HOA glossaryRules & enforcement

What is architectural review?

The process by which proposed exterior changes to a lot are submitted, measured against published standards, and approved or denied.

Also called: ARC, Architectural control committee, Design review

Nearly every declaration requires approval before an owner alters the exterior — paint, roofing, fences, additions, decks, solar, landscaping, satellite dishes, sheds. The board or a committee applies the standards in the documents and any adopted guidelines.

Defensible review has four elements: written standards published in advance, a defined submission process, a decision within a stated period, and written reasons for a denial tied to a specific standard. Approvals and denials should be retained permanently, because they set the pattern the next applicant will point to.

Certain categories are constrained by law rather than by the documents — solar installations, flags, satellite receivers, and in some states drought-tolerant landscaping. A covenant that conflicts with such a statute is generally unenforceable to that extent.

Silence is a real risk. Where the documents or statute impose a decision deadline, failing to respond can amount to approval.

Why it matters to a board

Deny in writing, citing the standard. A denial without a reason is the easiest kind of decision for an owner to overturn.

Where the answer lives

Your recorded declaration and bylaws first, then the act that governs associations in your state. Whichever is stricter is the one that binds you.

Related terms

Rules and regulationsStandards adopted by the board under authority granted in the covenants — enforceable, but subordinate to them.CommitteeA group appointed by the board to study or administer a defined area, with only the authority the board delegates to it.Violation noticeWritten notice to an owner that a specific covenant or rule has been breached, and the first formal step in enforcement.Selective enforcementApplying a covenant to some owners and not others, which is the most common and most effective defence against an enforcement action.CC&RsThe recorded covenants that run with the land in a community, binding every owner to the same set of use restrictions and obligations.PlatThe recorded survey map that shows lot lines, common area, easements and dedications for the community.
General information, not legal advice. This entry explains what the term means, not what your association must do about it. Any notice period, cure window, fine cap, vote threshold or deadline comes from your recorded declaration and your state's act — those differ in all fifty states and are amended every session. Updated August 2026. Confirm the current requirements with an attorney licensed in your state before acting.
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