• Recent Posts

  • Martindale Hubbell AV Rating

    The Greater Williamsburg area is an exciting place to live and work, especially because of the large number of entrepreneurs who have built businesses from the ground up. These entrepreneurs have taken their passion and made it their profession. Many of us want to take that step. Before you begin, you need to think of the type of business entity you want to form. Our attorneys have extensive business experience, from small one-person companies to publicly traded major corporations. Our attorneys are among the leaders in Virginia in the representation of Common Interest Communities. These communities are generally referred to as "homeowners associations," or "HOAs," and "condominium associations." In the greater Williamsburg area alone, we provide legal assistance to nearly 100 associations. Our attorneys have successfully prosecuted and defended a wide array of civil disputes involving community association covenant enforcement, commercial transactions, construction disputes, contracts, real estate matters, boundary line and easement disputes, employment matters, antitrust litigation, copyright violations, administrative proceedings, and estate issues. Real Estate law encompasses a wide variety of matters, and our attorneys have vast experience to assist you. Whether you need assistance with a commercial or residential closing, or you have questions relating to residential or commercial leasing, we provide experienced advice and counsel to our clients. Zoning law can be a complicated maze of statutes and ordinances. We have ample experience in successful applications for rezoning, variance, and special use permit requests. Finally, commercial and residential construction provide special challenges with respect to financing issues and the construction process. We serve as counsel to various financial institutions.

HOA Board Actions Without A Meeting – Community Association operations during COVID-19

May 26, 2023 on 11:00 am | In Common Interest Community, HOA, Susan B. Tarley, Unit Owners Association | Comments Off on HOA Board Actions Without A Meeting – Community Association operations during COVID-19

Our attorneys have been asked to address a community association’s ability and process for boards of directors to make decisions without holding a meeting. Many community associations have responded very quickly to make adjustments in how they are doing business to limit contact and follow the health guidance on COVID-19. Typically, we are advising our community associations to not make decisions unless they are doing so at a board meeting. However, we are in uncharted waters and need to make sure that we are following the requirements of social distancing and isolation, and at the same time continuing the operations of the HOA, all with transparency to permit the owners in the community to know what decisions are being made.

Continue reading “HOA Board Actions Without A Meeting – Community Association operations during COVID-19”
Comments Off on HOA Board Actions Without A Meeting – Community Association operations during COVID-19

Virginia Attorney General opinion on HOAs

May 25, 2023 on 10:06 pm | In Common Interest Community, HOA, HOA litigation, John Tarley, Real Estate Litigation, Real Estate Strategies, Unit Owners Association | No Comments

In Virginia homeowner associations, the governing documents permit a developer to continue control of the HOA’s Board of Directors for a specific period of time, or until a specific number of lots are sold. The length of that period depends upon the governing documents of each association.

HOA

This issue has generated litigation in Williamsburg, and now, thanks to Peter Vieth from Virginia Lawyer’s Weekly, we have learned of a formal opinion from the Virginia Attorney General. In an opinion dated January 11, 2013, the AG answered two questions posed by Virginia Senator Bryce E. Reeves. This blog post takes a look at that opinion.

Is the Property Owners Association Act Unconstitutional?

Continue reading “Virginia Attorney General opinion on HOAs”

No Comments »

Another Thanks to Construction Law Musings – HOAs and Construction Defects

May 24, 2023 on 2:45 pm | In Common Interest Community, General Interest, HOA, HOA litigation, John Tarley, Real Estate Strategies, Unit Owners Association | No Comments

Richmond Construction Law attorney Chris Hill, my friend and colleague, permitted me another opportunity to blog at his award-winning blog Construction Law Musings. Chris is an outstanding Virginia attorney, and his blog is a great source of information on construction law, including the intricacies of mechanic’s liens. You can also follow him on Twitter, @ConstructionLaw.

Chris has a regular feature called “Guest Post Friday” in which he invites other bloggers to contribute to his Musings. For this blog, we wrote a post exploring the statutory warranties, provided in Va. Code § 55-79.79 of the Condominium Act, that require the Declarant to warrant “all of the common elements for two years.”

Here’s a brief excerpt of the post:

When either a commercial or residential condominium development nears the time of automatic transition, the developer and the owners face many challenges. The developer, or “Declarant,” must transfer responsibility for management, enforcement of the Condominium Instruments, and finances, amongst other responsibilities, to the new owner-controlled Board of Directors. With the pending departure of the Declarant, owners can become concerned about possible construction defects with the common elements. This blog post discusses the process and responsibilities under the statutory warranties provided by the Virginia Condominium Act.

Read the complete blog at Construction Law Musings, as well as many other informative posts on Chris’ outstanding blog. Thanks again, Chris!

Thank you

No Comments »

HOAs and Mediation: Not always a viable alternative to Litigation

May 24, 2023 on 8:14 am | In Common Interest Community, HOA, HOA litigation, John Tarley, Real Estate Litigation, State & Federal Litigation, Susan B. Tarley, Unit Owners Association | No Comments

We have written extensively on the virtues of alternative dispute resolution, specifically mediation, to resolve disputes. Litigation is a time-consuming and expensive undertaking, and in the end, both sides are generally unhappy with the result because of the costs and time incurred.

But although we encourage mediation generally, mediation in HOA litigation is a much more complex and difficult undertaking. In this blog post, we will discuss difficulties with mediating HOA disputes.

Continue reading “HOAs and Mediation: Not always a viable alternative to Litigation”

No Comments »

Simple Tips for Effective HOA Due Process Hearings

May 21, 2023 on 5:00 pm | In Common Interest Community, General Interest, HOA, HOA litigation, John Tarley, Unit Owners Association | Comments Off on Simple Tips for Effective HOA Due Process Hearings

This blog post focuses on addressing one major source of discontent in community associations: due process hearings for alleged violations of the community’s governing documents or condominium instruments.

HOA Due Process Hearing

Homeowners want fairness

Complaints about HOA due process hearings can be split into at least three different categories:

  • Before the hearing, the Board
    • did not attempt to settle reasonably;
    • did not explain variance procedure; or
    • did not properly send notice of violation or opportunity to cure.
  • During the hearing,
    • The Board was disorganized;
    • A Board member was rude;
    • The Board was not prepared for the hearing;
    • The Board did not give owner time to gather/present case; or
    • The Board did not view property/alleged violation.
  • After the hearing,
    • The Board did not give valid reasons for decision; or
    • The penalty was unreasonable.

Continue reading “Simple Tips for Effective HOA Due Process Hearings”

Comments Off on Simple Tips for Effective HOA Due Process Hearings

Can an HOA prohibit the posting of political signs?

May 21, 2023 on 10:38 am | In Common Interest Community, HOA, HOA litigation, Land Use Planning, Unit Owners Association | Comments Off on Can an HOA prohibit the posting of political signs?

Well, it’s that time of year when signs start popping up in neighborhoods as election day draws near. In neighborhoods governed by a homeowner or condominium association, boards of directors are sometimes asked to enforce sign restrictions when one neighbor complains about another’s political sign (and probably, the neighbor’s choice of candidate).

A person’s first response typically is “I have the right to free speech and you can’t stop me from posting my political sign on my property!” However, is that the end of the discussion? This blog post reviews a community association’s rights and responsibilities regarding political signs.

Continue reading “Can an HOA prohibit the posting of political signs?”

Comments Off on Can an HOA prohibit the posting of political signs?

Implementing an HOA Complaint Procedure – Slideshow Presentation

May 20, 2023 on 3:13 pm | In Common Interest Community, General Interest, HOA, HOA litigation, Susan B. Tarley, Unit Owners Association | Comments Off on Implementing an HOA Complaint Procedure – Slideshow Presentation

Still need information for your association’s required Complaint Procedure? Here is the slideshow for the Complaint Procedure Seminar Sept 2012 revised  Susan Tarley presented in Williamsburg in September 2012.

Susan Tarley

This slideshow presentation is provided for informational and educational purposes only. This presentation does not constitute legal advice and should not be relied on. Legal advice can only be provided after consultation with an attorney with experience in the area in which your concern lies. This is so because each situation is fact specific, and it is impossible to evaluate a legal problem without a comprehensive consultation and review of all the facts and/or documents at issue. Your use of this slideshow presentation and the information in it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Such a relationship can be created only with a written agreement signed by us and by you.


Tarley Robinson, PLC, Attorneys and Counsellors at Law

Williamsburg, Virginia

Comments Off on Implementing an HOA Complaint Procedure – Slideshow Presentation

2015 General Assembly Update for Virginia Community Associations

May 20, 2023 on 8:40 am | In HOA, HOA litigation, Land Use Planning, Real Estate Strategies, Susan B. Tarley, Unit Owners Association | Comments Off on 2015 General Assembly Update for Virginia Community Associations

The legislation that passed the 2015 General Assembly Session is mostly helpful to Virginia HOAs–clarifying issues created by some legislation, and providing solutions for owner apathy and bank foreclosure problems for associations.

Virginia General Assembly - Legislation

Continue reading “2015 General Assembly Update for Virginia Community Associations”

Comments Off on 2015 General Assembly Update for Virginia Community Associations

How to Run An Effective HOA Board Meeting

May 20, 2023 on 2:14 am | In Business Planning, Common Interest Community, HOA, HOA litigation, Unit Owners Association | No Comments

Have you ever asked yourself after an Association board meeting “what went wrong?” The flow of the meeting was off, the meeting went on way too long and the atmosphere was unwelcoming for the owners who came to observe. With some careful preparation and attention to some simple tips, you can leave your next board meeting with the feeling that everything was right on track.  Although we go into much greater detail when we hold our annual Board training seminars for our clients, this blog post provides some helpful tips to run your next board meeting.

Continue reading “How to Run An Effective HOA Board Meeting”

No Comments »

HOAs, ADA, and FHA: regulating “Service or Assistance Animals”

May 19, 2023 on 1:26 pm | In General Interest, HOA, HOA litigation, Susan B. Tarley, Unit Owners Association | No Comments

Recent amendments to the Americans with Disabilities Act (the “ADA”) regulations limit the definition of “service animal” to any dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability, including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability. The amendments specify that providing “emotional support, well-being, comfort, or companionship do not constitute work or tasks” under the new definition.

On the other hand, if your situation is not an ADA issue but rather a Fair Housing issue, a recent memo clarifies that the new definition is not applicable to the Fair Housing Act (the “FHA”). The FHA does not contain a specific definition of “service animal.” Under the FHA, animals that provide emotional support have, in certain instances, been recognized as necessary assistance animals as a reasonable accommodation. The FHA permits individuals with disabilities to keep an assistance animal as a reasonable accommodation when there are limitations imposed by the homeowner or condominium association on animals and pets.


Continue reading “HOAs, ADA, and FHA: regulating “Service or Assistance Animals””

No Comments »
Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Next
Next Page »
  • Phone Numbers

    (757) 229-4281- Office

    (757) 229-7439 - Fax
  • Address

    4801 Courthouse Street Suite 122 Williamsburg, Virginia 23188
Web Development by OneWaveMedia.Com