Attending HOA Meetings in Maryland

Maryland's Homeowners Association Act treats openness as the rule, not a favor. Board and association meetings are presumptively open to members, and owners are entitled to a chance to speak. For your specific situation, a licensed Maryland attorney is the right resource. This is general information, not legal advice.

Are HOA board meetings open to members in Maryland?

Yes. Under Md. Real Property §11B-111, all meetings of the homeowners association, including meetings of the board of directors or other governing body, are open to all members, except for closed sessions held for enumerated reasons. All members must also be given reasonable notice of all regularly scheduled open meetings.

Under §11B-111, "all meetings of the homeowners association, including meetings of the board of directors or other governing body … shall be open to all members." That language reaches board meetings, not just the annual membership meeting — which is where the day-to-day decisions on budgets, rules, and enforcement actually get made.

The statute also requires notice: "[a]ll members of the homeowners association shall be given reasonable notice of all regularly scheduled open meetings." A board cannot satisfy the open-meeting rule by holding meetings members never learn about.

Can homeowners speak at HOA meetings in Maryland?

Yes. Under Md. Real Property §11B-111, a governing body must provide a designated period of time during a meeting to allow lot owners an opportunity to comment on any matter relating to the homeowners association. That owner-comment period is a statutory right, a built-in opening to put concerns on the record.

Maryland goes a step further than simply letting owners watch. The statute provides that "a governing body shall provide a designated period of time during a meeting to allow lot owners an opportunity to comment on any matter relating to the homeowners association." That owner-comment period is a statutory right — a built-in opening to raise a disputed fine, a budget concern, or a records request on the record.

When can a Maryland HOA board meet in closed session?

Only for enumerated reasons. Under Md. Real Property §11B-111, those include personnel matters and matters of personal privacy, consultation with legal counsel and pending or potential litigation, business negotiations and contract matters, matters required to be confidential by law, and discussion of an individual owner's assessment account. Otherwise, the presumption is an open meeting.

§11B-111 allows the board to meet in closed session, but only for enumerated reasons, including:

• Personnel matters and matters of personal privacy
• Consultation with legal counsel and pending or potential litigation
• Business negotiations and contract matters
• Matters required to be confidential by law
• Discussion of an individual owner's assessment account

Those topics are the exception. The presumption is an open meeting, and a board that routinely disappears into closed session for ordinary business is not following the statute.

What people generally do

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

• Whether meetings are noticed to all members as §11B-111 requires.
• The designated comment period at open board meetings, which lets owners put concerns on the record.
• Minutes and notices show how decisions were made.
• Overuse of closed sessions to move ordinary business out of view is a red flag.
• A licensed Maryland attorney is the resource if the open-meeting or comment-period requirements appear to be ignored.

Sources

• Md. Real Property §11B-111 — Meetings
• Md. Real Property §11B-112 — Books and records