J.Z. from Hartford County, Connecticut writes:
Dear Mister Condo,
What is the difference between a UOA and a HOA?
Mister Condo replies:
J.Z., a rose by any other name would smell as sweet! There are plenty of acronyms to describe Common Interest Realty Associations (CIRAs – Hey there’s another one!) but, at the end of the day, there is not much of a difference between a Unit Owners Association (UOA) and a Homeowners’ Association (HOA). For that matter, there is not that much of a difference between most types of Common Interest Realty Associations (CIRA) from a governance standpoint. There are usually Covenants, Conditions, & Restrictions (CC&Rs) and governing documents that define the real estate entity and the rights of those that purchase into it. Condominiums are more commonly referred to as “units”, so I could see where the term UOA might be used to describe the association. There are also Planned Unit Developments in Connecticut that were built when they were commonly allowed. Again, because the individual dwellings are called “units”, UOA might be used to adequately describe the association. Regardless of whether you own in a UOA, an HOA, a POA (Property Owners Association), etc., there are generally very legal documents that define what you own and what your responsibility is to the association and the association to your unit. Hope that helps!