Articles

The Rules on Rules May 29, 2017

It is important to create good association operating rules and to make sure the rule topics required by statute are also covered, but all that is wasted if the association fai...

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Recipe for Reasonable Rules May 22, 2017

One important board responsibility is to adopt and enforce community rules. Developers, when creating common interest communities, provide CC&Rs and Bylaws (usually boilerplat...

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Does Your HOA Have the Required Rules? May 15, 2017

Operating rules are often called “house rules” or “rules and regulations” by associations in California. Under Civil Code 4350(a), rules must be written, and under Civil Code ...

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Reader Questions - Copies Cost THAT Much May 08, 2017
 

Dear Kelly,

Recently my family sold a house and paid over $700.00 in fees to the association, a large portion of which was for copies of rules and regulations to

...
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Reader Questions - Can We Skip the Reserve Account? May 01, 2017

Dear Mr. Richardson,

I am wondering, are HOAs required to have a “Reserve” account or it is just recommended?

Thank you,

P.P. Rancho San Diego

Dear P.P.,

Reserve acco...

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Reader Questions - What Can They See? Apr 24, 2017

Mr. Richardson,

I am one of a couple employees in a small, self-managed, association. Regarding opening the association records to owners. How much detail are they allowed

...
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When Laws Collide: Child Safety Or Discrimination? Apr 17, 2017

Common interest development associations (aka “HOAs”) are governed by both state and federal Fair Housing laws. Fair Housing laws prohibit “familial status” discrimination, wh...

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The Drought Emergency is Over. Back to Business as Usual? Apr 10, 2017

On April 7, 2017, Governor Brown issued Executive Order B-40-17, formally ending the drought emergency, which can be read in its entirety at https://www.gov.ca.gov, the Govern...

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Reader Questions - Volunteer Means NO PROFIT Apr 03, 2017

Dear Mr. Richardson,

A board member also owns several properties elsewhere. An HOA vendor told me that this director demands, and gets, ‘discounts’ from the vendor for work

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Reader Questions - Leave My Tenant Alone Mar 20, 2017

Hello Mr. Richardson,

I recently received a letter from our management company, that all owners that rent their units out must submit a copy of the agreement to the managem

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Reader Questions - Enforcing Unwritten Rules Mar 13, 2017

Hello Mr. Richardson,

Your articles are a wonderful resource for all involved with CIDs. I try to never miss an article.

This past year we got a new manager and there has

...
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Exclusive Use Common Areas: What You Might Not Know Mar 06, 2017

Many condominium buyers do not understand what they bought until long after becoming an owner. Condominiums consist of two elements: A “separate interest”, called the “unit”, ...

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