Board Resource Center
Board Governance & Illinois Law
Use these guides to prepare for meetings, maintain records, apply rules consistently, and understand when an Illinois association should involve licensed counsel.
Published Guidance
Board guides in this topic
Board Governance
September 11, 2026
Developer Turnover: What an Illinois Association Board Should Collect
Turnover is the one moment when an association has maximum leverage to obtain complete records. Use a written collection list and independent professional review.
Board Governance
September 7, 2026
New Condo Board Member Guide: The First 30 Days
New directors are asked to vote on real money within weeks of election. Here is what to read, review, and ask in your first month.
Illinois Association Law
September 6, 2026
The Illinois Condominium Ombudsperson Act: Current Board Duties
Boards regularly ask what the Ombudsperson Act requires of them today. The honest answer starts with checking the current status of the Act itself, then focusing on the internal complaint policy discipline that helps either way.
Board Governance
September 3, 2026
Adopting and Enforcing Association Rules in Illinois
A rule is only as strong as the process behind it. Authority, notice, a fair hearing, and consistency are what make enforcement stick.
Illinois Association Law
August 31, 2026
Condo Deconversion in Illinois: Is It 75% or 85%?
A developer offer to buy every unit in the building is the single most consequential vote most condo boards will ever put to their owners — and the approval threshold is different in Chicago than it is three miles north.
Illinois Association Law
August 31, 2026
Collecting Unpaid Assessments in Illinois: The Possession Action
Most boards think their only collection tool is a lien that sits until the owner sells. Illinois gives associations something considerably sharper — and considerably more misunderstood.
Illinois Association Law
August 31, 2026
Amending an Illinois Condo Declaration: What It Actually Takes
Boards routinely pass amendments that never take effect, because the vote is only half the job. Here is the threshold, the exceptions, and the step that gets skipped.
Association Finance
August 31, 2026
Cook County Property Tax Appeals: What Condo Boards Should Know
One filing can cover every unit in the building — and unlike most things a board does, the upside lands directly in owners’ pockets rather than in the association’s budget.
Board Governance
August 30, 2026
Electronic Voting for Illinois Associations: Board Checklist
Electronic voting can lift participation dramatically, but only if the board confirms its authority, collects proper consent, and preserves a defensible record.
Board Governance
August 26, 2026
Closed Sessions for Illinois Condo Boards: A Practical Guide
Closed session exists for a narrow set of sensitive topics. Used correctly it protects the association; used loosely it damages owner trust.
Board Governance
August 22, 2026
How Illinois Condo Boards Should Handle Records Requests
Owner records requests are a recurring source of conflict. A written intake process, counsel review, and consistent recordkeeping turn them into routine administration.
Illinois Association Law
August 18, 2026
Which Illinois Law Governs Your Condo, HOA, or Townhome Association?
Condominiums, HOAs, and townhome associations in Illinois do not all operate under the same statute. Here is how boards identify the governing law and reconcile it with their own declaration and bylaws.
Rules & Leasing
August 13, 2026
Renting Out Your Chicago Condo: Association Rules and City Law, Explained
Between your association’s leasing rules and Chicago’s rental ordinances, leasing your condo has a right way and several expensive wrong ways. Here is the right way.
Legal & Compliance
February 18, 2026
Illinois Condo Law in 2026: What Every Board Must Know
Illinois condo boards face a dense web of legal obligations. Here is a practical, plain-English rundown of the rules that matter most in 2026 — and where boards most often get into trouble.
Owner Rights
February 20, 2024
Can a Condo Board Enter Your Unit? Illinois Owner Rights Explained
Few topics spark stronger reactions than a board entering a private unit. Here is how access rights actually work for Illinois condominiums — for owners and boards alike.
Community Standards
November 9, 2023
The Most Common Condo Rule Violations in Chicago Buildings
Most condo conflict starts small. Here are the rule violations Chicago boards see most often — and the right way to address them before they escalate.
Legal & Compliance
July 25, 2023
Are HOA and Condo Rules Legally Enforceable in Illinois?
Owners challenge condo and HOA rules constantly. Here is what actually makes a rule legally enforceable in Illinois — and the mistakes that get rules thrown out.
Board Governance
March 14, 2023
The #1 Reason Condo Boards Fail (And How to Fix It)
Board dysfunction is the quiet killer of condo associations. Here is the single biggest reason boards fail — and a practical playbook for fixing it.
Board Questions
What boards ask about board governance & illinois law.
Clear scope, clear pricing, and a transition plan your board can evaluate before making a decision.
Which Illinois law governs our association?
Condominiums are governed by the Illinois Condominium Property Act. Homeowner and townhome associations that are not condominiums generally fall under the Common Interest Community Association Act, with smaller communities sometimes exempt from parts of it. Both sit alongside the General Not For Profit Corporation Act and your own recorded declaration and bylaws. Knowing which applies matters, because notice periods, records rights, and voting rules differ between them.
What decisions require an owner vote rather than a board vote?
The board can act on ordinary operations, contracts, and rules within its granted authority. Amending the declaration, and in most cases adopting the annual budget where owners hold a rejection right, reach further. Special assessments above thresholds set in the statute or documents can trigger an owner petition right. When the line is unclear, the cost of asking counsel first is far below the cost of an action later reversed.
How long do we have to respond to an owner records request?
Illinois sets a statutory response window for proper written requests and defines the categories that may be withheld, such as litigation files and other owners’ personal information. Treat every request the same way: log it, acknowledge it in writing, produce what the statute requires within the deadline, and route anything genuinely within an exception to counsel. Silence is what turns a records question into a legal dispute.
What is a director’s fiduciary duty in practice?
It means acting in the association’s interest rather than your own, informing yourself before deciding, and following the process the documents require. In practice that is: read the board package, disclose and step back from conflicts, base decisions on documented information, and record what was decided and why. Directors are rarely faulted for a decision that turned out badly — they are faulted for deciding without a process.
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