What Are Common Areas?

Every day, you experience the parts of your community that everyone shares.

Maybe it's the beautifully landscaped entrance that welcomes you home.

Perhaps it's the neighborhood park, clubhouse, swimming pool, or walking path.

Or it may simply be the landscaped areas, open spaces, or other features that give your community its character.

Have you ever wondered...

"Which parts of my community belong to everyone?"

"Who takes care of all of this?"

"Who pays to maintain these areas?"

They're great questions.

Understanding common areas is one of the first steps to understanding how an HOA works.

Let's take a closer look.

 Every community is different, and not every HOA owns or maintains the same amenities. For example, some communities have private roads and sidewalks maintained by the Association, while others have public roads and sidewalks maintained by the local government. 

• Community entrances 
• Landscaping 
• Swimming pools 
• Clubhouses 
• Fitness centers 
• Parks and playgrounds 
• Walking paths 
• Lakes and ponds 
• Private roads 
• Sidewalks 
• Security gates 
• 
  

Your community may have only a few of these, or many more.

Remember when we talked about who runs the HOA?

One of the Association's primary responsibilities is maintaining the community's common areas.

That often means hiring landscapers, pool companies, security companies, electricians, painters, engineers, and other professionals to help keep these shared spaces safe, attractive, and in good working order.

We'll talk more about how the HOA pays for these services in a future article.

Common areas are part of what makes your community feel like home because they're shared and enjoyed by everyone.

They're the entrance that welcomes you home each day.

The sidewalks you walk on.

The pool where families gather.

The park where children play.

Because these areas are shared by everyone, everyone has a role in helping preserve and care for them.

Some communities have very few common areas, while others have many amenities.

In some communities, the Association maintains private roads and sidewalks. In others, those may be maintained by the city or county.

The important thing to remember is that common areas are the shared spaces the Association is responsible for maintaining for the benefit of the community.

Exactly which areas are considered common areas, and who is responsible for maintaining them, depends on your community's governing documents.

Common areas are one of the defining features of an HOA community.

While no single homeowner owns these shared spaces, everyone benefits from them.

Understanding what common areas are—and why they're maintained, helps explain where your assessment dollars go and how the Association works to preserve the community for everyone.

You don't have to learn everything today.

We'll take it one conversation at a time.

Knowledge builds confident homeowners.

Engaged homeowners build stronger communities.

Let's keep the conversation going.

 Florida HOA Spotlight— Helping Homeowners Understand Their Communities... One Conversation at a Time.