What are common interest communities?

Common interest communities are housing developments designed to provide residents with shared areas and amenities, typically governed by a Homeowners Association (HOA). These communities include a variety of property types, such as townhomes, condominiums, or other housing forms, where residents collectively manage and maintain certain shared spaces, like pools, parks, and recreational facilities. The governance provided by the HOA includes enforcing community rules, maintaining communal areas, and ensuring that the community’s overall aesthetic and property values are upheld.

This organizational structure serves to promote cooperation and a sense of community among residents while also providing a framework for addressing communal issues. It distinguishes common interest communities from standalone homes, which do not share facilities, and from rural areas where zoning may be minimal and there's typically less communal governance. The term also does not specifically refer to luxury properties, which can exist independently from the concept of common interest developments.