All posts by Steve Tinnelly

SB-770 (Allen) Common interest developments: EV charging stations.

Would delete the requirement that the insurance policy for an EV charging station name the association as an additional insured party.

Current Status: Chaptered

FindHOALaw Quick Summary:

Existing law imposes various requirements regarding the installation and use of an electric vehicle (“EV”) charging station placed in a common area or an exclusive use common area of a common interest development, including that the owner is required to provide a certificate of insurance that names the association as an additional insured party.

This bill would amend Civil Code Section 4745 to delete the requirement that the insurance policy name the association as an additional insured party, and would correct an erroneous cross-reference regarding the amount of that insurance.

**SB-770 was signed into law on October 10, 2025, and takes effect January 1, 2026.

View more info on SB 770
from the California Legislature's website

SB-410 (Grayson) Common interest developments: disclosures to prospective purchasers: exterior elevated elements inspection.

Would add a copy of the inspection report of the exterior elevated elements to the list of disclosures to prospective purchasers.

Current Status: Chaptered

FindHOALaw Quick Summary:

Existing law requires the board of a condominium association to cause a visual inspection to be conducted, at least every 9 years, of the exterior elevated elements for which the association has maintenance or repair responsibility. Existing law requires the owner of a separate interest to provide specified documents to a prospective purchaser, as provided, and an association to provide to the owner of a separate interest, upon request, those specified documents. Existing law requires an association to distinguish and bill separately any fee charged for providing those specified documents to the owner and provides a form for billing disclosures.

This bill would amend Civil Code Section 4525 to include in the list of documents that an owner is required to provide to a prospective purchaser with a copy of the most recent inspection report of any exterior elevated elements, and would modify the Civil Code Section 4528 form to reflect this requirement.

**SB-410 was signed in to law October 10, 2025, and takes effect January 1, 2026.

View more info on SB 410
from the California Legislature's website

SB-811 (Caballero) Common interest developments: document delivery.

Most likely a spot bill, this bill would make nonsubstantive changes related to document delivery.

Current Status: Dead

FindHOALaw Quick Summary:

Existing law makes delivery of a document pursuant to the Davis-Stirling Act to be complete upon either its deposit into the United States mail or upon electronic transmission.

Most likely a spot bill, this bill would make non-substantive changes to Civil Code Section 4050.

**SB-811 was gutted and amended on January 5, 2026, and no longer applies to common interest developments.

View more info on SB 811
from the California Legislature's website

SB-677 (Wiener) Housing development: streamlined approvals.

Would make void and unenforceable any provision of a governing document that effectively prohibits or unreasonably restricts the construction of a housing development or urban lot split on a lot zoned for single-family residential use.

Current Status: Dead

FindHOALaw Quick Summary:

The Planning and Zoning Law requires a proposed housing development containing no more than 2 residential units within a single-family residential zone to be considered ministerially, without discretionary review or hearing, if the proposed housing development meets certain requirements.

This bill would amend Government Code Section 65852.21 to require ministerial approval for proposed housing developments containing no more than 2 residential units on any lot hosting a single-family home or zoned for 4 or fewer residential units, notwithstanding any covenant, condition, or restriction imposed by a common interest development association.

The Davis-Stirling Common Interest Development Act governs the management and operation of common interest developments. It makes void and unenforceable any covenant, restriction, or condition contained in any deed, contract, security instrument, or other instrument affecting the transfer or sale of any interest in a planned development, and any provision of a governing document, that effectively prohibits or unreasonably restricts the construction or use of an accessory dwelling unit or junior accessory dwelling unit on a lot zoned for single-family residential use that meets the above-described requirements established for those units.

This bill would amend Civil Code Section 4751 to additionally apply the above-described provisions to housing developments and urban lot splits receiving ministerial approval.

**SB-677 was gutted and amended on January 5, 2026, and no longer applies to common interest developments.

View more info on SB 677
from the California Legislature's website

SB-614 (Stern) Potable water: nonfunctional turf.

Would prohibit the use of potable water for nonfunctional turf one year earlier starting January 1, 2028.

Current Status: Dead

FindHOALaw Quick Summary:

Existing law prohibits the use of potable water, as defined, for nonfunctional turf located on common areas of properties of homeowners’ associations, common interest developments, and community service organizations or similar entities, starting January 1, 2029.

This bill would amend Water Code 10608.14 to prohibit that use of potable water one year earlier.

**SB-614 was restated in its entirety on March 26, 2025 to apply to carbon dioxide intrastate pipeline transport, and no longer applies to community associations.

View more info on SB 614
from the California Legislature's website

SB-570 (Alvarado-Gil) Common interest developments.

Most likely a spot bill, this bill would make nonsubstantive changes related to common interest developments.

Current Status: Dead

FindHOALaw Quick Summary:

The Davis-Stirling Common Interest Development Act governs the management and operation of common interest developments.

Most likely a spot bill, this bill would make nonsubstantive changes Civil Code Section 4000.

View more info on SB 570
from the California Legislature's website

SB-546 (Grayson) Common interest developments: accounting.

Would repeal the board’s ability to review financial statements between meetings.

Current Status: Dead

FindHOALaw Quick Summary:

Existing law requires the board of directors of a nonprofit corporation or unincorporated association created for the purpose of managing a common interest development to, on a monthly basis, review specified documents, including account statements, reconciliations, and ledgers, unless the association’s governing documents impose more stringent standards. Existing law authorizes those review requirements to be met when every individual member of the board, or a subcommittee of the board consisting of the treasurer and at least one other board member, reviews the documents and statements independent of a board meeting, so long as the review is ratified at the board meeting subsequent to the review and that ratification is reflected in the minutes of that meeting.

This bill would repeal the provisions of Civil Code Section 5501 authorizing the review requirements to be met when individual members or a subcommittee of the board review the documents and statements independent of a board meeting as described above.

**SB-546 was gutted and amended on January 5, 2026, and no longer applies to common interest developments.

View more info on SB 546
from the California Legislature's website

SB-517 (Niello) Home improvement contract requirements: subcontractor

Would require a home improvement contract with a subcontractor performing more than 50% of the total estimated project cost to contain the name and contact information of the subcontractor.

Current Status: Chaptered

FindHOALaw Quick Summary:

Existing law, the Contractors State License Law, defines and regulates the activities of contractors and provides for their licensure, regulation, and discipline by the Contractors State License Board within the Department of Consumer Affairs. Existing law requires specific provisions and requirements for home improvement contracts, as defined.

This bill would amend Business & Professions Code Section 7159 to require a home improvement contract with a subcontractor performing more than 50% of the total estimated project cost to contain the name and contact information of the subcontractor.

**SB-517 was signed into law on October 10, 2025 and takes effect January 1, 2025.

View more info on SB 517
from the California Legislature's website

SB-31 (McNerney) Water quality: recycled water.

Would require associations to use recycled water to irrigate common area landscape if recycled water is available.

Current Status: Chaptered

FindHOALaw Quick Summary:

Existing law regulating the use of recycled water prohibits the use of prescribed potable water by state and local agencies for any nonpotable uses, including cemeteries, golf courses, parks, and highway landscaped areas if prescribed recycled water is available, and deems use of the recycled water in lieu of the potable water to constitute a reasonable beneficial use of that water.

This bill would amend Water Code Section 13551 to add common areas of a residential community irrigated by a homeowners’ association as prohibited uses of potable water. The bill would provide that incidental amounts of spray, mist, or runoff to be permitted to enter outdoor eating areas of parks and open spaces when irrigated with disinfected tertiary treated recycled water that complies with a specified regulation regarding irrigation.

Existing law authorizes any public agency, including a state agency, city, county, city and county, district, or any other political subdivision of the state, to require the use of recycled water for irrigation of residential landscaping, as specified.

The bill would amend Water Code Section 13552.4 to provide that outdoor landscape irrigation of common areas operated by a homeowners association that does not enter the boundaries of a residence is not to be considered a part of the same premises as an individual residence and shall not be considered a dual plumbed system.

**SB-31 was signed into law October 13, 2025, and takes effected January 1, 2026.

View more info on SB 31
from the California Legislature's website

SB-282 (Wiener) Residential heat pump systems: water heaters and HVAC: installations.

Would make any provision of the governing documents or architectural guidelines void and unenforceable if it prevents the replacement of a fuel-gas-burning appliance with an electric appliance, or prohibits or restricts the use of a residential heat pump water heater or heat pump HVAC system.

Current Status: Dead

FindHOALaw Quick Summary:

The Davis-Stirling Act makes void and unenforceable any provision of the governing documents or architectural or landscaping guidelines or policies that prohibits, or has the effect of prohibiting, the use of low water-using plants as a group or as a replacement of existing turf.

This bill would add Civil Code Section 4737 to make void and unenforceable any provision of the governing documents, architectural guidelines, or policies if the provision prevents the replacement of a fuel-gas-burning appliance with an electric appliance. The bill would also make any covenant, restriction, or condition contained in any deed, and any provision of a governing document, that effectively prohibits or restricts the installation or use of a residential heat pump water heater or heat pump HVAC system, void and unenforceable.

View more info on SB 282
from the California Legislature's website

FindHOALaw

All posts by Steve Tinnelly

SB-770 (Allen) Common interest developments: EV charging stations.

Current Status: Chaptered

FindHOALaw Quick Summary:

Related Links

SB-410 (Grayson) Common interest developments: disclosures to prospective purchasers: exterior elevated elements inspection.

Current Status: Chaptered

FindHOALaw Quick Summary:

SB-811 (Caballero) Common interest developments: document delivery.

Current Status: Dead

FindHOALaw Quick Summary:

SB-677 (Wiener) Housing development: streamlined approvals.

Current Status: Dead

FindHOALaw Quick Summary:

Related Links

SB-614 (Stern) Potable water: nonfunctional turf.

Current Status: Dead

FindHOALaw Quick Summary:

Related Links

SB-570 (Alvarado-Gil) Common interest developments.

Current Status: Dead

FindHOALaw Quick Summary:

SB-546 (Grayson) Common interest developments: accounting.

Current Status: Dead

FindHOALaw Quick Summary:

Related Links

SB-517 (Niello) Home improvement contract requirements: subcontractor

Current Status: Chaptered

FindHOALaw Quick Summary:

SB-31 (McNerney) Water quality: recycled water.

Current Status: Chaptered

FindHOALaw Quick Summary:

Related Links

SB-282 (Wiener) Residential heat pump systems: water heaters and HVAC: installations.

Current Status: Dead

FindHOALaw Quick Summary: