UNDERSTANDING HOA RESERVE STUDIES AND THE “PERCENT FUNDED” NUMBER IN CALIFORNIA OVERVIEW Every HOA in California is legally required to prepare a reserve study every three years. This isn’t a budgeting suggestion or a best practice. It’s a legal obligation under the...
CALIFORNIA HOA RESTRICTIONS ON ADU CONSTRUCTION OVERVIEW Although most of the statutory protections have been in place for years, 2025 continues to reveal how boards resist compliance in subtle but persistent ways. Accessory Dwelling Units (“ADUs”), sometimes referred...
CALIFORNIA HOA LAWS 2025: MID-YEAR LEGAL UPDATE OVERVIEW The Davis-Stirling Common Interest Development Act is the primary body of law that governs California HOAs. Found in Civil Code sections 4000 through 6150, it controls everything from how boards impose rules,...
CALIFORNIA HOA RESTRICTIONS ON DROUGHT-RESISTANT LANDSCAPING OVERVIEW Civil Code section 4735 protects the rights of California homeowners to install drought-resistant landscaping. But far too many HOAs either don’t know that or don’t care. And while the law was...
SELLING A CONDO IN A FIRE ZONE: DISCLOSURE DUTIES UNDER CALIFORNIA LAW OVERVIEW Most California condo owners have no idea that they’re required to make fire safety disclosures when selling their units. That ignorance stems primarily from the fact that condominium...
CALIFORNIA HOA FINE LIMITS UNDER AB 130 OVERVIEW California’s newly enacted AB 130, effective June 30, 2025, capped HOA fines at $100 per violation under newly revised Civil Code section 5855. On the surface, it feels like a long-overdue consumer protection: a clear,...
