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NicoleW4 (Georgia)
Posts: 41
Posted:
I have got several interpretations of this Article.

If there are 3 homeowners is Class A, is there 1 vote or 3 allowed?
see ((( )))) below...

ARTICLE III

MEMBERSHIP AND VOTING RIGHTS IN THE ASSOCIATION
Section 1. Membership. The membership of the Association shall
consist of (a) every record Owner, whether it be one or more persons, of
fee simple title to any real property situated within the Properties
excluding, however, the Association and those persons having such
interest merely as security for the performance of an obligation, and
(b) the Declarant subject to the following provisions of this Article
III. Membership shall be appurtenant to and may not be separated from
ownership of such real property, which ownership shall be the sole
qualification for membership.

Section 2. Voting Rights. Subject to the following provisions of
this Section 2, the Association shall have two classes of voting member-
ship: Class "A" and Class "B".
CLASS "A": Class "A" Members shall be all those Owners of
Single Family Plots, Condominium Units, and Apartment Plots with
the exception of the Declarant (except as set forth under Class "B"
membership provisions below). A Class "A" Member shall be entitled to one vote for each Single Family Plot, Condominium Unit, and Apartment Unit which he owns.
CLASS "B": The Class "B" Member shall be the Declarant. The Class "B" member shall be entitled to three votes for each Single Family Plot, Condominium Unit, and Apartment Unit which it owns. The Class "B" membership shall cease and be converted to Class"A" membership upon the first of the following events to occur: (a) when the total votes outstanding in the Class "A" membership equal the total votes outstanding in the Class "B" membership unless (1) the Declarant at that time has the right to annex additional
property pursuant to Article II, Section 2(a), of the Declaration sufficient in quantity that, if annexed, the votes of the Class "B" member would exceed those of the Class "A" members, and (ii) the Declarant evidences its intent to exercise such right within a reasonable time thereafter by filing with the Association and the Veterans Administration an affidavit to that effect, (b) abolishment by the Declarant of its Class "B" membership evidenced by written notice thereof delivered to the Association, or (c) December 31, 2003.
The aggregate vote of all Members cast in respect of Apartment
Units shall not exceed forty-nine percent (49%) of the total vote
cast on any matter pending before the Association, and the votes
allocated to Apartment Units owned by Class "A" Members and Class
"B" Members as provided above shall be reduced pro-rata to the
extent necessary to comply with this limitation.
{(((When any property entitling the Owner to membership as a Class "A"
member of the Association is owned of record by other than a single
natural person, the person entitled to cast the vote for such property
shall be designated by a certificate signed by the record owner or
owners of such property and filed with the Secretary of the Association.)))---this statement leads to my question above. I know some homes that have mulitple homeowners cast a ballot while others cast one. I have never know anyone to designate by a certificate. Should we be doing this and only giving ballots to the one desigated votee? Or is Owner refering to the original developer?} Each such certificate shall be valid until revoked, superseded by a subsequent certificate or a change occurs in the ownership of such
property. The votes of the Members shall be cast under such rules and proce-
dures as may be prescribed in this Declaration or in the ByLaws of the
Association, as amended from time to time, or by law

thank you for any insight you can provide!
JohnC46 (South Carolina)
Posts: 14,265
Posted:


A Class "A" Member shall be entitled to one vote for each Single Family Plot, Condominium Unit, and Apartment Unit which he owns.

I read it, one vote per unit for Class A owners

3 units, each unit is individually owned makes for 3 total votes or one per unit.

3 units, all 3 units owned by one individual still makes for 3 total votes total as one per unit.

I admit I did not read each and every word of the post but overall the Declarant has a 3 to 1 edge. The purpose of this is to allow the Declarant to maintain control until most units are sold.

Our docs read 6 to 1 in favor of the Class B (Declarant) and:

Class B shall cease and be converted to Class A when:

1. 12 months after 86% (97 of 113) of units be conveyed to owners (as in closed on by the owner)

2. On January 1, 2018 or before.

Without the above and with his 6 to 1 margin, the Declarant could control until about the 97 of the 113 units were sold.

In my case of 113 units and a 3 to 1 margin the Declarant would lose voting control when about 85 were sold.

We are working in harmony with our Declarant for an expected turnover in Jan 2014.

Hope this helps.

JonD1
Posts: 2,350
Posted:
Quote:
Posted By NicoleW4 on 01/04/2013 12:16 PM
I have got several interpretations of this Article.

If there are 3 homeowners is Class A, is there 1 vote or 3 allowed?
see ((( )))) below...

ARTICLE III

MEMBERSHIP AND VOTING RIGHTS IN THE ASSOCIATION
Section 1. Membership. The membership of the Association shall
consist of (a) every record Owner, whether it be one or more persons, of
fee simple title to any real property situated within the Properties
excluding, however, the Association and those persons having such
interest merely as security for the performance of an obligation, and
(b) the Declarant subject to the following provisions of this Article
III. Membership shall be appurtenant to and may not be separated from
ownership of such real property, which ownership shall be the sole
qualification for membership.

Section 2. Voting Rights. Subject to the following provisions of
this Section 2, the Association shall have two classes of voting member-
ship: Class "A" and Class "B".
CLASS "A": Class "A" Members shall be all those Owners of
Single Family Plots, Condominium Units, and Apartment Plots with
the exception of the Declarant (except as set forth under Class "B"
membership provisions below). A Class "A" Member shall be entitled to one vote for each Single Family Plot, Condominium Unit, and Apartment Unit which he owns.
CLASS "B": The Class "B" Member shall be the Declarant. The Class "B" member shall be entitled to three votes for each Single Family Plot, Condominium Unit, and Apartment Unit which it owns. The Class "B" membership shall cease and be converted to Class"A" membership upon the first of the following events to occur: (a) when the total votes outstanding in the Class "A" membership equal the total votes outstanding in the Class "B" membership unless (1) the Declarant at that time has the right to annex additional
property pursuant to Article II, Section 2(a), of the Declaration sufficient in quantity that, if annexed, the votes of the Class "B" member would exceed those of the Class "A" members, and (ii) the Declarant evidences its intent to exercise such right within a reasonable time thereafter by filing with the Association and the Veterans Administration an affidavit to that effect, (b) abolishment by the Declarant of its Class "B" membership evidenced by written notice thereof delivered to the Association, or (c) December 31, 2003.
The aggregate vote of all Members cast in respect of Apartment
Units shall not exceed forty-nine percent (49%) of the total vote
cast on any matter pending before the Association, and the votes
allocated to Apartment Units owned by Class "A" Members and Class
"B" Members as provided above shall be reduced pro-rata to the
extent necessary to comply with this limitation.
{(((When any property entitling the Owner to membership as a Class "A"
member of the Association is owned of record by other than a single
natural person, the person entitled to cast the vote for such property
shall be designated by a certificate signed by the record owner or
owners of such property and filed with the Secretary of the Association.)))---this statement leads to my question above. I know some homes that have mulitple homeowners cast a ballot while others cast one. I have never know anyone to designate by a certificate. Should we be doing this and only giving ballots to the one desigated votee? Or is Owner refering to the original developer?} Each such certificate shall be valid until revoked, superseded by a subsequent certificate or a change occurs in the ownership of such
property. The votes of the Members shall be cast under such rules and proce-
dures as may be prescribed in this Declaration or in the ByLaws of the
Association, as amended from time to time, or by law

thank you for any insight you can provide!

While the question you pose leaves out details necessary to answer seems written in the verbage you provided is the answer.

"A Class "A" Member shall be entitled to one vote for each Single Family Plot, Condominium Unit, and Apartment Unit which he owns."

IMO that would hold that each property owner that owns one single family plot,unit,apartment unit that person would get ONE vote.

Now if 3 people have ownership of ONE unit then they would get one vote not 3.

Now if the case is you have 3 individuals who each own one single unit they they each get one vote or a total of three.

Perhaps if you provided more detail others might be able to help.

JohnB26 (South Carolina)
Posts: 1,569
Posted:
class A = ONE vote per lot

class B = THREE votes per lot

no. of owners per lot = immaterial ~ a 'declarant' owned lot gets 3 votes, a 'sold' lot gets 1 vote

end of discussion

CAVEAT EMPTOR
MelissaP1 (Alabama)
Posts: 13,836
Posted:
Are you owner managed or still under the Declarants control? That is needed to know. The voting structure and other Declarant references often do NOT get removed after the owners take over. If this is the case then only class A would exist and be 1 vote per lot.

Former HOA President
LarryB13 (Arizona)
Posts: 4,099
Posted:
Under the section you quoted, each home not owned by the declarant is entitled to only one vote regardless of how many individuals are named on the deed. Your voting procedures need a method of ensuring that only one ballot is cast per unit.

The other section you indicated as being a problem refers to homes that are owned by trusts, corporations, or other artificial entities. In those cases, the artificial entity must identify an individual to speak and vote on its behalf. This section does not apply to the declarant.
LarryB13 (Arizona)
Posts: 4,099
Posted:
Ooops! Shoulda read more carefully.

The latter section applies also to those situations where more than one person's name is on the deed. Same idea, though: One person must be designated as the person who speaks for that unit.

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