Attending HOA Meetings in Arizona

Arizona gives owners strong meeting rights: open member and board meetings, a guaranteed chance to speak before the board votes, and tight limits on closed sessions. Knowing what the statute requires helps you press for it. For your specific situation, a licensed Arizona attorney is the right resource. This is general information, not legal advice.

Are HOA meetings open to owners in Arizona?

Yes. Under A.R.S. § 33-1804, all meetings of the members' association and of the board of directors are open to all members, except for the narrow closed sessions the statute allows. Outside those sessions, the association cannot conduct its business out of the members' view.

Under § 33-1804, "all meetings of the members' association and the board of directors … are open to all members."

How much notice must an Arizona HOA give for meetings?

It depends on the meeting. Under A.R.S. § 33-1804, notice of a member meeting must be hand-delivered or mailed to each member not fewer than 10 or more than 50 days in advance. After the developer period, notice of board meetings and their agendas must be given to members at least 48 hours in advance.

Arizona sets two notice timelines. For member meetings, "[n]ot fewer than ten or more than fifty days in advance," the secretary must hand-deliver or mail notice to each member. For board meetings (after the developer period), "notice to members of meetings of the board of directors and meeting agendas shall be given at least forty-eight hours in advance." Those windows give owners a real chance to plan to attend.

Can homeowners speak at HOA board meetings in Arizona?

Yes. Under A.R.S. § 33-1804, a member or the member's designated representative may speak once after the board has discussed a specific agenda item but before it takes formal action. Because the comment comes before the vote, it is a genuine opportunity to be heard on each item.

Arizona does not leave owner input to the board's goodwill. The statute guarantees "a member or member's designated representative to speak once after the board has discussed a specific agenda item but before the board takes formal action."

When can an Arizona HOA board meet in closed session?

Only for listed reasons. Under A.R.S. § 33-1804, the board may close part of a meeting for legal advice, pending or contemplated litigation, personal, health or financial information about an individual member, employee matters, or a member's appeal of a violation or penalty. Since September 12, 2026, a planned community's closed portion is limited to consideration without action.

The board may close a portion of a meeting only for specific reasons — to get "[l]egal advice from an attorney," to discuss "[p]ending or contemplated litigation," to address "[p]ersonal, health or financial information about an individual member," to handle employee matters, or to consider "a member's appeal of any violation cited or penalty imposed." Outside those categories, the meeting stays open. Since September 12, 2026, SB 1290 (Laws 2026, ch. 222) adds that a closed portion must be "limited to consideration without action" of those matters — the board may discuss them privately but does not act on them in the closed portion. The condominium counterpart, § 33-1248, was not amended.

Recorded meetings must be kept (SB 1039, 2025)

A 2025 change adds a transparency wrinkle for meetings that are recorded. SB 1039, signed March 31, 2025 and effective September 26, 2025, amended § 33-1804 (and the parallel condominium section, § 33-1248) so that if a board records a meeting that is open to members, it must keep a copy of that recording for at least six months and make the unedited recording available to any member on request. The law does not force a board to record its meetings — but once it does, the recording becomes something members can obtain, alongside the written minutes. A licensed Arizona attorney can confirm how the requirement applies to a particular community.

What the bylaws and corporation law add

Quorum, proxies, how directors are elected, and member-voting procedures generally come from the declaration and bylaws and Arizona's nonprofit corporation law, which fill in the mechanics around the statutory open-meeting floor. A licensed Arizona attorney can read them with you.

Transparency through records, too

Arizona's records statute (§ 33-1805) gives a parallel form of oversight — financial and other records within ten business days. Minutes and notices obtained that way often reveal how a decision was actually made.

What people generally do

For owners who want a real voice in their Arizona association, a few things commonly matter:

• Whether meetings are noticed within the § 33-1804 windows and held open.
• The guaranteed chance to speak before the board takes formal action.
• Whether closed sessions stay within the listed categories.
• Minutes and notices show how decisions were made.
• If meetings fall short of § 33-1804, a licensed Arizona attorney or the Department of Real Estate petition are the available resources.

Sources

• A.R.S. § 33-1804 — Open meetings; exceptions (as amended by SB 1039, 2025, and SB 1290, 2026)
• Arizona SB 1290 (Laws 2026, ch. 222) — closed sessions limited to consideration without action
• A.R.S. § 33-1805 — Association financial and other records
• Arizona SB 1039 (Laws 2025, ch. 13) — recorded-meeting retention