J.D. from Hartford County writes:
Dear Mister Condo,
Do you have to be an owner of a condo to run for an officer on the board of directors?
Mister Condo replies:
J.D., the answer depends on your condo’s governing documents. They should clearly define who is eligible to serve on the Board. It is typical that unit ownership is a requirement but it is not a hard and fast rule and many associations have by-laws that allow for non-owners to serve on the Board. Personally, I believe it should be a requirement. After all, who better to look out for the best interests of all of the unit owners than someone who is also a unit owner. I wouldn’t want someone who wasn’t going to be effected by financial decisions that impact unit owners making those decisions. But my personal preference really doesn’t matter. There is also the period of time when the declarant or developer controls the Board. Unit owners really don’t have too much to say about the governance during that period. Take a look at your condo docs for the definitive answer. Good luck!