Definition
The document filed with the state that legally creates the HOA as a corporation, usually nonprofit.
The articles of incorporation are the document filed with the state to bring the HOA into existence as a legal entity — typically a nonprofit corporation. They're brief but foundational.
They generally establish the association's name, its purpose, its registered agent, and its nonprofit status. Incorporating gives the association legal standing to enter contracts, own property, and limit the personal liability of its members and directors. The articles sit at the top of the governing-document hierarchy.