Records request

A records request is a resident's request to inspect documents related to their community or association — for example, governing documents, budgets, or meeting records. Whether a resident has a right to particular records, and how to obtain them, depends heavily on the type of community and on state law.

In a resident-owned community organized as a cooperative, inspection rights often come from the bylaws and the state's nonprofit or cooperative corporation law, which may give members defined rights to review certain records. In a community with an outside park owner, the relevant documents are usually the prospectus, lot rental agreement, and rules, and the manufactured-housing statute may address what must be disclosed.

Because record rights vary so much by structure and state, the starting point is identifying which type of community and which law applies. This is general information, not legal advice.