Governing documents
Reading what came with the house
The declaration, the bylaws, the rules and the board’s resolutions sit in layers, and a lower layer can’t override a higher one. Most owners are never handed all of them. We read them for you.
We pull the recorded documents, work out who may do what, and tell you in plain words whether a rule applies to you. We also help owners ask for records, call a meeting and petition to change a rule.
We help with
Finding the clause behind a specific rule
Requests for minutes, budgets and contracts
Board elections and owner petitions
Amendments and new rules passed mid-year
Rental, pet and parking restrictions
The usual path
From a stack of papers to an answer
Order matters: the answer sits in the right layer.
- 01
Step 1: Get the full set
The recorded declaration, every amendment, the bylaws, the rules and recent resolutions.
- 02
Step 2: Map the layers
Which document governs your question, and where a lower one overreaches.
- 03
Step 3: Choose the lever
A letter, a records request, a petition or a vote, whichever fits the rule.
- 04
Step 4: Ask in writing
A clear, respectful request that the board can answer on the record.
Common questions about the documents
Can the board change a rule whenever it wants?
Only if the declaration lets it, and usually with notice. Some changes need an owner vote. We check the amendment clause first.
Where do I get the documents?
From the public records office, your title company or the association. If the association drags its feet, we can ask in a way that has a deadline.
Can owners remove a board member?
Many documents and some laws allow it, with a petition and a vote that must be counted the right way. We help you count and word it.
Not sure which letter matters?
Send us what you received. We’ll read it against your documents and tell you what to do before the deadline.
Please don’t send confidential details with a first message.