Terry Leahy outlines Washington Uniform Common Interest Ownership Act changes, compliance steps and deadlines

Terry Leahy, a retired attorney and local homeowner, told attendees at a Greater Lacey homeowners association quarterly meeting that WashingtonUniform Common Interest Ownership Act (the act) imposes new meeting and procedural requirements beginning Jan. 1, 2026, and that the statute will apply broadly to existing associations by Jan. 1, 2028.

Leahy said the act reframes association governance from a purely corporate decision model toward a partnership model that emphasizes "listen first then decide," a change he said was intended to reduce instances where owners are blindsided by consequential board decisions. He described the 2026 measures as mandatory "phase 1" requirements and the 2028 provisions as the full statutory migration.

Why it matters: Leahy said the immediate practical effects for many homeowner associations will be procedural. Notable phase 1 items he highlighted include a meeting-notice regime (14 days' notice unless a published meeting schedule covers that meeting), a mandated owner-comment opportunity at the start of meetings for agenda items (the speaker summarized this as roughly the first 15 minutes), a prohibition…