the aim of this study is to gain more insight into how homeowner’s associations work in low-income owner-occupied apartments. when parts of the residential buildings such as the ground on which they are built and the infrastructure are joint property, then a homeowners' association is necessary to keep maintenance of the common property parts. the lack of maintenance of these communal areas is a problem of increasing proportions, which has prompted this research. which factors play a decisive role in how homeowner’s associations function and how building maintenance is organized, how important is the horizontal property law and how does this affect low-income housing policy in colombia and ecuador?