A fire burned at a condominium complex next to Interstate Highway 680 in East San Jose Wednesday afternoon and spread to nearby vegetation before firefighters knocked it down. Read the article………………………..
Malibu Country Estates recognized as ‘Firewise Community’ (CA)
The Malibu Country Estates (MCE) neighborhood, with its 107 homes adjacent to Pepperdine University, was officially recognized as a Firewise community on May 18 by Firewise USA. The program is part of the nonprofit National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), and the “Firewise” designation is expected to result in lower fire insurance premiums for individual homeowners. […]
Mission Bay Building Owners Sue as Pipes Break Due to Subsidence (CA)
The Radiance, a 99-unit condominium building with entrances at 330 Mission Bay Boulevard and 325 China Basin Street, is suing the City for damages caused by subsidence, or sinking. The Radiance Owners Association (ROA) represents the interests of individual condominium owners and oversees common areas, such as sidewalks. Read the article………………………..
HOA Homefront: How do we end the reign of a terrible president? (CA)
Q: Our community has been under a reign of terror because of the leadership of an abusive president. He has been verbally abusive to many of the women who ask questions during open sessions and basically to anyone who questions his decision-making. Two female directors quit because of his dictatorship, screaming and intimidation. What options […]
Man Protests Two Tree Removals by Handcuffing Himself to Tree (CA)
The resident Andy Stinson sits under the shade of these Ficus trees every day to watch the sunset. He believes that he is being retaliated at by the H.O.A. President of the City Scene H.O.A. and the trees have been ordered to be moved. Read the article………………………..
Castaic residents see 1000% increase in fire insurance (CA)
Residents of a Castaic condominium complex are wondering why an estimated 1000% increase to their fire insurance rates would happen in as little as three years, but say answers to this question are hard to come by. Read the article………………………..
HOA Homefront: Insolvent board changing assessment allocations (CA)
Q: Our HOA has suspended reserve deposits, borrowed from reserves without disclosing to members the full borrowed amount or the repayment plan and not repaid borrowed funds within the required one year (also without disclosure to homeowners). Even before these actions, the reserve was “materially underfunded” according to the latest reserve studies. Obviously, the red […]
Man dies in Oxnard condo fire; woman badly burned (CA)
A fire Wednesday morning at a south Oxnard condominium left a man dead and a woman with serious burns, authorities said. The incident left multiple units uninhabitable and displaced about 17 people, he said, with Red Cross personnel offering assistance. Read the article………………………..
HOA Homefront — Reader Questions: Rising HOA insurance rates and broker advice (CA)
Q: Our community’s liability insurance policies are up for renewal soon. Some neighboring associations are reporting ten-fold increases in fire insurance premiums due to brushfire proximity concerns. Even though our community does not appear to be in a fire-prone area according to real estate sources, are we in for a huge shock? Read the Q&A……………………………….
Californians Can Now Auto-Detect Racist Language in Housing Deeds, HOA Rules and Have It Removed
DoNotPay, which bills itself as a “robot lawyer,” has developed an automated way for people to remove racist language from real estate documents. Read the article………………………..
Preservation group acquires languishing Mesquite Golf and Country Club land via donation from buyer (CA)
For owners of the 600 condominiums that surround the Mesquite golf course, talk of the impending purchase was met with mixed reactions. Some have asked the city for years to prevent the property from being used for housing, hoping to preserve it as open space. Others fear that without the presence of golf course maintenance […]
El Dorado County Grand Jury investigates LLADs (CA)
The El Dorado County Grand Jury recently published results of an investigation into the El Dorado Hills Community Services District’s management of Landscape and Lighting Assessment Districts. The analysis, released June 30, focused on calculation of assessment amounts, the appeals process, rental income credits and possible conflicts of interest between the CSD and LLADs. Read […]
16 months after fire razed Thousand Oaks condo building, frustrated residents await repairs (CA)
Residents of a Thousand Oaks condominium complex are deeply frustrated that 16 months after a fire ravaged a four-unit building there, it has yet to be repaired. “It has become extremely difficult for me and the other residents here,” said Mary Troness, who has lived at the approximately 200-unit Wildwood Township community at the corner […]
HOA Homefront — Establish standards for HOA meetings with meeting rules
Along with the property’s overall condition, another positive initial impression upon new members can be board meetings which are effective, positive, and orderly. However, how does a new owner or director learn how board meetings are to be conducted? The law does not require associations to have meeting rules, but such rules can be extremely […]
Hancock Park HOA: The Drought, Our Trees, The Air We Breathe (CA)
Trees are essential to our very existence. Their power alone manifests as the air we breathe – so let’s not take them for granted! Now that we’re being asked to limit landscape watering, our good sense and the DWP are reminding us that we must still water our trees. Our trees provide shade that lowers […]
New Tilting Prompts Revamp of San Francisco’s Millennium Tower Fix (CA)
NBC Bay Area’s Investigative Unit has learned that a recent acceleration in tilting of the Millennium Tower has prompted engineers in charge of the so-called “fix” to employ an unconventional strategy to prop up the building so as to stop it from leaning further while the rest of the work gets done. Read the article………………………….
HOA Homefront — Reasonable rules aren’t automatic (CA)
One important board responsibility is to adopt and enforce community rules. Developers provide CC&Rs and Bylaws (usually fairly boilerplate) when creating HOAs but do not typically create operating rules. So, it is up to volunteer boards to create necessary and reasonable rules for their communities. Read the article………………….
Castaic condo owners see nearly 900% spike in fire insurance premiums (CA)
Homeowners in a Castaic condo complex were hit with a massive rate increase for fire insurance, with rates going from roughly $40,000 a year in 2020 to nearly $450,000 in 2022. Read the article…………………………….
HOA Homefront: Rules on changing the rules (CA)
Good community rules and regulations (called operating rules in Civil Code 4340) help set standards and encourage neighborly conduct. However, good rules also must be enforceable and associations must follow a prescribed rule amendment process. Because rules are amended only by the board, the law requires special procedures to alert members in advance when boards […]
HOA Homefront – Reader questions about solar installations (CA)
Q: I live in a planned development and was told we could not install solar because it would void our roof warranties. Can our management company ban installation of solar because of that reason or do the new regulations override that argument? Read the Q&A……………………………….
Public access: Court rules in favor of Rio Del Mar homeowners (CA)
A civil court judge has ruled in favor of Rio Del Mar waterfront property owners who say government officials were wrong in opening their patios as a public walkway in 2018. Read the entire article……………………………….
Intense Natomas Condo Complex Fire Damages 8 Condos, Nearby Buildings Melt (CA)
An intense and early Wednesday morning fire has left eight condos damaged in the Natomas area. Just after 12:30 a.m., Sacramento firefighters arrived at the Artisan Square Condo Complex on the 5300 block of East Commerce Way, where they discovered several condos on fire. Read the entire article……………………………….
HOA Homefront: Can the board ban solar panels? (CA)
Q: Can a HOA prevent us from placing solar panels on the roof of our townhome? We are in an older condominium association and the roofs are hard, flat shingles that were just replaced. If we agree to be responsible for the repairs needed due to our solar panels (not the ultimate roof replacement in […]
Landscapers, property owners prep for ‘nonfunctional’ lawns to go brown under new California rule
California water regulators ordered a ban effective Friday on irrigating decorative lawns around offices, hotels, hospitals and other nonresidential buildings as the state braces for a third year of drought. But Duane Faloni’s North Bay landscaping crews already had a dry run at this a year ago. Read the entire article……………………………….
HOA Homefront – Is there double jeopardy in HOAs? (CA)
Q: If HOA failed to send letter to homeowner within 15 days as required by Civil Code 5855, may the HOA simply ignore that and hold another meeting or as many as they want, thereby removing the possibility if a homeowner’s using 5855 as a defense? Read the Q&A……………………………….
Rising water rates puts HOA at crossroads (CA)
As San Diegans continue to battle soaring inflation, a proposed hike in water rates could drive the cost of living even higher next year. Now, one group of homeowners could decide to pay for a big change now, to avoid more increases later. Read the entire article……………………………….
Condo fire in north Palm Springs wrecks 12 units, no serious injuries reported (CA)
A three-alarm fire at a condo complex in north Palm Springs has rendered 12 of the units “a complete loss,” a Palm Springs Fire Battalion Chief said Sunday morning. Firefighters responded to the structure fire at a two-story building on the south side of the Palm Springs Villas 1 Read the entire article……………………………….
West Ranch Communities, Can You Hear Me? (CA)
The thing about the internet is that you can find just about anything to support the craziest positions on any topic. That is what we are witnessing in Stevenson Ranch regarding the much-needed proposed cellphone antenna. Read the entire article……………………………….
Multiple units damaged in Santa Maria condo fire (CA)
Multiple units were damaged and five people were displaced after a fire broke out at a Santa Maria condo Thursday morning, according to the Santa Maria Fire Department. Read the entire article……………………………….
HOA Homefront: Drought emergency is back; did your community notice? (CA)
California has experienced many drought periods, but in January 2014 the drought situation became sufficiently severe that then-Gov. Jerry Brown declared a state of drought emergency. Soon thereafter, several laws were added to the Davis-Stirling Act, Civil Code Sections 4735 and 4736. Read the entire article……………………………….
State water board bans watering ‘non-functional’ turf at businesses, institutions (CA)
Shopping centers, churches, homeowners associations and other businesses and institutions must stop watering their ornamental turf, under a drought-related emergency regulation approved by the State Water Resources Control Board on Tuesday. Read the entire article……………………………….
Fire erupts at Larkspur condo complex (CA)
Fire crews extinguished a fire at a condominium complex in Larkspur on Monday. Central Marin Fire Department Chief Ruben Martin said the fire was reported on the 1100 block of South Eliseo Drive. He said as many as 15 residents may have been displaced by the fire. Read the entire article……………………………….
Goats inadvertently save condo complex from catching fire (CA)
While evacuations were not needed, unlikely heroes helped protect the condo complex: West Sacramento’s goats who recently had come by to eat underbrush off the near the complex. Read the entire article……………………………….
Real-Life Questions from HOA Members About CC&Rs, Solicitors & Sellers (CA)
Each Association is unique, but more often than not your Association has at some point in the past – or will in the future – experience questions similar to the real-life issues addressed below. Continue reading to see if any of these real-life questions and expert answers from an HOA manager apply to your Association. […]
HOA Homefront — Free speech; flyers and flags (CA)
Q: Under Civil Code 4515, are homeowners allowed to post community gathering notices near the mailboxes or on the mailboxes if they are not blocking association notices? Read the Q&A……………………………….
Lawsuit filed by homeowners holds SoCal Edison responsible for sparking Coastal Fire (CA)
The Coronado Pointe Homeowners Association blames the utility company’s equipment for sparking the fire, which raged through a Laguna Niguel neighborhood, destroying 20 homes, and damaging 11 others. The homeowners association’s lawsuit seeks unspecified damages. Read the entire article……………………………….
L.A. hikers love Temescal Canyon. A developer just got fined $6 million for blocking it (CA)
…..Far less cherished, however, is an unkempt trailhead facility tucked amid multimillion-dollar homes in the Palisades Highlands neighborhood. Privately owned, the 12-car parking lot is notorious among locals for its excrement and graffiti-scrawled bathrooms, locked gates and unpaid taxes. Read the entire article……………………………….
Even before Coastal fire, hilltop dwellers worried and some took key steps (CA)
A decade ago – long before February’s Emerald Bay fire, or this week’s Coastal fire – Newport Coast resident Gerald Klein tried to impress upon his homeowners’ association the importance of fire prevention. The brushy canyons of Crystal Cove State Park push in from two sides, and his home – along with hundreds of others […]
HOA Homefront: Time almost up to remove illegal rent restrictions (CA)
The first version of Civil Code Section 4741, banning “unreasonable” rental restrictions, became law in 2021, and also originally required HOAs to amend their governing documents to remove such provisions in 2021. Read the Q&A……………………………….
Rancho Bernardo homeowner in dispute with HOA over repairs (CA)
A Rancho Bernardo homeowner said a dispute with her homeowners association left her condo with multiple cracks throughout her property and unfinished work. Read the entire article……………………………….
HOA Homefront: What to do about expired and ignored CC&Rs (CA)
Q: I am looking into purchasing a property with three freestanding units and a small amount of common space used as a walking area to get from the street to the units. The selling agent provided the CC&Rs, but the HOA doesn’t exist and has never met for as long as the current owners have […]
Series of dog illnesses, deaths in Arrowood worry residents (CA)
Both pet owners soon realized they weren’t alone. After connecting with neighbors during a homeowners’ association meeting, they learned that since 2020, approximately 34 pets had fallen ill under similar circumstances throughout the Arrowood community. Eighteen of those animals later died, including Dommie, Maggie and two kittens. Read the entire article……………………………….
HOA Homefront – Is this manager qualified? (CA)
After selecting the desired type of management services, how can one evaluate a manager’s qualifications? California HOA managers are unregulated, with no required license or minimum education. Rental managers must have real estate broker licenses, but not HOA managers. There is a wide range of qualification and experience in the field, and industry credentials indicate […]
More water restrictions are coming to Southern California. How to conserve (CA)
With the news that Southern California officials are imposing tough water-use restrictions on about 6 million people, many of us are looking for practical ways to conserve. We’ve all been through this drill so many times, as some of the obvious water-saving steps have become almost second nature. Less lawn-watering. Shorter showers. Fewer flushes. Read the […]
City of San Diego apologizes to Rancho Penasquitos residents over controversial bike lanes (CA)
he City of San Diego’s director of transportation apologized to Rancho Penasquitos residents during a Zoom meeting Tuesday morning. The focus of the meeting was recently installed bike lanes on Azuaga Street. Some residents are upset because they said the city did not communicate with them about the bike lanes, they just suddenly appeared. Read […]
HOA Homefront: Why selecting a management company based on price is a mistake (CA)
This column is the second in a two-part series on selecting HOA management. The previous column discussed the different types of association management services. After selecting the management service type and candidate firm, carefully consider the proposed management contract. Read the entire article……………………………….
Glen Cove Community Association donates supplies to local elementary school (CA)
The Glen Cove Community Association donated $900 of equipment to Glen Cove Elementary School on Tuesday afternoon as part of its yearly donation to its local neighborhood school. Read the entire article……………………………….
HOA Homefront: Which type of management Is best for your community? (CA)
Determining which type of management service is best for the HOA is a very important HOA board decision. Even the smallest associations need some form of professional management. Read the entire article……………………………….
Larkspur Creek neighbors closer to easing backyard buffer (CA)
Homeowners in a creekside neighborhood in Larkspur could soon get relief from an environmental constraint they say prevents them from enjoying their backyards. The restriction, a 50-yard creek setback, governs eight properties on Rose Lane. It was adopted to minimize storm runoff and erosion in Larkspur Creek, which runs behind the houses. Read the entire […]
San Lorenzo Valley Water Districts move closer to consolidation with fire-damaged systems (CA)
While Big Basin as a whole could consolidate with the district, that hinges upon a formal annexation and consolidation. The communities of Bracken Brae and Forest Springs — which accounts for approximately 150 Big Basin customers — is merging with the district through a homeowners association group. Read the entire article……………………………….