Virginia Law

Article 5. Administration and Registration of Cooperatives.

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

1982, c. 277, § 55-496; 2008, cc. 851, 871; 2019, c. 712.

A. The Common Interest Community Board may adopt, amend, and repeal regulations and issue orders consistent with and in furtherance of the objectives of this chapter, but the Common Interest Community Board shall not intervene in the internal activities of an association except to the extent necessary to prevent or cure violations of this chapter. The Common Interest Community Board may prescribe forms and procedures for submitting information to the Common Interest Community Board.

B. If it appears that any person has engaged, is engaging, or is about to engage in any act or practice in violation of this chapter or any of the Common Interest Community Board's regulations or orders, the Common Interest Community Board without prior administrative proceedings may bring an action in the appropriate court to enjoin that act or practice or for other appropriate relief. The Common Interest Community Board is not required to post a bond or prove that no adequate remedy at law exists.

C. The Common Interest Community Board may intervene in any action involving the powers or responsibilities of a declarant in connection with any cooperative for which an application for registration is on file.

D. The Common Interest Community Board may accept grants-in-aid from any governmental source and may contract with agencies charged with similar functions in this or other jurisdictions in furtherance of the objectives of this chapter.

E. The Common Interest Community Board may cooperate with agencies performing similar functions in this and other jurisdictions to develop uniform filing procedures and forms, uniform disclosure standards, and uniform administrative practices and may develop information that may be useful in the discharge of the agency's duties.

F. In issuing any cease and desist order or order rejecting or revoking registration of a cooperative, the Common Interest Community Board shall state the basis for the adverse determination and the underlying facts.

G. The Common Interest Community Board, in its sound discretion, may require bonding, escrow of portions of sales proceeds, or other safeguards it may prescribe by its regulations to guarantee completion of all improvements labeled "MUST BE BUILT" pursuant to § 55.1-2171.

1982, c. 277, § 55-502; 2019, c. 712.

A declarant shall not offer or dispose of a cooperative interest intended for residential use unless the cooperative and the cooperative interest are registered with the Common Interest Community Board. A cooperative consisting of no more than three units that is not subject to development rights is exempt from the requirements of this section.

1982, c. 277, § 55-497; 2019, c. 712.

A. An application for registration must contain the information and be accompanied by any reasonable fees required by the Common Interest Community Board's regulations. A declarant promptly shall file amendments to report any factual or expected material change in any document or information contained in his application.

B. If a declarant files with the Common Interest Community Board a declaration or proposed declaration, or an amendment or proposed amendment to a declaration, creating units for which he proposes to convey cooperative interests before the units are substantially completed in the manner required by § 55.1-2172, the declarant shall also file with the Common Interest Community Board:

1. A verified statement showing all costs involved in completing the buildings containing those units;

2. A verified estimate of the time of completion of construction of the buildings containing those units;

3. Satisfactory evidence of sufficient funds to cover all costs to complete the buildings containing those units;

4. A copy of the executed construction contract and any other contracts for the completion of the buildings containing those units;

5. A 100 percent payment and performance bond covering the entire cost of construction of the buildings containing those units;

6. Plans for the units;

7. If purchasers' funds are to be utilized for the construction of the cooperative, an executed copy of the escrow agreement with an escrow company or financial institution authorized to do business within the state that provides:

a. That disbursements of purchasers' funds may be made from time to time to pay for construction of the cooperative, architectural, and engineering costs, finance and legal fees, and other costs for the completion of the cooperative in proportion to the value of the work completed by the contractor as certified by an independent, registered architect or engineer, on bills submitted and approved by the lender of construction funds or the escrow agent;

b. That disbursement of the balance of purchasers' funds remaining after completion of the cooperative shall be made only when the escrow agent or lender receives satisfactory evidence that the period for filing mechanic's and materialman's liens has expired, or that the right to claim those liens has been waived, or that adequate provision has been made for satisfaction of any claimed mechanic's or materialman's lien; and

c. Any other restriction relative to the retention and disbursement of purchasers' funds required by the Common Interest Community Board; and

8. Any other materials or information the agency may require by its regulations.

The Common Interest Community Board shall not register the units described in the declaration or the amendment unless the Common Interest Community Board determines, on the basis of the material submitted by the declarant and any other information available to the Common Interest Community Board, that there is a reasonable basis to expect that the cooperative interests to be conveyed will be completed by the declarant following conveyance.

1982, c. 277, § 55-498; 2019, c. 712.

A. The Common Interest Community Board shall acknowledge receipt of an application for registration within five business days after receiving it. Within 60 days after receiving the application, the Common Interest Community Board shall determine whether:

1. The application and the proposed public offering statement satisfy the requirements of this chapter and the Common Interest Community Board's regulations;

2. The declaration and bylaws comply with this chapter; and

3. It is likely that the improvements the declarant has undertaken to make can be completed as represented.

B. If the Common Interest Community Board makes a favorable determination, it shall issue promptly an order registering the cooperative. Otherwise, unless the declarant has consented in writing to a delay, the Common Interest Community Board shall issue promptly an order rejecting registration.

1982, c. 277, § 55-499; 2019, c. 712.

If the Common Interest Community Board determines, after notice and hearing, that any person has disseminated or caused to be disseminated orally or in writing any false or misleading promotional materials in connection with a cooperative or that any person has otherwise violated any provision of this chapter or the Common Interest Community Board's regulations or orders, the Common Interest Community Board may issue an order to cease and desist from that conduct or to take such affirmative action as may be appropriate to the Common Interest Community Board.

1982, c. 277, § 55-500; 2019, cc. 467, 712.

A. The Common Interest Community Board, after providing notice stating the deficiency complained of and holding a hearing, may issue an order revoking the registration of a cooperative upon determination that a declarant or any officer or principal of a declarant has:

1. Failed to comply with a cease and desist order issued by the Common Interest Community Board affecting that cooperative;

2. Concealed, diverted, or disposed of any funds or assets of any person in a manner impairing rights of purchasers of cooperative interests in that cooperative;

3. Failed to perform any stipulation or agreement made to induce the Common Interest Community Board to issue an order relating to that cooperative;

4. Intentionally misrepresented or failed to disclose a material fact in the application for registration; or

5. Failed to meet any of the conditions described in §§ 55.1-2176 and 55.1-2177 necessary to qualify for registration.

B. Without the consent of the Common Interest Community Board, a declarant shall not convey, cause to be conveyed, or contract for the conveyance of any cooperative interest while an order revoking the registration of the cooperative is in effect.

C. In appropriate cases, the Common Interest Community Board may issue a cease and desist order in lieu of an order of revocation.

1982, c. 277, § 55-501; 2019, c. 712.

A. The Common Interest Community Board may initiate public or private investigations within or outside the Commonwealth to determine whether any representation in any document or information filed with the Common Interest Community Board is false or misleading or whether any person has engaged, is engaging, or is about to engage in any unlawful act or practice.

B. In the course of any investigation or hearing, the Common Interest Community Board may subpoena witnesses and documents, administer oaths and affirmations, and adduce evidence. If a person fails to comply with a subpoena or to answer questions propounded during the investigation or hearing, the Common Interest Community Board may apply to the appropriate court for a contempt order or for injunctive or other appropriate relief to secure compliance.

1982, c. 277, § 55-503; 2019, c. 712.

A. A declarant, within 30 days after the anniversary date of the order of registration, shall file annually a report to bring up to date the material contained in the application for registration and the public offering statement. This provision does not relieve the declarant of the obligation to file amendments pursuant to subsection B.

B. A declarant shall file promptly amendments to the public offering statement with the Common Interest Community Board.

C. If an annual report reveals that a declarant owns or controls cooperative interests representing less than 25 percent of the voting power in the association and that a declarant has no power to increase the number of units in the cooperative or to cause a merger or confederation of the cooperative with other cooperatives, the Common Interest Community Board shall issue an order relieving the declarant of any further obligation to file annual reports. After such order is issued, so long as the declarant is offering any cooperative interests for sale, the Common Interest Community Board has jurisdiction over the declarant's activities but has no other authority to regulate the cooperative.

1982, c. 277, § 55-504; 2019, c. 712.

A. The 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 commence upon the termination of any declarant control period reserved pursuant to § 55.1-2134. 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.

B. The agency may accept copies of forms submitted to other state agencies to satisfy the requirements of this section if such forms contain substantially the same information required by the Common Interest Community Board.

1993, c. 958, § 55-504.1; 2008, cc. 851, 871; 2009, c. 557; 2012, cc. 481, 797; 2019, cc. 391, 712.

A. The Common Interest Community Board at any time may require a declarant to alter or supplement the form or substance of a public offering statement to assure adequate and accurate disclosure to prospective purchasers.

B. The public offering statement shall not be used for any promotional purpose before registration and shall be used afterwards only if it is used in its entirety. No person shall advertise or represent that the Common Interest Community Board has approved or recommended the cooperative, the disclosure statement, or any of the documents contained in the application for registration.

C. In the case of a cooperative situated wholly outside of the Commonwealth, no application for registration or proposed public offering statement filed with the Common Interest Community Board that has been approved by an agency in the state where the cooperative is located and substantially complies with the requirements of this chapter shall be rejected by the Common Interest Community Board on the grounds of noncompliance with any different or additional requirements imposed by this chapter or by the Common Interest Community Board's regulations. However, the Common Interest Community Board may require additional documents or information in particular cases to assure adequate and accurate disclosure to prospective purchasers.

1982, c. 277, § 55-505; 2019, c. 712.

Any person who willfully violates § 55.1-2155, 55.1-2158, 55.1-2159, 55.1-2162, 55.1-2164, 55.1-2176, or 55.1-2181 or any regulation adopted under, or order issued pursuant to, § 55.1-2174, 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 (i) fined not less than $1,000 or double the amount of gain from the transaction, whichever is larger, but not more than $50,000 or (ii) imprisoned for not more than six months, or both, for each offense.

1982, c. 277, § 55-506; 2019, c. 712.