Ruling strikes down legislation that restricted community associations from regulating backyard chickens.
Community Associations Institute, the leading international authority supporting homeowners associations, condominiums, and housing cooperatives, celebrates a Missouri circuit court decision striking down a state law with the potential to infringe on community associations’ ability to govern.
The ruling invalidates the law in its entirety and marks a significant advocacy victory for the CAI Heartland Chapter and the Missouri Legislative Action Committee. They argued the law violated both community association governance rights and the Missouri constitution.
“This ruling is a huge win for Community Associations Institute and our members. It reaffirms the importance of constitutional integrity in the legislative process and protects the right of community associations to self-govern,” says CAI Chief Executive Officer Dawn M. Bauman, CAE. “We’re proud of the CAI Missouri Chapter, Legislative Action Committee and our continued legal efforts in the courts to protect our members and the more than 77 million Americans living in neighborhoods governed as a community association.”
On Aug. 26, 2024, CAI’s Heartland Chapter and the Missouri LAC filed a lawsuit challenging HB 2026, a sweeping omnibus bill that included a provision prohibiting community associations from restricting homeowners from building a chicken coop or raising up to six chickens on lots of 2/10 of an acre or larger.
The provision had previously been introduced as standalone bills in 2023 and 2024, which the Missouri LAC successfully stalled or defeated. However, in the final days of the 2024 session, lawmakers added the language as a last-minute amendment to HB 2026. Despite the LAC’s lobbying and grassroots opposition, Gov. Mike Parson signed the bill into law in July 2024, and it became effective on Aug. 28, 2024.
In Four Seasons Lakesites Property Owners Association v. State of Missouri, CAI argued the provision infringed upon community associations governance rights and violated Article III of the Missouri constitution, which prohibits bills from containing more than one subject. In October 2025, Missouri Circuit Court Judge Stumpe ruled in CAI’s favor, declaring HB 2026 unconstitutional on all claims and invalidating the law entirely. CAI anticipates the state may appeal the decision.
This victory illustrates CAI’s continued commitment to advocating for the rights of homeowners and community associations. Each year, CAI tracks legislation that could undermine community covenants and restrictions and supports its more than 51,000 members and the 77.1 million Americans living and working in homeowners associations, condominiums, and cooperatives.
To learn more about CAI’s Missouri legislative resources and advocacy initiatives, visit www.caionline.org/advocacy/missouri-legislative-resources.