Definitions

• Articles (Articles of Incorporation) are typically short documents that set the name of the HOA ("Saddlebrook Association, Inc."), assert that it is a nonprofit mutual-benefit corporation and identify its initial agent, the individual authorized to receive legal notices on the HOA's behalf. The corporation has since been transferred to us.

• CC&Rs (The Declaration of Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions, aka "Covenants" for short) set out the rules of the HOA community. They describe the requirements and limitations of what you can do with your property. The goal of the CC&Rs is to protect, preserve, and enhance property values in the community.

• By-laws describe how the association is run, set out voting rights and procedures, and contain rules for such things as how to call a meeting and how often meetings must be held. The bylaws might also describe the association's rights and responsibilities.

• HOA (Homeowners Association, oftentimes referred to as simply the “Association” in the documents) is comprised of–and run by–the community's residents. Membership in an HOA is usually a requirement to buy a home within a community where an HOA has been established. An HOA usually has a board of directors or governors that are elected to enforce and oversee the HOA's rules and regulations.