What is a master association vs. a sub-association in an HOA?
By OurHOA · General information
A master association and its sub-associations split a large community into two tiers - learn who controls what, why you pay two sets of dues, and which rules win.
The two-tier structure: master and sub-associations
Some large master-planned communities are too big for a single HOA, so they are organized in tiers. A master association (sometimes called an umbrella or community association) sits at the top and governs the whole development, while individual neighborhoods, villages, or condominium buildings inside it each have their own sub-association (also called a neighborhood or village association). If you buy in one of these communities, you are usually a member of both at once: the sub-association for your specific neighborhood and the master association for the larger community. Each tier has its own recorded declaration, its own board, and its own budget, which is why owners are sometimes surprised to find two sets of governing documents attached to a single home.
Who controls what
The split of responsibility is set by the recorded declarations, but the usual pattern is that the master association maintains the shared, community-wide things - the main entrance and signage, perimeter walls, regional trails, a large clubhouse or community pool, and common landscaping along the main roads - while each sub-association handles what is local to its neighborhood, such as a smaller neighborhood pool, interior streets, or, in a condominium sub-association, the building exteriors and shared structures. Architectural review can sit at either level or both: a master committee may set baseline standards for the whole community while a neighborhood committee applies stricter or more detailed rules to its own lots. When you want to know who to call about a broken gate or an approval, the answer depends on which tier owns that responsibility.
Two sets of dues and two sets of rules
Because each tier has its own budget, owners in a tiered community often pay two assessments - one to the sub-association and one to the master - and are bound by two sets of CC&Rs and rules at the same time. Both assessments are typically enforceable the same way any HOA dues are, including the power to record a lien for nonpayment, so falling behind on either one carries real consequences (our guide on what happens if you don't pay your HOA dues explains how that escalates). On the rules side, you have to comply with both: if the master allows a fence but your neighborhood sub-association bans it, the stricter rule generally governs your lot, just as it does when a city ordinance is stricter than an HOA rule.
How conflicts and voting work between the tiers
When the two tiers' documents genuinely conflict, the recorded declaration hierarchy controls, and a master declaration is often written to be superior to the neighborhood documents - so reading both, in order, is the only way to know which provision wins (our guide on CC&Rs vs. bylaws vs. rules covers how that hierarchy is read). Governance also flows between the tiers: a master board may be elected directly by all owners, or it may seat delegates appointed by each sub-association, and during the buildout the developer frequently controls the master board until enough homes are sold to trigger turnover. Some state common-interest-community acts address these structures directly - for example, Colorado's CCIOA (C.R.S. 38-33.3-220) has specific provisions for master associations - but in every state the answer starts with your own recorded documents.
These guides are general education for HOA boards and residents, not legal, tax, or financial advice. Rules vary by state and by your community's governing documents - check with a professional for your situation.