There are HOA myths that are harmful. Here are some of the most common ones. Governing documents are boilerplate. Most HOA homebuyers read their purchase contract but ignore the CC&Rs, bylaws, and rules. Those documents are binding whether or not they are reviewed, so avoid surprises and read them. Read the article………………………..
Residential Insurance Prices Increase as Insurers Slow Business in California
….. was surprised to receive a notice from his homeowner’s association (HOA) this spring letting him know that there would be an increase in insurance premiums for him and other condominium owners at The Met in Los Angeles’ San Fernando Valley. The letter stated the increase was due to instability in California’s property insurance market. […]
Residents raised construction concerns decades before Rolling Hills Estates landslide (CA)
Some residents at the Rolling Hills Estates development battered by a destructive landslide raised concerns during the neighborhood’s construction years ago about the potential for problems from water and heavy rainfall, city planning documents obtained by The Times show. Read the article………………………..
No Hot Water: A Problem at a North Palm Springs Condo Building Sheds Light on a Lack of Protections for Residents (CA)
The Palm Springs Villas 2 condominium complex is tucked away just east of Palm Canyon Drive in northern Palm Springs, along the north side of San Rafael Drive. Sitting at 701 N. Los Felices Circle West is Building L, part of a community with a relaxed vibe, at least at this time of year. It’s […]
As help arrives at Peartree Lane, Rolling Hills Estates officials call landslide ‘unprecedented’ (CA)
It’s been about a week since some Peartree Lane residents noticed odd things happening near their residences. New cracks in driveways, water running in unusual places and — in one instance — an unusually high utility bill. Read the article………………………..
Optimum Acquires Encore Property Management Company
The acquisition enables Optimum to expand its geographical footprint in Corona, CA, and neighboring areas, reinforcing its commitment to serving Southern California’s homeowner associations. With a growing, experienced team of industry professionals, Optimum’s aim is to increase operational efficiency, streamline processes, and elevate the overall experience for each of our HOA clients. Read the article………………………..
Lakeshore Gardens senior community targeted in apparent scam (CA)
Seniors at Lakeshore Gardens have reported a rash of scams involving two men allegedly posing as employees of the Carlsbad Lexus and Toyota dealerships and convincing unsuspecting residents to pay for subpar or non-existent vehicle services. Read the article………………………..
Skunks take over Point Loma condo complex (CA)
Residents at a Point Loma condominium complex said skunks are taking over their property. One resident at the Sea Colony complex told ABC 10News, “We have had a lot of skunks this past year. A lot of families. I have seen a mom walking around with her four babies.” Read the article………………………..
Rolling Hills Estates declares state of emergency amid investigation into landslide’s cause (CA)
Rolling Hills Estates officials declared a state of emergency on Tuesday as the investigation continues into the cause of a slow-moving landslide that has resulted in a dozen homes being deemed uninhabitable. Read the article………………………..
Burlingame says leave us out of tree dispute (CA)
The Burlingame City Council made the easiest decision it’s made in a while, no decision. A dispute within a homeowners association to remove a juniper tree from the back of the community’s complex, was put on the shoulders of the City Council during a meeting Wednesday, July 5, to which it decided to stay out. […]
At least 10 Rolling Hills Estates homes will slide into canyon, officials say (CA)
A massive landslide in Rolling Hills Estates this weekend destroyed 12 homes further underscoring the lurking danger of continually shifting earth on the Palos Verdes Peninsula. Local residents surveying the damage, and Southern California Gas Company crews were on the scene in Rolling Hills Estates Read the article………………………..
After State Farm’s and Allstate’s Exits, Farmers Insurance Sets Limits in California
In May, Zachary Erbe received some alarming news: Farmers Insurance would not renew his building’s insurance policy, which expired in August. The reason? The three-unit residential building located near Alamo Square was constructed before 1925. As chairman of the homeowner’s association, Erbe jumped into action and sought new coverage. He thought he had another policy […]
Hundreds of dead fish stink up Stockton neighborhoods, residents want answers and action (CA)
John Huebel, a board member with the Brookside Lake Homeowners Association says heat, dead algae and runoff from roughly 1,500 surrounding homes that likely contain fertilizer and lawn products come into play, and that the fish did not die as a result of poisoning. Read the article………………………..
HOA Homefront: Tips for ‘bare walls’ property insurance (CA)
Quite recently two of the largest residential property insurance companies announced major cutbacks in California. State Farm announced it had stopped accepting applications for any California insurance policies, and Allstate announced it was “pausing” any new homeowners insurance and HOA insurance policies to protect existing customers. Read the article………………………..
Loss of homeowner fire insurance kindles debate over fairness (CA)
There are 115 insurers still writing new policies in California, and there’s also the California FAIR Plan Association, which was established to meet the needs of the state’s homeowners unable to find insurance in the traditional marketplace. FAIR provides up to $3 million in coverage per HOA complex, according to Michael Soller, deputy insurance commissioner […]
Horrified by ‘whites-only’ language in their property deeds, Ladera residents worked hard to purge it (CA)
The property deed contained restrictions from an earlier era prohibiting anyone who wasn’t “Caucasian or white race” from owning or occupying land in the neighborhood. Although these types of covenants were outlawed in 1948 and are no longer enforceable, its presence on her property deed raised concerns about the origins of these racial restrictions and […]
E-Bike Charging in Condo’s Garage Suspected in Fire (CA)
A fire, possibly started by an e-bike being charged in the garage of a three-story condominium in the Serra Mesa neighborhood of San Diego, caused an estimated $50,000 in damage Wednesday, Read the article………………………..
Sinking Millennium Tower shows signs of recovery, but expert has doubts (CA)
The latest phase of work to stabilise San Francisco’s troubled Millennium Tower has reversed some of the tower’s tilt, according to monitoring data – but an expert has said it is “too early” to tell if the fix is working. Read the article………………………..
Chico homeowner’s association looks to find humane ways to solve bee problem (CA)
Beekeeper Sally Withuhn says it’s been hard trying to wrangle any bees at all these days after years of drought and excessive heat have killed nearly 50% of the population. Watch the news report………………………………
HOA Homefront: Why hiring an association member is a very bad idea (CA)
Q: Three of the members of our HOA board are employed directly or through service contracts with the master community company. They hold the top offices including president of the HOA board. It appears to be a conflict of interest to serve both masters. Is this legal or just poor judgment to look improper to […]
Newport Beach launches pilot program for private security cameras in public right-of-way (CA)
A new pilot program that will allow private security cameras to be installed in the public right-of-way of select neighborhoods was approved Tuesday by the Newport Beach City Council. Read the article………………………..
HOA grapples with contentious past (CA)
Infighting between homeowners is not a new thing. Residents in homeowner associations often find themselves locked in disputes over matters such as neighborhood aesthetics and common area maintenance. Volunteers serve on HOAs at their own peril, tasked with thankless work as they deal with members who grouse over matters large and small. Read the article………………………..
Water authorities recognize Solera Homeowners Association for its water-wise project (CA)
What happens when you convert nearly 50,000 square feet of turf grass to a water-wise landscape made of decorative rock, drought-resistant plants and point-source irrigation? You save 1.34 million gallons of water per year, more than enough to fill two Olympic-size swimming pools annually. Read the article………………………..
HOA Homefront: What happens when our reserves are at zero? (CA)
Q: What happens if the reserves go to zero? What is insolvency? Read the Q&A……………………………
After 15 Years, Settlement Arrested at San Francisco’s Millennium Tower (CA)
After overcoming several snags, the team for the voluntary effort to stem future significant settlement and tilting at San Francisco’s 645-ft-tall Millennium Tower has declared the project a success, now that loads have been fully transferred to 18 new perimeter piles driven to bedrock. Read the article………………………..
Condo residents in Orange go for weeks without gas (CA)
Residents in Orange are frustrated with their property management company after their gas has been shut off for almost three weeks. For safety reasons, So Cal Gas confirmed it disconnected the master gas meter after detecting a gas leak at La Veta Monterey condominiums Read the article………………………..
Blackhorse Estates residents vote on “District Reach” (CA)
A vote was held on the Blackhorse assessment district, also known as the “Renaissance” area. A vote for denial would keep the assessment reach the same as this fiscal year as well as keeping city government away from providing capital projects within the assessment district. Read the article………………………..
West Sacramento community take stand to prevent thieves targeting their mail (CA)
A group of West Sacramento neighbors are taking a stand against mail theft. “Mailboxes have been broken into over 30 times in the last couple of years,” said Kathy Bailey, Homeowners Association president for Riva on the River. Read the article………………………..
HOA Homefront — No billing statements; board changes collection rules (CA)
Q: We recently purchased a unit in a small development that does not send out monthly statements. I find this rather strange as they sent me a letter saying that my monthly dues are due at the first of the month. How am I supposed to know if they received my payment (sent by check) […]
Cal Water teams up with Bakersfield HOA to implement water-wise landscaping
Recent rainfall has caused problems for communities across the state, but it has also had a positive impact, replenishing our water supply and putting an end to the 3-year drought for the vast majority of California. In order to ensure a stable water supply for the future, local homeowner’s association Solera Properties, is getting experimental […]
How to prepare for California wildfire season now that State Farm and Allstate have halted new home insurance policies
Allstate also quietly announced in its 2022 third quarter earnings report in November that it would no longer write new homeowners and condominium policies in California. Read the article………………………..
State Farm no longer accepting property insurance applications in California
State Farm said it will no longer accept new applications for home and business insurance in California because of an increase in catastrophic events and construction costs, the company announced Friday. Read the article………………………..
HOA Homefront — How do we handle delinquent members and delinquent directors? (CA)
Q: I’m a new elected board member. As I’m looking over homeowners’ delinquency information, I’m concerned that several incumbent board members are delinquent. Is there any Civil Code that a board member should be current in their HOA dues? Read the Q&A……………………………….
HOAs are not a ‘sneakily common force in daily life;’ They help homeowners
I find it disappointing that reporting and talk shows have taken the low ground on various topics over the past decade, but more recently by John Oliver in his segment on homeowners associations. Speaking from experience, purchasing my first home in a condominium afforded me the opportunity to live the American dream of owning a […]
Property Insurance Burns Through Homeowners’ Budgets (CA)
Back in December, she was notified by her Homeowners Association that they were having a hard time getting coverage due to wildfire risk. They found one policy for partial coverage with a price tag of almost $320,000 for the complex. A 600% jump from the previous year…… A second notice indicated that her HOA had […]
HOA Homefront: One board increases assessments, while another refuses (CA)
Q: Management sent a budget notification to members with an agenda, date, time and location. The board meeting was attended by the directors and several homeowners. The board met with the treasurer to go over the proposed budget and voted to accept one of several dues increase options. In the past, there was one meeting […]
Palm Springs neighborhood associations ‘share the wealth’ from Modernism Week tours. (CA)
Neighborhoods and homeowner associations are of course free to do what they will with the monies raised from tours and many of them apply the funds to necessary maintenance of, and improvements to, these historically significant neighborhoods. Read the article………………………..
HOA Homefront — Reader questions: HOA failed me: Must I pay assessments?
Q: When is it legal not to pay HOA dues/fees because an HOA is not fulfilling its duties? I’ve had emergency leaks and made calls and sent e-mails that they never returned. I have had animal control issues that they do not attend to unless I go into the office. I have proof of e-mails […]
Walnut Creek Condo Fire Sparked By Barbecue, Official Says (CA)
A fire last week that nearly destroyed a Walnut Creek condominium was accidental and was caused by a barbecue, a spokesperson for the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District said Tuesday. Read the article………………………..
One year after Coastal Fire in Laguna Niguel, residents of more than 20 homes remain displaced (CA)
Read the article………………………..
California’s FAIR Plan may save condo associations blacklisted by Fannie Mae
Dear Fannie Mae: I might have found a unicorn for all the California condos you’ve blacklisted. Please meet the fine folks at the California FAIR Plan, a home insurance association. And please meet the fine folks at the California Department of Insurance, including Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara. They just might have a novel idea to […]
HOA Homefront: My HOA suspended me; must I pay assessments? (CA)
Q: When is it legal not to pay HOA dues/fees because an HOA is not fulfilling its duties? I’ve had emergency leaks and made calls and sent emails that they never returned. I have had animal control issues that they do not attend to unless I go into the office. I have proof of emails […]
More scrutiny over HOA insurance issue (CA)
The cost of homeowners association fire insurance continues to climb and is difficult to secure in wildland fire areas. The issue, which is threatening some residents’ homeownership, has garnered the attention of local elected leaders, who recently met with HOA representatives in search of help. Read the article………………………..
As California attempts a ‘managed retreat,’ coastal homeowners sue to stay
The homeowners’ association sued the agency not once but twice, arguing both that the commission was required to protect Mirada Road under state law and that Half Moon Bay’s plan to relocate homes was unconstitutional. Read the article………………………..
HOA Homefront — Already an active Legislative year for HOAs (CA)
After a few quiet years in Sacramento regarding HOAs, California’s legislature is quite active this year with at least eight bills proposing to affect HOAs in 2024. Four are helpful and four are not. Today’s column will address the first four that are helpful, and the other four will follow in the next column. Read […]
Elderly Rancho Santa Fe woman accused of terrorizing, animal abuse, and aiming weapons at neighbors (CA)
The neighborhood’s HOA sued Debra and her property’s co-owner, Craig Netwig, and won a judgment against them in April. Court documents showed a picture taken at the front door of Debra’s house. Debra and Craig owe the HOA thousands of dollars. Read the article………………………..
HOA Homefront — The HOA is not working with me on solar (CA)
Q. I have been trying to get solar panels installed on my shared roof, which is maintained by the HOA. The CCRs state that the HOA can ask for removal of solar panels for maintenance, and the HOA is trying to force me to remove the panels twice every year so that the roofing vendors […]
24 condos red-tagged due to landslide threatening historic Casa Romantica in San Clemente (CA)
A landslide beneath part of the Casa Romantica Cultural Center in San Clemente continues to threaten the 100-year-old structure, leaving nearby residents displaced and shutting down coastal train services. Read the article………………………..
Outrage in La Quinta HOA after drag queen cut from bingo event (CA)
Controversy has erupted at a south La Quinta homeowners association community over a scheduled community drag bingo event after the featured drag performer was cut from the event. The decision is blamed on concerns from some members of the community that are being criticized by some as homophobic discrimination. Read the article………………………..
Residents of Woodson Bridge Estates in Corning concerned over growing feral cat colony (CA)
“We have probably 50 give or take feral cats running around that evidently didn’t exist before but are now being fed by several maybe a half a dozen residents that unfortunately are leaving messes in everybody’s yard.” Read the article………………………..