Master associations

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(a) Applicability of section.--If the declaration for a condominium provides that any of the powers described in section 3302 (relating to powers of unit owners' association) with respect to the condominium are to be exercised by or may be delegated to a profit or nonprofit corporation or unincorporated association (a "master association") which exercises those or other powers on behalf of one or more other condominiums or other incorporated or unincorporated associations, then, except as modified by this section, all provisions of this subpart applicable to unit owners' associations shall apply to any such master association insofar as its actions affect the condominium.

(b) Powers.--Unless a master association is acting in the capacity of an association described in section 3301 (relating to organization of unit owners' association) with respect to a condominium which is part of the master association, it may exercise with respect to the condominium only such powers set forth in section 3302 and only to the extent expressly permitted in the declaration of condominium which provides for the delegation of powers from its condominium association to the master association and accepted by such master association as indicated in the provisions of the declaration or other organizational documents of such master association.

(c) Liability of executive board members and officers.--If the declaration of a condominium provides that the executive board may delegate certain powers to a master association, the members of the executive board have no liability for the acts or omissions of the master association with respect to those powers following such delegation. The officers and members of the governing board of the master association are subject to liability to the condominium association whose powers are delegated thereto and the unit owners of such condominium on the same basis as officers and executive board members of such condominium immediately before such delegation of powers.

(d) Rights and responsibilities of persons electing governing body.--The rights and responsibilities of unit owners with respect to the unit owners' association set forth in sections 3303 (relating to executive board members and officers), 3308 (relating to meetings), 3309 (relating to quorums), 3310 (relating to voting; proxies) and 3320 (relating to declarant delivery of items to association) apply in the conduct of the affairs of a master association with respect to the exercise of powers delegated pursuant to a condominium declaration to such master association, but apply only to those persons who elect the governing body of a master association, whether or not those persons are otherwise unit owners within the meaning of this subpart.

(e) Election of master association governing body.--Notwithstanding the provisions of section 3303(e) with respect to the election of the executive board by all unit owners after the period of declarant control ends and even if a master association is also an association described in section 3301, the instrument creating the master association and the declaration of each condominium or the organizational documents of other associations the powers of which are assigned pursuant to the declaration or organizational documents or delegated to the master association shall provide that the governing body of the master association must be elected after the period of declarant control in any of the following ways:

(1) All unit owners of all condominiums and other properties subject to the master association elect all members of the governing body of the master association.

(2) All members of the governing bodies of the condominium associations and other property owners' associations subject to the master association elect all members of the master association governing body.

(3) All unit owners of each condominium and other property owners' associations subject to the master association elect specified members of the master association governing body.

(4) All members of the governing bodies of the condominiums and other property associations subject to the master association elect specified members of the master association governing body.

(f) Delegation of responsibility and authority.--The provisions of this section shall apply to a condominium if and when:

(1) there occurs either a date specified in the declaration or any amendment thereto from and after which this section shall apply to the condominium;

(2) there occurs an event or action that the declaration or any amendment thereto states shall cause this section to become applicable, and the association causes to be recorded an instrument duly executed by the president of the association stating that:

(i) such event or action has occurred and the date of such occurrence, thereby causing this section to become applicable to the condominium; and

(ii) that a copy of such instrument has been sent to all unit owners; or

(3) the declarant executes and records an instrument stating that this section shall thereafter apply to the condominium and that a copy of such instrument has been sent to the executive board and all unit owners.

Paragraph (3) shall be applicable only if the declarant shall have expressly reserved in the declaration, pursuant to section 3205(12) (relating to contents of declaration; all condominiums), the special declarant right to make this section applicable to the condominium and only if the instrument exercising such right shall have been recorded during the time period allowed for the exercise of such right.

(g) Delegation of all powers.--If all the powers of a condominium association are delegated to a master association and accepted by such master association pursuant to subsection (b), then the governing body of the master association may act in all respects as the executive board of the condominium and no separate executive board need be elected or exist.

(Dec. 18, 1992, P.L.1279, No.168, eff. 45 days)

1992 Amendment. Act 168 added section 3222.

Cross References. Section 3222 is referred to in sections 3102, 3103, 3205, 3302 of this title.


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