.

Preventing the Spread of COVID-19 Within HOA Communities

On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization declared the outbreak of COVID-19 (the medical condition caused by the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2), a global pandemic. HOAs and condominium associations have an essential role to play in slowing the spread of COVID-19. By applying the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (“CDC”) recommendations in the planned community setting, HOA board members, owners, residents, visitors, and employees can help prevent illness in their communities and keep their loved ones, friends, and neighbors healthy and safe.

HOA Powers and Obligations In Emergency Situations

The fundamental purpose of a homeowners’ association is to benefit the community and its members. Usually, that means preserving the aesthetic beauty of the neighborhood by maintaining common areas and ensuring homeowners keep up their properties. Or, it might mean using pooled resources to make life easier for the entire community—through road and sidewalk repairs or snow removal, for instance. Most of the time, the overall goal is to increase property values and raise the living standard in the community. In an emergency, though, an HOA’s role can take on an entirely new dimension.

Weathering The Storm: Coronavirus And Its Financial Impact on Homeowners

One way or another, future historians will consider the Coronavirus Pandemic among the most noteworthy events of the early 21st Century. The full economic impact on homeowners and their families cannot yet be precisely predicted, but it is likely to be immense. Taking the necessary precautions to avoid exposure to the virus and preparing for the financial ramifications will require prudence, careful planning, and maybe even a little creative thinking. Homeowners can't completely avoid the fallout from Coronavirus, but there are a few measures that could hopefully soften the blow.

Back to Top