latte, Author at Third Street Law

New Retainer Plan Offer For Medium-Sized And Smaller Associations

January 17th, 2017

Previously our firm has provided legal fee retainer plans only to our larger HOA and COA Association clients. We are now pleased to offer a new retainer program that smaller Associations may find attractive. This plan is designed to make legal advice… Read More

Categories: Homeowners' Associations

Statutory Requirements RE HOA Association Meeting Minutes

September 19th, 2016

Beginning in 2014 HOAs must now by law (RCW 64.38.035) “make available to each owner of record for examination and copying minutes from the previous Association meeting not more than sixty (60) days after the meeting.” Thus, minutes must be gener… Read More

Categories: Homeowners' Associations

BEWARE: A Legal Challenge To Condominium Declaration (“CCRs”) Amendments Will Likely Fail If Not Commenced Within 1 Year

August 22nd, 2016

A recent Washington Supreme Court Case, Bilanko v. Barclay Court Owners Association, Wn.2d (2016) makes it clear that a legal challenge to an improperly adopted amendment to condominium CCRs must be brought within 1 year of the recording of the amend… Read More

Categories: Homeowners' Associations

Simple Wills and Lawyer Lingo

November 24th, 2015

Most clients I meet with regarding their Will start the conversation saying something like: “This is really just a ‘simple Will’”. From that, I’m supposed to expect that everything in their estate will be “routine”. I can tell you from… Read More

Categories: Estate Planning

Update Can An Association Amend Its CCRS To Restrict Rental Of Units?

November 13th, 2015

In 2014 I posted a blog regarding an issue that frequently arises in Condominium and Single Family Residence (“SFR”) planned communities: Can the rental of the units/homes can be prohibited or restricted? That 2014 Blog, which you can read on thi… Read More

Categories: Homeowners' Associations

Don’t Write On It!

October 22nd, 2015

Wills are often written once and forgotten for years. People seem to believe wills have a “shelf life”, after which they expire. It isn’t true. The last Will you wrote, even if it was 50 years ago, is still your Will and still governs your esta… Read More

Categories: Estate Planning

Probate

July 24th, 2015

“Probate” has become a word mixed with mystery and distrust. As a consequence, one of the statements I hear most often from my clients is, “I/we want to avoid probate”. The fear of this word has led many people to invest in expensive, overly… Read More

Categories: Estate Planning

Adopting A Homeowners’ Bill Of Rights

May 18th, 2015

Planned communities, whether Condominium or single-family-residence in make-up, can establish what is referred to as a “Homeowners’ Bill of Rights”. The purpose of such a Bill of Rights is to place limitations on the power of Association and it… Read More

Categories: Homeowners' Associations

Association Voting Procedures For Adopting Budget And Fixing Assessments

February 4th, 2015

In many Associations (both condominium and non-condominium communities) there is uncertainty, and sometimes major conflict, over the proper procedure by which annual Association budgets and assessments are adopted. The following questions arise: A. R… Read More

Categories: Homeowners' Associations

CAN AN ASSOCIATION AMEND ITS CCRS TO RESTRICT RENTAL OF UNITS?

June 11th, 2014

An issue that frequently arises in Condominium and Single Family Residence (“SFR”) planned communities is whether the rental of the units/homes can be prohibited or restricted. While there are still some unanswered questions regarding this issue… Read More

Categories: Homeowners' Associations