Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 183B, sec. 32 — MA Code / Part II / Title I / Chapter 183B / Section 32
Definitions; list of addresses of owners; ballots; communication expenses; vote allocation; notice; recording amendments
Status: in_force

Section 32. (a) For the purposes of this section and sections thirty-three, thirty-four and thirty-five: (1) ''Owner'' shall mean a person who is an owner or co-owner of a time-share estate or a time-share license or, in the case of a unit that is not a time-share unit, a person who is an owner or co-owner of said unit, other than as security for an obligation. (2) A project is limited to one in which at least fifty per cent of the votes are allocated to time-shares other than time-share licenses. (b) The managing entity shall keep reasonably available for inspection and copying by any time-share owner all addresses, known to it or to the developer, of all the time-share owners with the principal permanent residence address of each indicated if known. The managing entity shall revise continually the list of addresses in the light of any information it obtains, and the developer shall keep the managing entity advised of any information he has or obtains. (c) Each ballot prepared pursuant to sections thirty-three, thirty-four and thirty-five shall contain: (1) a statement that the ballot shall not be counted unless signed by an owner; (2) the specification of a date, not less than thirty or more than one hundred and eighty days after the date the ballot is mailed, by which the ballot must be received by the person to whom it is to be returned, and a statement that the ballot shall not be counted unless received by said date; (3) the name and address of the person to whom the ballot is to be returned; and (4) only the material required by sections nineteen to thirty-five, inclusive. (d) Each ballot mailed pursuant to sections thirty-three, thirty-four and thirty-five shall be mailed to the principal permanent residence of the owner to whom it is addressed, if known to the person responsible for mailing it, and said person shall procure and keep reasonably available for inspection for at least one year after the vote is calculated a certificate of mailing for each and the original or a copy of each ballot returned by the date specified pursuant to clause (2) of subsection (c). (e) If the managing entity, the developer, or anyone on behalf of either of them communicates with any owner, other than as expressly provided by section thirty-three, thirty-four or thirty-five on the subject matter of any petition or ballot prepared pursuant to any of said sections, the expense of said communication shall not be assessed directly or indirectly in whole or in part to any owner other than the developer. (f) The vote allocated to any time-share and to any unit other than a time-share unit shall be counted as having been cast in accordance with the ballot of any owner of that time-share or unit. If the ballots of different owners of the same time-share unit, or of the same unit other than a time-share unit, are not in accord with one another, the vote allocated to that time-share or unit shall be divided in proportion to the number of owners thereof voting each way and shall be counted accordingly. Any ballot that is not signed by an owner or is not received by the date specified pursuant to clause (2) of subsection (c) shall be void. (g) The managing entity shall take action reasonably calculated to notify all owners of the resolution of any matters resolved by methods authorized by section thirty-three, thirty-four or thirty-five. (h) An amendment to a project instrument adopted pursuant to section thirty-three or thirty-four shall be recorded in the appropriate registry of deeds or land registration office forthwith by the managing entity with a statement of the vote and shall become effective upon recording. (i) No right or power of an owner under this section or section thirty-three, thirty-four or thirty-five may be waived, limited, or delegated by contract, power of attorney, proxy, or otherwise, in favor of the developer, an affiliate of a developer, a managing entity, or any person designated by any of them.

Section 32. (a) For the purposes of this section and sections thirty-three, thirty-four and thirty-five:

(1) ''Owner'' shall mean a person who is an owner or co-owner of a time-share estate or a time-share license or, in the case of a unit that is not a time-share unit, a person who is an owner or co-owner of said unit, other than as security for an obligation.

(2) A project is limited to one in which at least fifty per cent of the votes are allocated to time-shares other than time-share licenses.

(b) The managing entity shall keep reasonably available for inspection and copying by any time-share owner all addresses, known to it or to the developer, of all the time-share owners with the principal permanent residence address of each indicated if known. The managing entity shall revise continually the list of addresses in the light of any information it obtains, and the developer shall keep the managing entity advised of any information he has or obtains.

(c) Each ballot prepared pursuant to sections thirty-three, thirty-four and thirty-five shall contain:

(1) a statement that the ballot shall not be counted unless signed by an owner;

(2) the specification of a date, not less than thirty or more than one hundred and eighty days after the date the ballot is mailed, by which the ballot must be received by the person to whom it is to be returned, and a statement that the ballot shall not be counted unless received by said date;

(3) the name and address of the person to whom the ballot is to be returned; and

(4) only the material required by sections nineteen to thirty-five, inclusive.

(d) Each ballot mailed pursuant to sections thirty-three, thirty-four and thirty-five shall be mailed to the principal permanent residence of the owner to whom it is addressed, if known to the person responsible for mailing it, and said person shall procure and keep reasonably available for inspection for at least one year after the vote is calculated a certificate of mailing for each and the original or a copy of each ballot returned by the date specified pursuant to clause (2) of subsection (c).

(e) If the managing entity, the developer, or anyone on behalf of either of them communicates with any owner, other than as expressly provided by section thirty-three, thirty-four or thirty-five on the subject matter of any petition or ballot prepared pursuant to any of said sections, the expense of said communication shall not be assessed directly or indirectly in whole or in part to any owner other than the developer.

(f) The vote allocated to any time-share and to any unit other than a time-share unit shall be counted as having been cast in accordance with the ballot of any owner of that time-share or unit. If the ballots of different owners of the same time-share unit, or of the same unit other than a time-share unit, are not in accord with one another, the vote allocated to that time-share or unit shall be divided in proportion to the number of owners thereof voting each way and shall be counted accordingly. Any ballot that is not signed by an owner or is not received by the date specified pursuant to clause (2) of subsection (c) shall be void.

(g) The managing entity shall take action reasonably calculated to notify all owners of the resolution of any matters resolved by methods authorized by section thirty-three, thirty-four or thirty-five.

(h) An amendment to a project instrument adopted pursuant to section thirty-three or thirty-four shall be recorded in the appropriate registry of deeds or land registration office forthwith by the managing entity with a statement of the vote and shall become effective upon recording.

(i) No right or power of an owner under this section or section thirty-three, thirty-four or thirty-five may be waived, limited, or delegated by contract, power of attorney, proxy, or otherwise, in favor of the developer, an affiliate of a developer, a managing entity, or any person designated by any of them.