New HOA LawsWhat’s changing for homeowners in 2026
A state-by-state roundup of HOA legislation that’s passed, taken effect, or is actively moving through statehouses in 2026. Every item below is labeled so you can tell the difference between a law you have to live with and a bill that’s still just a proposal.
7
Arizona bills signed into law
10,500+
Washington associations newly covered
11 states
weighing limits on HOA foreclosure power
How to read this page
Law or proposal? Check the label.
Signed and either in effect or with a confirmed effective date. These rules bind your association.
Introduced, in committee, or passed one chamber — but not law. Nothing changes for homeowners unless and until it’s signed.
15 of the items below are already law. The rest are proposals we’re tracking.
The two biggest shifts so far
One statute for all 10,500+ associations
Washington pulled every HOA, condo, and planned community under WUCIOA three years early. Roughly 2.3 million residents now share one set of governance and recordkeeping rules.
Seven bills, one September deadline
Arizona touched foreclosure thresholds, executive-session voting, resale disclosures, board discretion, shade structures, and flag rights — all effective September 12, 2026.
State by State
Where the rules actually changed
Seven states saw meaningful HOA activity in 2026 — from Washington’s statewide overhaul to Texas’s new filing registry. Each card separates what’s now law from what’s still in play.
Arizona
Arizona’s legislature adjourned its 2026 session on June 13, and Governor Hobbs signed seven bills directly affecting HOAs and condos.
Arizona HOA reviewsThe biggest package of the year: seven bills signed
- SB 1246Now Law
Foreclosure threshold alignment
Condo associations now face the same foreclosure limits planned communities got last year — a lien can only be foreclosed once a homeowner is either 18 months delinquent or owes $10,000+, whichever comes first. Large special assessments ($10,000+) are subject only to the 18-month rule, not the dollar threshold.
- SB 1290Now Law
No more decisions behind closed doors
Boards can still discuss sensitive matters in executive session, but they can no longer vote or take formal action there. Every real decision has to happen in an open meeting. A recent Court of Appeals ruling (AZNH Revocable Trust v. Sunland Springs Village HOA, April 2026) backs this up for both planned communities and condos.
- HB 2397Now Law
Resale disclosure overhaul
A significant expansion of what sellers and associations must disclose before a home sale closes — final plats, recent board meeting minutes, insurance certificates (for condos), declarant-control status, special assessment payment schedules, unresolved violations, and more. It also changes when the disclosure clock starts (offer acceptance, not “pending sale”) and softens liability to a “knowing or reckless” failure-to-disclose standard rather than strict liability.
- HB 4011Now Law
Duty to act reasonably
Codifies into statute that associations must exercise discretionary power neutrally and without favoritism — largely cementing existing case law rather than creating new obligations.
- HB 2342Now Law
Shade structures protected
HOAs can no longer categorically ban backyard shade structures (umbrellas, pergolas, awnings, shade sails, gazebos). Reasonable rules on size and placement are still allowed if they don’t functionally block installation.
- SB 1184 & SB 1808Now Law
Flag protections expanded
Adds military “Division Flags” and the flag of Israel to the list of flags associations cannot prohibit homeowners from displaying.
- Pending
Assessment spending on lobbying + drought landscaping
Still pending as of mid-2026: a bill barring HOAs from spending mandatory assessments on lobbying organizations (like CAI), and drought-related landscaping protections. Neither had passed as of this writing.
Washington
The biggest single legislative shift of any state this year — three years ahead of schedule.
Washington HOA reviewsOne statute now governs every association in the state
- ESSB 5129Now Law
WUCIOA applied to every association
Fast-tracked the Washington Uniform Common Interest Ownership Act (WUCIOA) to cover every HOA, condo, and planned community in the state as of January 1, 2026 — three years ahead of the original 2028 deadline. Over 10,500 associations and roughly 2.3 million residents are now subject to uniform governance, transparency, and financial-recordkeeping rules that used to vary by association age and type.
- SB 5686Now Law
Foreclosure mediation and fee caps
Expands foreclosure mediation requirements, mandates a meet-and-confer session before an association can pursue foreclosure, and caps collection fees.
California
Several changes tied to the January 1, 2026 effective date — including a hard inspection deadline that has now passed.
California HOA reviewsEV chargers, balcony inspections, and a wildfire package
- SB 770Now Law
EV charger insurance friction removed
Removed the requirement that homeowners installing EV chargers in common areas name the HOA as an additional insured on their personal policy — a common point of friction that’s now gone.
- SB 326Now Law
Balcony inspection deadline has passed
The mandatory inspection deadline for exterior elevated elements (balconies, decks, and stairways over six feet, built substantially of wood) officially passed January 1. Associations that missed it are now out of compliance and exposed to enforcement action and loss of insurance liability protection.
- AB 1455 · AB 226 · AB 493Now Law
Wildfire package
AB 1455 requires a five-foot ember-resistant zone around homes. AB 226 strengthens the state’s FAIR Plan for fire insurance access in high-risk areas. AB 493 requires lenders to pay 2% annual interest on insurance claim funds they hold after a loss.
Utah
A targeted change with unusually broad reach — recorded covenants no longer get a pass.
Utah HOA reviewsStatutory limits now reach into the CC&Rs themselves
- SB 122Now Law
CC&Rs held to the same standard as board rules
The most significant change — restrictions that previously applied only to board-adopted rules now apply to CC&Rs themselves. A declaration provision that violates the statute is unenforceable even if it’s written into the recorded covenants.
- Now Law
Reinvestment fee caps
New caps on reinvestment fee covenants: 0.5% of property value for standard associations, and 0.25% for “low-amenity” associations.
Texas
No major new consumer-protection statute this session, but a significant compliance shift.
Texas HOA reviewsA searchable statewide registry of HOA fees and documents
- Now Law
Electronic management certificate filing with TREC
Associations must now file management certificates electronically with the Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC), in addition to the county clerk — creating a centralized, searchable statewide registry of fee schedules and governing documents. Missing the filing deadline carries penalties starting at $1,000 for the first day of noncompliance.
Florida
Florida generated a lot of headlines in 2026, but nothing here has taken effect. Both items below are proposals.
Florida HOA reviewsTwo bills worth tracking, neither signed
- HB 657Pending
Eliminating presuit mediation
Passed the House 108–2 in early March and reached the Senate on the final day of the session — but the session ended before a Senate vote. If it’s eventually signed, it would eliminate the long-standing presuit mediation requirement for HOA covenant and records disputes, sending cases straight to litigation or Florida’s new community-association court program.
- Pending
HOA dissolution process
A separate proposal would create a formal HOA dissolution process — letting homeowners initiate a two-thirds vote to disband their association — plus mandatory “Kaufman language” that automatically subjects governing documents to current and future Florida law.
Colorado
No sweeping overhaul in 2026, but the direction of travel is consistent.
Colorado HOA reviewsSteady tightening rather than an overhaul
- Now Law
CCIOA disclosure and transparency amendments
Colorado’s Common Interest Ownership Act (CCIOA) continues to see incremental amendments around financial disclosure and governance transparency.
- Pending
Limits on HOA foreclosure authority
Colorado is one of the states actively considering restrictions on HOA foreclosure authority. Nothing has passed yet.
Nationwide Trends to Watch
The fights that could reshape HOA power
Most of these are still proposals — but the volume of activity across statehouses is the clearest signal of where community association law is heading.
11 states
Foreclosure restrictions
At least 11 states — most notably Florida, Georgia, Colorado, and North Carolina — are weighing bills to restrict or eliminate an association’s ability to foreclose over unpaid dues. None have passed as of mid-2026.
6 states
Solar & EV charger rights
Arizona, Tennessee, New Mexico, Wisconsin, Ohio, and South Carolina all have pending 2026 legislation addressing homeowners’ rights to install solar panels or EV chargers over HOA objections.
Introduced
New Jersey dissolution bill (S4104)
Would let homeowners petition to dissolve their HOA, echoing Florida’s proposal. Still just introduced, not passed.
In force
Nevada owner portals & cyber insurance
Associations with 150+ units must maintain a secure electronic owner portal (NRS 116.31069), and any association using one to collect assessments online must carry cyber liability insurance.
Pending — Not Law
Don’t plan around a bill that hasn’t been signed
Several of 2026’s most-discussed changes — ending presuit mediation in Florida, dissolving associations outright, stripping foreclosure authority — are still proposals. They make headlines, but they don’t bind your board yet.
Still just proposals
Florida: HB 657 (ending presuit mediation) died when the session closed without a Senate vote.
Florida & New Jersey: HOA dissolution by homeowner vote — introduced in both states, passed in neither.
11 states: Bills limiting or eliminating HOA foreclosure over unpaid dues. None enacted as of mid-2026.
Arizona: Lobbying-spend restrictions and drought landscaping protections remain unpassed.
Bottom Line for 2026
Two real shifts, several targeted fixes, and a lot still in play
Biggest changes
Washington’s statewide WUCIOA rollout and Arizona’s seven-bill package are the two largest concrete shifts of the year.
Targeted but meaningful
California and Utah made narrower changes that still matter — especially Utah reaching into recorded CC&Rs and California’s balcony inspection deadline.
Worth watching
Florida, Colorado, New Jersey, and a growing bloc of states are debating foreclosure and dissolution reforms that could reshape HOA power significantly if they pass.
See how your HOA actually behaves
Statutes set the floor. Reviews from current and former residents tell you how your board operates day to day.
Browse HOA ReviewsThink a rule is being enforced illegally?
New statutes only help if someone enforces them. Attorneys who represent homeowners can tell you where you stand.
Find an HOA AttorneyMore context on the industry
Court outcomes, national statistics, and the 2026 housing outlook round out the legislative picture.
This roundup is general information, not legal advice. Legislation changes quickly, effective dates shift, and how a statute applies depends on your association’s governing documents and your state. Last updated July 30, 2026 — confirm current status with your state legislature or an attorney licensed in your state before acting.