2026 Legislative Update for Community Associations
Important developments from Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. that condominium and homeowners association Board members should have on their radar.
Keeping Your Board Informed
Community association laws continue to evolve, and even seemingly small legislative changes can affect association budgets, insurance requirements, elections, collections, maintenance responsibilities, owner communications, and Board procedures.
Blackstone Management has prepared three concise 2026 Legislative Update briefings covering Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. The goal is to give Board members an easy-to-read overview of the issues that may have the greatest impact on the communities they serve.
Some of these changes are already effective, others have future effective dates, and some remain proposals that should continue to be monitored.
Maryland
Maryland’s 2026 legislative session was relatively favorable for community associations, with several proposals that would have created additional administrative requirements failing to advance.
One of the most important future changes involves condominium insurance. Beginning October 1, 2027, qualifying condominium owners will face increased responsibility of up to $25,000 for covered property losses or the association’s deductible and will be required to carry specified HO-6 insurance coverage.
The session also addressed political signs, balcony solar equipment, association elections, and county-specific requirements. Charles County now requires recurring Board member and officer training, while Prince George’s County communities face additional governance, records, meeting, and disclosure requirements.
Download Maryland BriefingWashington, D.C.
Unlike states with a fixed annual legislative session, the D.C. Council works on a rolling two-year cycle. That means legislation affecting community associations can continue moving throughout the year.
Among the most significant proposals is legislation that could allow a condominium association to pass through as much as $25,000 of an insurance deductible to the unit where a covered loss originated.
Boards should also be watching proposed short-term rental changes, smoke-free residential legislation, water-billing and shutoff protections, and existing Building Energy Performance Standards requirements. Structural-defect warranty resources and the development of a dedicated D.C. HOA Act are also important continuing issues.
Download D.C. BriefingVirginia
Virginia’s 2026 session produced fewer direct new mandates for community associations, but several developments are important from a governance and collections standpoint.
Changes to the Virginia Nonstock Corporation Act modernize corporate governance and provide additional tools involving remote meetings, electronic voting and proxies, ratification of certain defective Board actions, and disputed elections.
Associations also retained the full 20-year period for enforcement of their unpaid assessment judgments. A separate consumer-debt disclosure requirement that could affect collection procedures has been delayed until July 2027, giving communities additional time to prepare and monitor future amendments.
Portable solar equipment, right-of-entry procedures for repairs, and several proposals being carried forward to the 2027 legislative session are also worth monitoring.
Download Virginia BriefingWhat Does This Mean for Your Board?
The most important takeaway is not that every Board needs to make an immediate change. Rather, Boards should understand which changes apply to their jurisdiction and identify issues that may require planning before they become urgent.
Insurance requirements may require advance owner education. New governance rules may warrant a review of bylaws or established Board procedures. Changes affecting collections, reserves, maintenance, or owner responsibilities may need to be reflected in future budgets or policies.
We encourage Board members to download the applicable briefing, review it as a Board, and consult association counsel whenever a legislative change may require interpretation of the community’s governing documents or legal obligations.
These legislative summaries are provided by Blackstone Management, LLC for general educational and informational purposes. They are not legal advice and should not be relied upon as a substitute for advice from qualified association legal counsel. Laws, regulations, effective dates, and pending legislation may change.
