Los Angeles Times Q&A: Freedom of speech doesn’t end once you enter a homeowner association By Donie Vanitzian July 22, 2017 Answer: This is a problem that many homeowners have complained about for a very long time. While federal and … Continue reading
HEATSTREET: California Homeowner Association Tells Wife of Deployed Marine to Stop Flying American Flag By Andrew Stiles November 30, 2016 A local homeowner association has ordered the wife of a deployed Marine to stop flying the American flag outside the couple’s … Continue reading
THE DAILY JOURNAL: Embezzler pleads no contest: Former Woodlake homeowners’ association manager faces about three years prison By Samantha Weigel September 28, 2016 The former manager of San Mateo’s Woodlake condominium homeowners’ association accused of stealing $2.8 million could serve … Continue reading
California State Assembly: Assembly Member Wagner’s Bill to Protect Homeowners Fails in Committee By David Scheidt May 4, 2016 SACRAMENTO – Assembly Bill 1720 by Assembly Member Donald P. Wagner (R-Irvine) recently failed in the Housing & Community Development Committee. The … Continue reading
THE PRESS ENTERPRISE: HOA HOMEFRONT: How to conduct disciplinary meetings Be reasonable. Neighborly conduct is the goal and the board should be reasonable as it enforces the governing documents. By Kelly G. Richardson -(Kelly G. Richardson is a member of … Continue reading
CALIFORNIA – Former treasurer admits embezzling Champion Newspapers: Former treasurer admits embezzling December 26, 2015 Chino – A former treasurer of Summit Ranch Homeowners Association in Chino Hills pleaded guilty as part of a plea bargain Dec. 17 to one felony … Continue reading
Los Angeles Times: This HOA speech-chilling anti-harassment rule is fraught with problems By Donie Vanitzian December 5, 2015 Question: Our 121-unit condo complex successfully removed the past board of directors. Before their removal, they adopted a draconian and subjective anti-harassment … Continue reading
WebWire.com: Legal Ruling Strikes Blow to Homeowners Association Ruling in the case that inspired the bestselling novel, “HOA Wire” holds that foreclosure sale after judicial foreclosure judgment is void due to failure to follow pre-foreclosure requirements of Davis-Stirling Act. Santa … Continue reading
BY DAVID SIDERS Legislation makes it easier for renters and HOA members to use clotheslines Assembly Bill 1448, by Assemblywoman Patty Lopez, D-San Fernando, comes amid heightened concern about greenhouse gas emissions in California – and the energy consumption of … Continue reading
THE DAILY JOURNAL: DA: Second alleged HOA embezzler to surrender 150 fake invoices (issued) for work that was never done Daily Journal Staff Report September 18, 2015 A man accused of conspiring with the former manager of a San Mateo homeowners … Continue reading
San Diego Reader: Big trouble in Eastlake III Homeowners association battles property-management company By Susan Luzzaro September 25, 2015 If you live on the eastern side of Chula Vista, you likely belong to a homeowners association. The association governing Eastlake … Continue reading
The Sacramento Bee: Natomas couple settle long, bitter dispute with homeowner association “People do not understand the power HOAs have…” By Hudson Sangree September 22, 2015 A retired South Natomas couple who accused their homeowners association of denying the husband, … Continue reading
A San Diego assemblywoman’s drought-driven bill to prevent homeowners’ associations in California from banning the installation of artificial turf was signed into law Friday by Gov. Jerry Brown. AB 349, authored by Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez, D-San Diego, in response … Continue reading
TBJNOW: HOA decision rankles residents at The Lakes in Visalia By George Lurie September 4, 2015 A dispute between residents and their homeowners association is making waves at The Lakes in Visalia, one of the South Valley’s most elite addresses.A … Continue reading
Orange County Register: In their words: GRF and Associa GRF Fires Associa By Scott Bosco, Staff Writer July 31, 2015 On July 2, the Golden Rain Foundation announced it would terminate its contract for management services with Associa/PCM. Questions as … Continue reading
THE FRIDAY FLYER: Almost 300 members call for recall of three Directors By Sharon Rice, Editor, The Friday Flyer July 31, 2015 At a meeting of the Canyon Lake Property Owners Board of Directors last Tuesday, July 21, former POA … Continue reading
CHAMPION NEWSPAPERS: Suspected embezzler in court July 25, 2015 A former treasurer of the Carbon Canyon 1 Homeowners Association in Chino Hills charged with two felony counts of embezzlement is scheduled for a pre-preliminary hearing Tuesday, Aug. 25, in Rancho … Continue reading
Los Angeles Times: Q&A – It’s wrong to fine owner for not watering lawn during drought By Donie Vanitzian June 13, 2015 Question: My homeowner association board won’t let me plant drought-resistant vegetation, saying it’s not in keeping with a … Continue reading
By: Simon Offord on April 23, 2015 The recent case of Huntington v. Miller confirmed again that a HOAs must accept partial payments and are limited in their ability to foreclose on an assessment lien when such lien is for less … Continue reading
10NEWS.com: Chula Vista homeowners face HOA fines for children playing on driveway, sidewalk By 10News Digital Team, Cristin Severance March 24, 2015 CHULA VISTA, Calif. – Some Chula Vista homeowners contacted Team 10, furious that their homeowners association is fining them … Continue reading
10News.com: Homeowners say HOA crossing the line selfie stick … California Civil Code 4925 prevents HOA boards from blocking homeowners from attending regular meetings. By Cristin Severance March 16, 2015 SAN DIEGO – UPDATE (March 17, 2015): Mira Mesa homeowners were … Continue reading
LATIMES: HOA board could be liable for disclosure of owners’ personal data Q&A: Reining in HOA management company’s inappropriate self-promotion By Donie Vanitzian March 1, 2015 “…Homeowner associations, their directors and third-party vendors are subject to statutory requirements governing personal … Continue reading
OpEdNews.com: The Trouble with HOAs By Kenneth G. Eade Januay 27, 2015 Homeowner’s Associations, created by deed provisions to serve homeowners in condominium developments, are often at odds with individual owners of units. Just last week, news out of New … Continue reading
boingboing.net: San Francisco ponders letting luxury property developers take away symbolic “public spaces” By Cory Doctorow January 25, 2015 Like many cities, SF asks fancy property developers to create “public spaces” in their buildings to make up for parks and … Continue reading
Patterson v. Sherwood Valley Homeowners Assn., Case No. B254446 (2d Dist., Div. 6 Jan. 6, 2014) (unpublished) demonstrates that the theory of the case may well determine whether fee entitlement for or against a party is in order. In this … Continue reading
THE SACRAMENTO BEE: West Sacramento council OKs development – without gated entry By Darrell Smith 12/30/2014 West Sacramento leaders at year’s end were faced with a simple question: Gates or no gates. Rocklin-based Mandarich Developments wants to build 222 single-family … Continue reading
By: Cassie Carlisle Posted/Updated 6:13 PM, Dec 20, 2014 11:23 PM, Dec 20, 201 A resident in a West Bakersfield condominium complex is speaking out after getting fed up waiting over six months to get his roof fixed. “I’ll wake up … Continue reading
Our annual report on new legislation already in effect in 2014 and newly effective as of January 1, 2015 focuses largely on CC&R overrides and physical changes to common area and owners’ units and lots in common interest developments. These … Continue reading
LATIMES.com: Q&A HOA rejects late payments, opts to foreclose; is that legal? No third-party management company should ever have the ability to control titleholder payment history statements, and no board should have authority to contract those rights away. By Donie … Continue reading
San Jose Mercury News: Marin resident denied solar panels by homeowners association By Megan Hansen October 20, 2014 Plans to install solar panels on a home in Kentfield are up in the air after the Kent Woodlands Property Owners Association … Continue reading
Written on October 17, 2014 by Beth Grimm in IDR IDR stands for internal dispute resolution. It’s supposed to help HOAs resolve disputes that arise between boards and owners by providing a default process that calls for a face-to-face meeting … Continue reading
UTSanDiego.Com: HOA recall removes Shames In a record turnout, homeowners voted to remove Shames 112 to 15. By Jeff McDonald October 10, 2014 MISSION VALLEY — Michael Shames, the longtime Utility Consumers’ Action Network director who left amid a federal … Continue reading
By: Westside Today Staff Posted October 4, 2014 AB 2561, by Assembly Member Steven Bradford (D-Gardena), ensures that landlords and homeowners associations (HOA) may not unreasonably prohibit a tenant’s ability to grow food in his or her backyard. The bill … Continue reading
ABC 10 News: Red tag could force hundreds out of National City’s Bayview Tower The homeowners association filed a $14 million lawsuit against the Pacifica Companies. By Joe Little September 9, 2014 NATIONAL CITY, Calif. – Hundreds of South Bay … Continue reading
Written by Bob Hunt on Tuesday, 02 September 2014 12:16 pm When a condominium is sold, who should pay the cost of providing the buyer with various HOA (Homeowner Association) documents, the buyer or the seller? The purchase and sale of a … Continue reading
New York Times: Seeing Discolored Lawns, California Businesses Apply Dab of Green Some homeowner associations have been known to fine up to $500 if a resident’s front yard is deemed insufficiently tended. By Jennifer Medina September 1, 2014 LONG BEACH, … Continue reading
The Desert Sun: Despite drought, Indio development requires grass “Typically the city does not get involved in an HOA. Obviously a drought is different” By Tatiana Sanchez August 25, 2014 While agencies throughout the Coachella Valley and across California are … Continue reading
LATIMES.com: AB 968 would shift costs to individuals in homeowner associations Assembly Bill 968 appears to create a new level of assessments to be levied against owners, the failure to pay resulting in foreclosure. By Donie Vanitzian Real EstateEconomy, Business and … Continue reading
CBSLocal.com: Homeowners’ Association: Veteran Can’t Build Furniture For Military Families In Need July 24, 2014 NEVADA COUNTY (CBS13) — A war veteran who builds furniture in his garage and gives it to military families in need could be forced to shut down … Continue reading
THINKPROGRESS.ORG: Real Estate Developers Want To Evict 98-Year-Old Woman To Turn Her Apartment Into Condos …the majority of Ellis Act evictions in recent years have been initiated by speculators rather than landlords… By Alan Pyke July 10, 2014 San Francisco – … Continue reading
Defendant Beachwalk Homeowners Association (association) held an election to amend its bylaws. Plaintiffs Paul Wittenburg and Raymond Dukellis filed suit to void the result of the election, claiming the association’s board of directors (the board) failed to comply with Civil … Continue reading
LATimes.com: Court-appointed receiver may be needed for homeowners association By Donie Vanitzian — June 8, 2014 Alleged crimes against the elderly by an HOA board can carry additional fines and jail timeQuestion: I’m in the military and fought in Iraq and … Continue reading
The Sacramento Bee: Chuck Yeager, wife, must pay $43,150 in homeowner association dispute …Yeagers were pleased because the ruling doesn’t force them to join the homeowners association. By Andy Furillo May 14, 2014 A Sacramento judge has ordered retired Air … Continue reading
ABC10News: Residents question HOA manager’s leave, salary …who approved Smith’s $300,000 salary in the first place? By Melissa Mecija May 9, 2014 RANCHO SANTA FE, Calif. – Some Rancho Santa Fe residents are questioning the manager of their homeowners association after … Continue reading
NEWS 10 ABC: Lawsuit alleges homeowners association refuses to accommodate blind Nick Monacelli April 28, 2014 FOLSOM, Calif. – Like many blind people, Margie Donovan uses her computer’s accessibility feature and has every word read aloud to her. Emails, websites, … Continue reading
10news.com: Homeowners say HOA forcing them to make thousands of dollars in unnecessary repairs By Craig Herrera April 23, 2014 VISTA, Calif. – Homeowners in the North County contacted 10News after they say their homeowners association is forcing them to … Continue reading
REP-AM.COM: Drought prompts some to rethink landscaping norm By Hudson Sangree – The Sacramento Bee — April 13, 2014 Sacramento, Calif., gets about as much annual rainfall as arid Flagstaff, Ariz., but its lush lawns are modeled on those of rain-soaked … Continue reading
utsandiego.com: Drought bill targets homeowner association rules April 3, 2014 — By Associated Press SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — A bill moving through the Legislature protects people in homeowner associations from retribution if they take steps to reduce water use for landscaping. AB2104 … Continue reading
U-T San Diego: Drought battle focuses on homeowner rules, meters By Michael Gardner — March 26, 2014 SACRAMENTO — With California in the grips of a prolonged dry spell, state lawmakers are looking to grant members of homeowner associations the freedom to … Continue reading
UTSANDIEGO.COM: HOA head in RSF is paid $275K – plus Board president questioned compensation and got ousted By Ashly McGlone — March 3, 2014 The head of the Rancho Santa Fe homeowners association has received more than $275,000 in compensation for the … Continue reading