Is HOA responsible for the damage?

My air conditioner was broken. The AC repair contractor said that it was ruined by pets urine and need to be replaced. My unit is on the 2nd floor. The AC is put on a common area near the complex.

I informed HOA of the damage. HOA stated that it's our responsibility to maintain the AC.

I talked to an experienced investment agent who also has several rental properties. He said, owner is responsible for the maintenance of AC, like normal wear, but NOT responsible for the damage caused by pets urine. The AC is located on a common area, HOA is responsible the maintenance of common areas and is responsible for any damages because they failed to do so. He also said the liability insurance that HOA carries should cover this kind of damages.

Then HOA said, they are not responsible for any damage of any personal property or exclusive use property caused by another owner, owner's tenant or their guests. The thing is, our AC is located in a common area, so we can hardly find any evidence that a particular owner/tenant should be responsible. It's possible that our downstairs neighbor's dog is responsible, but one cannot rule out the possibility that other dogs in the community had also urinated on our AC. Dogs from outside the community may also did it, as this is not a gated community. The only thing we know is, they failed to maintain the common area and pets had been urinating on it a lot (there are many dog urine spots). So it should be their responsibility.

Do you have any suggestions on how to deal with HOA?

Why start a new thread? You'll get the same answers in this one.

Why would the HOA be responsible for your A/C? When you ask your HOA to pay for something, it means ALL the members are paying for it. How would you react to find out a neighbor wanted the HOA to pay for the urine damaged A/C unit?

Are they responsible? In my opinion, not this time.

Request to put a fence around the unit to keep this from happening.
If the HOA refuses, ask for alternative options (shrubs, etc.).
If the HOA refuses, ask if they are willing to be responsible for damage to the unit from pet urine since they are refusing all reasonable accommodations to prevent the issue from being repeated?

If the HOA says no, consult with an attorney.

Yes, I had requested to put a fence and they refused. They said any kind of barriers are prohibited. They didn’t provide any alternative options for me to protect my AC. That’s part of reason why I think they are liable for the damage.

OK. Lets say everyone here agrees with you and they should pay for the damage.
It might make you feel better, but it doesn't change the reality of the situation.
Your HOA has said no.

Your options are:

Live with it.
Consult with an attorney to see what legal options you have in the courts.
Complain to others who have zero authority or power to change anything.

Those are my opinions. I'm also a former President, former Treasurer, former Secretary, former Maintenance Officer and former Architectural committee member (if that makes a difference - and it shouldn't).

I would say HOA not responsible. Exactly for the reasons you state they are. No one can control dogs/cats urinating. They do that. It just happens to be on your unit. So show the HOA the pictures of your damage for the reason you want to set up something to protect it once replaced. That should help with getting the approval you seek.

Look around your complex to see what others may have done around their AC units . . .

If others in your neighborhood have installed fences and have landscaping around their units, which has existed for some time, then there is precedence set that these things are ok even if you are being told "no" right now. If others have similar things and it has been allowed to go on for a long time, then it's very difficult for the Board to deny your ability to have the same.

So another option (for which there may be consequences by way of violation letters, fines, and the possible undoing of what you do) is to do something without receiving approval . . . even though not approved, install a small fence anyway (there are cheaper ones that you can just stake into the ground) or plant some bushes.

You're doing the right thing by trying to go through the process to get approval; however, the Board says you are financially responsible for something w/in a common area that is being destroyed by neighbors who nobody can control and you are being prevented by that same Board from reasonably protecting your investment.