A couple of months ago, I decided to move into a townhome community that was governed by a homeowners association (HOA).  During the lease application process, I requested a copy of the HOA Declaration with rules and regulations for the community.  I made this request because I wanted to park multiple vehicles on the property and install a Pergola over the back patio area.  The owners agreed to provide the rules and requested that I reach out to the HOA for them.

When I reached out to the HOA to obtain the rules, I discovered a hiccup in my leasing process. I was informed by the management company that they could not provide the documents because the landlord had not gotten permission to lease the place!  Some people might ask, why did the landlord need permission from the HOA to lease property they owned?

Homeowner Associations are the governing force in communities across the nation. They are established to make and enforce rules regarding the properties within their jurisdiction. In this case, the HOA required owners to get permission from the HOA prior to offering their properties for lease.  This rule was put in place to control owner-occupancy rates in the community.  

Sadly, I was unable to move and the property was taken off the market for lease.  

A good rule of thumb is to always request the HOA rules when buying, selling, or leasing a property that is governed by an HOA.