Louisiana HOA members now have a statutory records right, with seven grounds to refuse
Louisiana HOA members now have a statutory records right, with seven grounds to refuse
2026-09-10 · Louisiana · Legislation
What happened. Louisiana homeowners associations now operate under a records statute. R.S. 9:1141.36, part of the Planned Community Act, sets out what an association must keep, who may look at it, and the only grounds on which it may say no. For associations whose declarations predate 2025 the section became effective on January 1, 2026.
Who may ask
“B. Upon receipt of a request for specific records, the association shall make the records available for examination and copying by a lot owner, the lot owner's agent, or persons with a valid contract of sale. An inspection shall occur during reasonable business hours or at a mutually convenient time and location.”
Note the third category. A buyer under a valid purchase agreement has the same access as an owner — a materially different position from the one a Louisiana buyer was in before.1
The seven grounds for withholding
“C. Records retained by an association may be withheld from inspection and copying to the extent that they concern any of the following: (1) Personnel and medical records relating to specific individuals. (2) Contracts and other commercial transactions to purchase or provide goods or services that are currently being negotiated. (3) Existing or potential litigation or mediation, arbitration, or administrative proceedings. (4) Communications with the association's attorney that are protected by the attorney-client privilege or the work-product rule. (5) Information the disclosure of which would violate law. (6) Records of an executive session of the board of directors. (7) Individual lot files other than those of the requesting lot owner.”
The list is closed on its face, and each ground is qualified by “to the extent that” — language that points at redaction rather than refusal of a whole document.
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