Does The SLAPP Statute Apply To Homeowners Associations? (CA)

(Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation) statute is Code of Civil Procedure Section 425.16. When the SLAPP statute was first enacted in 1992, twenty four years ago, some people, believed that it would not apply to homeowners associations because the SLAPP statute deals with freedom of speech which generally protects against governmental action and not private action. Since homeowners associations are private entities or private clubs, some people believed that the SLAPP statute would not apply to such entities because there was no governmental action. However, the California courts have held in several cases that the SLAPP statute does apply to homeowners associations based on the theory that a homeowners association is a “mini-city.”  Read the article……………