*Asked & Answered Asked – Is it common for an association to create a website and share certain information via this website with owners/residents of the community? If yes, what are the regulations? Answered – Yes. A community website can be a valuable and effective communication tool by allowing residents…
*New Case Law It is not uncommon for a homeowners association (“HOA”) to enter into contractual arrangements with a third party where the rights and responsibilities under that arrangement are between the third party and each of the HOA’s members. Under such circumstances, the HOA’s involvement may be limited solely…
*Asked & Answered Asked – Our HOA has established several working committees such as Finance and Compliance. Do these committees have to conduct meetings open to the public? Neither one has power to spend money but merely makes recommendations to the Board of Directors. Answered – No. The provisions of…
Our “Annual Legislative & Case Law Update” newsletter for the year 2014 is now available in our library! The Legislative & Case Law Update provides an overview of the new legislation and case law impacting California Homeowners Associations (“HOAs”) as we head into 2014. The new legislation includes, among other…
*Asked & Answered Asked – Are there recognized models of well-written rules and regulations for homeowners associations? Answered – No, there are not, and the reason is because homeowners association (“HOA”) CC&Rs typically leave the drafting and amending of rules and regulations to the HOA’s Board of Directors. The types…
*New Case Law Provisions setting forth the qualifications for serving on a homeowners association (“HOA”) Board of Directors are typically found in the HOA’s Bylaws. At the time when these provisions were originally drafted, they may have been insufficient to establish a set of specific qualifications designed to avoid operational…
*New Legislation Commercial and Industrial Common Interest Developments (“Commercial CIDs”) in California have historically been governed by the same provisions that apply to planned residential developments and condominiums: the Davis-Stirling Common Interest Development Act (“Davis-Stirling”). However, some of those provisions have resulted in unnecessary burdens and requirements for Commercial CIDs…
*New Case Law Membership rights with regard to the attendance and participation in Board meetings is an important component of the laws governing homeowners associations (“HOAs”). Civil Code Section 1363.05, known as the “Common Interest Development Open Meeting Act,” states that “any member of the [HOA] may attend meetings of…
*New Case Law As is a common occurrence for HOA Boards, there is often difficulty in obtaining the HOA members’ consent that is required for taking such actions as amending the HOA’s governing documents or undertaking capital improvements. Failure to obtain the members’ consent–whether it is a result of member…
*Asked & Answered Asked – Our high-rise condominium association does not allow dogs weighing over 40 pounds, but we have an owner that has requested an exception for her “companion” dog that is a 70 pound Golden Retriever. Does our HOA have to allow the homeowner to have her companion…