Missouri Laws 442.404 – Political signs, homeowners’ associations not to prohibit — reasonable … (1/1/2023)
1. As used in this section, the following terms shall mean:
(1) “Homeowners’ association”, a nonprofit corporation or unincorporated association of homeowners created under a declaration to own and operate portions of a planned community or other residential subdivision that has the power under the declaration to assess association members to pay the costs and expenses incurred in the performance of the association’s obligations under the declaration or tenants-in-common with respect to the ownership of common ground or amenities of a planned community or other residential subdivision. This term shall not include a condominium unit owners’ association as defined and provided for in subdivision (3) of section 448.1-103 or a residential cooperative;
Terms Used In Missouri Laws 442.404
- Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
- Deed: The legal instrument used to transfer title in real property from one person to another.
- following: when used by way of reference to any section of the statutes, mean the section next preceding or next following that in which the reference is made, unless some other section is expressly designated in the reference. See Missouri Laws 1.020
- person: may extend and be applied to bodies politic and corporate, and to partnerships and other unincorporated associations. See Missouri Laws 1.020
- Property: includes real and personal property. See Missouri Laws 1.020
- Statute: A law passed by a legislature.
(2) “Political signs”, any fixed, ground-mounted display in support of or in opposition to a person seeking elected office or a ballot measure excluding any materials that may be attached;
(3) “Solar panel or solar collector”, a device used to collect and convert solar energy into electricity or thermal energy, including but not limited to photovoltaic cells or panels, or solar thermal systems.
2. (1) No deed restrictions, covenants, or similar binding agreements running with the land shall prohibit or have the effect of prohibiting the display of political signs.
(2) A homeowners’ association has the authority to adopt reasonable rules, subject to any applicable statutes or ordinances, regarding the time, size, place, number, and manner of display of political signs.
(3) A homeowners’ association may remove a political sign without liability if such sign is placed within the common ground, threatens the public health or safety, violates an applicable statute or ordinance, is accompanied by sound or music, or if any other materials are attached to the political sign. Subject to the foregoing, a homeowners’ association shall not remove a political sign from the property of a homeowner or impose any fine or penalty upon the homeowner unless it has given such homeowner three days after providing written notice to the homeowner, which notice shall specifically identify the rule and the nature of the violation.
3. (1) No deed restrictions, covenants, or similar binding agreements running with the land shall limit or prohibit, or have the effect of limiting or prohibiting, the installation of solar panels or solar collectors on the rooftop of any property or structure.
(2) A homeowners’ association may adopt reasonable rules, subject to any applicable statutes or ordinances, regarding the placement of solar panels or solar collectors to the extent that those rules do not prevent the installation of the device, impair the functioning of the device, restrict the use of the device, or adversely affect the cost or efficiency of the device.
(3) The provisions of this subsection shall apply only with regard to rooftops that are owned, controlled, and maintained by the owner of the individual property or structure.
4. (1) No deed restrictions, covenants, or similar binding agreements running with the land shall prohibit or have the effect of prohibiting the display of sale signs on the property of a homeowner or property owner including, but not limited to, any yard on the property, or nearby street corners.
(2) A homeowners’ association has the authority to adopt reasonable rules, subject to any applicable statutes or ordinances, regarding the time, size, place, number, and manner of display of sale signs.
(3) A homeowners’ association may remove a sale sign without liability if such sign is placed within the common ground, threatens the public health or safety, violates an applicable statute or ordinance, is accompanied by sound or music, or if any other materials are attached to the sale sign. Subject to the foregoing, a homeowners’ association shall not remove a sale sign from the property of a homeowner or property owner or impose any fine or penalty upon the homeowner or property owner unless it has given such homeowner or property owner three business days after the homeowner or property owner receives written notice from the homeowners’ association, which notice shall specifically identify the rule and the nature of the alleged violation.