(a) Notwithstanding any other law or the association’s governing documents, a board meeting or meeting of the members may be conducted entirely by teleconference, without any physical location being held open for the attendance of any director or member, if all of the following conditions are satisfied:
(1) The notice for each meeting conducted under this section includes, in addition to other required content for meeting notices, all of the following:
(A) Clear technical instructions on how to participate by teleconference.
(B) The telephone number and electronic mail address of a person who can provide technical assistance with the teleconference process, both before and during the meeting.
(C) A reminder that a member may request individual delivery of meeting notices, with instructions on how to do so.
(2) Every director and member has the same ability to participate in the meeting that would exist if the meeting were held in person.
(3) Any vote of the directors shall be conducted by a roll call vote.
(4) Any person who is entitled to participate in the meeting shall be given the option of participating by telephone.
(b) Subdivision (a) does not apply to a meeting at which ballots are counted and tabulated pursuant to Section 5120.
Related Links
AB 648 Signed! Virtual HOA Meetings
-Published on HOA Lawyer Blog (October 2023)
Civil Code Section 5875. Enforcement During Declared Emergency.
An association shall not pursue any enforcement actions for a violation of the governing documents, except those actions relating to the homeowner’s nonpayment of assessments, during a declared state or local emergency if the nature of the emergency giving rise to the declaration makes it unsafe or impossible for the homeowner to either prevent or fix the violation.
Civil Code Section 4739. Rental of Portions of Separate Interest.
(a) Notwithstanding Section 4740, an owner of a separate interest in a common interest development shall not be subject to a provision in a governing document, or amendments thereto, that prohibits the rental or leasing of a portion of the owner-occupied separate interest in that common interest development to a renter, lessee, or tenant for a period of more than 30 days.
(b) Nothing in this section shall permit an owner of a separate interest or a resident renting or leasing a portion of the owner-occupied separate interest to violate any provision of the association governing documents that govern conduct in the separate interest or common areas, or that govern membership rights or privileges, including, but not limited to, parking restrictions and guest access to common facilities.
Related Links
California Legislature Further Limits a HOA’s Right to Restrict Rentals – Published on HOA Lawyer Blog (September 2020)
Civil Code Section 5216. Safe at Home Program Participants.
(a) Notwithstanding any other law, upon request of a member of an association who is an active participant in the Safe at Home program, the association shall do both of the following:
(1) Accept and use the address designated by the Secretary of State as the Safe at Home participant’s substitute address under the Safe at Home program for all association communications.
(2) Withhold or redact information that would reveal the name, community property address, or email address of the Safe at Home participant from both of the following:
(A) All resident community membership lists, including mailbox bank listings, resident directories, electronic keypads, unit property numbers, and internet web portal accounts.
(B) Any membership list that will be shared with other members of the association.
(b) An association shall keep member participation in the Safe at Home program confidential.
(c) For purposes of this section:
(1) “Community property address” means the address of the member’s property within the community governed by the association.
(2) “Safe at Home participant” means a person certified as a program participant in the Safe at Home program.
(3) “Safe at Home program” means the address confidentiality program established pursuant to Chapter 3.1 (commencing with Section 6205) of Division 7 of Title 1 of the Government Code.
Civil Code Section 5450. Meetings During Government Emergency.
(a) This section only applies to a common interest development if gathering in person is unsafe or impossible because the common interest development is in an area affected by one or more of the following conditions:
(1) A state of disaster or emergency declared by the federal government.
(2) A state of emergency proclaimed by the Governor under Section 8625 of the Government Code.
(3) A local emergency proclaimed by a local governing body or official under Section 8630 of the Government Code.
(b) Notwithstanding any other law or the association’s governing documents, and except as provided in subdivision (d), a board meeting or meeting of the members may be conducted entirely by teleconference, without any physical location being held open for the attendance of any director or member, if all of the following conditions are satisfied:
(1) Notice of the first meeting that is conducted under this section for a particular disaster or emergency affecting the association is delivered to members by individual delivery.
(2) The notice for each meeting conducted under this section includes, in addition to other required content for meeting notices, all of the following:
(A) Clear technical instructions on how to participate by teleconference.
(B) The telephone number and electronic mail address of a person who can provide technical assistance with the teleconference process, both before and during the meeting.
(C) A reminder that a member may request individual delivery of meeting notices, with instructions on how to do so.
(3) Every director and member has the same ability to participate in the meeting that would exist if the meeting were held in person.
(4) Any vote of the directors shall be conducted by a roll call vote.
(5) Any person who is entitled to participate in the meeting shall be given the option of participating by telephone.
(c) If, as a result of the disaster or emergency, mail delivery or retrieval is not possible at any association onsite address and the address on file with the association for that member is the same association onsite address, then the association shall send the notice of the first meeting referenced in paragraph (1) of subdivision (b) to any email address provided to the association by that member, in writing, pursuant to paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) of Section 4040 or subdivision (b) of Section 4041.
(d) Subdivision (b) does not apply to a meeting at which ballots are counted and tabulated pursuant to Section 5120, unless both of the following conditions are met:
(1) The meeting at which ballots are to be counted and tabulated is conducted by video conference.
(2) The camera is placed in a location such that members can witness the inspector of elections counting and tabulating the votes.
(e) The remedies available pursuant to Section 4955 shall also be available to address violations of this section.
Civil Code Section 5103. Board Elections by Acclamation.
Notwithstanding the secret balloting requirement in Section 5100, or any contrary provision in the governing documents, when, as of the deadline for submitting nominations provided for in subdivision (a) of Section 5115, the number of qualified candidates is not more than the number of vacancies to be elected, as determined by the inspector or inspectors of the elections, the association may, but is not required to, consider the qualified candidates elected by acclamation if all of the following conditions have been met:
(a) The association has held a regular election for the directors in the last three years. The three-year time period shall be calculated from the date ballots were due in the last full election to the start of voting for the proposed election.
(b) The association provided individual notice of the election and the procedure for nominating candidates as follows:
(1) Initial notice at least 90 days before the deadline for submitting nominations provided for in subdivision (a) of Section 5115. The initial notice shall include all of the following:
(A) The number of board positions that will be filled at the election.
(B) The deadline for submitting nominations.
(C) The manner in which nominations can be submitted.
(D) A statement informing members that if, at the close of the time period for making nominations, there are the same number or fewer qualified candidates as there are board positions to be filled, then the board of directors may, after voting to do so, seat the qualified candidates by acclamation without balloting.
(2) A reminder notice between 7 and 30 days before the deadline for submitting nominations provided for in subdivision (a) of Section 5115. The reminder notice shall include all of the following:
(A) The number of board positions that will be filled at the election.
(B) The deadline for submitting nominations.
(C) The manner in which nominations can be submitted.
(D) A list of the names of all of the qualified candidates to fill the board positions as of the date of the reminder notice.
(E) A statement reminding members that if, at the close of the time period for making nominations, there are the same number or fewer qualified candidates as there are board positions to be filled, then the board of directors may, after voting to do so, seat the qualified candidates by acclamation without balloting. This statement is not required if, at the time the reminder notice will be delivered, the number of qualified candidates already exceeds the number of board positions to be filled.
(c)
(1) The association provides, within seven business days of receiving a nomination, a written or electronic communication acknowledging the nomination to the member who submitted the nomination.
(2) The association provides, within seven business days of receiving a nomination, a written or electronic communication to the nominee, indicating either of the following:
(A) The nominee is a qualified candidate for the board of directors.
(B) The nominee is not a qualified candidate for the board of directors, the basis for the disqualification, and the procedure, which shall comply with Article 2 (commencing with Section 5900) of Chapter 10, by which the nominee may appeal the disqualification.
(3) The association may combine the written or electronic communication described in paragraphs (1) and (2) into a single written or electronic communication if the nominee and the nominator are the same person.
(d)
(1) The association permits all candidates to run if nominated, except for nominees disqualified for running as allowed or required pursuant to subdivisions (b) to (e), inclusive, of Section 5105.
(2) If an association disqualifies a nominee pursuant to this subdivision, an association in its election rules shall also require a director to comply with the same requirements.
(e) The association board votes to consider the qualified candidates elected by acclamation at a meeting pursuant to Article 2 (commencing with Section 4900) for which the agenda item reflects the name of each qualified candidate that will be seated by acclamation if the item is approved.
Related Links
AB 502 Signed! Board Elections by Acclamation Available to all California HOAs –Published on HOA Lawyer Blog (October 2021)
Civil Code Section 4741. Prohibitions on Rental Restrictions.
(a) An owner of a separate interest in a common interest development shall not be subject to a provision in a governing document or an amendment to a governing document that prohibits, has the effect of prohibiting, or unreasonably restricts the rental or leasing of any of the separate interests, accessory dwelling units, or junior accessory dwelling units in that common interest development to a renter, lessee, or tenant.
(b) A common interest development shall not adopt or enforce a provision in a governing document or amendment to a governing document that restricts the rental or lease of separate interests within a common interest to less than 25 percent of the separate interests. Nothing in this subdivision prohibits a common interest development from adopting or enforcing a provision authorizing a higher percentage of separate interests to be rented or leased.
(c) This section does not prohibit a common interest development from adopting and enforcing a provision in a governing document that prohibits transient or short-term rental of a separate property interest for a period of 30 days or less.
(d) For purposes of this section, an accessory dwelling unit or junior accessory dwelling unit shall not be construed as a separate interest.
(e) For purposes of this section, a separate interest shall not be counted as occupied by a renter if the separate interest, or the accessory dwelling unit or junior accessory dwelling unit of the separate interest, is occupied by the owner.
(f) A common interest development shall comply with the prohibition on rental restrictions specified in this section on and after January 1, 2021, regardless of whether the common interest development has revised their governing documents to comply with this section. Notwithstanding any other provision of law or provision of the governing documents, the board, without approval of the members, shall amend any declaration or other governing document no later than July 1, 2022, that includes a restrictive covenant prohibited by this section by either deleting or restating the restrictive covenant to be compliant with this section, and shall restate the declaration or other governing document without the restrictive covenant but with no other change to the declaration or governing document. A board shall provide general notice pursuant to Section 4045 of the amendment at least 28 days before approving the amendment. The notice shall include the text of the amendment and a description of the purpose and effect of the amendment. The decision on the amendment shall be made at a board meeting, after consideration of any comments made by association members.
(g) A common interest development that willfully violates this section shall be liable to the applicant or other party for actual damages, and shall pay a civil penalty to the applicant or other party in an amount not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000).
(h) In accordance with Section 4740, this section does not change the right of an owner of a separate interest who acquired title to their separate interest before the effective date of this section to rent or lease their property.
Related Links
California Legislature Further Limits a HOA’s Right to Restrict Rentals – Published on HOA Lawyer Blog (September 2020)
Civil Code Section 5986. No Preconditions to Commencement of Builder Claims.
(a) Subject to compliance with Section 6150, which requires the board to provide notice of a meeting with the members to discuss, among other things, problems that may lead to the filing of a civil action, before the board files a civil action against a declarant or other developer, or within 30 days after it files the action, if the association has reason to believe that the applicable statute of limitations will expire, and notwithstanding any provision to the contrary in the governing documents, the board shall have the authority to commence and pursue a claim, civil action, arbitration, prelitigation process pursuant to Section 6000 or Title 7 (commencing with Section 895) of Part 2 of Division 2, or other legal proceeding against a declarant, developer, or builder of a common interest development. If the board includes members appointed by, or affiliated with, the declarant, developer, or builder, the decision and authority to commence and pursue legal proceedings shall be vested solely in the nonaffiliated board members.
(b) The governing documents shall not impose any preconditions or limitations on the board’s authority to commence and pursue any claim, civil action, arbitration, prelitigation process pursuant to Section 6000 or Title 7 (commencing with Section 895) of Part 2 of Division 2, or other legal proceeding against a declarant, developer, or builder of a common interest development. Any limitation or precondition, including, but not limited to, requiring a membership vote as a prerequisite to, or otherwise providing the declarant, developer, or builder with veto authority over, the board’s commencement and pursuit of a claim, civil action, arbitration, prelitigation process, or legal proceeding against the declarant, developer, or builder, or any incidental decision of the board, including, but not limited to, retaining legal counsel or incurring costs or expenses, is unenforceable, null, and void. The failure to comply with those limitations or preconditions, if only, shall not be asserted as a defense to any claim or action described in this section.
(c) Notwithstanding subdivision (a) or (b), any provision in the governing documents imposing limitations or preconditions on the board’s authority to commence and pursue claims shall be valid and enforceable if the provision is adopted solely by the nondeclarant affiliated members of the association and the provision is adopted in accordance with the requirements necessary to amend the governing documents of the association.
(d) This section applies to all governing documents, whether recorded before or after the effective date of this section, and applies retroactively to claims initiated before the effective date of this section, except if those claims have been resolved through an executed settlement, a final arbitration decision, or a final judicial decision on the merits.
(e) Nothing in this section extends any applicable statute of limitation or repose to file or initiate any claim, civil action, arbitration, prelitigation process, or other legal proceeding. Nothing in this section shall affect any other obligations of an association contained in Title 7 (commencing with Section 895) of Part 2 of Division 2, or any other provision in the covenants, conditions, and restrictions of the association related to arbitration or other alternative dispute resolution procedures.
Related Links
SB 326 Signed! Balconies, Branches, and Builder Defect Actions – Published on HOA Lawyer Blog (October 2019)
Civil Code Section 5551. Inspections of Exterior Elevated Elements.
(a) For purposes of this section, the following definitions apply:
(1) “Associated waterproofing systems” include flashings, membranes, coatings, and sealants that protect the load-bearing components of exterior elevated elements from exposure to water.
(2) “Exterior elevated elements” mean the load-bearing components together with their associated waterproofing system.
(3) “Load-bearing components” means those components that extend beyond the exterior walls of the building to deliver structural loads to the building from decks, balconies, stairways, walkways, and their railings, that have a walking surface elevated more than six feet above ground level, that are designed for human occupancy or use, and that are supported in whole or in substantial part by wood or wood-based products.
(4) “Statistically significant sample” means a sufficient number of units inspected to provide 95 percent confidence that the results from the sample are reflective of the whole, with a margin of error of no greater than plus or minus 5 percent.
(5) “Visual inspection” means inspection through the least intrusive method necessary to inspect load-bearing components, including visual observation only or visual observation in conjunction with, for example, the use of moisture meters, borescopes, or infrared technology.
(b)
(1) At least once every nine years, the board of an association of a condominium project shall cause a reasonably competent and diligent visual inspection to be conducted by a licensed structural or civil engineer or architect of a random and statistically significant sample of exterior elevated elements for which the association has maintenance or repair responsibility.
(2) The inspection shall determine whether the exterior elevated elements are in a generally safe condition and performing in accordance with applicable standards.
(c) Prior to conducting the first visual inspection, the inspector shall generate a random list of the locations of each type of exterior elevated element. The list shall include all exterior elevated elements for which the association has maintenance or repair responsibility. The list shall be provided to the association for future use.
(d) The inspector shall perform the visual inspections in accordance with the random list generated pursuant to subdivision (c). If during the visual inspection the inspector observes building conditions indicating that unintended water or water vapor has passed into the associated waterproofing system, thereby creating the potential for damage to the load-bearing components, then the inspector may conduct a further inspection. The inspector shall exercise their best professional judgment in determining the necessity, scope, and breadth of any further inspection.
(e) Based upon the inspector’s visual inspections, further inspection, and construction and materials expertise, the inspector shall issue a written report containing the following information:
(1) The identification of the building components comprising the load-bearing components and associated waterproofing system.
(2) The current physical condition of the load-bearing components and associated waterproofing system, including whether the condition presents an immediate threat to the health and safety of the residents.
(3) The expected future performance and remaining useful life of the load-bearing components and associated waterproofing system.
(4) Recommendations for any necessary repair or replacement of the load-bearing components and associated waterproofing system.
(f) The report issued pursuant to subdivision (e) shall be stamped or signed by the inspector, presented to the board, and incorporated into the study required by Section 5550.
(g)
(1) If, after inspection of any exterior elevated element, the inspector advises that the exterior elevated element poses an immediate threat to the safety of the occupants, the inspector shall provide a copy of the inspection report to the association immediately upon completion of the report, and to the local code enforcement agency within 15 days of completion of the report. Upon receiving the report, the association shall take preventive measures immediately, including preventing occupant access to the exterior elevated element until repairs have been inspected and approved by the local enforcement agency.
(2) Local enforcement agencies shall have the ability to recover enforcement costs associated with the requirements of this section from the association.
(h) Each subsequent visual inspection conducted under this section shall commence with the next exterior elevated element identified on the random list and shall proceed in order through the list.
(i) The first inspection shall be completed by January 1, 2025, and then every nine years thereafter in coordination with the reserve study inspection pursuant to Section 5550. All written reports shall be maintained for two inspection cycles as records of the association.
(j)
(1) The association shall be responsible for complying with the requirements of this section.
(2) The continued and ongoing maintenance and repair of the load-bearing components and associated waterproofing systems in a safe, functional, and sanitary condition shall be the responsibility of the association as required by the association’s governing documents.
(k) The inspection of buildings for which a building permit application has been submitted on or after January 1, 2020, shall occur no later than six years following the issuance of a certificate of occupancy. The inspection shall otherwise comply with the provisions of this section.
(l) This section shall only apply to buildings containing three or more multifamily dwelling units.
(m) The association board may enact rules or bylaws imposing requirements greater than those imposed by this section.
(n) A local government or local enforcement agency may enact an ordinance or other rule imposing requirements greater than those imposed by this section.
Related Links
SB 326 Signed! Balconies, Branches, and Builder Defect Actions – Published on HOA Lawyer Blog (October 2019)
Civil Code Section 5910.1. IDR Prerequisite to Enforcement Action.
An association may not file a civil action regarding a dispute in which the member has requested dispute resolution unless the association has complied with Section 5910 by engaging in good faith in the internal dispute resolution procedures after a member invokes those procedures.