Overview Assessments are the lifeblood of every HOA in California. They fund critical things like insurance, reserves, and management, to common area maintenance, repairs, and replacements. Your HOA’s assessments come in two forms: regular (annual or monthly dues) and...
Overview This Fact Sheet picks up where “California Neighbor Tree Disputes: Your Rights on Encroaching Branches and Roots” left off. That earlier Fact Sheet explained how to handle a neighbor’s encroaching trees and your rights to use “self-help” to cut back or...
Overview When something breaks in your HOA’s common areas (e.g., a leaking roof, a rotted balcony, or a burst pipe), the first question a lot of homeowners ask is, “Who’s responsible for paying for this?” The answer isn’t always what your board claims. Under Civil...
Overview Architectural guidelines are one of the most misunderstood, and frequently abused, tools HOAs from HELL (i.e., bad HOAs) use to control how homeowners modify their properties. These rules were originally meant to preserve design consistency and property...
Overview Architectural approvals are one of the most common (and most abused) sources of conflict between California homeowners and their HOAs. Whether you’re replacing windows, adding a patio cover or pergola, or updating your landscaping, most HOAs require prior...
Overview The Davis-Stirling Act is the foundation of California HOA law. Found in Civil Code 4000–6150, the Davis-Stirling Act governs nearly every aspect of HOA life from how boards operate to how homeowners vote, pay assessments, and resolve disputes. Because these...
