Virginia Law

Article 4. Administration of Chapter; Sale, Etc., of Condominium Units.

This chapter shall be administered by the Common Interest Community Board.

1974, c. 416, § 55-79.86; 2008, cc. 851, 871; 2019, c. 712.

A. The Common Interest Community Board shall prescribe reasonable regulations, which shall be adopted, amended, or repealed in compliance with law applicable to the administrative procedure of agencies of government. The regulations shall include provisions for advertising standards to assure full and fair disclosure, provisions for operating procedures, and other regulations as are necessary and proper to accomplish the purpose of this chapter.

B. The Common Interest Community Board by regulation or by an order, after reasonable notice and hearing, may require the filing of advertising material relating to condominiums prior to its distribution.

C. If it appears that a person has engaged or is about to engage in an act or practice constituting a violation of a provision of this chapter or Common Interest Community Board regulation or order, the Common Interest Community Board, with or without prior administrative proceedings, may bring an action in the circuit court of the county or city in which any portion of the condominium is located to enjoin the acts or practices and to enforce compliance with this chapter or any Common Interest Community Board regulation or order. Upon proper showing, injunctive relief or temporary restraining orders shall be granted. The Common Interest Community Board is not required to post a bond in any court proceedings or prove that no other adequate remedy at law exists.

D. With respect to any lawful process served upon the Common Interest Community Board pursuant to the appointment made in accordance with subdivision A 1 of § 55.1-1975, the Common Interest Community Board shall forthwith cause the same to be sent by registered or certified mail to any of the principals, officers, directors, partners, or trustees of the declarant listed in the application for registration at the last address listed in such application or the most recent annual report.

E. The Common Interest Community Board may intervene in any action involving the declarant. In any action by or against a declarant involving a condominium, the declarant shall promptly furnish the Common Interest Community Board notice of the action and copies of all pleadings.

F. The Common Interest Community Board may:

1. Accept registrations filed in other states or with the federal government;

2. Contract with similar agencies in the Commonwealth or other jurisdictions to perform investigative functions; and

3. Accept grants in aid from any governmental source.

G. The Common Interest Community Board shall cooperate with similar agencies in other jurisdictions to establish uniform filing procedures and forms, uniform public offering statements, advertising standards, regulations, and common administrative practices.

1974, c. 416, § 55-79.98; 1981, c. 480; 2011, c. 605; 2019, c. 712.

A. Unless the method of offer or disposition is adopted for the purpose of evasion of this chapter, the provisions of §§ 55.1-1974 through 55.1-1979, subsections B and D of § 55.1-1982, and §§ 55.1-2308 and 55.1-2309 do not apply to:

1. Dispositions pursuant to court order;

2. Dispositions by any government or government agency;

3. Offers by the declarant on nonbinding reservation agreements;

4. Dispositions in a residential condominium in which there are three or fewer units, so long as the condominium instruments do not reserve to the declarant the right to create additional condominium units; or

5. A disposition of a unit by a sale at an auction where a current public offering statement or resale certificate was made available as part of an auction package for prospective purchasers prior to the auction sale.

B. In cases of dispositions in a condominium where all units are restricted to nonresidential use, the provisions of §§ 55.1-1974 through 55.1-1983 shall not apply, unless the method of offer or disposition is adopted for the purpose of evasion of this chapter.

1974, c. 416, § 55-79.87; 1975, c. 415; 1984, c. 427; 1993, c. 667; 2007, c. 266; 2012, c. 325; 2015, c. 277; 2019, c. 712; 2023, cc. 387, 388.

A. Except as expressly authorized in this chapter or in the condominium instruments or as otherwise provided by law, no unit owners' association shall:

1. Condition or prohibit the rental of a unit to a tenant by a unit owner or make an assessment or impose a charge except as provided in § 55.1-1904;

2. Charge a rental fee, application fee, or other processing fee of any kind in excess of $50 during the term of any lease;

3. Charge an annual or monthly rental fee or any other fee not expressly authorized in § 55.1-1904;

4. Require the unit owner to use a lease or an addendum to the lease prepared by the unit owners' association;

5. Charge any deposit from the unit owner or the tenant of the unit owner;

6. Have the authority to evict a tenant of any unit owner or to require any unit owner to execute a power of attorney authorizing the unit owners' association to so evict; or

7. Refuse to recognize a person designated by the unit owner as the unit owner's authorized representative under the provisions of § 55.1-1962. Notwithstanding any other provision of this subdivision, the requirements of § 55.1-1953 and the condominium instruments shall be satisfied before any such representative may exercise a vote on behalf of a unit owner as a proxy.

B. The unit owners' association may require the unit owner to provide the unit owners' association with the names and contact information of the tenants and authorized occupants under such lease and of any authorized agent of the unit owner and vehicle information for such tenants or authorized occupants. The unit owners' association may require the unit owner to provide the unit owners' association with the tenant's acknowledgment of and consent to any rules and regulations of the unit owners' association.

C. The provisions of this section shall not apply to units owned by the unit owners' association.

2015, c. 277, § 55-79.87:1; 2016, c. 471; 2019, c. 712; 2022, cc. 65, 66.

Unless exempt by § 55.1-1972:

1. No declarant may offer or dispose of any interest in a condominium unit located in the Commonwealth, nor offer or dispose of in the Commonwealth any interest in a condominium unit located outside of the Commonwealth prior to the time the condominium including such unit is registered in accordance with this chapter.

2. No declarant may dispose of any interest in a condominium unit unless he delivers to the purchaser a current public offering statement by the time of such disposition and such disposition is expressly and without qualification or condition subject to cancellation by the purchaser within five calendar days from the contract date of the disposition or delivery of the current public offering statement, whichever is later. If the purchaser elects to cancel, he may do so by notice of such cancellation hand-delivered or sent by United States mail, return receipt requested, to the declarant. Such cancellation shall be without penalty, and any deposit made by the purchaser shall be promptly refunded in its entirety.

3. The purchaser's right to cancel the purchase contract pursuant to subdivision 2 shall be set forth on the first page of the purchase contract in boldface print of not less than 12-point type.

4. The prospective purchaser may cancel a nonbinding reservation agreement by written notice, hand-delivered or sent by United States mail, return receipt requested, to the declarant or to any sales agent of the declarant at any time prior to the formation of a contract for the sale or lease of a condominium unit or an interest in such unit. Such agreement shall not contain any provision for waiver or any other provision in derogation of the rights of the prospective purchaser as contemplated by this section, nor shall any such provision be a part of any ancillary agreement.

1974, c. 416, § 55-79.88; 1975, c. 415; 1988, c. 15; 2014, c. 215; 2019, c. 712; 2020, c. 592.

A. The application for registration of the condominium shall be filed as prescribed by the Common Interest Community Board's regulations and shall contain the following documents and information:

1. An irrevocable appointment of the Common Interest Community Board to receive service of any lawful process in any noncriminal proceeding arising under this chapter against the applicant or his personal representative if nonresidents of the Commonwealth;

2. The states or jurisdictions in which an application for registration or similar document has been filed and any adverse order or judgment entered in connection with the condominium by the regulatory authorities in each jurisdiction or by any court;

3. The applicant's name and address; the form, date, and jurisdiction of organization; and the address of each of its offices in the Commonwealth;

4. The name, address, and principal occupation for the past five years of every officer of the applicant or person occupying a similar status or performing similar functions and the extent and nature of his interest in the applicant or the condominium, as of a specified date within 30 days of the filing of the application;

5. A statement, in a form acceptable to the Common Interest Community Board, of the condition of the title to the condominium project, including encumbrances, as of a specified date within 30 days of the date of application by a title opinion of a licensed attorney not a salaried employee, officer, or director of the applicant or owner, or by other evidence of title acceptable to the Common Interest Community Board;

6. Copies of the instruments that will be delivered to a purchaser to evidence his interest in the unit and of the contracts and other agreements that a purchaser will be required to agree to or sign;

7. Copies of any management agreements, employment contracts, or other contracts or agreements affecting the use, maintenance, or access of all or a part of the condominium;

8. A statement of the zoning and other governmental regulations affecting the use of the condominium, including the site plans and building permits and their status, and also of any existing tax and existing or proposed special taxes or assessments that affect the condominium;

9. A narrative description of the promotional plan for the disposition of the units in the condominium;

10. Plats and plans of the condominium that comply with the provisions of § 55.1-1920 other than the certification requirements, and that show all units and buildings containing units to be built anywhere within the submitted land other than within the boundaries of any convertible lands, except that the Common Interest Community Board may establish by regulation or order requirements in lieu of the provisions of § 55.1-1920 for plats and plans of a condominium located outside the Commonwealth;

11. The proposed public offering statement;

12. Any bonds required to be posted pursuant to the provisions of this chapter;

13. A current financial statement or other documentation to demonstrate the declarant's financial ability to complete all proposed improvements on the condominium; and

14. Any other information that the Common Interest Community Board's regulations require for the protection of purchasers.

B. If the declarant registers additional units to be offered for disposition in the same condominium, he may consolidate the subsequent registration with any earlier registration offering units in the condominium for disposition under the same promotional plan.

C. The declarant shall immediately report any material changes in the information contained in an application for registration.

D. Each application shall be accompanied by a fee in an amount established by the Common Interest Community Board pursuant to § 54.1-113. All fees shall be remitted by the Common Interest Community Board to the State Treasurer and shall be credited to the Common Interest Community Management Information Fund established pursuant to § 54.1-2354.2.

1974, c. 416, § 55-79.89; 1975, c. 415; 1977, c. 428; 1988, c. 16; 2008, cc. 851, 871; 2011, c. 605; 2019, c. 712.

A. A public offering statement shall disclose fully and accurately the characteristics of the condominium and the units being offered and shall make known to prospective purchasers all unusual and material circumstances or features affecting the condominium. The proposed public offering statement submitted to the Common Interest Community Board shall be in a form prescribed by its regulations and shall include the following:

1. The name and principal address of the declarant and the condominium;

2. A general narrative description of the condominium stating the total number of units in the offering, the total number of units planned to be sold and rented, and the total number of units that may be included in the condominium by reason of future expansion or merger of the project by the declarant;

3. Copies of the declaration and bylaws, with a brief narrative statement describing each and including information on declarant control; a projected budget for at least the first year of the condominium's operation, including projected common expense assessments for each unit; and provisions for reserves for capital expenditures and restraints on alienation;

4. Copies of any management contract, lease of recreational areas, or similar contract or agreement affecting the use, maintenance, or access of all or any part of the condominium with a brief narrative statement of the effect of each such agreement upon a purchaser, and a statement of the relationship, if any, between the declarant and the managing agent or firm;

5. A general description of the status of construction, zoning, site plan approval, issuance of building permits, or compliance with any other state or local statute or regulation affecting the condominium;

6. The significant terms of any encumbrances, easements, liens, and matters of title affecting the condominium;

7. The significant terms of any financing offered by the declarant to the purchaser of units in the condominium;

8. Provisions of any warranties provided by the declarant on the units and the common elements, other than the warranty prescribed by subsection B of § 55.1-1955;

9. A statement that, pursuant to subdivision 2 of § 55.1-1974, the purchaser may cancel the disposition within five calendar days of delivery of the current public offering statement or within five calendar days of the contract date of the disposition, whichever is later;

10. A statement of the declarant's obligation to complete improvements of the condominium that are planned but not yet begun or begun but not yet completed. Such statement shall include a description of the quality of the materials to be used, the size or capacity of the improvements when material, and the time by which the improvements shall be completed. Any limitations on the declarant's obligation to begin or complete any such improvements shall be expressly stated;

11. If the units in the condominium are being subjected to a time-share instrument pursuant to § 55.1-2208, the information required to be disclosed by § 55.1-2217;

12. A statement listing the facilities or amenities that are defined as common elements or limited common elements in the condominium instruments that are available to a purchaser for use. Such statement shall also include whether there are any fees or other charges for the use of such facilities or amenities that are not included as part of any assessment and the amount of such fees or charges, if any, a purchaser may be required to pay;

13. A statement of any limitation on the number of persons who may occupy a unit as a dwelling;

14. A statement setting forth any restrictions, limitation, or prohibition on the right of a unit owner to display the flag of the United States, including reasonable restrictions as to the size, place, and manner of placement or display of such flag; and

15. Additional information required by the Common Interest Community Board to assure full and fair disclosure to prospective purchasers.

B. The public offering statement shall not be used for any promotional purposes before registration of the condominium project and shall be used afterwards only if it is used in its entirety. No person may advertise or represent that the Common Interest Community Board approves or recommends the condominium or disposition of any unit in the condominium. No portion of the public offering statement may be underscored, italicized, or printed in larger or heavier or different color type than the remainder of the statement unless the Common Interest Community Board requires it.

C. The Common Interest Community Board may require the declarant to alter or amend the proposed public offering statement in order to assure full and fair disclosure to prospective purchasers, and no change in the substance of the promotional plan or plan of disposition or development of the condominium may be made after registration without notifying the Common Interest Community Board and without making appropriate amendment of the public offering statement. A public offering statement is not current unless all amendments are incorporated.

D. If an interest in a condominium is currently registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, a declarant satisfies all requirements relating to the preparation of a public offering statement in this chapter if he delivers to the purchaser and files with the Common Interest Community Board a copy of the public offering statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. An interest in a condominium is not a security under the provisions of the Securities Act (§ 13.1-501 et seq.).

1974, c. 416, § 55-79.90; 1977, c. 428; 1986, c. 324; 1996, cc. 281, 888; 1999, c. 560; 2006, c. 646; 2007, cc. 854, 910; 2011, c. 605; 2014, c. 215; 2019, c. 712.

Upon receipt of an application for registration, the Common Interest Community Board shall conduct an examination of the material submitted to determine that:

1. The declarant can convey or cause to be conveyed the units offered for disposition if the purchaser complies with the terms of the offer;

2. There is reasonable assurance that all proposed improvements will be completed as represented;

3. The advertising material and the general promotional plan are not false or misleading and comply with the standards prescribed by the Common Interest Community Board in its regulations and afford full and fair disclosure;

4. The declarant has not, or if a corporation its officers and principals have not, been convicted of a crime involving condominium unit dispositions or any aspect of the land sales business in the Commonwealth, United States, or any other state or foreign country within the past 10 years and has not been subject to any injunction or administrative order restraining a false or misleading promotional plan involving land dispositions;

5. The public offering statement requirements of this chapter have been satisfied; and

6. All other requirements of this chapter and the Common Interest Community Board's regulations have been satisfied.

1974, c. 416, § 55-79.91; 1988, c. 15; 2019, c. 712.

A. Upon receipt of the application for registration, the Common Interest Community Board shall issue a notice of filing to the applicant within five business days. In the case of receipt of an application for a condominium that is a conversion condominium, the Common Interest Community Board shall also issue within five business days a notice of filing to the chief administrative officer of the county or city in which the proposed condominium is located, and the notice shall include the name and address of the applicant and the name and address or location of the proposed condominium. Within 60 days from the date of the notice of filing, the Common Interest Community Board shall enter an order registering the condominium or rejecting the registration. If no order of rejection is entered within 60 days from the date of notice of filing, the condominium shall be deemed registered unless the applicant has consented in writing to a delay.

B. If the Common Interest Community Board affirmatively determines, upon inquiry and examination, that the requirements of this chapter and the Common Interest Community Board's regulations have been met, it shall enter an order registering the condominium and shall designate the form of the public offering statement.

C. If the Common Interest Community Board determines upon inquiry and examination that any of the requirements of this chapter and the Common Interest Community Board's regulations have not been met, the Common Interest Community Board shall notify the applicant that the application for registration must be corrected in the particulars specified within 20 days. If the requirements are not met within the time allowed, the Common Interest Community Board shall enter an order rejecting the registration, and such order shall include the findings of fact upon which the order is based. The order rejecting the registration shall not become effective for 20 days after issuance of the order. During this 20-day period, the applicant may petition for reconsideration and shall be entitled to a hearing to correct the particulars specified in the Common Interest Community Board's notice. Such order of rejection shall not take effect, in any event, until such time as the hearing, once requested, is given to the applicant.

1974, c. 416, § 55-79.92; 1985, c. 107; 1988, c. 15; 2006, c. 726; 2019, c. 712.

The declarant shall file a report in the form prescribed by the regulations of the Common Interest Community Board within 30 days of each anniversary date of the order registering the condominium. The report shall reflect any material changes in information contained in the original application for registration.

1974, c. 416, § 55-79.93; 1975, c. 415; 1988, c. 15; 2012, cc. 481, 797; 2019, c. 712.

The unit owners' association shall file an annual report in a form and at such time as prescribed by regulations of the Common Interest Community Board. The filing of the annual report required by this section shall begin upon the termination of the declarant control period pursuant to § 55.1-1943. The annual report shall be accompanied by a fee in an amount established by the Common Interest Community Board, which shall be paid into the state treasury and credited to the Common Interest Community Management Information Fund established pursuant to § 54.1-2354.2.

1993, c. 958, § 55-79.93:1; 2008, cc. 851, 871; 2009, c. 557; 2012, cc. 481, 797; 2019, cc. 391, 712.

A. In the event that all of the units in the condominium have been disposed of and that all periods for conversion or expansion have expired, the Common Interest Community Board shall issue an order terminating the registration of the condominium.

B. Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, the Common Interest Community Board may administratively terminate the registration of a condominium if:

1. The declarant has not filed an annual report in accordance with § 55.1-1979 for three or more consecutive years; or

2. The declarant's registration with the State Corporation Commission, if applicable, has not been active for five or more consecutive years.

2012, cc. 481, 797, § 55-79.93:2; 2019, c. 712.

A. For the purposes of this section:

"Affordable rent" means a monthly rent that does not exceed the greater of 30 percent of the annual gross income of the tenant household or 30 percent of the imputed income limit applicable to such unit size, as published by the Virginia Housing Development Authority for compliance with the Low Income Housing Tax Credit program.

"Certified nonprofit housing corporation" means a nonprofit organization exempt from taxation under § 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code that has been certified by a locality as actively engaged in producing or preserving affordable housing as determined by criteria established by the locality.

"Disabled" means a person suffering from a severe, chronic physical or mental impairment that results in substantial functional imitations.

"Elderly" means a person not less than 62 years of age.

B. Any declarant of a conversion condominium shall include in his public offering statement in addition to the requirements of § 55.1-1976 the following:

1. A specific statement of the amount of any initial or special condominium fee due from the purchaser on or before settlement of the purchase contract and the basis of such fee;

2. Information on the actual expenditures made on all repairs, maintenance, operation, or upkeep of the subject building within the last three years, set forth in a tabular format with the proposed budget of the condominium and cumulatively broken down on a per unit basis in proportion to the relative voting strengths allocated to the units by the bylaws. If such building has not been occupied for a period of three years, then the information shall be set forth for the maximum period such building has been occupied;

3. A description of any provisions made in the budget for reserves for capital expenditures and an explanation of the basis for such reserves, or, if no provision is made for such reserves, a statement to that effect;

4. A statement of the declarant as to the present condition of all structural components and major utility installations in the condominium, including the approximate dates of construction, installation, and major repairs and the expected useful life of each such item, together with the estimated cost of replacing each such item;

5. If any building included or that may be included in the condominium was substantially completed prior to July 1, 1978, a statement that each such building has been inspected for asbestos in accordance with standards in effect at the time of inspection, or that an asbestos inspection will be conducted, and whether asbestos requiring response actions has been found and, if found, that response actions have been or will be completed in accordance with applicable standards prior to the conveyance of any unit in such building. Any asbestos management program or response action undertaken by the building owner shall comply with the standards promulgated pursuant to § 2.2-1164.

C. In the case of a conversion condominium, the declarant shall give, at the time specified in subsection D, formal notice to each of the tenants of the building that the declarant has submitted or intends to submit to the provisions of this chapter. This notice shall advise each tenant of (i) the offering price of the unit he occupies; (ii) the projected common expense assessments against that unit for at least the first year of the condominium's operation; (iii) any relocation services or assistance, public or private, of which the declarant is aware; (iv) any measures taken or to be taken by the declarant to reduce the incidence of tenant dislocation; and (v) the details of the relocation plan, if any is provided by the declarant, to assist tenants in relocating. During the first 60 days after such notice is mailed or hand delivered, each of the tenants shall have the exclusive right to purchase the unit he occupies, but only if such unit is to be retained in the conversion condominium without substantial alteration in its physical layout. If the conversion condominium is subject to local ordinances that have been adopted pursuant to subsections G and H, any tenant who is disabled or elderly may assign the exclusive right to purchase his unit to a governmental agency, housing authority, or certified nonprofit housing corporation, which shall then offer the tenant a lease at an affordable rent, following the provisions of subsection G. The acquisition of such units by the governmental agency, housing authority, or certified nonprofit housing corporation shall not (a) exceed the greater of one unit or five percent of the total number of units in the condominium or (b) impede the condominium conversion process. In determining which, if any, units shall be acquired pursuant to this subsection, preference shall be given to elderly or disabled tenants.

The notice required in this subsection shall be hand delivered or sent by first-class mail, return receipt requested, and shall inform the tenants of the conversion to condominium. Such notice may also constitute the notice to terminate the tenancy as provided for in § 55.1-1410, except that, despite the provisions of § 55.1-1410, a tenancy from month-to-month may only be terminated upon 120 days' notice when such termination is in regard to the creation of a conversion condominium. If, however, a tenant so notified remains in possession of the unit he occupies after the expiration of the 120-day period with the permission of the declarant, in order to then terminate the tenancy, such declarant shall give the tenant a further notice as provided in § 55.1-1410. Until the expiration of the 120-day period, the declarant shall have no right of access to the unit except as provided by subsection A of § 55.1-1229 and except that, upon 45 days' written notice to the tenant, the declarant may enter the unit in order to make additional repairs, decorations, alterations, or improvements, provided that (i) the making of the same does not constitute an actual or constructive eviction of the tenant and (ii) such entry is made either with the consent of the tenant or only at times when the tenant is absent from the unit. The declarant shall also provide general notice to the tenants of the condominium or proposed condominium at the time of application to the Common Interest Community Board in addition to the formal notice required by this subsection.

D. The declarant of a conversion condominium shall, in addition to the requirements of § 55.1-1975, include with the application for registration a copy of the formal notice set forth in subsection C and a certified statement that such notice, fully complying with the provisions of subsection C, shall be at the time of the registration of such condominium mailed or delivered to each of the tenants in the building for which registration is sought. The price and projected common expense assessments for each unit need not be filed with the Common Interest Community Board until such notice is mailed to the tenants.

E. Notwithstanding the provisions of § 55.1-1901, in the case of any conversion condominium created under the provisions of the Horizontal Property Act (§ 55.1-2000 et seq.) for which a final report has not been issued by the Common Interest Community Board pursuant to former § 55-79.21 prior to June 1, 1975, the provisions of subsections B and C shall apply and the declarant shall be required to furnish evidence of full compliance with subsections B and C prior to the issuance by the Common Interest Community Board of a final report for such conversion condominium.

F. Any locality may require by ordinance that the declarant of a conversion condominium file with that governing body all information that is required by the Common Interest Community Board pursuant to § 55.1-1975 and a copy of the formal notice required by subsection C. Such information shall be filed with that governing body when the application for registration is filed with the Common Interest Community Board, and such copy of the formal notice shall be filed with that governing body. There shall be no fees for such filings.

G. The governing body of any locality may enact an ordinance requiring that elderly or disabled tenants occupying as their residence, at the time of issuance of the general notice required by subsection C, apartments or units in a conversion condominium be offered leases or extensions of leases on the apartments or units they then occupied, or on other apartments or units of at least equal size and overall quality. The terms and conditions of such leases or extensions shall be as agreed upon by the lessor and the lessee, provided that the rent for such apartment or unit shall not be in excess of reasonable rent for comparable apartments or units in the same market area as such conversion condominium and such lease shall include or incorporate by reference the bylaws or rules and regulations, if any, of the association. No such ordinance shall require that such leases or extensions be offered on more than 20 percent of the apartments or units in such conversion condominium, nor shall any such ordinance require that such leases or extensions extend beyond three years from the date of such notice. Such leases or extensions shall not be required, however, in the case of any apartments or units that will in the course of the conversion be substantially altered in the physical layout, restricted exclusively to nonresidential use, or be converted in such a manner as to require relocation of the tenant in premises outside of the project being converted.

H. The governing body of any county utilizing the optional urban county executive form of government (§ 15.2-800 et seq.) or the optional county manager plan of government (§ 15.2-702 et seq.), or of any city or town adjoining any such county, may require by ordinance that the declarant of any residential condominium converted from multi-family rental use shall reimburse any tenant displaced by the conversion for amounts actually expended to relocate as a result of such dislocation. The reimbursement shall not be required to exceed the amount that the tenant would have been entitled to receive under §§ 25.1-407 and 25.1-415 if the real estate comprising the condominium had been condemned by the Department of Transportation.

1974, c. 416, § 55-79.94; 1975, c. 415; 1980, cc. 727, 738; 1981, cc. 455, 503; 1982, cc. 273, 475, 663; 1983, c. 310; 1984, cc. 321, 601; 1985, c. 69; 1987, c. 412; 1988, c. 723; 1989, c. 398; 1991, c. 497; 1993, c. 634; 2007, cc. 602, 665; 2019, c. 712.

A. Any deposit made in regard to any disposition of a unit, including a nonbinding reservation agreement, shall be held in escrow until delivered at settlement. Such escrow funds shall be deposited in a separate account designated for this purpose that is federally insured and located in the Commonwealth, except where such deposits are being held by a real estate broker or attorney licensed under the laws of the Commonwealth, in which case such funds may be placed in that broker's or attorney's regular escrow account and need not be placed in a separate designated account. Such escrow funds shall not be subject to attachment by the creditors of either the purchaser or the declarant.

B. In lieu of escrowing deposits as provided in subsection A, the declarant of a condominium consisting of more than 50 units may:

1. Obtain and maintain a corporate surety bond issued by a surety authorized to do business in the Commonwealth, in the form and amount set forth below; or

2. Obtain and maintain an irrevocable letter of credit issued by a financial institution whose accounts are insured by the FDIC, in the form and amount set forth below.

The surety bond or letter of credit shall be maintained until (i) the granting of a deed to the unit, (ii) the purchaser's default under a purchase contract for the unit entitling the declarant to retain the deposit, or (iii) the refund of the deposit to the purchaser, whichever occurs first.

C. The surety bond shall be payable to the Commonwealth for the use and benefit of every person protected under the provisions of this chapter. The declarant shall file the bond with the Common Interest Community Board. The surety bond may be either in the form of an individual bond for each deposit accepted by the declarant or, if the total amount of the deposits accepted by the declarant under this chapter exceeds $10,000, it may be in the form of a blanket bond. If the bond is a blanket bond, the amount shall be as follows. If the amount of such deposits is:

1. $75,000 or less, the blanket bond shall be $75,000;

2. More than $75,000 but less than $200,000, the blanket bond shall be $200,000;

3. $200,000 or more but less than $500,000, the blanket bond shall be $500,000;

4. $500,000 or more but less than $1 million, the blanket bond shall be $1 million; and

5. $1 million or more, the blanket bond shall be 100 percent of the amount of such deposits.

D. The letter of credit shall be payable to the Commonwealth for use and benefit of every person protected under this chapter. The declarant shall file the letter of credit with the Common Interest Community Board. The letter of credit may be either in the form of an individual letter of credit for each deposit accepted by the declarant or, if the total amount of the deposits accepted by the declarant under this chapter exceeds $10,000, it may be in the form of a blanket letter of credit. If the letter of credit is a blanket letter of credit, the amount shall be as follows. If the amount of such deposits is:

1. $75,000 or less, the blanket letter of credit shall be $75,000;

2. More than $75,000 but less than $200,000, the blanket letter of credit shall be $200,000;

3. $200,000 or more but less than $500,000, the blanket letter of credit shall be $500,000;

4. $500,000 or more but less than $1 million, the blanket letter of credit shall be $1 million; and

5. $1 million or more, the blanket letter of credit shall be 100 percent of the amount of such deposits.

For the purposes of determining the amount of any blanket letter of credit that a declarant maintains in any calendar year, the total amount of deposits considered held by the declarant shall be determined as of May 31 in each calendar year and the amount of the letter of credit shall be in accordance with the amount of deposits held as of May 31.

1974, c. 416, § 55-79.95; 1977, c. 91; 2007, c. 445; 2008, cc. 851, 871; 2019, c. 712.

The declarant shall within 10 days of recordation of the condominium instruments as provided for in §§ 55.1-1907 and 55.1-1911 forward to each purchaser at his last known address by first-class mail, return receipt requested, an exact copy of the recorded declaration and bylaws.

1974, c. 416, § 55-79.96; 2019, c. 712.

A. Whenever the Common Interest Community Board receives a written complaint that appears to state a valid claim, the Common Interest Community Board shall make necessary public or private investigations in accordance with law within or outside of the Commonwealth to determine whether any declarant or its agents, employees, or other representatives have violated or are about to violate this chapter or any Common Interest Community Board regulation or order, or to aid in the enforcement of this chapter or in the prescribing of Common Interest Community Board regulations and forms. The Common Interest Community Board may also in like manner and with like authority investigate written complaints against persons other than the declarant or its agents, employees, or other representatives.

B. For the purpose of any investigation or proceeding under this chapter, the Common Interest Community Board or any officer designated by regulation may administer oaths or affirmations and upon its own motion or upon request of any party shall subpoena witnesses, compel their attendance, take evidence, and require the production of any matter that is relevant to the investigation, including the existence, description, nature, custody, condition, and location of any books, documents, or other tangible things and the identity and location of persons having knowledge of relevant facts or any other matter reasonably calculated to lead to the discovery of material evidence.

C. Upon failure to obey a subpoena or to answer questions propounded by the investigating officer and upon reasonable notice to all persons affected by such failure, the Common Interest Community Board may apply to the Circuit Court of the County of Henrico for an order compelling compliance.

1974, c. 416, § 55-79.99; 1993, c. 198; 2011, c. 605; 2019, c. 712.

A. The Common Interest Community Board may issue an order requiring a person to cease and desist from any of the unlawful practices enumerated in subdivisions 1 through 5 and to take such affirmative action as in the judgment of the Common Interest Community Board will carry out the purposes of this chapter if the Common Interest Community Board determines after notice and hearing that such person has:

1. Violated any provision of this chapter;

2. Directly or through an agent or employee knowingly engaged in any false, deceptive, or misleading advertising, promotional, or sales methods to offer or dispose of a unit;

3. Made any substantial change in the plan of disposition and development of the condominium subsequent to the order of registration without notifying the Common Interest Community Board;

4. Disposed of any units that have not been registered with the Common Interest Community Board; or

5. Violated any lawful order or regulation of the Common Interest Community Board.

B. If the Common Interest Community Board makes a finding of fact in writing that the public interest will be irreparably harmed by delay in issuing an order, it may issue a temporary order to cease and desist or to take such affirmative action as may be deemed appropriate by the Common Interest Community Board. Prior to issuing the temporary order, the Common Interest Community Board shall give notice of the proposal to issue a temporary order to the person. Every temporary order shall include in its terms a provision that upon request a hearing will be held promptly to determine whether it becomes permanent.

1974, c. 416, § 55-79.100; 1975, c. 415; 2019, cc. 467, 712.

A. A registration may be revoked by the Common Interest Community Board after notice and hearing upon a written finding of fact in accordance with the Administrative Process Act (§ 2.2-4000 et seq.) that the declarant has:

1. Failed to comply with the terms of a cease and desist order;

2. Been convicted in any court subsequent to the filing of the application for registration for a crime involving fraud, deception, false pretenses, misrepresentation, false advertising, or dishonest dealing in real estate transactions;

3. Disposed of, concealed, or diverted any funds or assets of any person so as to defeat the rights of unit purchasers;

4. Failed faithfully to perform any stipulation or agreement made with the Common Interest Community Board as an inducement to grant any registration, to reinstate any registration, or to approve any promotional plan or public offering statement; or

5. Made intentional misrepresentations or concealed material facts in an application for registration.

B. If the Common Interest Community Board finds after notice and a hearing that the developer has been guilty of a violation for which revocation could be ordered, it may issue a cease and desist order instead.

1974, c. 416, § 55-79.101; 2019, c. 712.

Proceedings for judicial review shall be in accordance with the provisions of the Administrative Process Act (§ 2.2-4000 et seq.).

1974, c. 416, § 55-79.102; 1996, c. 573; 2019, c. 712.

Any person who willfully violates any provision of § 55.1-1972, 55.1-1974, 55.1-1975, 55.1-1976, 55.1-1979, 55.1-1982, or 55.1-1983 or any regulation adopted under or order issued pursuant to § 55.1-1971, or any person who willfully in an application for registration makes any untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state a material fact is guilty of a misdemeanor and may be fined not less than $1,000 or double the amount of gain from the transaction, whichever is the larger, but not more than $50,000, or he may be imprisoned for not more than six months, or both, for each offense.

1974, c. 416, § 55-79.103; 2019, c. 712.