There is no substitute for expertise. HOA law is what we do.

Agave-300x169It’s our privilege to welcome Agave La Floresta Community Association to Tinnelly Law Group’s growing family of HOA clients.

Agave is a new residential enclave within the master-planned community, La Floresta in Brea. Residents enjoy full access to the Buena Vida clubhouse, fitness center, pool, spa, and patio.

hoa law firm Our HOA lawyers and staff look forward to working with Agave La Floresta’s Board and management.

Coronado-Pointe-300x169It’s our privilege to welcome Coronado Pointe Homeowners Association to Tinnelly Law Group’s growing family of HOA clients.

Coronado Pointe is a luxury gated community located in the coastal community of Laguna Niguel. Residents enjoy spectacular ocean and canyon views.

hoa law firm Our HOA lawyers and staff look forward to working with Coronado Pointe’s Board and management.

origin*Unpublished Case

In California jurisprudence, it is well established that a homeowner “has no right to an unobstructed view over adjoining property.” (Posey v. Leavitt (1991) 229 Cal. App. 3d 1236, 1250.) Such right may, however, “be created by private parties through the granting of an easement or through the adoption of conditions, covenants and restrictions.” (Id.) And, even then, the right must be expressly stated and narrowly construed.

For example, in the recent unpublished case of Davis v. Irvine Terrace Community Association (2021) 2021 Cal. App. Unpub. LEXIS 53, an owner (“Owner”) sued the association (“Association”) and others alleging a breach of the Association’s Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions (“CC&Rs”). Owner claimed that the Association breached the CC&Rs when it approved a neighbor’s architectural application, which included the construction of a house that would obstruct Owner’s view. While the CC&Rs protect views as to landscape, fences and walls, it contained no similar protection as to houses. Owner nevertheless argued that such protection existed because of the Association’s obligation to enhance and protect “the value, desirability and attractiveness of” Owner’s property. (Id. at p. *16.) The Court rejected Owner’s argument.

In rejecting the Owner’s argument, the Court noted that the CC&Rs included no view protection as to structures such as houses; the Court was unwilling to read into the CC&Rs additional view protections based on the impact architectural modifications would have on the value, desirability and attractiveness of the Owner’s property. Moreover, the Court pointed out that neither the CC&Rs nor the Architectural Guidelines were “intended to protect individual homeowners’ interests. They are intended to protect the community as a whole.” (Id. at p. *14.) Thus, when reviewing an application for an architectural modification, an association need not consider the impact such construction will have on the interests of individual homeowners; rather, the association is only required to consider how such construction will impact the entire community.

Lastly, the Court rejected Owner’s argument that the Association failed to “subjectively consider[] whether [the structures] height and location…will cause disharmony with surrounding structures, including [Owner’s] home[].” (Id. at p. *15.) While reviewing architectural applications will necessarily include a subjective component, there is nothing preventing the Architectural Committee from making a decision based on objective criteria: “The Committee is within its discretion to decide that a proposed plan meets the criteria of “harmony of external design” if it meets certain objective criteria such as height, color, and design scheme when compared to existing structures….” (Id.)

California HOA lawyers Accordingly, the Architectural Committee was justified in approving the neighbor’s application because it satisfied objective criteria contained in the Association’s Architectural Guidelines.

-Blog post authored by TLG Attorney, Matthew T. Plaxton, Esq.

Villa-Balboa-300x169It’s our privilege to welcome The Villa Balboa Community Association to Tinnelly Law Group’s growing family of HOA clients.

Villa Balboa is a gated condominium community located within walking distance to Newport Beach. Residents enjoy two community pools, a fitness center, tennis courts, and ocean and harbor views.

hoa law firm Our HOA lawyers and staff look forward to working with Villa Balboa’s Board and management.

Criterion-300x168It’s our privilege to welcome Criterion Homeowners Association to Tinnelly Law Group’s growing family of HOA clients.

Criterion is a contemporary style condominium community located within minutes of shops, restaurants, and Shaffer Park in Orange.  Residents enjoy the community pool, greenbelt views, and the many hiking & biking trails.

hoa law firm Our HOA lawyers and staff look forward to working with Criterion’s Board and management.

Picture1[As written by Rip Van Winkle on June 15, 2021]

In early March 2020, I fell asleep upon drinking my favorite beverage on a California beach.  When I awoke today on June 15, 2021, I am surprised to see people celebrating in the streets and face masks in the trash.  Home prices are sky high and the cost of a gallon of gas is near $5.  What happened during my slumber?!  Everything looks normal to me – but is it?  Help! 

On June 15, 2021, the state of California fully reopened under the New Normal.  According to the state’s web site, Governor Newsom terminated “the executive orders that put into place the Stay Home Order and the Blueprint for a Safer Economy.”  Previously, it noted that beginning June 15, 2021, all sectors listed in the current Blueprint Activities and Business Tiers Chart may return to usual operations…”  How will the state’s reopening plan affect HOAs throughout the state?  The purpose of this article is to briefly summarize what some have described as the New Normal – and to address whether HOAs can reopen without restrictions.

The New Normal 

COVID-19 continues to be present in smaller numbers throughout the state.  The Centers for Disease Control (“CDC”) states that some vaccinated people will still get sick because “no vaccines are 100% effective” and provides that it is “still learning how long COVID-19 vaccines protect people.”  Data suggests that some California citizens remain unvaccinated.  As of June 17, 2021, the California Department of Public Health (“CDPH”) maintains that the “risk for COVID-19 exposure and infection will remain until we reach community immunity from vaccinations, especially in communities heavily impacted by COVID-19.”

Now that the state will no longer be subject to the state’s COVID-19 health guidelines, does that mean that HOAs can return to pre-COVID operations under the New Normal without regard to prior and existing health recommendations?  Not necessarily.

Since the Governor’s March 2020 Executive Order, the state has largely deferred to health mandates imposed by local counties.  While the state may have lifted its Blueprint for a Safer Economy, it is possible that some counties may continue to impose COVID-19 limitations for their local populations based upon their respective COVID-19 metrics.  “Nothing in this Order shall be construed to limit the existing authority of local health officers to establish and implement public health measures within their respective jurisdictions that are more restrictive than…the public health measures imposed on a statewide basis pursuant to the statewide directives of the State Public Officer.” (Executive Order N-07-21 dated June 11, 2021).  Accordingly, it is advisable for HOAs to review local requirements before deciding to resume pre-COVID business (i.e., reopening facilities and holding in-person Board meetings, among other things).

The state’s decision to fully reopen potentially creates confusion regarding the application of health guidelines and safe practices.  Fortunately, the Centers for Disease Control (“CDC”) provides a default framework for community associations to evaluate as they reopen throughout the state.

Liability Considerations

During the New Normal, boards of directors and management professionals should not overlook the CDC’s COVID-19 guidance, particularly because reviewing that material could help to prevent liability exposure for the Association.  The CDC provides guidance for shared or congregate housing, and multifamily housing (e.g., condominiums and townhouses).  The principles from those resources could apply to resident gatherings within community associations, such as in-person board meetings and community events.  The CDC web site includes COVID-19 instruction for many daily activities that are fixtures within HOA communities, such as gyms or fitness centers, playgrounds, and pools.  HOAs would be well served by considering the adoption of safeguards which appreciate the CDC’s guiding principles in those contexts (i.e., encouraging social distancing and mask wearing; sign posting; and resident education, etc.) because the landscape in 2021 is much different than it was in 2019.

Community associations possess the obligation to discharge their legal responsibilities in accordance with certain standards of care.  They can be responsible for harms to third parties if their conduct is considered to be negligent by acting or by failing to act (CACI 400).  Negligence is defined as “conduct which falls below the standard established by law for the protection of others against unreasonable risk of harm.”(Restatement Second of Torts, section 282).  In general, one is required to exercise the care that a person of ordinary prudence would exercise under the circumstances.  The California Supreme Court held the following: “Because application of [due care] is inherently situational, the amount of care deemed reasonable in any particular case will vary, while at the same time the standard of conduct itself remains constant, i.e., due care commensurate with the risk posed by the conduct taking into consideration all relevant circumstances (Flowers v. Torrance Memorial Hospital Medical Center (1994) 8 Cal.4th 992, 997).

Notwithstanding the state’s reopening, the amount of care now exercised by HOAs might require a greater appreciation or awareness of safe procedures, in view of the present COVID-19 risk and current health standards.  CDC and state/local guidelines, to the extent available, provide detailed guidance that can be considered in that regard.  Below are suggested practices for some common HOA functions:

HOA Function

Recommended Practice
Indoor Board Meetings Face Mask Coverings – see CDPH’s “Guidance for the Use of Face Coverings – Effective June 15, 2021”, or applicable County guidelines, whichever is stricter.  Click here for our recent blog post regarding face mask coverings.

Holding Gatherings – see CDC guidance.

Maintenance of Common Area Amenities Continuance of enhanced cleaning and disinfection practices – beyond those practices in place before the March 2021 Stay at Home Order.

Maintaining Healthy Environments – see CDC Guidance.

California HOA lawyers Rejoice!  It looks like we may be close to the light at the end of the tunnel.  Much has changed since I fell asleep.  What appears to be normal may not be.  I know that I can ask my trusted HOA lawyer for assistance as I take measures to protect my community – but maybe not at the beach… RVW

-Blog post authored by TLG Attorney, Kumar S. Raja, Esq.

201167609_10158535966747582_6734223399279805886_nAs of June 15, 2021, Governor Newsom terminated the executive orders that created the Stay-at-Home Order and the Blueprint for a Safer Economy. These orders have been replaced with and superseded by a new State Public Health Officer Order of June 11, 2021 (“Current Order”). This New Order requires all individuals, regardless of vaccination status, to wear face coverings: 1) on public transit; 2) indoors in schools and in childcare; 3) in healthcare settings; 4) in correctional facilities and detention centers; and 5) in homeless and emergency shelters. Vaccinated people may now forego face coverings in public places, including indoors, but unvaccinated persons must still wear face coverings in these locations.

The vast majority of HOAs are not open to public as their common area amenities and facilities are for the use of residents and their guests only. The Current Order, by its plain language, does not apply to these private businesses, which means that HOAs not open to the public are free to adopt their own reasonable rules related to face coverings and social distancing in common areas while the COVID-19 pandemic continues. Although progress has been made in vaccinations and in reducing community transmission, the pandemic is still ongoing, and the risks are still very real. However, the lifting of the state mandates and improved conditions means that HOAs are opening their community facilities and loosening restrictions on their use.

HOAs are tasked with various responsibilities and obligations to ensure the continued operation and well-being of the Association. Those obligations include keeping common areas safely maintained. The Association must continue to fulfill these obligations despite the lifting of governmental mandates through the adoption of reasonable rules.

It is arguably reasonable for HOAs to mirror the provisions of the Current Order when opening community facilities, although HOAs can choose to be more restrictive if the Board determines this course of action to be in the Association’s best interest. However, only lifting masking requirements for vaccinated persons creates significant enforcement difficulties. Specifically, it forces the HOA to ask people if they are vaccinated. While asking persons if they are vaccinated is lawful (HIPAA is only applicable to healthcare providers), many will consider answering questions concerning their private health information an invasion of their privacy and by that same token, may refuse to answer. The law does not require anyone to answer such a question.

Moreover, an unvaccinated person could simply lie. Asking for vaccination cards poses the same dilemma and is arguably an even more egregious invasion of privacy. The administrative costs of implementing a registry of vaccinated versus non-vaccinated persons is also a concern as is monitoring who must and who may not wear masks at the facilities at any given time. Furthermore, vaccination is not fully achieved until two (2) weeks after the second dose in a 2-dose series, such as the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, or until two (2) weeks after a single-dose vaccine, such as Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen vaccine.  Determining when individuals received their shots adds an additional and undesirable layer to the screening and questioning process.

An additional concern is that some persons may not be vaccinated because of a medical condition or because of their religious beliefs which raises potential discrimination issues related to vaccine verification and questioning. Therefore, some HOAs are implementing an “honor system” in the form of a rule or policy that requires residents and guests who are not vaccinated to wear masks and allows those who are vaccinated to use the facilities without masks and without the HOA questioning or requiring proof. This model obviously carries the risk that an unvaccinated person will use the facility without a mask.

Another arrangement is to simply require all residents and guests to wear masks in the common area regardless of vaccination status, unless they are sunbathing, exercising, etc. This policy can be combined with social distancing requirements and sanitization efforts to provide increased safety and protection to facility users. Many businesses open to the public are still requiring the wearing of masks and may continue to do so for the protection of their customers even if the state or county does not mandate such measures. This model also eliminates the administrative costs and hassle of the screening and policing of mask-wearing for the unvaccinated only and reduces liability for those who feel discriminated against or otherwise wronged by an intrusive vaccine verification or questioning policy.

Regardless of the rules adopted by an HOA to protect residents from COVID-19 transmission, it is advisable for an HOA to post notices in community facilities advising users of the risks and that by using the facility, they agree to assume such risks. Depending on the policy adopted by the HOA regarding mask wearing, said notice should also reiterate face covering requirements for the facility’s use. The requirement for users to sign waivers prior to using the facilities is still a potential option to add an extra layer of protection, but HOA’s should discuss the use of waivers with their legal counsel which takes that HOA’s location and unique characteristics into account.   While not a guarantee that the HOA will not be sued if someone catches COVID-19 in a common area, such measures may help mitigate the Association’s legal exposure resulting from reopening.

California HOA lawyers HOAs should contact their legal counsel to prepare appropriate rules and policies for reopening in light of the Current Order.

-Blog post authored by TLG Attorney, Carrie N. Heieck, Esq.

NkYIgAhLP*New Case Law

The Court of Appeals recently ruled in Issakhani v. Shadow Glen Homeowners Association, Inc. (2021) 63 Cal.App.5th 917, that homeowners associations do not have a duty of care to provide onsite parking to invitees. In that case, a pedestrian was struck by a car when jaywalking across a five-lane highway at night. The pedestrian was visiting her friend, who lived in a condominium project. The pedestrian decided to park across the street because the complex did not have any guest parking spots available.

The pedestrian sued the condominium owners association (“association”) for negligence and premises liability on the basis that the association did not have enough onsite guest parking spaces. The pedestrian argued that the association was liable because the association’s failure to maintain the “required” number of guest spots created a foreseeable risk of harm to the association’s guests.

The association moved for summary judgment, and the trial court granted the association’s motion. The Court of Appeals agreed and ruled that the association, as the landowner, did not owe a duty of care to invitees to provide adequate onsite parking.

Common Law Duty of Care

A “duty of care” exists when a person has a legal obligation to prevent harm to another person. If that person breaches his or her duty, then that person is subject to liability. A duty of care can arise under either the common law or through legislative enactments (i.e., statutes).

The common law requires landowners to maintain their properties in “reasonably safe conditions.” This duty also requires landowners to ensure that the maintenance of their land does not expose others to unreasonable risk of offsite injuries. In other words, landowners may be required to protect invitees against offsite injuries, if those offsite injuries are caused by alleged onsite deficiencies.

To determine whether the association owed a duty of care to the pedestrian in this case, the Court of Appeals looked to existing California caselaw.

California courts have historically refused to impose a duty of care on landowners to provide onsite parking in order to protect invitees from the dangers of crossing nearby streets. In the most recent case of Vasilenko v. Grace Family Church (2017) 3 Cal.5th 1077, the California Supreme Court held that landowners are not required to provide onsite parking for invitees.

As such, the Court of Appeals ruled that the common law duty of care does not require a landowner to provide onsite parking to invitees in order to protect those invitees from traffic accidents occurring offsite. Therefore, the association did not owe a duty of care toward the pedestrian in this case.

Statute-Based Duty of Care

A duty of care can also stem from a statute or ordinance enacted by the legislature. The pedestrian argued that the association owed her a duty of care by virtue of the guest parking requirements set forth in City of Los Angeles Ordinance No. 151,411 (“Ordinance”). The Ordinance required that the association maintain 34 guest parking spaces. The pedestrian argued that the association violated its statute-based duty of care since the association only had 6 guest parking spots.

Statutes and ordinances can create duties of care giving rise to negligence claims when they set forth generally applicable, “fundamental policy decisions.”  However, a duty of care arises in those cases only when the person invoking the statute-based duty of care is a member of the class of persons that the statute was designed to protect, and when the harm suffered by the person invoking the statute-based duty of care is the type of harm that the statute was designed to prevent.

In this case, the Court of Appeals found that the Ordinance did not embody a generally applicable fundamental policy decision, because the Ordinance only applied to a single parcel of property. The Ordinance was simply a result of an internal, parcel-specific administrative review initiated by the developer to rezone the parcel of land.

Even if the Ordinance were found to embody a fundamental policy decision, the Court of Appeals explained that it was not designed to protect invitees from offsite traffic accidents. Instead, the Ordinance was part of a rezoning request that was designed to protect the community-at large by preserving the residential character and aesthetics of the surrounding neighborhood. Therefore, the Ordinance did not create a statute-based duty of care that could be used by the pedestrian to assign liability to the association in the underlying lawsuit.

California HOA lawyers This case rejects the notion that HOAs have a duty to provide guests with onsite parking in order to protect those guests from the dangers of crossing streets to access the community.  However, HOAs should be aware that they still have a duty to maintain their properties in conditions that do not exacerbate the dangers of guests entering or exiting the communities. For example, HOAs should take steps to ensure that the Common Area landscaping is not maintained in a manner that makes exiting or entering the community more dangerous.

-Blog post authored by TLG Attorney, Sarah A. Kyriakedes, Esq.

University-Park-300x168It’s our privilege to welcome University Park Homeowners’ Association to Tinnelly Law Group’s growing family of HOA clients.

University Park is a master planned community of new homes in the city of Chino.  Residents enjoy the community park and close proximity to shopping and dining

hoa law firm Our HOA lawyers and staff look forward to working with University Park’s Board and management.

Fox-Hollow-300x168It’s our privilege to welcome Fox Hollow Community Corporation to Tinnelly Law Group’s growing family of HOA clients.

Fox Hollow is a new community of single family homes by City Ventures.  Located in Santa Rosa, residents enjoy a close proximity to nearby trails and parks, a vibrant downtown area, and easy commute to wine country.

hoa law firm Our HOA lawyers and staff look forward to working with Fox Hollow’s Board and management.
Contact Information