Who holds the basic authority in a community association?

• A. Developers
• B. Owners
• C. Board of Directors
• D. Governing Documents

Answer: (B)

Ownership and membership give the basic authority. In a community association, the people who own units are the members who hold the ultimate say. They elect the Board of Directors to run the association’s day-to-day operations and to make decisions on major matters such as the annual budget, changes to the governing documents, and leadership leadership through elections or removals. The Board acts as the governing body on behalf of the owners, but its authority comes from the owners themselves and the framework established in the governing documents. Developers may have control during the development phase, but once ownership transfers to the community, the owners hold the real, lasting authority.