Definition
The shared property an HOA owns and maintains for all members — such as roads, pools, clubhouses, landscaping, and building exteriors.
Common elements are the parts of a community owned in common and maintained by the association rather than by individual owners. They're the shared assets everyone's dues support.
Typical common elements include private roads, sidewalks, pools, clubhouses, landscaping, lighting, fencing, and — in condos — building structures and roofs. Because the association is responsible for repairing and eventually replacing these, they're the focus of the reserve study and long-term funding. Knowing exactly what counts as a common element (versus an owner's responsibility) is essential to budgeting and maintenance.