SB793

THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	793
THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating to homeowner associations.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that associations for condominium unit owners' and members of planned communities often have reserve account amounts that are far below the required funds to adequately fund necessary repair and maintenance. A reserve study is a comprehensive analysis of a association's assets, taking into account the expected lifespan, current financial health, and replacement costs of the assets. The legislature further finds that underfunded reserve funds can lead to unsafe buildings that cause injury, illness, and possibly death. Fully funded reserves ensure that the association can handle future expenses smoothly.

The legislature also finds that fully funded reserves protect unit owners and members from sudden large special assessments or increased dues when major repairs or replacements are required, such as roof replacements, road repaving, or pool repairs. By law, other states require associations to maintain a minimum level of reserves and perform regular reserve studies.

If a association has less than fully funded reserves, it may face challenges in covering costs, leading to potential financial stress for both the association and its unit owners or members.

The purpose of this Act is to require all existing unit owners' associations and planned community associations to have fully funded reserve accounts.

SECTION 2. Chapter 421J, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding two new sections to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

"§421J- Monthly damages and repairs report. No later than the first day of each month, each association shall issue a monthly damages and repairs report to members. The monthly damages and repairs report shall:

(1) Briefly describe any damages or repairs for which the association is liable and the estimated cost to make the necessary repairs; provided that any damage or repair that has been outstanding for less than thirty days may be excluded from the monthly damages and repairs report; and

(2) Be provided to the members in the same manner as written notice of meetings under 421J-3.5(a).

§421J-B Association fiscal matters; budgets and replacement reserves. (a) The budget of the association shall include a summary with at least the following details:

(1) The estimated revenues and operating expenses of the association;

(2) Disclosure as to whether the budget has been prepared on a cash or accrual basis;

(3) The balance of the total replacement reserves fund of the association as of the date of the budget;

(4) The estimated replacement reserves assessments that the association will require to maintain the property based on a reserve study performed by or on behalf of the association; provided that a new reserve study shall be prepared by an independent reserve study preparer not less than every three years; provided further that a managing agent with industry reserve study designations shall not be considered as having a conflict of interest for purposes of this paragraph;

(6) A general explanation of how the estimated replacement reserves assessments are computed and detailing:

(A) The identity, qualifications, and potential conflicts of interest of the person or entity performing the reserve study, update, or any review thereof;

(B) Disclosure of any component of association property omitted from the reserve study and the basis for the omission;

(D) Whether the actual estimated replacement reserves assessments for the prior year as defined in the study was less than the assessments provided for in the reserve study, and, if so, by how much, and explaining the impact of the lesser assessments on future estimated replacement reserves assessments;

(7) The amount the association must collect for the fiscal year to fund the estimated replacement reserves assessments; and

(8) Information as to whether the amount the association must collect for the fiscal year to fund the estimated replacement reserves assessments was calculated using a per cent funded or cash flow plan. The method or plan shall not circumvent the estimated replacement reserves assessments amount determined by the reserve study pursuant to paragraph (4).

(b) The association shall assess the members to fund one hundred per cent of the estimated replacement reserves assessments; provided that a new association need not collect estimated replacement reserves assessments until the fiscal year that begins after the association's first annual meeting. For each fiscal year, the association shall collect the amount assessed to fund the estimated replacement reserves assessments for that fiscal year, as determined by the association's plan.

(c) The association shall compute the estimated replacement reserves assessments by a formula that is based on the estimated life and the estimated capital expenditure or major maintenance required for each part of the property. The estimated replacement reserves assessments shall include:

(1) Adjustments for revenues that will be received and expenditures that will be made before the beginning of the fiscal year to which the budget relates; and

(2) Separate, designated reserves for each part of the property for which capital expenditures or major maintenance will exceed $10,000. Parts of the property for which capital expenditures or major maintenance will not exceed $10,000 may be aggregated in a single designated reserve.

(d) No association or member, director, officer, managing agent, or employee of an association who makes a good faith effort to calculate the estimated replacement reserves assessments for an association shall be liable if the estimate subsequently proves incorrect.

(e) Except in emergency situations or with the approval of a majority of the members, a board may not exceed its total adopted annual operating budget by more than twenty per cent during the fiscal year to which the budget relates. Before imposing or collecting an assessment under this subsection that has not been approved by a majority of the members, the board shall adopt a resolution containing written findings as to the necessity of the extraordinary expense involved and why the expense was not or could not have been reasonably foreseen in the budgeting process, and the resolution shall be distributed to the members with the notice of assessment.

(f) Expenditure of replacement reserves shall:

(1) Be limited to costs necessary to maintain the property based on the most recent reserve study;

(2) Require the signatures of the following four individuals: the president, vice-president, treasurer, and secretary; provided that if the bylaws do not specify a vice-president, then an officer of the association who is not the president, treasurer, or secretary may sign as the fourth individual; and

(3) Be reported to the members in the same manner as written notice of meetings under 421J-3.5(a).

(g) The requirements of this section shall override any requirements in an association's declaration, bylaws, or any other association documents relating to preparation of budgets, calculation of replacement reserve requirements, assessment and funding of replacement reserves, and expenditures from replacement reserves except for provisions relating to upgrading the common elements, such as additions, improvements, and alterations to the common elements.

(h) Subject to the procedures of section 431J-10 and any rules adopted by the real estate commission, any member whose association board fails to comply with this section may enforce compliance by the board. In any proceeding to enforce compliance, a board that has not prepared an annual operating budget and reserve study shall have the burden of proving it has complied with this section.

(i) As used in this section:

"Capital expenditure" means an expense that results from the purchase or replacement of an asset whose life is greater than one year, or the addition of an asset that extends the life of an existing asset for a period greater than one year.

"Cash flow plan" means a minimum thirty-year projection of an association's future income and expense requirements to fund fully its replacement reserves requirements each year during that thirty-year period, except in an emergency; provided that it does not include a projection of special assessments or loans during that thirty-year period, except in an emergency.

"Emergency situation" means any extraordinary expenses:

(1) Required by an order of a court;

(2) Necessary to repair or maintain any part of the property for which the association is responsible where a threat to personal safety on the property is discovered;

(3) Necessary to repair any part of the property for which the association is responsible that could not have been reasonably foreseen by the board in preparing and distributing the annual operating budget;

(4) Necessary to respond to any legal or administrative proceeding brought against the association that could not have been reasonably foreseen by the board in preparing and distributing the annual operating budget; or

(5) Necessary for the association to obtain adequate insurance for the property that the association must insure.

"Independent reserve study preparer" means any organization, company, or individual with a reserve study certification from an industry organization.

"Major maintenance" means an expenditure for maintenance or repair that will result in extending the life of an asset for a period greater than one year.

"Replacement reserves" means funds for the upkeep, repair, or replacement of those parts of the property, including but not limited to roofs, walls, decks, paving, and equipment, that the association is obligated to maintain."

SECTION 3. Section 514B-137, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

"§514B-137 Upkeep of condominium. (a) Except to the extent provided by the declaration or bylaws, the association is responsible for the operation of the property, and each unit owner is responsible for maintenance, repair, and replacement of the owner's unit. Each unit owner shall afford to the association and the other unit owners, and to employees, independent contractors, or agents of the association or other unit owners, during reasonable hours, access through the owner's unit reasonably necessary for those purposes. Unless entry is made pursuant to subsection (b), if damage is inflicted on the common elements or on any unit through which access is taken, the unit owner responsible for the damage, or the association, if it is responsible, is liable for the prompt repair thereof; provided that the association shall not be responsible to pay the costs of removing or replacing any finished surfaces or other barriers that impede its ability to maintain and repair the common elements.

(b) The association shall have the irrevocable right, to be exercised by the board, to have access to each unit at any time as may be necessary for making emergency repairs to prevent damage to the common elements or to another unit or units.

(c) No later than the first day of each month, each association shall issue a monthly damages and repairs report to unit owners. The monthly damages and repairs report shall:

(2) Be provided to each unit owner by electronic mail; and

(3) Be posted in the same locations as notices of board meetings under section 514B-125(e)."

SECTION 4. Section 514B-148, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

"§514B-148 Association fiscal matters; budgets and replacement reserves. (a) The budget required under section 514B-144(a) shall include a summary with at least the following details:

(1) The estimated revenues and operating expenses of the association;

(2) Disclosure as to whether the budget has been prepared on a cash or accrual basis;

(3) The estimated costs of fire safety equipment or installations that meet the requirements of a life safety evaluation required by the applicable county for any building located in a county with a population greater than five hundred thousand; provided that the reserve study may forecast a loan or special assessment to fund life safety components or installation;

(4) The balance of the total replacement reserves fund of the association as of the date of the budget;

(5) The estimated replacement reserves assessments that the association will require to maintain the property based on a reserve study performed by or on behalf of the association; provided that [~~the~~] a new reserve study[~~, if not~~] shall be prepared by an independent reserve study preparer[~~, shall be reviewed by an independent reserve study preparer~~] not less than every three years; provided further that a managing agent with industry reserve study designations shall not be considered as having a conflict of interest for purposes of this paragraph;

(6) A general explanation of how the estimated replacement reserves assessments are computed and detailing:

(A) The identity, qualifications, and potential conflicts of interest of the person or entity performing the reserve study, update, or any review thereof;

(B) Disclosure of any component of association property omitted from the reserve study and the basis for the omission;

(7) The amount the association must collect for the fiscal year to fund the estimated replacement reserves assessments; and

(b) The association shall assess the unit owners to [~~either fund a minimum of fifty~~] fund one hundred per cent of the estimated replacement reserves assessments [~~or fund one hundred per cent of the estimated replacement reserves assessments when using a cash flow plan~~]; provided that a new association need not collect estimated replacement reserves assessments until the fiscal year that begins after the association's first annual meeting. For each fiscal year, the association shall collect the amount assessed to fund the estimated replacement reserves assessments for that fiscal year, as determined by the association's plan.

(1) Adjustments for revenues that will be received and expenditures that will be made before the beginning of the fiscal year to which the budget relates; and

(d) No association or unit owner, director, officer, managing agent, or employee of an association who makes a good faith effort to calculate the estimated replacement reserves assessments for an association shall be liable if the estimate subsequently proves incorrect.

(e) Except in emergency situations or with the approval of a majority of the unit owners, a board may not exceed its total adopted annual operating budget by more than twenty per cent during the fiscal year to which the budget relates. Before imposing or collecting an assessment under this subsection that has not been approved by a majority of the unit owners, the board shall adopt a resolution containing written findings as to the necessity of the extraordinary expense involved and why the expense was not or could not have been reasonably foreseen in the budgeting process, and the resolution shall be distributed to the members with the notice of assessment.

(f) Expenditure of replacement reserves shall:

(1) Be limited to costs necessary to maintain the property based on the most recent reserve study;

(3) Be reported to the unit owners in the same manner as 514B-137(c).

~~(1)~~ ~~Any requirements in an association's declaration, bylaws, or any other association documents that require the association to collect more than fifty per cent of replacement reserve requirements; or~~

~~(2)~~ ~~Any~~] except for provisions relating to upgrading the common elements, such as additions, improvements, and alterations to the common elements.

[~~(g)~~] (h) Subject to the procedures of section 514B‑157 and any rules adopted by the commission, any unit owner whose association board fails to comply with this section may enforce compliance by the board. In any proceeding to enforce compliance, a board that has not prepared an annual operating budget and reserve study shall have the burden of proving it has complied with this section.

[~~(h)~~] (i) As used in this section:

"Emergency situation" means any extraordinary expenses:

(1) Required by an order of a court;

(2) Necessary to repair or maintain any part of the property for which the association is responsible where a threat to personal safety on the property is discovered;

(5) Necessary for the association to obtain adequate insurance for the property that the association must insure.

"Independent reserve study preparer" means any organization, company, or individual with a reserve study certification from an industry organization.

"Major maintenance" means an expenditure for maintenance or repair that will result in extending the life of an asset for a period greater than one year.

SECTION 5. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 6. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:	_____________________________

Report Title:

Condominiums; Unit Owners' Associations; Homeowners' Associations; Planned Community Associations

Description:

Requires condominiums and planned community associations to issue monthly damage and repair reports, have a reserve study done every 3 years, have a fully funded reserve, and only spend reserve funds to maintain the property.

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.

SB 793: RELATING TO HOMEOWNER ASSOCIATIONS.

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