The night sky may have looked a little brighter over the past year thanks to legislation that now allows for fireworks sales in the state of Georgia. The new law, which went into effect in 2015, not only legalized the sale, purchase and possession of fireworks, it also allowed for their use until midnight on most days during the year, and until two a.m. on certain holidays, such as the Fourth of July and New Year's.

One of the most common types of complaints to boards and property managers involves a lack of communication between the association and the members of the community. All too often, members feel that they have no voice in major events affecting the community , or that they are uninformed or misinformed about significant board decisions. This inevitably leads to boards and property managers getting bogged down by owners who are quite vocal about their frustrations. One way to prevent such community discord is through the promotion of more effective communication methods between the board, property management and the general membership.

With people living in close proximity to one another, it is routine for community associations to deal with complaints that can only be described as "nuisances." To help address this scenario, governing documents for many associations contain a general provision prohibiting nuisance-type activities or behavior (e.g., barking dogs, smoking or an unkempt yard). Although the nuisance provision seemingly works well as a catch-all, when it comes to actually enforcing it, most community associations will run into difficulty

In 2004, the Georgia Legislature passed the Right to Repair Act (O.C.G.A. § 8-2-35, et seq.) in an effort to reduce litigation and to promote alternative methods for resolving construction disputes. By its express terms, the Act only applies to a dwelling, which is defined as "a single-family house, duplex, or multifamily unit designed for residential use in which title to each individual residential unit is transferred to the owner under a condominium or cooperative system."

Twitter. Facebook. LinkedIn—it is hard to imagine our world, as it exists today, without these popular social networking sites. All over the world, users of these sites can stay connected and share information quickly and conveniently, from almost any place, at any time.

Community associations will generate vast amounts of records over the course of their operations. When an association is engaged in a dispute with one of its members, it is common for that member to request copies of the association’s books and records. Upon receipt of such a request, boards and property managers will often have many questions concerning the scope of the request itself and the limitations on the information that must be provided.

As another December comes to an end, community associations should review the following items as part of their transition into the New Year.

Boards will often draft rules and regulations, design guidelines and/or other supplemental governing documents if such power is expressly provided for in the association's declaration or bylaws. This means the total governance for some communities may extend beyond what is filed in the land records.

Security will always be a primary concern for community associations, especially during the holiday season. Statistics show that criminal activity peaks between November and December, and all too often, these events are tied to the increase in shopping and traveling. If a crime occurs in your community, it invariably revives the question: does the association have an obligation to provide security?

Want to get out of town for a few days but don't want to spend an arm and a leg on a boring hotel? Try Airbnb! Airbnb is an online marketplace that connects property owners looking to rent their property to people looking for accommodations.