“WGP Vellano wants to build 250 homes on the former golf course property, even though the land is zoned for recreational use,” said Mike Konrad, president of the Vellano Homeowners’ Association. “If we allow developers to flaunt the law and terrorize homeowners in order to build more housing on protected land, there will be a […]
HOA Homefront: Two views on antennae sprouting atop rooftops (CA)
Q: I am in an HOA of free-standing homes. Our CC&Rs require that satellite dishes cannot be visible from common areas or HOA streets. Yet, several members have installed small dishes, less than 36 inches across, on their own property, visible from common areas and HOA streets. I registered my complaint, but the management company […]
Granny flats may get easier to build (CA)
State lawmakers believe too many California homeowners still struggle to build granny flats, with high fees, construction costs and regulations stalling even the most careful plans. A handful of proposals in Sacramento would expand the years-long efforts to clear hurdles for homeowners interested in building auxiliary dwelling units (ADUs) on their property. The measures would […]
Before buying golf course, Oakmont Village residents must agree to raise their own dues (CA)
Of the many voices heard at a surprisingly civil neighborhood meeting involving the pending sale of the Oakmont Golf Club, the loudest belonged to a man who was out of the country. Larry Galloway is president of Advance Golf Partners, which has joined forces with the Oakmont Village Association to help keep the golf club […]
Sierra La Verne Country Club ownership to close its latest golf course, this time in La Verne (CA)
It started with a real estate listing last summer, billing Sierra La Verne Country Club as potential residential property. Then a couple of weeks ago, the owners of the course began installing a bright orange mesh fence around its property without proper permits, according to the city. Read the article……………………
HOA Homefront: Transparency – Great for windows (HOA boards too)
Nothing should be more important to volunteer boards than the trust of their neighbors. However, trust is not automatic and can be easily destroyed. Making good decisions for the association’s best interests is not enough. Decisions must be made in a manner which is above reproach and displays integrity and openness. Read the article………………………..
Concord homeowners association tells swim team they can no longer use pool (CA)
For more than four decades, the Walnut Country Swim Team has held practices and swim meets at the Cowell Homeowners Association pool in Concord. “It’s a community. It’s a family. It’s what I do all summer. Like it’s all I do is a swim,” says swim team member Sarah Kindorf However, last month the team […]
Debate Over HOA’s License Plate Reading Camera Divides Neighborhood (CA)
A Carmel Valley neighborhood is using a high-tech tool to keep the community safe, but a civil liberties nonprofit and even some residents say the tool infringes on privacy. The new tool is a solar-powered, wifi connected camera that reads the license plate of every vehicle that leaves the Torrey View neighborhood. There’s a sign […]
HOA cuts trees down, Rancho Bernardo neighborhood pushes back (CA)
Should they stay, or should they go? That is the question dividing one Rancho Bernardo neighborhood Monday as some residents say they don’t want to see the beautiful trees cut down while others think they pose a threat. Harry Dirks could hardly watch as crews chopped up another one of the large pine trees lining […]
HOA Homefront Q&A: Investing, growing and withdrawing reserve funds
Q: I am a member of my HOA board. Our prior management company had done all of our investments (from our direction) for our reserve funds. FDIC insured CDs were used as we understood that they were required by California law. We saw that the interest rate income from FDIC insured funds did not cover […]
HOA Homefront – Spending reserve account interest, disclosing reserves electronically (CA)
Association should be setting its budget so that its regular assessments meet anticipated expenses. Siphoning reserve income to subsidize the budget obscures the fact that an association budget is inadequate. Read the Q&A……………………..
Concord Swim Team Ordered By HOA To Find A New Home Pool (CA)
With summer camp season underway, one East Bay swim team has learned it is going to have to find a new pool for practice sessions and home meets. The Walnut Country Stingrays in Concord are being kicked out of their longtime home…….The team received the notice from an attorney for the Walnut Country HOA last […]
HOA Homefront – What amount in reserves does the law require? (CA)
Q:Is there any legal requirement for the reserves to be at any levels or is it a recommendation by the state? Can a homeowners association be taken over by the state if it is underfunded and if so, at what percentage?Read the Q&A………………………..
‘This could be it’: The Springs Club is trying something new: get golfers and HOAs working together (CA)
It’s been one of the greatest battles in the desert over the last decade: golfers versus homeowners associations. As golf clubs struggle with dwindling membership and participation, golfers have looked to the HOAs for revenue, arguing property values for homes rely in part on a healthy golf club. HOA members who are not golfers but […]
HOA Homefront – Modifying exclusive use common areas
It’s a good idea for both homeowners association and homeowner to document approved changes to an exclusive use common area, in a written agreement signed by the homeowner and the HOA. Read the article………………………
Navy veteran fights HOA after tree falls on his house (CA)
The monster stood 78 feet tall. It measured just more than 40 inches across its midsection and scared them for decades. Looming. Throwing shade. In July 1996, they notified the authorities they were in danger. Lela Grossack pulled out the paperwork she kept, an official report she filed with the Casta Del Sol homeowners association […]
HOA Homefront: How a new law on free speech and assembly has opened a can of (privacy) worms (CA)
Q: Our board is considering banning informal meetings in common areas. To me, this sounds like a violation of the constitutional right of assembly, but are there laws in California that cover this? Read the Q&A……………………
HOA Homefront: Readers want to know what’s “exclusive use?”
Q: If a club in the HOA wants a locked storage space, is it considered exclusive use? Read the Q&A………………..
Laguna Woods Village condo board takes steps to close lease policy loopholes (CA)
Laguna Woods Village’s Third Mutual board has unanimously approved a resolution that aims to close four loopholes within the housing association’s lease authorization policy. Last year, the board of directors became aware of a policy provision being exploited by residents and tenants in four ways, according to a Village Management Services staff report. Read the […]
HOA Homefront – Can associations limit dogs? One ‘pet’ is allowed (CA)
Q:Our homeowners association recently voted to update our CC&R’s. One section prohibits ownership of numerous breeds of dogs that the board considers dangerous. Since California law (Food and Agriculture Code 31683) outlaws dog-breed discrimination by counties and cities we are the only HOA in the region that bans ownership of certain dogs. Isn’t it illegal […]
HOA Homefront: Can we limit dogs in our community? (CA)
Q: Our HOA recently voted to update our CC&Rs. One section prohibits ownership of numerous breeds of dogs the board considers dangerous. Since California law (Food and Agri. Code 31683) outlaws dog breed discrimination by counties and cities, we are the only HOA in the region that bans ownership of certain dogs. Isn’t it illegal […]
4S Ranch Water Reclamation Facility wins state award (CA)
It was named the California Water Environment Association’s 2019 “Small Plant of the Year” at the association’s annual conference on April 12……..The facility is on Dove Canyon Road in 4S Ranch and the recycled water produced there serves Olivenhain customers in its southeastern portion. This includes homeowners association common areas, schools, parks, streetscapes and golf […]
HOA Homefront: Homeowners want to know, can you quit an HOA? (CA)
Q: Is there a way to get out of our three-member HOA? Our home stands alone. The other two are connected. Thank you for your comment on this! Read the Q&A………………………
Goldenvoice suddenly cuts security subsidies to homeowner associations near Coachella music fest (CA)
Several years ago, in an effort to extend an olive branch to homeowners near the Empire Polo Grounds, concert producer Goldenvoice offered to reimburse homeowners associations for security costs incurred over Coachella and Stagecoach festival weekends. Gate guards and security patrols help manage the influx of tens of thousands of people that attend the April […]
HOA Homefront: How to determine if your manager is qualified
Previously, I’ve written about management options and contracts. Today, we’ll look at what happens after selecting the management services and how a board can tell that a manager prospect is qualified. California managers are unregulated, with no required license or minimum education. While rental managers must have real estate broker licenses, HOA managers do not. […]
Rancho Bernardo to honor 63 volunteers on Saturday (CA)
All are welcome to join the Rancho Bernardo Community Foundation in honoring 63 locals on Saturday morning during the 10th annual Hats Off to Volunteers. All are welcome to join the Rancho Bernardo Community Foundation in honoring 63 locals on Saturday morning during the 10th annual Hats Off to Volunteers. Read the article…………………..
East Bay Woman Wins Blue Light Fight for Autism Awareness (CA)
An East Bay woman is claiming victory Tuesday on behalf of her autistic son and autism awareness in general after she was given the “okay” to leave blue lights outside of her home for Autism Awareness Month. For the past 10 years, every month of April, Lisa McBride turns her outdoor lights blue in honor […]
Blue porch lights to support autism bring trouble for East Bay homeowner (CA)
The White House did it. So did the Empire State Building, the Leaning Tower of Pisa, the Eiffel Tower and some 10,000 other landmark buildings. But when a Discovery Bay mother of an autistic son turned her porch lights blue to support World Autism Awareness Day, she got slapped with a noncompliance notice and a warning […]
HOA Homefront: Selecting a management company — the contract
The previous HOA Homefront column discussed choices in association management. If the association decides to hire a management firm to provide service, the management contract should be an important point of focus for the board. Price is not everything: Hiring a management firm solely on price is a mistake. Associations may discover “you get what […]
Voters OK creating zones of benefit to fund fire hazard abatements in Rivieras (CA)
Property owners have voted in favor of creating benefit zones to fund wildfire fuel reduction along roadways in the high-fire-risk Rivieras area of Kelseyville in supervisory district 5. Ballots were counted by Lake County staff Tuesday during a board of supervisors meeting, and while no action was taken by the board, a resolution to create […]
California’s secret wildfire weapon: Goats, sheep chew through flammable grass, brush
They’re small, ill-tempered, incessantly hungry and if given the chance, they could play a much larger role in preventing the next round of California’s deadly wildfires. In a vast field adjacent a community college and over the fence from a state prison, about 200 goats are gnawing their way through a thicket of green foxtails […]
HOA Homefront – Associations have management options
Choosing management assistance is one of a board’s most important decisions. Even the smallest associations will benefit from some form of professional management. What is a “manager”? Managers carry out the association’s day-to-day operations, advising and providing information to the board and carrying out its policies and instructions regarding association property and funds. A manager […]
Arrest made in Orange HOA embezzlement case (CA)
A former official with the Lake of the Woods Association stole more than $450,000 from the organization over four years, according to the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. Read the article…………………….
HOA not jumping for joy over 12-year-old cyclist’s ‘bike jumps’ (CA)
When 12-year-old Gregory Leitch goes to school each day, he’s not sure the track he built near his home in Danville will still be here when he returns. It appears the Greenbrook Homes Association, which is in charge of the property, is almost certain to tear down the handmade track. Read the article…………………..
HOA Homefront – Management companies explain how to evaluate them
Q: I am a HOA board member, and our management company contract is coming up for renewal. We realized we have no formal way of evaluating how they are doing. I was wondering if in your dealings with homeowners associations you have come across a checklist or evaluation instrument. Read the Q&A……………………
HOA Homefront: Drought’s over, must our cactus go, too? (CA)
Q: After my HOA approved my drought-tolerant design, they asked me to add ‘more and bigger plants’ which violates Civil section 4735(e). Are the regulations still in place after May 2017? And if they are in effect, who do I get in touch with to help me enforce them? Read the Q&A………………….
Dispute over Chino Hills golf course fence continues Tuesday (CA)
The Vellano Golf Course owner is persistently refusing to remove the chain-link fence it installed around the Chino Hills course without permits in May 2018 after receiving code enforcement violations from the city. Read the article……………….
HOA Homefront: Why governing documents matter (CA)
Governing documents are critical for HOA communities and are literally the legal glue that holds the association together. Civil Code Section 4150 defines “governing documents” as articles of incorporation, CC&Rs, bylaws, and operating rules, but I think subdivision maps and condominium plans also should be regarded as governing documents. Each has a distinct purpose and […]
3 Sentenced for Defrauding Phoenix Homeowner Associations (AZ)
A California woman and her ex-husband have been sentenced to more than a year in federal prison for defrauding Phoenix-area homeowner associations while an Arizona resident will serve probation. Read the article…………………………
HOA’s insurance ‘does not cover earth movement, mudslides’ (CA)
As the rains continue to fall intermediately in Santa Clarita, the residents threatened by the continually moving landslide in the Trestles Home/American Beauty developments received more updates and a number of visitors over the weekend. After an email had been sent out by Beaumont Tashjian, the general legal counsel to the Trestles Community Association, to […]
HOA Homefront: Answers on recalls and voting (and yes, write-ins can vote for themselves) (CA)
Q: I have 2 questions. First, a petition to recall a board member received sufficient signatures and the recall election was scheduled. The board appointed three homeowner inspectors, each of which either circulated or signed the recall petition. Is it legal and/or ethical for them to participate in the counting of the recall ballots? Read the […]
Impact Of Canyon Country Landslide Grows Larger As One Additional Home Receives ‘Yellow Tag’ (CA)
A Canyon Country landslide between Terri Drive and Trestles Drive has displaced an additional family, totaling five homes which have received “yellow tags.” Read the article……………………
Laguna Woods Village condo board eases caregiver requirements (CA)
The Third Mutual board on Tuesday, Feb. 19, unanimously passed a resolution that revised its Care Provider Policy — now titled the ‘Private Caregiver Policy’ — removing hurdles that affected residents dependent upon part-time and long-term, at-home care. Top resident concerns included the necessity of obtaining a physician’s certification when nonmedical service was needed, the […]
HOA Homefront: Solar panels on shared condo roofs, yes or no? (CA)
Q: My HOA sent out a proposed policy for owners wanting to install solar power systems installed on a roof shared with other units. I am not anxious to have any contractor mess with my roof or my neighbor’s since we all own it and we are in the middle of a lengthy roof replacement […]
Dove Canyon HOA Meets With William Lyons Homes About DCP (CA)
The series of meetings by William Lyon Homes (WLH) are required as part of the check list of items before they get to a proposal for their rezone. That includes the recent open house and the meeting last night with the Dove Canyon HOA. WLH does not own the property, but they have the right […]
HOA Homefront: Can board member vote himself in with 9 votes? (CA)
Q: We recently had board elections. Our board allows for up to 9 elected directors. Five candidates submitted nomination forms in a timely manner, two submitted late, and one submitted his candidate nomination form on the day of our annual meeting (election from the floor). Can this eighth candidate vote himself to the board with […]
Landslide Causes Four Canyon Country Homes To Receive ‘Yellow Tags’ (CA)
Four homes on Terri Drive and Trestles Drive have received a “yellow tag,” meaning they are only allowed to enter their property during the daytime hours, according to Santa Clarita City Engineer Mike Hennawy. “The yellow tags are a precautionary measure,” said Hennawy. “We have a geologist conducting a report to gather more information.”….The City […]
Rep. Thompson hosts ‘fire resiliency summit’ in Lake County (CA)
At a public meeting on fire response and resiliency hosted by Rep. Mike Thompson, Lake County residents called for more cooperation between governmental agencies and community organizations in combating the area’s wildfire-related issues. Sitting on a panel alongside Lake County District 1 Supervisor Moke Simon, Cal Fire Sonoma-Lake-Napa Unit Chief Shana Jones, Mendocino National Forest […]
HOA Homefront: Shedding light on solar applications (CA)
Q: My HOA sent out a proposed policy for owners wanting to install solar power systems installed on a roof shared with other units. I am not anxious to have any contractor mess with my roof or my neighbor’s since we all own it and we are in the middle of a lengthy roof replacement […]
HOA Homefront: Can you ban children under 13 from a community pool?
Q: I recently read your earlier article on fair housing laws being violated by HOAs trying to enforce state-mandated signs that prohibit children from using HOA pool and spa. We have a large sign at the spa in our community pool section stating “children under 14 are prohibited from using the spa.” It’s just a […]