Articles

Assessment Increases - What If I Can’t Pay? Jan 28, 2024

By Kelly G. Richardson, Esq. CCAL, HOA Homefront Column

Dear Kelly: Can HOAs increase the 20% for monthly dues plus add a 5% special assessment at the same time? P.M., Pacoim...

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Are Unexplained Assessment Increases and Vague Agendas OK? Jan 08, 2024

By Kelly G. Richardson, Esq. CCAL, HOA Homefront Column

Hi Kelly, we just received a notice two days ago that our HOA assessments will increase 10%. The new increase takes ef...

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Who Insures What in the Planned Development? Dec 18, 2023

By Kelly G. Richardson, Esq. CCAL, HOA Homefront Column

Kelly: Can a Planned Unit Development purchase "Bare Walls" fire insurance for residences since the HOA does not own the...

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HOA Elections and Board Shenanigans Dec 04, 2023

By Kelly G. Richardson, Esq. CCAL, HOA Homefront Column 

Question: Our HOA board did not notify the membership that there were no nominations, then they secretly submitted th...

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Reader Questions: Do We HAVE to Zoom? Nov 05, 2023

By Kelly G. Richardson, Esq., CCAL 

Dear Mr. Richardson: I'm still confused about holding board meetings. We use Zoom for our meetings as we have no convenient place to meet ...

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Reader Questions: Who’s the Boss - Manager or Board? Oct 30, 2023

By Kelly G. Richardson, Esq., CCAL

Mr. Richardson: I am president of an HOA with management whose performance has been lackluster. Lackluster is characterized by little to no...

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Reader Questions: Who Watches the Managers? Oct 23, 2023

By Kelly G. Richardson, Esq., CCAL 

Hello Mr Richardson: What entity oversees/regulates HOA management companies in California?
Thank You, C.W., Santa Barbara

Kelly: What sta...

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Board Doesn’t Act, And Then Won’t Inform Us When They Do! Sep 25, 2023

By Kelly G. Richardson, Esq., CCAL

Dear Mr. Richardson: We are hopeful you can shed some light on these issues in our HOA:

Board members are elected for 2-year terms.  Our b...

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Reader Questions: Can the Board Enforce That? Why Don’t They? Sep 17, 2023

By Kelly G. Richardson, Esq., CCAL

Dear Kelly: My HOA has made a bulk of the daily hours reserved for private use in our fitness rooms and saunas. Is this legal without a cha...

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Can Meetings Be Purely Virtual? Sep 04, 2023

By Kelly G. Richardson, Esq., CCAL

Dear Kelly: The last in person meeting [our HOA] held was August 2022 and it was the annual meeting.  Since then the monthly meetings have ...

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Reader Questions – Are HOA’s Communist? Aug 25, 2023

By Kelly G. Richardson, Esq.

Hi Kelly: It is my opinion, we the homeowners have no rights in being run by a board of directors, a management company as well as the law. Sound...

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Are The CC&Rs Stale? Aug 19, 2023

By Kelly G. Richardson, Esq. 

Our Association has one board member who I’ll call “Rick.” “Rick” keeps repeating the same mantras: “Our CC&Rs are so old they aren’t enforceabl...

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