HOA rules in Massachusetts

Massachusetts splits condominiums and ordinary homeowners' associations. If you own a condominium unit submitted by master deed to G.L. c. 183A, that chapter is the main overlay for assessments, liens, and association powers. There is no Florida-style statewide HOA act for ordinary deed-restricted subdivisions; those communities generally run on their recorded covenants and bylaws plus nonprofit corporate law if incorporated. Confirm which regime covers your community, then confirm the current General Court text and your recorded documents. This page is general information, not legal advice. Statutes and documents change.

Under c. 183A § 10(b)(5), the organization of unit owners may levy reasonable fines for violations of the master deed, trust, bylaws, restrictions, rules, or regulations. The retrieved text does not set a statutory dollar fine cap or a numbered hearing-day count. Do not invent either. Fines and related collection costs may be assessed as liens under § 6.

A condominium association has a lien on a unit for common expense assessments from the time they become due. Recording the master deed perfects the lien; no further claim of lien is required (§ 6(c)). After at least sixty days' delinquency, the association must send certified-and-first-class notice to the unit owner (and to a first mortgagee that has given its address). The lien is generally junior to a first mortgage recorded before delinquency, but has limited priority for up to six months of budgeted common expense assessments (plus costs and reasonable attorneys' fees in many cases), not including special assessments, late charges, fines, penalties, or interest. An unpaid-assessment statement must be furnished within ten business days of written request (§ 6(d)).

For a traditional non-condo HOA, fine, hearing, lien, and records rules come from the covenants and corporate law — do not invent a statewide HOA hearing-day count. Massachusetts has no statewide HOA or condominium ombudsman on this page.

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.