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2022 SESSION


CHAPTER 421
An Act to direct the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation to establish a work group to study the adequacy of current laws addressing standards for structural integrity and for maintaining reserves to repair, replace, or restore capital components in common interest communities; report.
[S 740]
Approved April 11, 2022

 

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. § 1. A. The Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation shall establish a work group to study the adequacy of current laws addressing standards for structural integrity and for maintaining reserves to repair, replace, or restore capital components in common interest communities. In conducting such study, the work group shall consider the following: (i) the development of common interest communities, including initial budget reserve funding, the filing of "as built" plans and specifications with the locality and delivery of such plans to the association of such common interest community, along with other transition documents, and increasing requirements for the issuance of certificates of occupancy; (ii) governing documents; (iii) reserve study requirements, including requirements for the frequency of such studies, the qualification of persons conducting such studies, and disclosure of such studies to purchasers and existing owners; (iv) budget requirements; (v) the authority of association boards to budget for reserves, expend funds for reserve projects, make special or additional assessments, and borrow funds to pay for projects; (vi) liability of associations and executive boards; (vii) inspections, including the authority of local governments to require inspections, funding for inspections, the scope, nature, and schedule of inspections, and qualifications of building inspectors; (viii) insurance coverage, including the scope of coverage, availability of products, adequacy or need for new or alternate products, feasibility of insurance inspections, and cost; (ix) education of association board members and owners; (x) judicial remedies, including an option to petition a court to authorize an assessment or alternative funding; and (xi) common interest community association management, including manager qualifications and self-management versus professional management.

B. The work group shall be composed of representatives of (i) the Common Interest Community Board, (ii) local governments, (iii) local and state building officials, (iv) common interest community property owners, (v) developers and builders, (vi) common interest community managers, (vii) community association attorneys, (viii) reserve specialists, (ix) professional engineers, (x) auditors, (xi) representatives of financial institutions, (xii) insurance professionals, (xiii) attorneys with experience representing individuals with property or personal injury claims; (xiv) the Office of the Common Interest Community Ombudsman; and (xv) volunteer community leaders.

C. The Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation shall report the work group's findings and provide recommendations, including any legislative recommendations, to the Chairs of the House Committee on General Laws and the Senate Committee on General Laws and Technology no later than April 1, 2023.