By David Swedelson, Partner at SwedelsonGottlieb, Community Association Attorneys Effective January 1, 2016, California Senate Bill 655 amended provisions of the California Health and Safety Code, specifically Sections 17920 and 17920.3. Although the Health and Safety Code impacts almost all persons and entities in California to some extent, SB 655…
HOA Law Blog
President Obama Signs Legislation Modernizing FHA Condominium Approvals
By David Swedelson, Partner at SwedelsonGottlieb, Community Association Attorneys Community Associations Institute (CAI) announced today that on Friday, July 29 President Barack Obama signed H.R. 3700, the Housing Opportunity through Modernization Act. H.R. 3700 is now federal law. CAI reports that H.R. 3700 reforms the process used by the Federal…
Condo Associations Can Regulate Nuisance Hard Surface Flooring (Even If the Owner Has Allergies); Ryland Mews v. Munoz
By David Swedelson, Partner at SwedelsonGottlieb, Community Association Attorneys Many homeowners want hard surface flooring instead of carpet. And they will often present a prescription from their doctor for a hard wood floor in an effort to get around their association’s restrictions or prohibitions on hard surface flooring. Yes, a…
Civil Code §5300: Amended/New FHA/VA Disclosures Required After July 1, 2016
By David Swedelson, Partner at SwedelsonGottlieb, Community Association Attorneys As we previously reported, (follow this link) Section 5300 of the Civil Code was amended in 2015 and becomes effective as of July 1st of 2016. The changes to section 5300 of the Civil Code requires California community associations to include…
Is Your Los Angeles Condo Association on the List Requiring Retrofitting of Wood-Frame Buildings to Better Withstand a Major Earthquake?
By David Swedelson, Partner at SwedelsonGottlieb, Community Association Attorneys The list is out, and an article in the LA Times reports that neighborhoods in the San Fernando Valley, Hollywood and the Westside will feel the biggest impact from Los Angeles’ new law requiring the retrofitting of wood-frame apartment buildings to…
Oppose California Assembly Bill 1720 Which Would Allow HOA/Condo Members the Right to Bring Their Attorney to an Association Board Meeting
By David Swedelson, Partner at SwedelsonGottlieb, Community Association Attorneys I recently posted to HOALAWBLOG an article entitled California HOA/Condo Owners Do Not Have The Right To Have Their Attorney Attend The Association’s Board Meetings — SB Liberty, LLC, v. Isla Verde Association, Inc. In that article, I addressed the question…
Catch the Second Episode of The HOA Show with Sandra Gottlieb!
SwedelsonGottlieb’s Senior Partner Sandra Gottlieb is honored to make another appearance on the second “episode” of The HOA Show, an educational luncheon presented by the Channel Islands Chapter of Community Associations Institute. Join us on April 26th for this fun format, where you can find out more about the following…
California HOAs Are Not Liable For Damages Caused by a Minor, Trivial, or Insignificant Defect in the Common Area
By David Swedelson, Senior Partner at SwedelsonGottlieb, Community Association Attorneys I recently assisted a large condominium association in dealing with a claim by an owner that she had fallen and injured herself after tripping on a common area walkway. Management looked at the area where this woman claimed to have…
CAI Government Affairs Announces That Freddie Mac, Fannie Mae Release Uniform Condominium Questionnaire For Condominium Unit Loans
The following is reposted from Community Association Institute’s (CAI) Government Affairs Division: On March 29, federal housing agencies Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae released a standardized set of lender questionnaires for condominium unit mortgages. The Uniform Condominium Questionnaire is intended to reduce the burden on community associations that routinely provide…
Oppose AB1720-HOA Members Should Not Be Able To Have Their Attorney Attend Community Association Board Meetings
By David Swedelson, Senior Partner at SwedelsonGottlieb, Community Association Attorneys On March 29, 2016, we posted an article regarding the SB Liberty, LLC, v. Isla Verde Association, Inc. Court of Appeal decision that confirms the law that only owners or members of an a California community association are entitled to…