As used in the Homeowner Association Act:

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A. “articles of incorporation” means the articles of incorporation, and all amendments thereto, of an association on record in the office of the county clerk in the county or counties in which the association is located;

B. “association” means a homeowner association;

C. “board” means the body, regardless of name, designated in the declaration or bylaws to act on behalf of the association;

D. “bylaws” means the code of rules adopted for the regulation or management of the affairs of the association, irrespective of the name by which such rules are designated;

E. “common area” means property within a development that is designated as a common area in the declaration and is required by the declaration to be maintained or operated by an association for use of the association’s members;

F. “common expenses” means expenditures made by, or the financial liabilities of, the association, together with any allocations to reserves;

G. “community documents” means all documents governing the use of the lots and the creation and operation of the association, including the declaration, bylaws, articles of incorporation and rules of the association;

H. “conflict of interest” means that a person accepts or is a beneficiary of a fee, brokerage, gift or other thing of value, other than a fixed salary or compensation, as consideration for an investment, loan, deposit, purchase, sale, exchange, insurance, reinsurance or other transaction made by or for the association, an officer of the board or the board; or that a person is financially interested in any capacity in a transaction for

the association, except on behalf of the association, an officer of the board or the board;

I. “declarant” means the person or group of persons designated in a declaration as declarant or, if no declarant is designated, the person or group of persons who sign the declaration and their successors or assigns who may submit property to a declaration;

J. “declaration” means an instrument, however denominated, including amendments or supplements to the instrument, that:

(1)     imposes on the association maintenance or operational responsibilities for common areas, easements or portions of rights of way; and

(2)     creates the authority in the association to impose on lots or on the owners or occupants of such lots, or on any other entity, any mandatory payment of money in connection with the provision of maintenance or services for the benefit of some or all of the lots, the owners or occupants of the lots or the common areas.

“Declaration” does not include a like instrument for a condominium or time-share project;

K. “development” means real property subject to a declaration that contains residential lots and common areas with respect to which any person, by virtue of ownership of a lot, is a member of an association and is obligated to pay assessments provided for in a declaration;

L. “development right” means a right or combination of rights reserved by the declarant in a declaration;

M. “disclosure certificate” or “disclosure statement” means:

(1)     a statement disclosing the existence and terms of any right of first refusal or other restraint on the free alienability of the lot;

(2)     a statement setting forth the amount of the monthly common expense assessment and any unpaid common expense or special assessment currently due and payable from the selling lot owner;

(3)     a statement of any other fees payable by lot owners;

(4)     a statement of any capital expenditures anticipated by the association and approved by the board for the current fiscal year and the two next succeeding fiscal years;

(5)     a statement of the amount of any reserves for capital expenditures and of any portions of those reserves designated by the association for any approved projects;

(6)     the most recent regularly prepared balance sheet and income and expense statement, if any, of the association;

(7)     the current operating budget of the association;

(8)     a statement of any unsatisfied judgments or pending suits against the association and the status of any pending suits material to the association of which the association has actual knowledge;

(9)     a statement describing any insurance coverage provided for the benefit of lot owners and the board of the association;

(10)    if applicable, a statement stating that the records of the association reflect alterations or improvements to the lot that violate the declaration;

(11)    a statement of the remaining term of any leasehold estate affecting the association and the provisions governing any extension or renewal thereof; and

(12)    the contact person and contact information for the association;

N. “homeowner association” means an incorporated or unincorporated entity upon which maintenance and operational responsibilities are imposed and to which authority is granted in the declaration;

O. “lot” means a parcel of land designated for separate ownership or occupancy shown on a recorded subdivision plat for a development or the boundaries of which are described in the declaration or in a recorded instrument referred to or expressly contemplated by the declaration, other than a common area;

P. “lot owner” means a person or group of persons holding title to a lot, including a declarant;

Q. “master planned community” means a large-scale residential development that allows for a phasing of development that will take place over a long period of time, following comprehensive and coordinated planning review by a local government and approval of design and development standards beyond conventionally platted subdivisions; provided that additional design and development standards approved by the local government shall be included in a site plan, area plan or master plan as required by the local government approving the development; and

R. “proxy” means a person authorized to act for another.