Across the thriving metropolitan areas of the Pacific Northwest, particularly in King, Skagit, Whatcom and Snohomish, condo buildings are visibly aging. The mild, yet persistent, damp climate of Western Washington accelerates the deterioration of building envelopes, leading to systemic issues like moisture intrusion, failing siding, and deck rot. This structural decay—referred to as deferred maintenance—is pervasive, manifesting as leaking pipes, outdated elevators, cracked concrete foundations, and failing fire safety systems. Without proactive planning, boards are forced into reactive, costly repairs, creating financial burdens that can destabilize entire communities and surprise new homeowners with massive special assessments.
A critical tool for managing this issue is the Reserve Study, which functions as a financial and structural roadmap for repairing and replacing major building components before they fail. Despite this, too many Washington condominium boards treat these studies as optional or choose to underfund the reserve accounts they recommend. The pattern remains consistent throughout the state: repairs are postponed, funding timelines are stretched, and costs are intentionally pushed onto future owners. This widespread practice of “kicking the can down the road” has been a long-recognized issue by the Washington State Legislature and organizations like the Community Associations Institute, leading to a significant, statewide backlog of essential maintenance.
This crisis is often compounded by a misunderstanding of a board’s fiduciary duty and the limits of majority rule within the legal framework. In Washington, board decisions must be grounded in the law, including the state’s Uniform Common Interest Ownership Act (WUCIOA), and the association’s own governing documents. When boards postpone necessary maintenance to keep dues artificially low, they often violate their legal obligation to act in the best financial interest of all owners. A vote, even if it has a numerical majority, is only valid when it complies with the legal boundaries of compliance, responsibility, and transparency; mere numbers cannot legitimize a decision that breaches the association’s founding legal duties.
The most effective solution to combat this cycle of neglect and legal non-compliance is mandatory education for board members. Condominium governance, especially in Washington, requires volunteers to master complex subjects ranging from WUCIOA, city permit requirements, and safety codes to sophisticated financial and insurance planning. To ensure better governance and protect millions of dollars in shared property value, every new board member should be required to complete essential training in condominium law and financial planning within their first year. Educated boards are not only more compliant and transparent but are equipped to make proactive decisions, ultimately reducing conflict, confusion, and the special assessments that plague the Pacific Northwest condo market.
