HOA rules in California

California does not split HOAs and condos into two HOA statutes. Residential common interest developments — planned developments, condominiums, community apartments, and stock cooperatives — fall under the Davis-Stirling Common Interest Development Act, Civil Code sections 4000 through 6150. Confirm your community is a CID, then read the current Civil Code on the California Legislative Information site and your recorded CC&Rs, bylaws, and rules. This page is general information, not legal advice. Statutes change. AB 130 amended the fine and hearing sections effective June 30, 2025. SB 410 amended the records sections effective January 1, 2026. Verify the live text before you rely on a number.

There is no California HOA or CID ombudsman. The Department of Real Estate reviews new CIDs in the public-report process. After sales start, DRE does not regulate day-to-day association operations or member-versus-board disputes. DRE publishes a CID brochure and an HOA resource page.

Hearings and fines are in Civil Code sections 5850 and 5855. If the association uses monetary penalties, it must adopt and distribute a schedule. A penalty for a governing-document violation may not exceed the lesser of the scheduled amount or $100 per violation, except a higher scheduled amount is allowed if the board finds in an open meeting that the violation may cause an adverse health or safety impact on the common area or another member's property. Late charges and interest may not be added to a monetary penalty. Before discipline, the board must give at least 10 days' written notice, the member must have a chance to cure, and a written decision must go out within 14 days after the board acts. Discipline is not effective unless those steps are met.

Records: Civil Code 5200 still numbers the association-records definitions (including, as of 2026, inspector's reports under section 5551). Section 5205 requires inspection and copying. Section 5210: current-year records within 10 business days; prior two fiscal years within 30 calendar days.

Collections: at least 30 days' certified-mail notice before recording an assessment lien (Civ. Code § 5660). Foreclosure of regular or special assessments under $1,800 (excluding accelerated assessments, late charges, collection costs, attorney fees, and interest) is barred unless the assessments secured by the lien are more than 12 months delinquent (Civ. Code § 5720). That is a California foreclosure floor, not a national rule.

This is general information from an AI helper, not legal advice. Confirm it against your documents and your state's law. If a deadline or hearing is coming up, talk to a licensed lawyer.