Townhome HOA Guide: What Renters and Owners Should Know
Living in a townhome community often means sharing more than a wall. An HOA may manage common areas, set community rules, maintain certain parts of the property and collect assessments from owners.
Those responsibilities can affect both renters and owners, but their relationship with the HOA is not the same. Understanding who is responsible for what can prevent a lot of confusion before you rent or buy a townhome.
Not sure how ownership changes the townhome experience? Our Renting vs. Buying a Townhome guide explains the practical differences between living in a townhome as a tenant and owning one.
What Is a Townhome HOA?
A homeowners association, commonly called an HOA, is an organization that manages certain responsibilities within a residential community. Property owners within the association are generally subject to its governing documents and financial obligations.
In a townhome community, an HOA may be responsible for things such as common areas, community amenities, landscaping or certain exterior components. It may also establish rules involving parking, pets, property appearance and use of shared spaces.
Having an HOA does not automatically make a townhome a condominium. Individually owned townhomes and planned communities can also have homeowners associations. If you're trying to understand the difference between the physical style of a townhome and its legal ownership structure, see our Apartment vs. Condo vs. Townhome guide.
How Is an HOA Different for Renters and Owners?
Both renters and owners may feel the effects of HOA rules, but the property owner has the direct ownership relationship with the association.
If You Rent
You may be required to follow HOA rules that apply to residents, even though you aren't the property owner or association member.
Your lease should explain your obligations and provide information about community rules that affect your tenancy.
If You Own
You are responsible for the obligations attached to ownership, including applicable HOA assessments and compliance with the governing documents.
Depending on the association, owners may also have voting rights or other participation rights in HOA matters.
This distinction matters because a renter may have to follow a community rule without being the person who directly receives HOA notices, votes in the association or pays assessments to it.
Who Pays HOA Fees and Assessments?
HOA assessments are generally obligations of the property owner. These assessments help fund the association's operations and the responsibilities assigned to it by the community's governing documents.
For a renter, the amount paid to the landlord and any other tenant charges are established by the lease. A renter should not assume that an advertised rent amount tells them how the property owner's HOA expenses are handled.
What Can HOA Assessments Help Pay For?
What an HOA funds varies significantly from one community to another. Depending on the property, association expenses might include:
The existence of an HOA fee doesn't tell you by itself what the association maintains. The governing documents and current association information provide the property-specific answer.
What Kind of Rules Can an HOA Have?
HOA communities can establish rules for property and common-area use within the authority provided by their governing documents and applicable law.
Depending on the community, rules may address things such as:
Assigned spaces, guest parking, vehicle restrictions or overnight parking.
Pet restrictions, common-area rules or other community requirements.
Changes visible from outside the home or alterations to exterior components.
Hours, guests, conduct and use of shared spaces.
Requirements or restrictions affecting an owner's ability to rent the property.
Community-specific requirements established by the governing documents.
For renters: HOA rules and lease rules can both matter. Something allowed by one isn't necessarily allowed by the other, so review the requirements that apply to the specific property.
Who Maintains the Roof, Exterior, Yard and Other Areas?
This is one of the most important questions to ask about any townhome community because there is no single answer that applies to every property.
Maintenance responsibilities can be divided among the HOA, individual property owner and, when the home is rented, the tenant according to the lease.
The HOA May Maintain
- Common landscaping
- Community pools and recreational spaces
- Private community streets or shared areas when applicable
- Certain exterior or structural components when assigned to the association
The Owner May Maintain
- The interior of the home
- Systems or components serving the individual property
- Private outdoor areas when assigned to the owner
- Exterior or structural components not maintained by the association
What If You're Renting?
Your lease determines your obligations to the landlord, while the HOA documents establish responsibilities within the association. If something needs repair, the practical first step for a tenant is generally to follow the maintenance process established by the lease or property manager rather than trying to determine the HOA's responsibility independently.
Never assume “HOA maintained” means everything outside the front door is covered. Roofs, exterior walls, patios, fences, landscaping and other components can be treated differently from one community to another.
Parking and Pets: Two Rules Renters Should Check Early
Parking and pet policies can have an immediate effect on whether a townhome works for you, so they're worth understanding before signing a lease.
Parking
A townhome may have assigned covered parking, a garage, driveway parking, guest spaces or some combination of these.
Check not only how many spaces come with the property, but also the rules for guests, additional vehicles and any restrictions that could affect your household.
Pets
A landlord's pet policy and the HOA's community rules are separate considerations.
Before renting, confirm the applicable requirements for the specific property rather than assuming a listing's general “pet-friendly” description answers every community-related question.
What About Pools and Other Community Amenities?
One reason some renters consider townhome communities is access to shared amenities without personally maintaining them.
A community might offer pools, green spaces, playgrounds or other shared facilities. Access may be subject to HOA rules involving operating hours, guests, keys or access devices, conduct and other community requirements.
If a particular amenity matters to you, verify that it is currently available to residents and understand any rules affecting its use before relying on it as part of your housing decision.
Which HOA Documents Actually Matter?
When you need a property-specific answer, the community's actual documents are more reliable than assumptions based on the word “townhome.”
Declaration / CC&Rs
Recorded covenants, conditions and restrictions can establish rights, restrictions and responsibilities affecting properties within the community.
Rules and Regulations
Community rules may provide more specific requirements for everyday issues such as parking, amenities, pets or use of common areas.
Recorded Plat or Property Map
This can help show how land is legally divided into lots, units, common areas and other portions of the property.
Lease
For a renter, the lease establishes the agreement with the landlord and should explain tenant responsibilities, charges and applicable community requirements.
Buyers may receive or review additional association and property documents during a transaction. Renters should make sure they receive the rules they are expected to follow rather than relying only on a general description of the community.
Questions to Ask About a Townhome HOA
You don't need to become an HOA expert before moving into a townhome. You do want clear answers to the rules and responsibilities that could affect your everyday life.
Renting or Buying? Look at the HOA Differently
If You're Renting
Focus on the rules that affect your daily use of the property and what your lease makes you responsible for.
- Parking
- Pets
- Guests and amenities
- Private outdoor spaces
- Maintenance requests
- Community rules incorporated into the lease
If You're Buying
You also need to understand the obligations that attach to ownership and the association itself.
- Regular assessments
- Maintenance responsibilities
- Governing documents
- Property-use restrictions
- Association responsibilities
- Other property-specific HOA information
For a broader comparison of how these responsibilities change with ownership, see Renting vs. Buying a Townhome.
Explore Townhomes in Tempe
When comparing properties, look beyond the number of bedrooms and monthly price. Parking, outdoor space, amenities, maintenance responsibilities and community rules can all affect how well a townhome fits your needs.
Keep Exploring Townhome Living in Tempe
Understanding an HOA is one part of understanding townhome living. Continue with the complete Townhome Guide or explore the related topics below.
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Learn more about townhome living in Tempe, including housing types, renting, buying, HOAs and maintenance responsibilities.
Townhome Guide