Unless the governing documents impose more stringent standards, the board shall do all of the following:
(a) Review, on a monthly basis, a current reconciliation of the association’s operating accounts.
(b) Review, on a monthly basis, a current reconciliation of the association’s reserve accounts.
(c) Review, on a monthly basis, the current year’s actual operating revenues and expenses compared to the current year’s budget.
(d) Review, on a monthly basis, the latest account statements prepared by the financial institutions where the association has its operating and reserve accounts.
(e) Review, on a monthly basis, an income and expense statement for the association’s operating and reserve accounts.
(f) Review, on a monthly basis, the check register, monthly general ledger, and delinquent assessment receivable reports.
Related Links
AB 2912 Signed! Significant Changes to HOA Financial Review and Insurance Requirements
Published on HOA Lawyer Blog (September 20, 2018)
Civil Code Section 5405. State Common Interest Development Registry.
(a) To assist with the identification of common interest developments, each association, whether incorporated or unincorporated, shall submit to the Secretary of State, on a form and for a fee not to exceed thirty dollars ($30) that the Secretary of State shall prescribe, the following information concerning the association and the development that it manages:
(1) A statement that the association is formed to manage a common interest development under the Davis-Stirling Common Interest Development Act.
(2) The name of the association.
(3) The street address of the business or corporate office of the association, if any.
(4) The street address of the association’s onsite office, if different from the street address of the business or corporate office, or if there is no onsite office, the street address of the responsible officer or managing agent of the association.
(5) The name, address, and either the daytime telephone number or e-mail address of the president of the association, other than the address, telephone number, or e-mail address of the association’s onsite office or managing agent.
(6) The name, street address, and daytime telephone number of the association’s managing agent, if any.
(7) The county, and, if in an incorporated area, the city in which the development is physically located. If the boundaries of the development are physically located in more than one county, each of the counties in which it is located.
(8) If the development is in an unincorporated area, the city closest in proximity to the development.
(9) The front street and nearest cross street of the physical location of the development.
(10) The type of common interest development managed by the association.
(11) The number of separate interests in the development.
(b) The association shall submit the information required by this section as follows:
(1) By incorporated associations, within 90 days after the filing of its original articles of incorporation, and thereafter at the time the association files its statement of principal business activity with the Secretary of State pursuant to Section 8210 of the Corporations Code.
(2) By unincorporated associations, in July 2003, and in that same month biennially thereafter. Upon changing its status to that of a corporation, the association shall comply with the filing deadlines in paragraph (1).
(c) The association shall notify the Secretary of State of any change in the street address of the association’s onsite office or of the responsible officer or managing agent of the association in the form and for a fee prescribed by the Secretary of State, within 60 days of the change.
(d) The penalty for an incorporated association’s noncompliance with the initial or biennial filing requirements of this section shall be suspension of the association’s rights, privileges, and powers as a corporation and monetary penalties, to the same extent and in the same manner as suspension and monetary penalties imposed pursuant to Section 8810 of the Corporations Code.
(e) The statement required by this section may be filed, notwithstanding suspension of the corporate powers, rights, and privileges under this section or under provisions of the Revenue and Taxation Code. Upon the filing of a statement under this section by a corporation that has suffered suspension under this section, the Secretary of State shall certify that fact to the Franchise Tax Board and the corporation may thereupon be relieved from suspension, unless the corporation is held in suspension by the Franchise Tax Board by reason of Section 23301, 23301.5, or 23775 of the Revenue and Taxation Code.
(f) The Secretary of State shall make the information submitted pursuant to paragraph (5) of subdivision (a) available only for governmental purposes and only to Members of the Legislature and the Business, Transportation and Housing Agency, upon written request. All other information submitted pursuant to this section shall be subject to public inspection pursuant to the California Public Records Act (Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 6250) of Division 7 of Title 1 of the Government Code). The information submitted pursuant to this section shall be made available for governmental or public inspection.
(g) Whenever any form is filed pursuant to this section, it supersedes any previously filed form.
(h) The Secretary of State may destroy or otherwise dispose of any form filed pursuant to this section after it has been superseded by the filing of a new form.
Related Links
Statement of Common Interest Development Association (Form SI-CID) – From the California Secretary of State’s Website
Civil Code Section 5400. Director Education Course.
To the extent existing funds are available, the Department of Consumer Affairs and the Department of Real Estate shall develop an online education course for the board regarding the role, duties, laws, and responsibilities of directors and prospective directors, and the nonjudicial foreclosure process.
Civil Code Section 5385. Employee not “Managing Agent”.
Civil Code Section 5380. Deposits of Association Funds.
(a) A managing agent of a common interest development who accepts or receives funds belonging to the association shall deposit those funds that are not placed into an escrow account with a bank, savings association, or credit union or into an account under the control of the association, into a trust fund account maintained by the managing agent in a bank, savings association, or credit union in this state. All funds deposited by the managing agent in the trust fund account shall be kept in this state in a financial institution, as defined in Section 31041 of the Financial Code, which is insured by the federal government, or is a guaranty corporation subject to Section 14858 of the Financial Code, and shall be maintained there until disbursed in accordance with written instructions from the association entitled to the funds.
(b) At the written request of the board, the funds the managing agent accepts or receives on behalf of the association shall be deposited into an account in a bank, savings association, or credit union in this state that is insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, National Credit Union Administration Insurance Fund, or a guaranty corporation subject to Section 14858 of the Financial Code, provided all of the following requirements are met:
(1) The account is in the name of the managing agent as trustee for the association or in the name of the association.
(2) All of the funds in the account are covered by insurance provided by an agency of the federal government or a guaranty corporation subject to Section 14858 of the Financial Code. Those funds may only be deposited in accounts that protect the principal. In no event may those funds be invested in stocks or high-risk investment options.
(3) The funds in the account are kept separate, distinct, and apart from the funds belonging to the managing agent or to any other person for whom the managing agent holds funds in trust.
(4) The managing agent discloses to the board the nature of the account, how interest will be calculated and paid, whether service charges will be paid to the depository and by whom, and any notice requirements or penalties for withdrawal of funds from the account.
(5) No interest earned on funds in the account shall inure directly or indirectly to the benefit of the managing agent or the managing agent’s employees.
(6) Transfers of funds out of the association’s reserve or operating accounts shall not be authorized without prior written approval from the board of the association unless the amount of the transfer is less than the following:
(A) The lesser of five thousand dollars ($5,000) or 5 percent of the estimated income in the annual operating budget, for associations with 50 or less separate interests.
(B) The lesser of ten thousand dollars ($10,000) or 5 percent of estimated income in the annual operating budget, for associations with 51 or more separate interests.
(c) The managing agent shall maintain a separate record of the receipt and disposition of all funds described in this section, including any interest earned on the funds.
(d) The managing agent shall not commingle the funds of the association with the managing agent’s own money or with the money of others that the managing agent receives or accepts.
(e) The prevailing party in an action to enforce this section shall be entitled to recover reasonable legal fees and court costs.
(f) As used in this section, “completed payment” means funds received that clearly identify the account to which the funds are to be credited.
Related Links
AB 2912 Signed! Significant Changes to HOA Financial Review and Insurance Requirements
Published on HOA Lawyer Blog (September 20, 2018)
AB 1101 Signed! Welcome Clarity to HOA Financial Protection Requirements – Published on HOA Lawyer Blog (October 2021)
Civil Code Section 5375. Prospective Managing Agent Disclosure.
A prospective managing agent of a common interest development shall provide a written statement to the board as soon as practicable, but in no event more than 90 days, before entering into a management agreement which shall contain all of the following information concerning the managing agent:
(a) The names and business addresses of the owners or general partners of the managing agent. If the managing agent is a corporation, the written statement shall include the names and business addresses of the directors and officers and shareholders holding greater than 10 percent of the shares of the corporation.
(b) Whether or not any relevant licenses such as architectural design, construction, engineering, real estate, or accounting have been issued by this state and are currently held by the persons specified in subdivision (a). If a license is currently held by any of those persons, the statement shall contain the following information:
(1) What license is held.
(2) The dates the license is valid.
(3) The name of the licensee appearing on that license.
(c) Whether or not any relevant professional certifications or designations such as architectural design, construction, engineering, real property management, or accounting are currently held by any of the persons specified in subdivision (a), including, but not limited to, a professional common interest development manager. If any certification or designation is held, the statement shall include the following information:
(1) What the certification or designation is and what entity issued it.
(2) The dates the certification or designation is valid.
(3) The names in which the certification or designation is held.
Related Links
AB 690 Signed! New Management Disclosures and changes to the Escrow Document Disclosure Form – Published on HOA Lawyer Blog (July, 2017)
Civil Code Section 5350. Directors and Committee Members; Prohibited Actions.
(a) Notwithstanding any other law, and regardless of whether an association is incorporated or unincorporated, the provisions of Sections 7233 and 7234 of the Corporations Code shall apply to any contract or other transaction authorized, approved, or ratified by the board or a committee of the board.
(b) A director or member of a committee shall not vote on any of the following matters:
(1) Discipline of the director or committee member.
(2) An assessment against the director or committee member for damage to the common area or facilities.
(3) A request, by the director or committee member, for a payment plan for overdue assessments.
(4) A decision whether to foreclose on a lien on the separate interest of the director or committee member.
(5) Review of a proposed physical change to the separate interest of the director or committee member.
(6) A grant of exclusive use common area to the director or committee member.
(c) Nothing in this section limits any other provision of law or the governing documents that govern a decision in which a director may have an interest.
Civil Code Section 5320. Delivery of Budget Report to Members.
(a) When a report is prepared pursuant to Section 5300 or 5310, the association shall deliver one of the following documents to all members by individual delivery pursuant to Section 4040:
(1) The full report.
(2) A summary of the report that includes, on the first page, a general description of the content of the report and instructions, printed in at least 10-point boldface type, regarding how to request a complete copy of the report at no cost to the member.
(b) Notwithstanding subdivision (a), if a member has requested to receive all reports in full, the association shall deliver the full report to that member, rather than a summary of the report.
Civil Code Section 5310. Annual Policy Statement.
(a) Within 30 to 90 days before the end of its fiscal year, the board shall distribute an annual policy statement that provides the members with information about association policies. The annual policy statement shall include all of the following information:
(1) The name and address of the person designated to receive official communications to the association, pursuant to Section 4035.
(2) A statement explaining that a member may submit a request to have notices sent to up to two different specified addresses, pursuant to Section 4040.
(3) The location, if any, designated for posting of a general notice, pursuant to Section 4045.
(4) Notice of a member’s option to receive general notices by individual delivery, pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 4045.
(5) Notice of a member’s right to receive copies of meeting minutes, pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 4950.
(6) The statement of assessment collection policies required by Section 5730.
(7) A statement describing the association’s policies and practices in enforcing lien rights or other legal remedies for default in the payment of assessments.
(8) A statement describing the association’s discipline policy, if any, including any schedule of penalties for violations of the governing documents pursuant to Section 5850.
(9) A summary of dispute resolution procedures, pursuant to Sections 5920 and 5965.
(10) A summary of any requirements for association approval of a physical change to property, pursuant to Section 4765.
(11) The mailing address for overnight payment of assessments, pursuant to Section 5655.
(12) Any other information that is required by law or the governing documents or that the board determines to be appropriate for inclusion.
(b) The annual policy statement shall be made available to the members pursuant to Section 5320.
Civil Code Section 5305. Review of Financial Statement.
Unless the governing documents impose more stringent standards, a review of the financial statement of the association shall be prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles by a licensee of the California Board of Accountancy for any fiscal year in which the gross income to the association exceeds seventy-five thousand dollars ($75,000). A copy of the review of the financial statement shall be distributed to the members within 120 days after the close of each fiscal year, by individual delivery pursuant to Section 4040.