J.B. from outside of Connecticut writes:
Dear Mister Condo,
We have concrete patios in front of basement doors. We now have homeowners leaving all kinds of stuff (sand boxes, gas grills, coolers, etc.) on their patios which is seen from the pool area and making it look very sloppy. Looking for regulations on what can be left on Patio area in front of each homeowner’s unit.
Mister Condo replies:
J.B., I am sorry that your fellow homeowners have decided to use their patio concrete slabs as storage areas, creating an eyesore for the community. Have you looked at your existing governance documents? It is quite common for there to be rules and regulations about how common and limited common elements can be used by unit owners. It may be as simple as having these rules enforced. If the documents are silent on the use of the space, it is time to ask the Board to consider new rules to keep the property looking great. If the Board refuses or there isn’t enough consensus to enact such rules, there may be nothing you can do. If there aren’t rules against using a common element like a patio in a certain manner, it is typically up to the unit owner to use the space as they see fit. Hopefully, between existing or future restrictions, you can get the eye appeal of your association back up to snuff. All the best!