Who does my front door belong to?

[Sonny Ruby]

California

I live in a small 20-unit condo complex in Oakland California. The 3 board members have decided to install metal kickplates to the bottom of everyone's front door on the outside facing the hallway. These things are gray metal and extrememly ugly. The people in the building are apathetic and do not care as long as they do not have to take any effort to do anything. However, our doors seem fine as they are. They are normal doors with no damage. The building is new--built in 2004. I do not want this thing on my door.

The board is going ahead with this action without answering any questions about why they're spending thousands of dollars making our hallway look ugly.

My question is--do they have a legal right to touch my door without my consent if there is no damage to the door?

Thanks,
SonnyWhat is the name of your state?

[PghREA]

The answer should be in your Condo Docs. Most buildings can do what ever they want to the outside of the units so they all look uniform from the outside. That would include how they look from the outside in the hallway as well as the outside of the building.

[Paddy Reagan]

My question is--do they have a legal right to touch my door without my consent if there is no damage to the door?

The condominium statutes in your state leave little doubt about the ownership and control of exterior doors:

Unless the declaration otherwise provides, any shutters, awnings, window boxes, doorsteps, stoops, porches, balconies, patios, exterior doors, door frames, and hardware incident thereto, screens and windows or other fixtures designed to serve a single separate interest, but located outside the boundaries of the separate interest, are exclusive use common areas allocated exclusively to that separate interest.

If you have any legal leverage it is this: The consistency that the association is working to achieve is altering the appearance of your condominium. If there is a legitimate, utilitarian purpose for such a change (for example, if kick marks or damage caused by movers requires constant re-painting), the unilaterial decision by the board may be appropriate. If the move is based on aesthetics, however, and thousands of dollars are being spent without involving the membership in the decision you may choose to protest. If others share your views, have them sign a petition for presentation to the board. It's doubtful that such a referendum would be legally binding but it may convince the board to consider alternatives based on cost and/or appearance.