---
name: research-association
description: Find a specific HOA, condo or co-op association in Common Elements and brief the user on its record (type, location, units, registration status, management company, board on record, building-safety filings, hazard risk, vendors on record). Use when the user names an association, gives a community name or coordinates, or asks who manages a community.
---

# Research an association with Common Elements

Every fact in the answer must come from a Common Elements tool result. Do not fill gaps from memory.

1. **Resolve the association to its Common Elements id.**
   - A name and a state: call `match_association` with `name`, `state` (two letters) and, if the user gave one, `county`. It tolerates wording differences ("Assn" vs "Association").
   - A partial name or a city: call `search_associations` with `query`, `state` and, if known, `subtype` (`hoa`, `condo` or `coop`). If two or more results fit, list them (name, city, county) and ask which one.
   - Coordinates only: call `find_associations_near` with `lat`, `lng` and optionally `radius_km`. If the user gave a street address, say you need coordinates or a community name; the tool does not geocode.
2. **Pull the record**: `get_association` with the `id`.
3. **Add the sections the user asked about** (call them in parallel):
   - Management company and every public-record source that names one: `get_association_management`
   - Board and officers on public record (title, name, source): `get_association_officers`
   - Vendors on record: `list_association_vendors`
   - Building safety (SIRS filings, milestone recertification, elevator and pool records): `get_association_building_safety`. Coverage varies by county; read `has_data` and `layer_counts` and never treat a missing record as proof of compliance.
   - Natural-hazard risk (FEMA National Risk Index, county level): `get_association_risk`
4. **Write the brief**: legal name, type, city and county, units and registration status, then one short section per tool you called, each with the source the tool returned. Link the association page when the result includes a URL. Say plainly which sections were not available.
5. **Offer to follow it.** If the user wants updates, call `follow_association` with `association_id` (needs account write access; safe to repeat).

## Plans and limits

- Free access returns public-record basics for up to 5 matches or rows.
- Management, officers, vendors on record and nearby search need a Builder Data plan or higher; building safety and hazard risk need Growth or higher. When a tool says the plan does not include it, tell the user and link https://commonelements.com/developers/mcp rather than guessing.

## Privacy

Common Elements never returns personal email, phone or mailing address for an individual (board members, officers, licensees). Do not add contact details from any other source, and do not guess them. Officer names come from public records; present them as "on record", not as verified current board members.