Glossary of HOA Design & Governance Terms

A

Amendment

A formal change to an association's governing documents, such as the CC&Rs or bylaws. Amendments usually require a supermajority vote of the membership and proper recording to take effect.

Approval with Conditions

An architectural decision that grants a request subject to specified changes — for example a different color, added screening, or a revised location. The owner must meet the conditions for the approval to stand.

Architectural Control Committee (ACC)

Another common name for the body that reviews proposed exterior changes against the design standards. Functionally the same as an ARC or Design Review Board.

Architectural Guidelines

The published standards an HOA uses to evaluate exterior changes — covering materials, colors, setbacks, height, landscaping, and more. Also called design guidelines or design standards.

Architectural Review Committee (ARC)

The committee that evaluates homeowner requests for exterior modifications against the community's design guidelines and issues written decisions.

Assessment

A mandatory fee owners pay to fund the association's operations and reserves. Regular assessments are recurring; special assessments are one-time charges for unbudgeted costs.

B

Board of Directors

The elected body that governs the association, sets policy, manages finances, and oversees enforcement. The board often appoints the ARC and hears appeals of its decisions.

Bylaws

The governing document that defines how the association operates internally — elections, meetings, quorum, officer roles, and committee authority.

C

CC&Rs

Covenants, Conditions & Restrictions — the recorded document that establishes what owners can and cannot do with their property, including architectural and use restrictions. The backbone of an HOA's authority.

Common Area

Property owned or managed by the association for shared use by all members — such as roads, clubhouses, pools, and landscaped open space. Called common elements in condominiums.

Covenant

A binding promise recorded against the land that runs with the property and obligates current and future owners. Architectural restrictions are a form of covenant.

D

Declarant

The original developer who creates the community and records the declaration (CC&Rs). The declarant often retains certain control during the build-out period.

Declaration

The foundational recorded document — typically the CC&Rs — that creates the common-interest community and binds all lots within it.

Deed Restriction

A limitation written into a property's deed or recorded covenants that controls how the land may be used or developed. Enforceable against present and future owners.

Defensible Space

A buffer of managed, fire-resistant landscaping around a structure required in wildfire-prone areas. Increasingly relevant to HOA landscaping standards in the West.

Design Review Board

A body, similar to an ARC, that reviews proposed changes for compliance with community design standards — common in larger or master-planned communities.

E

Easement

A recorded right to use a portion of another's property for a specific purpose, such as utilities, drainage, or access. Easements can limit where improvements may be placed.

Elevation

An architectural drawing showing a flat, straight-on view of one side of a structure. Elevations are commonly required in an architectural application to show a proposed change.

Enforcement

The process of ensuring compliance with the governing documents through notices, hearings, fines, or other remedies. Must be applied consistently to remain defensible.

F

Façade

The exterior face of a building, especially the front. Façade standards govern materials, proportions, and detailing visible from the street.

Fenestration

The arrangement and design of windows and doors in a building. Some guidelines regulate window style, trim, and placement to maintain architectural cohesion.

Fine

A monetary penalty levied for a violation of the governing documents, typically after notice and an opportunity to be heard.

G

Governing Documents

The collective set of legal documents that control a community — usually the declaration/CC&Rs, bylaws, articles of incorporation, and adopted rules and guidelines.

Grandfathering

Allowing a pre-existing condition that no longer conforms to current standards to remain, because it was permitted when established. Also called legal nonconforming status.

H

Hardscape

The non-living built elements of a landscape — patios, walkways, walls, driveways, and decks. Often regulated alongside softscape (plantings) in design standards.

L

Limited Common Element

A portion of the common area reserved for the exclusive use of one or a few owners, such as a balcony, patio, or assigned parking space. Common in condominiums.

M

Massing

The overall size, shape, and bulk of a building and how its volumes are composed. Massing standards help keep additions in scale with the neighborhood.

Master Association

An umbrella association that governs a large development containing multiple sub-associations or neighborhoods, often setting overarching design standards.

Modification

Any change to the exterior of a home or lot that requires architectural review — additions, paint, fences, roofing, solar, landscaping, and similar work.

N

Notice of Violation (NOV)

A written notice informing an owner that a condition or action breaches the governing documents, typically stating the violation, the rule, and the cure period.

Nuisance

A use or condition that unreasonably interferes with others' use and enjoyment of their property. Many CC&Rs prohibit nuisances in general terms.

P

Plat

A recorded map dividing land into lots, streets, and easements. The plat establishes property boundaries and setback lines referenced in design review.

Property Manager

A professional or firm engaged by the board to handle day-to-day operations — including processing architectural applications and tracking deadlines. Also called a community manager.

Q

Quorum

The minimum number of members or directors required to be present for a meeting's actions to be valid.

R

Reasonable Restriction

A limitation an HOA may lawfully place on a protected item — such as the placement of solar panels or an EV charger — so long as it does not prohibit the item or materially raise its cost or reduce its function.

Reserve Study

A long-term financial analysis projecting the cost of repairing and replacing major common-area components, used to set reserve funding levels.

Right to Charge

State laws that bar an HOA from unreasonably denying an owner's request to install an EV charging station in their parking space, subject to reasonable conditions.

S

Selective Enforcement

Applying the rules inconsistently — enforcing against some owners but not others in similar situations. A frequent basis for owners to challenge an association's action.

Setback

The minimum required distance between a structure and a property line, street, or other feature. A core constraint in reviewing additions and new structures.

Sightline

The unobstructed line of view from a given point — for example from a street or a neighbor's window. Used to assess privacy and visual impact of a proposed change.

Site Plan

A scaled drawing showing a lot's boundaries, structures, and the location of a proposed improvement relative to setbacks and easements. A standard part of an architectural application.

Softscape

The living elements of a landscape — trees, shrubs, turf, and ground cover. Regulated alongside hardscape, and increasingly subject to state native/drought-plant protections.

Solar Access

Statutory protections that limit an HOA's ability to prohibit solar energy systems, generally allowing only reasonable placement and aesthetic conditions.

Special Assessment

A one-time charge levied on owners to cover an unbudgeted or extraordinary expense, such as a major repair or legal cost.

Streetscape

The combined visual character of a street — building fronts, setbacks, landscaping, and fencing. Design standards aim to keep the streetscape cohesive.

V

Variance

An approved exception to a design standard granted for a specific property due to unique circumstances, without changing the standard itself.

X

Xeriscape

A landscaping approach using drought-tolerant and native plants to minimize water use. Protected from HOA prohibition in a growing number of states.

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Disclaimer: These definitions are a general informational overview compiled June 2026 and are not legal advice. The meaning and application of these terms can vary by community and by state. Consult your governing documents and a licensed community-association attorney for guidance on a specific situation.