Bill Text: HI HB35 | 2017 | Regular Session | Amended

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Bill Title: Relating To Condominiums.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2017-02-10 - Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on JUD with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Gates, Ing excused (2). [HB35 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2017-HB35-Amended.html

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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.B. NO.	35
TWENTY-NINTH LEGISLATURE, 2017		H.D. 1
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

 

RELATING TO CONDOMINIUMS.

 

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 

PART I

     SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that it is important to have clear and effective rules related to association foreclosures on condominiums, including which actions successfully cure a default.  The legislature further finds that a condominium owner and an association agreeing to a payment plan is not sufficient to cure a default.  Rather, agreeing to a payment plan and paying the delinquency in full is required for a unit owner to cure a nonjudicial foreclosure on a condominium.

     The legislature further finds that existing law requires condominium owners to pay all assessments claimed by an association first, prior to initiating a dispute over assessments.  The legislature additionally finds that preserving this pay first, dispute later provision as it applies to common expense assessments is important.  However, encouraging the use of mediation for all other penalties or fines, late fees, lien filing fees, or other charges in an assessment will be beneficial to condominium owners and associations.

     Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to:

     (1)  Clarify that an association does not have to rescind the notice of default and intention to foreclose or restart the foreclosure by filing a new notice of default and intent to foreclose if a unit owner defaults on a payment plan to cure a nonjudicial foreclosure agreed to by the parties;

     (2)  Specify that if a unit owner and an association have agreed on a payment plan to prevent a nonjudicial foreclosure from proceeding, any association fines imposed while the payment plan is in effect shall not be deemed a default under the payment plan;

     (3)  Clarify the obligations of a unit owner and an association while a unit owner is not otherwise in default under a payment plan;

     (4)  Clarify that the pay first, dispute later provisions in Hawaii's condominium law apply only to common expense assessments claimed by an association of apartment owners;

     (5)  Specify that a unit or apartment owner who disputes the amount of an assessment may request a written statement about the assessment from the association, including that a unit or apartment owner may demand mediation prior to paying contested charges, other than common expense assessments;

     (6)  Specify requirements for mediation on contested charges, except for common expense assessments;

     (7)  Repeal language that permitted associations to convert delinquent fines and late fees into delinquent maintenance fees, if certain conditions were met; and

     (8)  Make conforming amendments.

PART II

     SECTION 2.  Section 667-94, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

     "[[]§667-94[]]  Cure of default.  (a)  If the default is cured as required by the notice of default and intention to foreclose[, or if the parties have agreed on a payment plan], the association shall rescind the notice of default and intention to foreclose.  If, pursuant to section 667-19, the parties agree on a payment plan to cure the default, the notice of default and intention to foreclose shall be put on hold until the payment plan is completed.  Within fourteen days of the date of the cure or an agreement on a payment plan, the association shall so notify any person who was served with the notice of default and intention to foreclose.  If the default is cured, or the payment plan is completed according to its terms, and the notice of default and intention to foreclose was recorded, a release of the notice of default and intention to foreclose shall be recorded.

     (b)  If the default is not cured as required by the notice of default and intention to foreclose, [or] the parties have not agreed on a payment plan, or the parties have agreed on a payment plan but the payment plan is not completed according to its terms, the association, without filing a court action and without going to court, may foreclose the association's lien under power of sale to sell the unit at a public sale.

     (c)  If the parties have agreed on a payment plan to prevent a foreclosure from proceeding, any fines the association imposes on the unit owner while the payment plan is in effect shall not be deemed a default under the payment plan.  As long as the unit owner is not otherwise in default under the payment plan, the:

     (1)  Association shall notify the unit owner in writing of the right to mediation;

     (2)  Fines and any attorneys' fees incurred with respect to such fines shall not be deducted from the unit owner's payments pursuant to the payment plan; and

     (3)  Parties shall attempt to resolve a dispute over fines and attorneys' fees, if any, through mediation, within thirty days of the association's written notice.

If the unit owner refuses to participate in mediation or defaults in the payment plan, or the parties are unable to resolve the dispute through mediation, the association may then commence foreclosure proceedings."

PART III

     SECTION 3.  Section 514A-90, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

     "§514A-90  Priority of lien.  (a)  All sums assessed by the association of apartment owners but unpaid for the share of the common expenses chargeable to any apartment constitute a lien on the apartment prior to all other liens, except:

     (1)  Liens for taxes and assessments lawfully imposed by governmental authority against the apartment; and

     (2)  All sums unpaid on any mortgage of record that was recorded prior to the recordation of notice of a lien by the association of apartment owners, and costs and expenses including attorneys' fees provided in such mortgages;

provided that a lien recorded by an association of apartment owners for unpaid assessments shall expire six years from the date of recordation unless proceedings to enforce the lien are instituted prior to the expiration of the lien; provided further that the expiration of a recorded lien shall in no way affect the association of apartment owners' automatic lien that arises pursuant to this subsection or the declaration or bylaws.  Any proceedings to enforce an association of apartment owners' lien for any assessment shall be instituted within six years after the assessment became due; provided that if the owner of an apartment subject to a lien of the association of apartment owners files a petition for relief under the United States Bankruptcy Code (11 U.S.C. §101 et seq.), the period of time for instituting proceedings to enforce the association of apartment owners' lien shall be tolled until thirty days after the automatic stay of proceedings under section 362 of the United States Bankruptcy Code (11 U.S.C. §362) is lifted.

     The lien of the association of apartment owners may be foreclosed by action or by nonjudicial or power of sale foreclosure procedures set forth in chapter 667, by the managing agent or board of directors, acting on behalf of the association of apartment owners and in the name of the association of apartment owners; provided that no association of apartment owners may exercise the nonjudicial or power of sale remedies provided in chapter 667 to foreclose a lien against any apartment that arises solely from fines, penalties, legal fees, or late fees, and the foreclosure of any such lien shall be filed in court pursuant to part IA of chapter 667.

     In any such foreclosure, the apartment owner shall be required to pay a reasonable rental for the apartment, if so provided in the bylaws or the law, and the plaintiff in the foreclosure shall be entitled to the appointment of a receiver to collect the rental owed by the apartment owner or any tenant of the apartment.  If the association of apartment owners is the plaintiff, it may request that its managing agent be appointed as receiver to collect the rent from the tenant.  The managing agent or board of directors, acting on behalf of the association of apartment owners and in the name of the association of apartment owners, unless prohibited by the declaration, may bid on the apartment at foreclosure sale, and acquire and hold, lease, mortgage, and convey the apartment.  Action to recover a money judgment for unpaid common expenses shall be maintainable without foreclosing or waiving the lien securing the unpaid common expenses owed.

     (b)  Except as provided in subsection [(g),] (j), when the mortgagee of a mortgage of record or other purchaser of an apartment obtains title to the apartment as a result of foreclosure of the mortgage, the acquirer of title and the acquirer's successors and assigns shall not be liable for the share of the common expenses or assessments by the association of apartment owners chargeable to the apartment that became due prior to the acquisition of title to the apartment by the acquirer.  The unpaid share of common expenses or assessments shall be deemed to be common expenses collectible from all of the apartment owners, including the acquirer and the acquirer's successors and assigns.  The mortgagee of record or other purchaser of the apartment shall be deemed to acquire title and shall be required to pay the apartment's share of common expenses and assessments beginning:

     (1)  Thirty-six days after the order confirming the sale to the purchaser has been filed with the court;

     (2)  Sixty days after the hearing at which the court grants the motion to confirm the sale to the purchaser;

     (3)  Thirty days after the public sale in a nonjudicial power of sale foreclosure conducted pursuant to chapter 667; or

     (4)  Upon the recording of the instrument of conveyance,

whichever occurs first; provided that the mortgagee of record or other purchaser of the apartment shall not be deemed to acquire title under paragraph (1), (2), or (3), if transfer of title is delayed past the thirty-six days specified in paragraph (1), the sixty days specified in paragraph (2), or the thirty days specified in paragraph (3), when a person who appears at the hearing on the motion or a party to the foreclosure action requests reconsideration of the motion or order to confirm sale, objects to the form of the proposed order to confirm sale, appeals the decision of the court to grant the motion to confirm sale, or the debtor or mortgagor declares bankruptcy or is involuntarily placed into bankruptcy.  In any such case, the mortgagee of record or other purchaser of the apartment shall be deemed to acquire title upon recordation of the instrument of conveyance.

     (c)  [No apartment owner shall withhold any assessment claimed by the association.] An apartment owner who receives a demand for payment from an association and disputes the amount of an assessment may request a written statement clearly indicating:

     (1)  The amount of common expenses included in the assessment, including the due date of each amount claimed;

     (2)  The amount of any penalty[,] or fine, late fee, lien filing fee, and any other charge included in the assessment[;] that is not imposed on all apartment owners as a common expense; and

     (3)  The amount of attorneys' fees and costs, if any, included in the assessment[;].

     (d)  No apartment owner shall withhold any common expense assessment claimed by the association.  An apartment owner who received a demand for payment from an association and disputes the amount of an assessment may request from the association a written statement that includes the information required to be indicated under subsection (c) and additionally informs the apartment owner that:

    [(4)  That under] (1)  Under Hawaii law, an apartment owner has no right to withhold common expense assessments for any reason;

    [(5)  That an] (2)  An apartment owner has a right to demand mediation or arbitration to resolve disputes about the amount or validity of an association's common expense assessment; provided that the apartment owner immediately pays the common expense assessment in full and keeps common expense assessments current; [and

     (6)  That payment] (3)  Payment in full of the common expense assessment shall not prevent the owner from contesting the common expense assessment or receiving a refund of amounts not owed[.]; and

     (4)  If the apartment owner contests any penalty or fine, late fee, lien filing fee, or other charges included in the assessment, except common expense assessments, the apartment owner may demand mediation as provided in subsection (g) prior to paying those charges.

     (e)  Nothing in this section shall limit the rights of an owner to the protection of all fair debt collection procedures mandated under federal and state law.

     [(d)] (f)  An apartment owner who pays an association the full amount of the common expenses claimed by the association may file in small claims court or require the association to mediate to resolve any disputes concerning the amount or validity of the association's common expense claim.  If the apartment owner and the association are unable to resolve the dispute through mediation, either party may file for arbitration under part VII; provided that an apartment owner may only file for arbitration if all amounts claimed by the association as common expenses are paid in full on or before the date of filing.  If the apartment owner fails to keep all association common expense assessments current during the arbitration, the association may ask the arbitrator to temporarily suspend the arbitration proceedings.  If the apartment owner pays all association common expense assessments within thirty days of the date of suspension, the apartment owner may ask the arbitrator to recommence the arbitration proceedings.  If the owner fails to pay all association common expense assessments by the end of the thirty-day period, the association may ask the arbitrator to dismiss the arbitration proceedings.  The apartment owner shall be entitled to a refund of any amounts paid to the association [which] as common expenses that are not owed.

     (g)  An apartment owner who contests the amount of any legal fees, penalties or fines, late fees, lien filing fees, or any other charges, except common expense assessments, may demand mediation on the validity of those other charges.  If the apartment owner contests any legal fees, penalties or fines, late fees, lien filing fees, or any other charges, except common expenses, the written statement pursuant to subsection (d) shall also state that:

     (1)  The apartment owner has thirty days from the date of the written statement to file demand for mediation on the disputed charges, other than common expense assessments;

     (2)  If the apartment owner fails to file for mediation within thirty days of the date of the written statement, the association may proceed with collection of the other charges;

     (3)  If the apartment owner makes a request for mediation within thirty days, the association shall be prohibited from attempting to collect any of the disputed charges until the association has participated in the mediation; and

     (4)  The mediation shall be completed within sixty days of the apartment owner's request for mediation; provided that if the mediation is not completed within sixty days or the parties are unable to resolve the dispute by mediation, the association may proceed with collection of all amounts due from the owner for legal fees, penalties or fines, late fees, lien filing fees, or any other charge that is not imposed on all apartment owners as a common expense.

     [(e)] (h)  As an alternative to foreclosure proceedings under subsection (a), where an apartment is owner-occupied, the association of apartment owners may authorize its managing agent or board of directors to, after sixty days' written notice to the apartment owner and to the apartment's first mortgagee of the nonpayment of the apartment's share of the common expenses, terminate the delinquent apartment's access to the common elements and cease supplying a delinquent apartment with any and all services normally supplied or paid for by the association of apartment owners.  Any terminated services and privileges shall be restored upon payment of all delinquent assessments.

     [(f)] (i)  Before the board of directors or managing agent may take the actions permitted under subsection [(e),] (h), the board shall adopt a written policy providing for such actions and have the policy approved by a majority vote of the apartment owners at an annual or special meeting of the association or by the written consent of a majority of the apartment owners.

     [(g)] (j)  Subject to this subsection, and subsections [(h)] (k) and [(i),] (l), the board of an association of apartment owners may specially assess the amount of the unpaid regular monthly common assessments for common area expenses against a person who, in a judicial or nonjudicial power of sale foreclosure, purchases a delinquent apartment; provided that:

     (1)  A purchaser who holds a mortgage on a delinquent apartment that was recorded prior to the filing of a notice of lien by the association of apartment owners and who acquires the delinquent apartment through a judicial or nonjudicial foreclosure proceeding, including purchasing the delinquent apartment at a foreclosure auction, shall not be obligated to make, nor be liable for, payment of the special assessment as provided for under this subsection; and

     (2)  A person who subsequently purchases the delinquent apartment from the mortgagee referred to in paragraph (1) shall be obligated to make, and shall be liable for, payment of the special assessment provided for under this subsection; provided that the mortgagee or subsequent purchaser may require the association of apartment owners to provide at no charge a notice of the association's intent to claim a lien against the delinquent apartment for the amount of the special assessment, prior to the subsequent purchaser's acquisition of title to the delinquent apartment.  The notice shall state the amount of the special assessment, how that amount was calculated, and the legal description of the apartment.

     [(h)] (k)  The amount of the special assessment assessed under subsection [(g)] (j) shall not exceed the total amount of unpaid regular monthly common assessments that were assessed during the six months immediately preceding the completion of the judicial or nonjudicial power of sale foreclosure.

     [(i)] (l)  For purposes of subsections [(g)] (j) and [(h),] (k), the following definitions shall apply:

     "Completion" means:

     (1)  In a nonjudicial power of sale foreclosure, when the affidavit after public sale is recorded pursuant to section 667-33; and

     (2)  In a judicial foreclosure, when a purchaser is deemed to acquire title pursuant to subsection (b).

     "Regular monthly common assessments" shall not include:

     (1)  Any other special assessment, except for a special assessment imposed on all apartments as part of a budget adopted pursuant to section 514A-83.6;

     (2)  Late charges, fines, or penalties;

     (3)  Interest assessed by the association of apartment owners;

     (4)  Any lien arising out of the assessment; or

     (5)  Any fees or costs related to the collection or enforcement of the assessment, including attorneys' fees and court costs."

     SECTION 4.  Section 514B-105, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

     "§514B-105  Association; limitations on powers.  (a)  The declaration and bylaws may not impose limitations on the power of the association to deal with the developer which are more restrictive than the limitations imposed on the power of the association to deal with other persons.

     (b)  Unless otherwise permitted by the declaration, bylaws, or this chapter, an association may adopt rules and regulations that affect the use of or behavior in units that may be used for residential purposes only to:

     (1)  Prevent any use of a unit which violates the declaration or bylaws;

     (2)  Regulate any behavior in or occupancy of a unit which violates the declaration or bylaws or unreasonably interferes with the use and enjoyment of other units or the common elements by other unit owners; or

     (3)  Restrict the leasing of residential units to the extent those rules are reasonably designed to meet underwriting requirements of institutional lenders who regularly lend money secured by first mortgages on units in condominiums or regularly purchase those mortgages.

Otherwise, the association may not regulate any use of or behavior in units by means of the rules and regulations.

     [(c)  No association shall deduct and apply portions of common expense payments received from a unit owner to unpaid late fees, legal fees, fines, and interest (other than amounts remitted by a unit in payment of late fees, legal fees, fines, and interest) unless the board adopts and distributes to all owners a policy stating that:

     (1)  Failure to pay late fees, legal fees, fines, and interest may result in the deduction of such late fees, legal fees, fines, and interest from future common expense payments, so long as a delinquency continues to exist; and

     (2)  Late fees may be imposed against any future common expense payment that is less than the full amount owed due to the deduction of unpaid late fees, legal fees, fines, and interest from the payment.

     (d)] (c)  No unit owner who requests legal or other information from the association, the board, the managing agent, or their employees or agents, shall be charged for the reasonable cost of providing the information unless the association notifies the unit owner that it intends to charge the unit owner for the reasonable cost.  The association shall notify the unit owner in writing at least ten days prior to incurring the reasonable cost of providing the information, except that no prior notice shall be required to assess the reasonable cost of providing information on delinquent assessments or in connection with proceedings to enforce the law or the association's governing documents.

     After being notified of the reasonable cost of providing the information, the unit owner may withdraw the request, in writing.  A unit owner who withdraws a request for information shall not be charged for the reasonable cost of providing the information.

     [(e)] (d)  Subject to any approval requirements and spending limits contained in the declaration or bylaws, the association may authorize the board to borrow money for the repair, replacement, maintenance, operation, or administration of the common elements and personal property of the project, or the making of any additions, alterations, and improvements thereto; provided that written notice of the purpose and use of the funds is first sent to all unit owners and owners representing fifty per cent of the common interest vote or give written consent to the borrowing.  In connection with the borrowing, the board may grant to the lender the right to assess and collect monthly or special assessments from the unit owners and to enforce the payment of the assessments or other sums by statutory lien and foreclosure proceedings.  The cost of the borrowing, including, without limitation, all principal, interest, commitment fees, and other expenses payable with respect to the borrowing or the enforcement of the obligations under the borrowing, shall be a common expense of the project.  For purposes of this section, the financing of insurance premiums by the association within the policy period shall not be deemed a loan and no lease shall be deemed a loan if it provides that at the end of the lease the association may purchase the leased equipment for its fair market value."

     SECTION 5.  Section 514B-146, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

     "§514B-146  Association fiscal matters; lien for assessments.  (a)  All sums assessed by the association but unpaid for the share of the common expenses chargeable to any unit shall constitute a lien on the unit with priority over all other liens, except:

     (1)  Liens for real property taxes and assessments lawfully imposed by governmental authority against the unit; and

     (2)  Except as provided in subsection [(g),] (j), all sums unpaid on any mortgage of record that was recorded prior to the recordation of a notice of a lien by the association, and costs and expenses including attorneys' fees provided in such mortgages;

provided that a lien recorded by an association for unpaid assessments shall expire six years from the date of recordation unless proceedings to enforce the lien are instituted prior to the expiration of the lien; provided further that the expiration of a recorded lien shall in no way affect the association's automatic lien that arises pursuant to this subsection or the declaration or bylaws.  Any proceedings to enforce an association's lien for any assessment shall be instituted within six years after the assessment became due; provided that if the owner of a unit subject to a lien of the association files a petition for relief under the United States Bankruptcy Code (11 U.S.C. §101 et seq.), the period of time for instituting proceedings to enforce the association's lien shall be tolled until thirty days after the automatic stay of proceedings under section 362 of the United States Bankruptcy Code (11 U.S.C. §362) is lifted.

     The lien of the association may be foreclosed by action or by nonjudicial or power of sale foreclosure procedures set forth in chapter 667, by the managing agent or board, acting on behalf of the association and in the name of the association; provided that no association may exercise the nonjudicial or power of sale remedies provided in chapter 667 to foreclose a lien against any unit that arises solely from fines, penalties, legal fees, or late fees, and the foreclosure of any such lien shall be filed in court pursuant to part IA of chapter 667.

     In any such foreclosure, the unit owner shall be required to pay a reasonable rental for the unit, if so provided in the bylaws or the law, and the plaintiff in the foreclosure shall be entitled to the appointment of a receiver to collect the rental owed by the unit owner or any tenant of the unit.  If the association is the plaintiff, it may request that its managing agent be appointed as receiver to collect the rent from the tenant.  The managing agent or board, acting on behalf of the association and in the name of the association, unless prohibited by the declaration, may bid on the unit at foreclosure sale, and acquire and hold, lease, mortgage, and convey the unit.  Action to recover a money judgment for unpaid common expenses shall be maintainable without foreclosing or waiving the lien securing the unpaid common expenses owed.

     (b)  Except as provided in subsection [(g),] (j), when the mortgagee of a mortgage of record or other purchaser of a unit obtains title to the unit as a result of foreclosure of the mortgage, the acquirer of title and the acquirer's successors and assigns shall not be liable for the share of the common expenses or assessments by the association chargeable to the unit that became due prior to the acquisition of title to the unit by the acquirer.  The unpaid share of common expenses or assessments shall be deemed to be common expenses collectible from all of the unit owners, including the acquirer and the acquirer's successors and assigns.  The mortgagee of record or other purchaser of the unit shall be deemed to acquire title and shall be required to pay the unit's share of common expenses and assessments beginning:

     (1)  Thirty-six days after the order confirming the sale to the purchaser has been filed with the court;

     (2)  Sixty days after the hearing at which the court grants the motion to confirm the sale to the purchaser;

     (3)  Thirty days after the public sale in a nonjudicial power of sale foreclosure conducted pursuant to chapter 667; or

     (4)  Upon the recording of the instrument of conveyance;

whichever occurs first; provided that the mortgagee of record or other purchaser of the unit shall not be deemed to acquire title under paragraph (1), (2), or (3), if transfer of title is delayed past the thirty-six days specified in paragraph (1), the sixty days specified in paragraph (2), or the thirty days specified in paragraph (3), when a person who appears at the hearing on the motion or a party to the foreclosure action requests reconsideration of the motion or order to confirm sale, objects to the form of the proposed order to confirm sale, appeals the decision of the court to grant the motion to confirm sale, or the debtor or mortgagor declares bankruptcy or is involuntarily placed into bankruptcy.  In any such case, the mortgagee of record or other purchaser of the unit shall be deemed to acquire title upon recordation of the instrument of conveyance.

     (c)  [No unit owner shall withhold any assessment claimed by the association.]  A unit owner who received a demand for payment from an association and disputes the amount of an assessment may request a written statement clearly indicating:

     (1)  The amount of common expenses included in the assessment, including the due date of each amount claimed;

     (2)  The amount of any penalty[,] or fine, late fee, lien filing fee, and any other charge included in the assessment[;] that is not imposed on all unit owners as a common expense; and

     (3)  The amount of attorneys' fees and costs, if any, included in the assessment[;].

     (d)  No unit owner shall withhold any common expense assessment claimed by the association.  A unit owner who received a demand for payment from an association and disputes the amount of an assessment may request from the association a written statement that includes the information required to be indicated under subsection (c) and additionally informs the unit owner that:

    [(4)  That under] (1)  Under Hawaii law, a unit owner has no right to withhold common expense assessments for any reason;

    [(5)  That a] (2)  A unit owner has a right to demand mediation or arbitration to resolve disputes about the amount or validity of an association's common expense assessment[,]; provided that the unit owner immediately pays the common expense assessment in full and keeps common expense assessments current; [and

     (6)  That payment] (3)  Payment in full of the common expense assessment [does] shall not prevent the owner from contesting the common expense assessment or receiving a refund of amounts not owed[.]; and

     (4)  If the unit owner contests any penalty or fine, late fee, lien filing fee, or other charges included in the assessment, except common expense assessments, the unit owner may demand mediation as provided in subsection (g) prior to paying those charges.

     (e)  Nothing in this section shall limit the rights of an owner to the protection of all fair debt collection procedures mandated under federal and state law.

     [(d)] (f)  A unit owner who pays an association the full amount of the common expenses claimed by the association may file in small claims court or require the association to mediate to resolve any disputes concerning the amount or validity of the association's common expense claim.  If the unit owner and the association are unable to resolve the dispute through mediation, either party may file for arbitration under section 514B‑162; provided that a unit owner may only file for arbitration if all amounts claimed by the association as common expenses are paid in full on or before the date of filing.  If the unit owner fails to keep all association common expense assessments current during the arbitration, the association may ask the arbitrator to temporarily suspend the arbitration proceedings.  If the unit owner pays all association common expense assessments within thirty days of the date of suspension, the unit owner may ask the arbitrator to recommence the arbitration proceedings.  If the owner fails to pay all association common expense assessments by the end of the thirty-day period, the association may ask the arbitrator to dismiss the arbitration proceedings.  The unit owner shall be entitled to a refund of any amounts paid as common expenses to the association [which] that are not owed.

     (g)  A unit owner who contests the amount of any legal fees, penalties or fines, late fees, lien filing fees, or any other charges, except common expense assessments, may demand mediation on the validity of those other charges.  If the unit owner contests any legal fees, penalties or fines, late fees, lien filing fees, or any other charges, except common expenses, the written statement pursuant to subsection (d) shall also state that:

     (1)  The unit owner has thirty days from the date of the written statement to file demand for mediation on the disputed charges, other than common expense assessments;

     (2)  If the unit owner fails to file for mediation within thirty days of the date of the written statement, the association may proceed with collection of the other charges;

     (3)  If the unit owner makes a request for mediation within thirty days, the association shall be prohibited from attempting to collect any of the disputed charges until the association has participated in the mediation; and

     (4)  The mediation shall be completed within sixty days of the unit owner's request for mediation; provided that if the mediation is not completed within sixty days or the parties are unable to resolve the dispute by mediation, the association may proceed with collection of all amounts due from the owner for legal fees, penalties or fines, late fees, lien filing fees, or any other charge that is not imposed on all unit owners as a common expense.

     [(e)] (h)  In conjunction with or as an alternative to foreclosure proceedings under subsection (a), where a unit is owner-occupied, the association may authorize its managing agent or board to, after sixty days' written notice to the unit owner and to the unit's first mortgagee of the nonpayment of the unit's share of the common expenses, terminate the delinquent unit's access to the common elements and cease supplying a delinquent unit with any and all services normally supplied or paid for by the association.  Any terminated services and privileges shall be restored upon payment of all delinquent assessments but need not be restored until payment in full is received.

     [(f)] (i)  Before the board or managing agent may take the actions permitted under subsection [(e),] (h), the board shall adopt a written policy providing for such actions and have the policy approved by a majority vote of the unit owners at an annual or special meeting of the association or by the written consent of a majority of the unit owners.

     [(g)] (j)  Subject to this subsection, and subsections [(h)] (k) and [(i),] (l), the board may specially assess the amount of the unpaid regular monthly common assessments for common expenses against a mortgagee or other purchaser who, in a judicial or nonjudicial power of sale foreclosure, purchases a delinquent unit; provided that the mortgagee or other purchaser may require the association to provide at no charge a notice of the association's intent to claim lien against the delinquent unit for the amount of the special assessment, prior to the subsequent purchaser's acquisition of title to the delinquent unit.  The notice shall state the amount of the special assessment, how that amount was calculated, and the legal description of the unit.

     [(h)] (k)  The amount of the special assessment assessed under subsection [(g)] (j) shall not exceed the total amount of unpaid regular monthly common assessments that were assessed during the six months immediately preceding the completion of the judicial or nonjudicial power of sale foreclosure.

     [(i)] (l)  For purposes of subsections [(g)] (j) and [(h),] (k), the following definitions shall apply, unless the context requires otherwise:

     "Completion" means:

     (1)  In a nonjudicial power of sale foreclosure, when the affidavit after public sale is recorded pursuant to section 667-33; and

     (2)  In a judicial foreclosure, when a purchaser is deemed to acquire title pursuant to subsection (b).

     "Regular monthly common assessments" does not include:

     (1)  Any other special assessment, except for a special assessment imposed on all units as part of a budget adopted pursuant to section 514B‑148;

     (2)  Late charges, fines, or penalties;

     (3)  Interest assessed by the association;

     (4)  Any lien arising out of the assessment; or

     (5)  Any fees or costs related to the collection or enforcement of the assessment, including attorneys' fees and court costs.

     [(j)] (m)  The cost of a release of any lien filed pursuant to this section shall be paid by the party requesting the release.

     [(k)] (n)  After any judicial or nonjudicial foreclosure proceeding in which the association acquires title to the unit, any excess rental income received by the association from the unit shall be paid to existing lien holders based on the priority of lien, and not on a pro rata basis, and shall be applied to the benefit of the unit owner.  For purposes of this subsection, excess rental income shall be any net income received by the association after a court has issued a final judgment determining the priority of a senior mortgagee and after paying, crediting, or reimbursing the association or a third party for:

     (1)  The lien for delinquent assessments pursuant to subsections (a) and (b);

     (2)  Any maintenance fee delinquency against the unit;

     (3)  Attorney's fees and other collection costs related to the association's foreclosure of the unit; or

     (4)  Any costs incurred by the association for the rental, repair, maintenance, or rehabilitation of the unit while the association is in possession of the unit including monthly association maintenance fees, management fees, real estate commissions, cleaning and repair expenses for the unit, and general excise taxes paid on rental income;

provided that the lien for delinquent assessments under paragraph (1) shall be paid, credited, or reimbursed first."

     SECTION 6.  Section 514A-15.1, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is repealed.

     ["[§514A-15.1]  Common expenses; prior late charges.  No association of apartment owners shall deduct and apply portions of common expense payments received from an apartment owner to unpaid late fees (other than amounts remitted by an apartment owner in payment of late fees) unless it delivers or mails a written notice to such apartment owner, at least seven days prior to the first such deduction, which states that:

     (1)  Failure to pay late fees will result in the deduction of late fees from future common expense payments, so long as a delinquency continues to exist.

     (2)  Late fees shall be imposed against any future common expense payment which is less than the full amount owed due to the deduction of unpaid late fees from such payment."]

PART IV

     SECTION 7.  Section 514A-121, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (b) to read as follows:

     "(b)  Nothing in subsection (a) shall be interpreted to mandate the arbitration of any dispute involving:

     (1)  The real estate commission;

     (2)  The mortgagee of a mortgage of record;

     (3)  The developer, general contractor, subcontractors, or design professionals for the project; provided that when any person exempted by this paragraph is also an apartment owner, a director, or managing agent, such person shall, in those capacities, be subject to the provisions of subsection (a);

     (4)  Actions seeking equitable relief involving threatened property damage or the health or safety of apartment owners or any other person;

     (5)  Actions to collect assessments that are liens or subject to foreclosure; provided that an apartment owner who pays the full amount of an assessment and fulfills the requirements of section [514A-90(d)] 514A-90(f) shall have the right to demand arbitration of the owner's dispute, including a dispute about the amount and validity of the assessment;

     (6)  Personal injury claims;

     (7)  Actions for amounts in excess of $2,500 against an association of apartment owners, a board of directors, or one or more directors, officers, agents, employees, or other persons, if insurance coverage under a policy or policies procured by the association of apartment owners or its board of directors would be unavailable because action by arbitration was pursued; or

     (8)  Any other cases which are determined, as provided in section 514A-122, to be unsuitable for disposition by arbitration."

     SECTION 8.  Section 514B-104, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (a) to read as follows:

     "(a)  Except as provided in section 514B‑105, and subject to the provisions of the declaration and bylaws, the association, even if unincorporated, may:

     (1)  Adopt and amend the declaration, bylaws, and rules and regulations;

     (2)  Adopt and amend budgets for revenues, expenditures, and reserves and collect assessments for common expenses from unit owners, subject to section 514B‑148;

     (3)  Hire and discharge managing agents and other independent contractors, agents, and employees;

     (4)  Institute, defend, or intervene in litigation or administrative proceedings in its own name on behalf of itself or two or more unit owners on matters affecting the condominium.  For the purposes of actions under chapter 480, associations shall be deemed to be "consumers";

     (5)  Make contracts and incur liabilities;

     (6)  Regulate the use, maintenance, repair, replacement, and modification of common elements;

     (7)  Cause additional improvements to be made as a part of the common elements;

     (8)  Acquire, hold, encumber, and convey in its own name any right, title, or interest to real or personal property; provided that:

         (A)  Designation of additional areas to be common elements or subject to common expenses after the initial filing of the declaration or bylaws shall require the approval of at least sixty-seven per cent of the unit owners;

         (B)  If the developer discloses to the initial buyer in writing that additional areas will be designated as common elements whether pursuant to an incremental or phased project or otherwise, the requirements of this paragraph shall not apply as to those additional areas; and

         (C)  The requirements of this paragraph shall not apply to the purchase of a unit for a resident manager, which may be purchased with the approval of the board;

     (9)  Subject to section 514B‑38, grant easements, leases, licenses, and concessions through or over the common elements and permit encroachments on the common elements;

    (10)  Impose and receive any payments, fees, or charges for the use, rental, or operation of the common elements, other than limited common elements described in section 514B‑35(2) and (4), and for services provided to unit owners;

    (11)  Impose charges and penalties, including late fees and interest, for late payment of assessments and levy reasonable fines for violations of the declaration, bylaws, rules, and regulations of the association, either in accordance with the bylaws or, if the bylaws are silent, pursuant to a resolution adopted by the board that establishes a fining procedure that states the basis for the fine and allows an appeal to the board of the fine with notice and an opportunity to be heard and providing that if the fine is paid, the unit owner shall have the right to initiate a dispute resolution process as provided by sections 514B-161, 514B-162, or by filing a request for an administrative hearing under a pilot program administered by the department of commerce and consumer affairs;

    (12)  Impose reasonable charges for the preparation and recordation of amendments to the declaration, documents requested for resale of units, or statements of unpaid assessments;

    (13)  Provide for cumulative voting through a provision in the bylaws;

    (14)  Provide for the indemnification of its officers, board, committee members, and agents, and maintain directors' and officers' liability insurance;

    (15)  Assign its right to future income, including the right to receive common expense assessments, but only to the extent section [514B‑105(e)] 514B-105(d) expressly so provides;

    (16)  Exercise any other powers conferred by the declaration or bylaws;

    (17)  Exercise all other powers that may be exercised in this State by legal entities of the same type as the association, except to the extent inconsistent with this chapter;

    (18)  Exercise any other powers necessary and proper for the governance and operation of the association; and

    (19)  By regulation, subject to sections 514B‑146, 514B‑161, and 514B‑162, require that disputes between the board and unit owners or between two or more unit owners regarding the condominium be submitted to nonbinding alternative dispute resolution in the manner described in the regulation as a prerequisite to commencement of a judicial proceeding."

     SECTION 9.  Section 514B-154, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (a) to read as follows:

     "(a)  The association's most current financial statement shall be provided to any interested unit owner at no cost or on twenty-four-hour loan, at a convenient location designated by the board.  The meeting minutes of the board of directors, once approved, for the current and prior year shall either:

     (1)  Be available for examination by apartment owners at no cost or on twenty-four-hour loan at a convenient location at the project, to be determined by the board of directors; or

     (2)  Be transmitted to any apartment owner making a request for the minutes, by the board of directors, the managing agent, or the association's representative, within fifteen days of receipt of the request; provided that the minutes shall be transmitted by mail, electronic mail transmission, or facsimile, by the means indicated by the owner, if the owner indicated a preference at the time of the request; and provided further that the owner shall pay a reasonable fee for administrative costs associated with handling the request.

Costs incurred by apartment owners pursuant to this subsection shall be subject to section [514B‑105(d).] 514B-105(c)."

     SECTION 10.  Section 514B-154.5, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsections (a) and (b) to read as follows:

     "(a)  Notwithstanding any other provision in the declaration, bylaws, or house rules, if any, the following documents, records, and information, whether maintained, kept, or required to be provided pursuant to this section or section 514B-152, 514B-153, or 514B-154, shall be made available to any unit owner and the owner's authorized agents by the managing agent, resident manager, board through a board member, or the association's representative:

     (1)  All financial and other records sufficiently detailed in order to comply with requests for information and disclosures related to the resale of units;

     (2)  An accurate copy of the declaration, bylaws, house rules, if any, master lease, if any, a sample original conveyance document, and all public reports and any amendments thereto;

     (3)  Detailed, accurate records in chronological order of the receipts and expenditures affecting the common elements, specifying and itemizing the maintenance and repair expenses of the common elements and any other expenses incurred and monthly statements indicating the total current delinquent dollar amount of any unpaid assessments for common expenses;

     (4)  All records and the vouchers authorizing the payments and statements kept and maintained at the address of the project, or elsewhere within the State as determined by the board, subject to section 514B-152;

     (5)  All signed and executed agreements for managing the operation of the property, expressing the agreement of all parties, including but not limited to financial and accounting obligations, services provided, and any compensation arrangements, including any subsequent amendments;

     (6)  An accurate and current list of members of the condominium association and the members' current addresses and the names and addresses of the vendees under an agreement of sale, if any.  A copy of the list shall be available, at cost, to any unit owner or owner's authorized agent who furnishes to the managing agent, resident manager, or the board a duly executed and acknowledged affidavit stating that the list:

         (A)  Shall be used by the unit owner or owner's authorized agent personally and only for the purpose of soliciting votes or proxies or for providing information to other unit owners with respect to association matters; and

         (B)  Shall not be used by the unit owner or owner's authorized agent or furnished to anyone else for any other purpose;

     (7)  The association's most current financial statement, at no cost or on twenty-four-hour loan, at a convenient location designated by the board;

     (8)  Meeting minutes of the association, pursuant to section 514B-122;

     (9)  Meeting minutes of the board, pursuant to section 514B-126, which shall be:

         (A)  Available for examination by unit owners or owners' authorized agents at no cost or on twenty-four-hour loan at a convenient location at the project, to be determined by the board; or

         (B)  Transmitted to any unit owner or owner's authorized agent making a request for the minutes within fifteen days of receipt of the request by the owner or owner's authorized agent; provided that:

              (i)  The minutes shall be transmitted by mail, electronic mail transmission, or facsimile, by the means indicated by the owner or owner's authorized agent, if the owner or owner's authorized agent indicated a preference at the time of the request; and

             (ii)  The owner or owner's authorized agent shall pay a reasonable fee for administrative costs associated with handling the request, subject to section [514B-105(d);] 514B-105(c);

    (10)  Financial statements, general ledgers, the accounts receivable ledger, accounts payable ledgers, check ledgers, insurance policies, contracts, and invoices of the association for the duration those records are kept by the association, and any documents regarding delinquencies of ninety days or more shall be available for examination by unit owners or owners' authorized agents at convenient hours at a place designated by the board; provided that:

         (A)  The board may require unit owners or owners' authorized agents to furnish to the association a duly executed and acknowledged affidavit stating that the information is requested in good faith for the protection of the interests of the association, its members, or both; and

         (B)  Unit owners or owners' authorized agents shall pay for administrative costs in excess of eight hours per year;

    (11)  Proxies, tally sheets, ballots, unit owners' check-in lists, and the certificate of election subject to section 514B-154(c);

    (12)  Copies of an association's documents, records, and information, whether maintained, kept, or required to be provided pursuant to this section or section 514B‑152, 514B-153, or 514B-154;

    (13)  A copy of the management contract from the entity that manages the operation of the property before the organization of an association; and

    (14)  Other documents requested by a unit owner or owner's authorized agent in writing; provided that the board shall give written authorization or written refusal with an explanation of the refusal within thirty calendar days of receipt of a request for documents pursuant to this paragraph.

     (b)  Subject to section [514B-105(d),] 514B-105(c), copies of the items in subsection (a) shall be provided to any unit owner or owner's authorized agent upon the owner's or owner's authorized agent's request; provided that the owner or owner's authorized agent pays a reasonable fee for duplication, postage, stationery, and other administrative costs associated with handling the request."

PART V

     SECTION 11.  Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken.  New statutory material is underscored.

     SECTION 12.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2112.

 

Report Title:

Condominiums; Condominium Property Regimes; Association of Apartment Owners; Condominium Owners; Cure of Default; Disputed Charges; Mediation; Common Expense Assessments

 

Description:

Clarifies that when a unit owner and association reach a payment plan to cure a nonjudicial foreclosure, completion of the payment plan is required to cure the default.  Specifies that if a unit owner and an association have agreed on a payment plan to prevent a nonjudicial foreclosure from proceeding, any association fines imposed while the payment plan is in effect shall not be deemed a default under the payment plan.  Clarifies the obligations of a unit owner and an association while a unit owner is not otherwise in default under a payment plan.  Clarifies that the pay first, dispute later provisions in Hawaii's condominium law apply only to common expense assessments claimed by an association of apartment owners.  Specifies that a unit or apartment owner who disputes the amount of an assessment may request a written statement about the assessment from the association, including that a unit or apartment owner may demand mediation prior to paying contested charges, other than common expense assessments.  Specifies requirements for mediation on contested charges, except for common expense assessments.  Repeals provisions addressing the application of common expense payments and delinquent fees.  (HB35 HD1)

 

 

 

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.