I am honored to be presenting at the 2023 Community Association Law Seminar in New Orleans. This is the premier conference for community association attorneys, and insurance and risk management professionals. I invite you to register for the Law Practice Management Program, a pre-Law Seminar workshop on Jan. 11. If your firm is navigating attorney and staff recruitment and retention, technology challenges, or seeking new strategies to manage client harassment, me and my fellow attorneys will help you discover solutions. I hope you’ll join me at the 2023 Law Seminar. Register here: https://events.rdmobile.com/Events/Info/1453144.

Community Associations refers to the organizations that manage and operate common property for the owners of a condominium, planned community and residential cooperative. In Hawaii, condominiums are governed by Hawaii Revised Statutes Chapter 514A. Condominiums are the most common for of community association in Hawaii. In a condominium, all the members own the common areas jointly while each member owns their own apartment.

Planned Communities are governed by Hawaii Revised Statutes Chapter 421J. In Planned Communities, the association is normally a Nonprofit Corporation and the corporation owns the common property. Each of the members own their lots.

Residential cooperatives are normally governed by Hawaii Revised Statutes Chapter 421I. In a residential cooperative, the cooperative is normally a corporation that owns or leases the Project. Each shareholder has the right to lease or sublease an apartment from the cooperative.

What is Familial Status Discrimination? The Federal Fair Housing Act introduced “familial status discrimination” in 1988. Lawmakers chose to use the term “familial status discrimination” rather than the more easily understood term “discrimination against families with minor children”. Under the Federal Fair Housing Act, it is illegal to discriminate against families with minor children in housing.

Byron R. Hanke and I wrote a book called, Design Review: How Community Associations Maintain Peace & Harmony. AmazonCAI

The book is a short description of the architectural review process in layman’s terms. It covers design review authority, guidelines &procedures, facilitating compliance, and how Federal laws affecting design review. I should mention that the authors do not receive any royalties and the proceeds from the book go to the Community Associations Institute.

Design review is the process by which a community association regulates the overall appearance of the Project. The purpose of design review is to maintain, protect and enhance property values and to regulate changes which are otherwise detrimental to the community.