New Website for Transparent HOA Info

The Texas Real Estate Commission has launched a website dedicated to helping real estate consumers find more information about homeowners associations: hoa.texas.gov. The website is the result of HOA-reform legislation (Senate Bill 1588) passed by the 87th Texas Legislature in 2021. Texas REALTORS® strongly supported the bill to provide real estate consumers more transparency with homeowners associations.

What is Required

HOAs must file with the county or counties in which they are located certain information on a management certificate. Now they must also file these certificates—and any amendments to them—with the Texas Real Estate Commission. SB 1588 also expanded the information that is required to be included on each management certificate. The newly required information includes:

• Any amendments to the HOA’s declaration
• A phone number and email address for the person designated as the HOA’s point of contact
• The HOA’s website, if applicable
• The amount and description of a fee or fees charged by the association relating to a property transfer in the subdivision.

How HOAs Can Use the Website

Homeowners associations will create an account on hoa.texas.gov and then upload their management certificate documents. There is no cost charged to HOAs for this service. 

When the HOA must file its management certificate or amended management certificate with TREC depends on when the homeowners association filed its certificate with the county clerk in the county of record where the HOA is located.

• An HOA that has filed a management certificate or amended management certificate with the county clerk after December 1, 2021 has seven days to file with TREC.
• HOAs that filed a management certificate or amended management certificate with the county clerk on or before December 1, 2021 have until June 1, 2022 to file with TREC. 

How Consumers Can Use the Website

Anyone can search hoa.texas.gov by name, city, county, or ZIP code and view the management certificates that have been uploaded.

Source: Texas REALTORS®