A number of bills relating to condominium and
homeowners associations have already been submitted for consideration during
the current session of the Washington Legislature. Three of those proposed laws merit special
attention thus far.
The first proposed law applies to homeowners
associations governed by RCW 64.38. It is
designed to limit the ability of homeowners association boards to raise revenue
without a vote of the owners. Boards of
such associations would be permitted to increase regular assessments up to
twenty percent per year, impose a special assessment of up to five percent of
the annual budget, or do both without a vote of the owners.
The second proposed law also applies to homeowners
associations governed by RCW 64.38. It
is designed to allow such associations to provide meeting notices by electronic
mail. Homeowners associations would be
permitted to electronically transmit meeting notices to an address designated in
writing by an owner unless that owner provides the association with a written
request not to receive notices by electronic transmission.
The third proposed law applies to condominium
associations governed by RCW 64.34. It is
designed to allow many such associations to annually update their reserve
studies themselves. A condominium association
with fewer than fifty units would be permitted, by a majority vote of the
owners, to elect to have the board update the reserve study annually after the association
has had one reserve study conducted by a reserve study professional.
Further updates about these bills and other proposed laws relating to Washington community associations will be provided
here as events develop. The legislative
session is just getting started, and additional bills regarding smoking, electronic
board meetings, and quorums are anticipated.
