Articles

Can They Have a Rule on THAT? Mar 27, 2026

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

Dear Mr. Richardson: I asked our HOA management company about owners displaying flags inside windows, on individual u...

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Is It a Rule? What’s Allowed and What Isn’t Mar 23, 2026

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

Dear Mr. Richardson: Our HOA board recently changed the rules without notifying owners. Does this invalidate the changes? ...

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Staying In Your Lane – HOA Team Roles and Boundaries Jan 24, 2026

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

Advising HOAs used to occasionally be very stressful, when directors would sometimes argue with me or a board would di...

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2026 Legislative Update and Case Law Review Jan 06, 2026

The following is a summary of the new legislation impacting community associations that was signed into law this year. Unless otherwise noted, all laws outlined below take eff...

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Breaking News: Major New Court Decision Supports Board Discretion Jan 04, 2026

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

A major new case, Eng v. Opperman, was decided by the California appellate courts on December 19, and was certified fo...

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Are Open Forum Limits OK? Sep 28, 2025

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

Mr. Richardson: Our HOA holds open forum for homeowners at the end of the agenda. You have suggested that it should c...

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Myths (and the Truth) Regarding Member Discipline Sep 13, 2025

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

One unpleasant but necessary aspect of board service is disciplinary action against unneighborly behavior by members. ...

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Tips For Boards and Owners Regarding Disciplinary Hearings Sep 07, 2025

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

HOA discipline is a necessary evil. Residents don’t like being told what to do, while at the same time some rules are neces...

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Non-Owner Directors, Late HOA Minutes, and Executive Committee Freeze-out Aug 24, 2025

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

Mr. Richardson: Proxy given to a non–owner, who becomes a board member. Does he become proxy for the other owners? L.H., Sa...

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Smart Ways for Condo/HOA Boards to Shut It Down With Owners Who Bring the Drama Aug 22, 2025

This article first appeared on HOAleader.com Tip of the Week here.

In this week's tip, we help a reader who wrote in asking if their condo/HOA board can kick a troublesome ow...

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Board Meeting Attendance, Overstepping President, and Robert’s Rules Aug 09, 2025

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

Dear Kelly: Can a person not on title actively participate in board meetings? C.P., Los Angeles

Dear C.P.: Only mem...

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Community Crisis Response: Putting Association Emergency Rules Into Action Aug 03, 2025

By Matt Ober, Esq., CCAL  

This article first appeared in the CACM Law Journal, Summer 2025 Edition.

WHAT IS THE EMERGENCY? 

In any community association emergency, the HO...

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