Source: https://www.ncga.state.nc.us/EnactedLegislation/Statutes/HTML/ByChapter/Chapter_47F.html
Timestamp: 2017-11-20 22:42:25
Document Index: 629288112

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 47', '§ 47', '§ 47', '§ 47', '§ 47', '§ 47', '§ 47', '§ 47', '§ 47', '§ 47', '§ 47', '§ 47', '§ 47', '§ 47', '§ 47', '§ 47', '§ 47']

Management of Planned Community.
§ 47F-3-101. Organization of owners' association.
A lot owners' association shall be incorporated no later than the date the first lot in the planned community is conveyed. The membership of the association at all times shall consist exclusively of all the lot owners or, following termination of the planned community, of all persons entitled to distributions of proceeds under G.S. 47F-2-118. Every association created after the effective date of this Chapter shall be organized as a nonprofit corporation. (1998-199, s. 1.)
§ 47F-3-102. Powers of owners' association.
(2) Adopt and amend budgets for revenues, expenditures, and reserves and collect assessments for common expenses from lot owners;
(4) Institute, defend, or intervene in litigation or administrative proceedings on matters affecting the planned community;
(8) Acquire, hold, encumber, and convey in its own name any right, title, or interest to real or personal property, provided that common elements may be conveyed or subjected to a security interest only pursuant to G.S. 47F-3-112;
(10) Impose and receive any payments, fees, or charges for the use, rental, or operation of the common elements other than the limited common elements and for services provided to lot owners;
(11) Impose reasonable charges for late payment of assessments, not to exceed the greater of twenty dollars ($20.00) per month or ten percent (10%) of any assessment installment unpaid and, after notice and an opportunity to be heard, suspend privileges or services provided by the association (except rights of access to lots) during any period that assessments or other amounts due and owing to the association remain unpaid for a period of 30 days or longer;
(12) After notice and an opportunity to be heard, impose reasonable fines or suspend privileges or services provided by the association (except rights of access to lots) for reasonable periods for violations of the declaration, bylaws, and rules and regulations of the association;
(13) Impose reasonable charges in connection with the preparation and recordation of documents, including, without limitation, amendments to the declaration or statements of unpaid assessments;
(14) Provide for the indemnification of and maintain liability insurance for its officers, executive board, directors, employees, and agents;
(15) Assign its right to future income, including the right to receive common expense assessments;
(17) Exercise any other powers necessary and proper for the governance and operation of the association. (1998-199, s. 1; 2004-109, s. 4; 2005-422, s. 1.)
§ 47F-3-104. Transfer of special declarant rights.
(a) No special declarant right (G.S. 47F-1-103(28)) defined under this Chapter may be transferred except by an instrument evidencing the transfer recorded in every county in which any portion of the planned community is located. Except for the transfer of declarant rights pursuant to subsection (c) of this section, the instrument is not effective unless executed by the transferee.
(1) A transferor is not relieved of any obligation or liability arising before the transfer and remains liable for warranty obligations imposed upon the transferor by this Chapter. Lack of privity does not deprive any lot owner of standing to maintain an action to enforce any obligation of the transferor.
(2) If a successor to any special declarant right is an affiliate of a declarant (G.S. 47F-1-103(1)), the transferor is jointly and severally liable with the successor for any obligations or liabilities of the successor relating to the planned community.
(3) If a transferor retains any special declarant rights but transfers other special declarant rights to a successor who is not an affiliate of the declarant, the transferor is liable for any obligations or liabilities imposed on a declarant by this Chapter or by the declaration relating to the retained special declarant rights and arising after the transfer.
(c) Unless otherwise provided in a mortgage instrument, deed of trust, or other agreement creating a security interest, in case of foreclosure of a security interest, sale by a trustee under an agreement creating a security interest, tax sale, judicial sale, or sale under Bankruptcy Code or receivership proceedings of any lots owned by a declarant, or real estate in a planned community subject to development rights, or real estate subject to development rights for a planned community, a person acquiring title to all the property being foreclosed or sold, but only upon the person's request in an instrument recorded in every county in which any portion of the planned community is located, succeeds to all special declarant rights (G.S. 47F-1-103(28)) related to that property held by that declarant and requested by the person acquiring title. The judgment or instrument conveying title shall provide for transfer of only the special declarant rights requested. The mortgage, deed of trust, tax lien, or other conveyance to be foreclosed under this subsection shall not be required to contain specific reference to an assignment of special declarant rights but shall be deemed to include the special declarant rights as part of the right, title, and interest encumbered by the mortgage, deed of trust, tax lien, or other conveyance.
(d) Upon foreclosure of a security interest, sale by a trustee under an agreement creating a security interest, tax sale, judicial sale, or sale under Bankruptcy Code or receivership proceedings of all interests in a planned community owned by a declarant, the declarant ceases to have any special declarant rights and the period of declarant control (G.S. 47F-3-103(d)) terminates unless either of the following applies:
b. On his or her transferor, other than:
1. Misrepresentations by the transferor or any previous declarant;
2. Warranty obligations on improvements made by the transferor or any previous declarant or made before the planned community was created;
3. Obligations and liabilities arising out of contractual agreements between the transferor or any previous declarant and third parties other than the declaration;
4. Breach of any fiduciary obligation by the transferor or any previous declarant or his or her appointees to the executive board; or
5. Any liability or obligation imposed on the transferor or any previous declarant as a result of the transferor's acts or omissions after the transfer.
(3) A successor to only a right reserved in the declaration to maintain sales offices, management offices, signs advertising the planned community, and models, if the successor is not an affiliate of the declarant, may not exercise any other special declarant right and is not subject to any liability or obligation as a declarant.
(4) A successor to all special declarant rights held by a transferor who is not an affiliate of the declarant who succeeded to those rights pursuant to a deed or other instrument of conveyance in lieu of foreclosure or a judgment or instrument conveying title under subsection (c) of this section may declare in a recorded instrument the intention to hold those rights solely for transfer to another person. Thereafter, until transferring all special declarant rights to any person acquiring title to any lot or real estate subject to development rights owned by the successor, or until recording an instrument permitting exercise of all those rights, that successor may not exercise any of those rights other than any right held by his or her transferor to control the executive board in accordance with G.S. 47F-3-103(d) for the duration of any period of declarant control, and any attempted exercise of those rights is void. So long as a successor declarant does not have the right to exercise special declarant rights under this subsection, the successor declarant is not subject to any liability or obligation as a declarant other than liability for his or her acts and omissions under G.S. 47F-3-103(d).
(f) Nothing in this section subjects any successor to a special declarant right to any claims against or other obligations of a transferor declarant other than claims and obligations expressly arising under this Chapter or the declaration.
(g) For purposes of this section, "assignment of declarant rights" shall include any assignment by the declarant of special declarant rights to a person, including, without limitation, an assignment pursuant to this section. (1998-199, s. 1; 2014-57, s. 3.)
§ 47F-3-105. Termination of contracts and leases of declarant.
If entered into before the executive board elected by the lot owners pursuant to G.S. 47F-3-103(e) takes office, any contract or lease affecting or related to the planned community that is not bona fide or was unconscionable to the lot owners at the time entered into under the circumstances then prevailing, may be terminated without penalty by the association at any time after the executive board elected by the lot owners pursuant to G.S. 47F-3-103(e) takes office upon not less than 90 days' notice to the other party. (1998-199, s. 1.)
§ 47F-3-106. Bylaws.
(2) Election by the executive board of officers of the association;
(b) The bylaws may provide for any other matters the association deems necessary and appropriate. (1998-199, s. 1.)
§ 47F-3-107. Upkeep of planned community; responsibility and assessments for damages.
§ 47F-3-107.1. Procedures for fines and suspension of planned community privileges or services.
Unless a specific procedure for the imposition of fines or suspension of planned community privileges or services is provided for in the declaration, a hearing shall be held before the executive board or an adjudicatory panel appointed by the executive board to determine if any lot owner should be fined or if planned community privileges or services should be suspended pursuant to the powers granted to the association in G.S. 47F-3-102(11) and (12). Any adjudicatory panel appointed by the executive board shall be composed of members of the association who are not officers of the association or members of the executive board. The lot owner charged shall be given notice of the charge, opportunity to be heard and to present evidence, and notice of the decision. If it is decided that a fine should be imposed, a fine not to exceed one hundred dollars ($100.00) may be imposed for the violation and without further hearing, for each day more than five days after the decision that the violation occurs. Such fines shall be assessments secured by liens under G.S. 47F-3-116. If it is decided that a suspension of planned community privileges or services should be imposed, the suspension may be continued without further hearing until the violation or delinquency is cured. The lot owner may appeal the decision of an adjudicatory panel to the full executive board by delivering written notice of appeal to the executive board within 15 days after the date of the decision. The executive board may affirm, vacate, or modify the prior decision of the adjudicatory body. (1997-456, s. 27; 1998-199, s. 1; 2005-422, s. 4.)
§ 47F-3-109. Quorums.
(a) Unless the bylaws provide otherwise, a quorum is present throughout any meeting of the association if persons entitled to cast ten percent (10%) of the votes which may be cast for election of the executive board are present in person or by proxy at the beginning of the meeting.
(b) Unless the bylaws specify a larger percentage, a quorum is deemed present throughout any meeting of the executive board if persons entitled to cast fifty percent (50%) of the votes on that board are present at the beginning of the meeting.
(c) In the event business cannot be conducted at any meeting because a quorum is not present, that meeting may be adjourned to a later date by the affirmative vote of a majority of those present in person or by proxy. Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary in the declaration or the bylaws, the quorum requirement at the next meeting shall be one-half of the quorum requirement applicable to the meeting adjourned for lack of a quorum. This provision shall continue to reduce the quorum by fifty percent (50%) from that required at the previous meeting, as previously reduced, until such time as a quorum is present and business can be conducted. (1998-199, s. 1.)
§ 47F-3-110. Voting; proxies.
(a) If only one of the multiple owners of a lot is present at a meeting of the association, the owner who is present is entitled to cast all the votes allocated to that lot. If more than one of the multiple owners are present, the votes allocated to that lot may be cast only in accordance with the agreement of a majority in interest of the multiple owners, unless the declaration or bylaws expressly provide otherwise. Majority agreement is conclusively presumed if any one of the multiple owners casts the votes allocated to that lot without protest being made promptly to the person presiding over the meeting by any of the other owners of the lot.
(b) Votes allocated to a lot may be cast pursuant to a proxy duly executed by a lot owner. If a lot is owned by more than one person, each owner of the lot may vote or register protest to the casting of votes by the other owners of the lot through a duly executed proxy. A lot owner may not revoke a proxy given pursuant to this section except by actual notice of revocation to the person presiding over a meeting of the association. A proxy is void if it is not dated. A proxy terminates 11 months after its date, unless it specifies a shorter term.
(c) If the declaration requires that votes on specified matters affecting the planned community be cast by lessees rather than lot owners of leased lots, (i) the provisions of subsections (a) and (b) of this section apply to lessees as if they were lot owners; (ii) lot owners who have leased their lots to other persons may not cast votes on those specified matters; and (iii) lessees are entitled to notice of meetings, access to records, and other rights respecting those matters as if they were lot owners. Lot owners shall also be given notice, in the manner provided in G.S. 47F-3-108, of all meetings at which lessees may be entitled to vote.
(d) No votes allocated to a lot owned by the association may be cast.
(e) The declaration may provide that on specified issues only a defined subgroup of lot owners may vote provided:
(1) The issue being voted is of special interest solely to the members of the subgroup; and
(2) All except de minimis cost that will be incurred based on the vote taken will be assessed solely against those lot owners entitled to vote.
(f) For purposes of subdivision (e)(1) above, an issue to be voted on is not a special interest solely to a subgroup if it substantially affects the overall appearance of the planned community or substantially affects living conditions of lot owners not included in the voting subgroup. (1998-199, s. 1.)
§ 47F-3-111. Tort and contract liability.
(a) Neither the association nor any lot owner except the declarant is liable for that declarant's torts in connection with any part of the planned community which that declarant has the responsibility to maintain.
(b) An action alleging a wrong done by the association shall be brought against the association and not against a lot owner.
(c) Any statute of limitation affecting the association's right of action under this section is tolled until the period of declarant control terminates. A lot owner is not precluded from bringing an action contemplated by this section because the person is a lot owner or a member of the association. (1998-199, s. 1.)
§ 47F-3-112. Conveyance or encumbrance of common elements.
(a) Portions of the common elements may be conveyed or subjected to a security interest by the association if persons entitled to cast at least eighty percent (80%) of the votes in the association, or any larger percentage the declaration specifies, agree in writing to that action; provided that all the owners of lots to which any limited common element is allocated shall agree in order to convey that limited common element or subject it to a security interest. The declaration may specify a smaller percentage only if all the lots are restricted exclusively to nonresidential uses. Distribution of proceeds of the sale of a limited common element shall be as provided by agreement between the lot owners to which it is allocated and the association. Proceeds of the sale or financing of a common element (other than a limited common element) shall be an asset of the association.
(b) The association, on behalf of the lot owners, may contract to convey common elements or subject them to a security interest, but the contract is not enforceable against the association until approved pursuant to subsection (a) of this section. Thereafter, the association has all powers necessary and appropriate to effect the conveyance or encumbrance, free and clear of any interest of any lot owner or the association in or to the common element conveyed or encumbered, including the power to execute deeds or other instruments.
(c) Any purported conveyance, encumbrance, or other voluntary transfer of common elements, unless made pursuant to this section is void.
(d) No conveyance or encumbrance of common elements pursuant to this section may deprive any lot of its rights of access and support. (1998-199, s. 1.)
§ 47F-3-114. Surplus funds.
Unless otherwise provided in the declaration, any surplus funds of the association remaining after payment of or provision for common expenses, the funding of a reasonable operating expense surplus, and any prepayment of reserves shall be paid to the lot owners in proportion to their common expense liabilities or credited to them to reduce their future common expense assessments. (1998-199, s. 1.)
§ 47F-3-116. Lien for sums due the association; enforcement.
(a) Any assessment attributable to a lot which remains unpaid for a period of 30 days or longer shall constitute a lien on that lot when a claim of lien is filed of record in the office of the clerk of superior court of the county in which the lot is located in the manner provided in this section. Once filed, a claim of lien secures all sums due the association through the date filed and any sums due to the association thereafter. Unless the declaration provides otherwise, fees, charges, late charges, and other charges imposed pursuant to G.S. 47F-3-102, 47F-3-107, 47F-3-107.1, and 47F-3-115 are subject to the claim of lien under this section as well as any other sums due and payable to the association under the declaration, the provisions of this Chapter, or as the result of an arbitration, mediation, or judicial decision.
The following provisions and procedures shall be applicable to and complied with in every nonjudicial power of sale foreclosure of a claim of lien, and these provisions and procedures shall control to the extent they are inconsistent or in conflict with the provisions of Article 2A of Chapter 45 of the General Statutes:
(j) Where the holder of a first mortgage or first deed of trust of record or other purchaser of a lot obtains title to the lot as a result of foreclosure of a first mortgage or first deed of trust, the purchaser and its heirs, successors, and assigns shall not be liable for the assessments against the lot which became due prior to the acquisition of title to the lot by the purchaser. The unpaid assessments shall be deemed to be common expenses collectible from all the lot owners, including the purchaser, its heirs, successors, and assigns. For purposes of this subsection, the term "acquisition of title" means and refers to the recording of a deed conveying title or the time at which the rights of the parties are fixed following the foreclosure of a mortgage or deed of trust, whichever occurs first. (1998-199, s. 1; 2005-422, s. 6; 2009-515, s. 1; 2011-362, s. 1; 2013-202, s. 3.)
§ 47F-3-116.1. Validation of certain nonjudicial foreclosure proceedings and sales.
All nonjudicial foreclosure proceedings commenced by an association before October 1, 2013, and all sales and transfers of real property as part of those proceedings pursuant to the provisions of this Chapter or provisions contained in the declaration of the planned community, are declared to be valid, unless an action to set aside the foreclosure is commenced on or before October 1, 2013, or within one year after the date of the sale, whichever occurs last. (2013-202, s. 4.)
§ 47F-3-117. Reserved for future codification purposes.
§ 47F-3-119. Association as trustee.
With respect to a third person dealing with the association in the association's capacity as a trustee under G.S. 47F-2-118 following termination or G.S. 47F-3-113 for insurance proceeds, the existence of trust powers and their proper exercise by the association may be assumed without inquiry. A third person is not bound to inquire whether the association has power to act as trustee or is properly exercising trust powers, and a third person, without actual knowledge that the association is exceeding or improperly exercising its powers, is fully protected in dealing with the association as if it possessed and properly exercised the powers it purports to exercise. A third person is not bound to assure the proper application of trust assets paid or delivered to the association in its capacity as trustee. (1998-199, s. 1.)
§ 47F-3-120. Declaration limits on attorneys' fees.
Except as provided in G.S. 47F-3-116, in an action to enforce provisions of the articles of incorporation, the declaration, bylaws, or duly adopted rules or regulations, the court may award reasonable attorneys' fees to the prevailing party if recovery of attorneys' fees is allowed in the declaration. (1998-199, s. 1.)