Practical Advice Responding to Owners’ Records Requests


— By Theresa Torgesen, Esq. of Sage Community Law, PLLC — A


s our world continues to become increasingly technology-driven, associations have become a repository


of ever-increasing amounts of data. Once upon a time, association records were often limited to a couple of banker’s boxes full of manila folders with budgets, meeting minutes, and financials, but today, associations are grappling with issues involving security footage, thousands of emails, owners’ personal information, and countless other complicated situations.


Community association boards and managers often have questions about how they should respond to owner requests for association records. Which records must be provided? Do we have to search our records to find the documents or information they are requesting? Can we charge for administrative time for research or owner supervision?


The answers to these questions will depend on your association’s governing statute and may depend on your governing documents. The relevant statutes vary, but the


30 Community Associations Journal | January-February 2022


common thread they share is that association records must be made available to owners for review and copying. Boards and managers are not obligated to research or compile records for owners, or to post or email copies of requested records, although that often happens in practice because it is more convenient for those involved, or more recently was the only option while management offices have been closed to the public.


Which records must be provided? Do we have to search our records to find the documents or information they are requesting? Can we charge for administrative time for research?


The intent of the statutes is to provide owners with access to information that affects them or the association in general. Here is a brief overview of each statute:


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