BELLINGHAM, Wash. — Last week we brought you the story about Sudden Valley residents who are gathering signatures on a petition to limit annual dues increases.
They may have a steep hill to climb as the WUCIOA law passed in 2018 requires a majority of households in a home owners association – and not just a majority of those who vote – to change budgets passed by a board of directors.
40th District State Representative Jeff Morris, who represents Sudden Valley, says the law was promoted by a state home owners association.
“Memberships had eroded away over time . . . . they weren’t really participating in the elections, and they couldn’t get the approval to upkeep some of the facilities they had around the state. That was the case that was made,” he says.
He introduced a bill in the last legislative session that would exempt existing home owners associations from the law but it didn’t pass.
Morris says the only course for immediate action for Sudden Valley residents to take is a lawsuit challenging the law’s constitutionality.