Can they fine me for something that isn't in the CC&Rs?
Usually no — they cannot fine you for a preference that exists only in someone's head. The association needs a written hook: a covenant in the CC&Rs, a bylaw, or a rule that was actually adopted the way the documents require. "We don't like the color" is not a rule. That said, not every enforceable item lives in the recorded declaration. Many CC&Rs let the board adopt day-to-day rules for parking, trash, and amenities.
How it usually works. There is a hierarchy. Federal and state law sit at the top. Then the recorded declaration (CC&Rs). Then bylaws. Then rules and architectural guidelines. A rule can fill in details if the declaration gives the board that job. A rule cannot cancel a right the CC&Rs plainly give you. Boards still try. They post a new parking policy in a newsletter and start fining next week. Sometimes the documents allow that if they followed notice and adoption steps. Sometimes they skipped the vote, skipped notice, or never put the rule in the book they give owners. At a hearing, "please show me the adopted rule and the date it was adopted" is a fair, boring, effective question.
What actually controls this. Your packet: CC&Rs, bylaws, current rules, architectural guidelines, and any recorded amendments. Then the notice. Then state law on how rules must be adopted and distributed. California, as an example, has detailed Davis-Stirling rules about operating rules and notice. Other states leave more of this to the declaration. There is no national list of "unwritten rules are void." What is common everywhere is simpler: if they cannot point to a provision, they are on weak ground, and you should say so in writing.
What you can do today.
- Search the CC&Rs, bylaws, and rules for the words on your notice. Quote what you find, or say you found nothing.
- Ask in writing for the exact provision, the adoption date, and any owner-notice of that rule.
- Request a hearing. Bring the table of contents if the cited section does not exist.
- Do not ignore a safety or access issue just because the citation looks sloppy. Fix genuine hazards; still dispute a bad citation.
- Keep paying regular dues.
When this is bigger than DIY. If they are demanding you tear out a structure, stacking daily fines, or recording a lien over a "rule" you cannot find, talk to a lawyer licensed in your state. Same if the fight is really about a disability modification or another fair-housing issue.
This is general information from an AI helper, not legal advice. Confirm it against your documents and your state’s law. If a deadline or hearing is coming up, talk to a licensed lawyer.