The two primary governing documents for the HOA are the Bylaws and the Codes, Covenants, and Restrictions (CCRs).
In Arizona, Homeowner’s Associations operate similarly to non-profit corporations. As is the case with corporations, the Bylaws define voting rights, required meetings, roles and responsibility of the Board of Directors, and how the members of that board are selected.
Homeowners in the HOA are analogous to shareholders in a corporation. And just like in corporations, it is the duty of the board of directors to protect the value of the shareholder/homeowner investment. While it’s common to see the Board as the “enforcers” of the CC&Rs, their main job is to anticipate and plan for the operational needs of the community. That includes budgeting for short-term operating cash flows as well as allocating reserves to handle long-term capital expenses relating to the maintenance and/or replacement of community assets like amenities and infrastructure.
The Codes, Covenances and Restrictions (CC&Rs) document the “rules” the community members agree to follow in order to protect the value of the properties within the community and to preserve/improve the quality of life for all homeowners.
Compared to some HOAs, the CC&Rs for Starr Ridge are pretty benign. Most of what’s in there could be considered common sense, but it has to be put in writing to be enforceable. Occasionally, the CC&Rs will limit the freedom of an individual homeowner for the betterment of the community. It can be frustrating if that homeowner is you, but please try to remember that it’s impossible to protect everyone and give everyone complete freedom at the same time. Should you encounter a rule that you feel is fundamentally unfair and not in the best interest of the community, bring it up to the board to see if it can be ammended or removed.