Bills aim to strengthen homeowner rights

Columbia, Md (Map, News) - Maryland residents seeking copies of financial records or meeting minutes from their homeowners associations are often met with excessive fees and limits on what they can see, advocates say.

“People want to know how their money is being spent, but many associations drag their feet or charge exorbitant amounts,” said Alex Hekimian, a Columbia resident and president of the community watchdog group Alliance for a Better Columbia.

Now, state lawmakers are considering bills aimed at strengthening and clarifying the rights of homeowners regarding records and governing documents of homeowners associations.

“It seems common sense that if you own a property in a community, that you should have access,” said Del. Tony McConkey, R-Anne Arundel, who is co-sponsoring a measure requiring the governing body to provide records within 10 days of a request and limit the fees charged.

Although laws offer some protections for homeowners, often the ambiguity allows some associations to skirt the requirements, McConkey said.

A large percentage of new houses built nationwide and in Maryland are in homeowners and condominium associations, said Del. Elizabeth Bobo, who is pushing a bill that would ensure certain meetings are open to all residents in the communities.

“It’s really important for this law to be carefully thought out,” said Bobo, D-Howard.

Legislation must protect homeowners’ rights while not deterring people from wanting to serve on the association boards, she said.

At a public hearing Thursday night, Hekimian urged Howard lawmakers to support McConkey’s measure and a second bill, sponsored by Sen. Lisa Gladden, D-Baltimore City, that would give lot owners a say in amending a homeowners association’s governing documents.

Under Gladden’s measure, declarations, bylaws or covenants could be amended with a two-thirds vote from homeowners.

Hekimian took issue with attempts by the Columbia Association, the state’s largest homeowners association, to gut the bills through amendments or be exempt from the legislation.

CA President Maggie Brown said in a statement that the CA in Howard did not oppose the legislation but offered suggestions for amendments, and no written testimony was available.

smichael@baltimoreexaminer.com