Current Affairs

March 17, 2020

Coronavirus and Community Association Duties and Responsibilities; A Guidebook from the Community Association Attorneys at SwedelsonGottlieb

It is not a hoax; it is a pandemic. And as a result, we are receiving inquiries from board members and managers concerning what community associations should be doing to address the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and the impact of same on their communities. To address these questions, SwedelsonGottlieb published a guidebook that explains, among other things, why we do not believe that community associations have any direct responsibility to deal with the coronavirus; rather it is each residents responsibility to take steps to limit their exposure to the virus to avoid contracting the virus. That said, there are some commonsense things that should be kept in mind. And there are employees and staff to consider. Follow this link&amp to read and download SwedelsonGottlieb’s Guidebook. And note that as the information that we are all receiving about the coronavirus and how governmental agencies are dealing with the disease keeps evolving, so will our advice. So be sure to visit HOAlawblog for the latest coronavirus information and advice as it relates to California community associations.

September 24, 2019

Proposed Senate Bill (SB) 323 (Wieckowski) Eliminates Qualifications For Serving On The Board and Changes The Law On California Community Association Elections; It Is Not the Right Solution

by David C. Swedelson

Prepared by the Community Association Attorneys at SwedelsonGottlieb

Proposed_Legislation_Bad_for_Health_Care_Providers_and_Patients-300x278
Senate Bill 323, proposed new law that would impact how California community association conduct elections, was approved by the Senate and Assembly was presented to Governor Newsom for his signature. This proposed legislation will impact and change the procedural requirements for most California community associations’ elections. Unfortunately, this proposed legislation goes too far and it is not the right solution to whatever it is that motivated Senator Wieckowski to author this new legislation.

For example, under current law, Civil Code Section 5200(a)(9), members of a community association can request their association’s list of members, including the members names and addresses. Currently Civil Code section 5220 allows members the ability to opt out and keep their contact information, which they deem private, off the list. SB 323 includes a loophole that effectively eliminates the ability for owners to opt out of having their name and personal contact information provided to another member. This proposed new law requires owners to provide their name and address on the envelope that includes the ballot, which SB 323 would make part of the list of records available for member inspection.

January 21, 2019

AB 2912 Fraud and Embezzlement//Fidelity Bonds & Financial Review

by David C. Swedelson

From the Community Association Attorneys at SwedelsonGottlieb new_laws_2019_rev_pdf_-_Google_Drive-2-300x141

It is no secret that community associations are often targets for embezzlement. But they are not alone. Newspaper articles tell us that it happens to various types of businesses and organizations, even attorneys and lawyer/bar organizations. Fraud and embezzlement seems more likely to occur when no one is watching those that control the checkbooks. And unfortunately, many many condominium, stock cooperative and planned development boards of directors become too trusting and they don’t keep an eye on what their manager or treasurer are doing.

To ensure that community associations are better protected, the California legislature passed AB 2912, acknowledging that associations are susceptible to fraud and embezzlement, and that more is needed to completely achieve the goal of protecting community association funds. Pay close attention as there are new requirements for both managers and boards amending two sections of Civil Code and adding three new ones. AB 2912 made the following changes to the law:

January 17, 2019

California Legislature Fixes the Law on Member Notice & Notice of Rule Changes-Amends Civil Code §4040 and Civil Code §4360

by David C. Swedelson

By the Community Association Attorneys at SwedelsonGottlieb new_laws_2019_rev_pdf_-_Google_Drive-3-300x147

Through SB 261, the California Legislature fixed some issues with prior legislation dealing with delivery of notices and related matters and generally fixed some issues that had come up after prior legislation was adopted. This bill became effective in January 1st and amends the following existing sections of the Civil Code as stated:

• Email Consent to Document Delivery — Civil Code §4040 (Individual Notice), which allows for individual delivery of notices and other documents by email if an owner consents to this in writing was amended to allow an individual owner to permit/revoke consent to allow individual notice by email. While most attorneys thought that an email was considered a writing, this amendment eliminates any confusion.

April 17, 2018

SB1265 – A Dumb Idea for a Bad Law

by David C. Swedelson

Stupid-law A senate bill seeking to prohibit California community associations from establishing qualifications for candidates to run for their boards of directors among other changes and requirements (including possible invasion of owner privacy) is a dumb idea that would create bad law.

On April 5th, Los Angeles Times’ Sacramento columnist George Skelton noted that the California legislature passed nearly 1,000 bills in 2017: “A few were important. Most were not. Many were frivolous, some dumb – a waste of politicians’ time and public money. . . There are many bills pending in the legislature again this year that the state could do just fine without.”

One bill I think the State could do just fine without is SB1265. And if you live in a California community association, I think you’ll agree. You should IMMEDIATELY let the legislature know that this legislation is unnecessary, and that the State could do just fine without SB1265. Let me explain how I and many others in the industry came to this conclusion.

October 23, 2016

Minimum Wage Increase Will Have An Impact On California Community Associations

by David C. Swedelson

From the Community Association Attorneys at SwedelsonGottlieb

The minimum wage is going up. As a result of a change in the law to take effect on January 1, 2017, the statewide minimum wage will gradually increase over the next six years until it hits $15 per hour. Further, Los Angeles and San Francisco already have their own laws in place to hit this mark even sooner and may see higher increases depending on the rate of inflation as measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI).

The wage increase will affect an associations existing employees and will likely impact any association’s existing and potential vendor contracts. Roughly one-third of all California employees are paid minimum wage, and many vendors serving associations rely heavily on minimum wage employees. In the past, California has increased the minimum wage by 1-3% annually, but the pending increase represents a 50% rise over six years, which represents a considerable cost for any vendor to absorb. As a result, vendors will undoubtedly pass along their higher labor costs to the associations they serve.

October 23, 2016

New Law Requires That California Community Associations/HOAs Request That Members Provide Their Contact Information — New Civil Code § 4041

by David C. Swedelson

new_leglisation_notice_to_owners_to_provide_contact_information_-_Google_Search.png By the Community Association Attorneys at SwedelsonGottlieb.

Starting January 1, 2017, every California community association will be required to ask its members to provide their contact information and property status. New Civil Code § 4041 will require, starting January 1, 2017, that each association must solicit the following information from its members:

1. The mailing address where notices from the association are to be delivered;

October 23, 2016

Update To Fair Housing Act Requires Community Associations to Act on Discriminatory Conduct and Harrassment

by David C. Swedelson

From the Community Association Attorneys at SwedelsonGottlieb

An update to the Fair Housing Act, effective October 14, 2016, clarifies an association’s responsibility to address discriminatory conduct and harassment by its residents. The Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination in housing and housing-related services due to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, and familial status (42 U.S.C. 3601 et seq.). Quid Pro Quo and Hostile Environment Harassment and Liability for Discriminatory Housing Practices Under the Fair Housing Act

This update to the Fair Housing Act clarifies that an association is directly liable for failing to take prompt action to end any third party’s discriminatory housing practice if the association knew or should have know about it and had the power to correct it. A commentator for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development stated, “a community association generally has the power to respond to third-party harassment by imposing conditions authorized by the association’s CC&Rs or by other legal authority […].”* Accordingly, an association must take some action to address any alleged discrimination by residents or other people within its authority.

August 17, 2016

Has The Pokemon GO Craze Impacted Your California HOA?

by David C. Swedelson

By David Swedelson, Partner at SwedelsonGottlieb, Community Association Attorneys

Google_Image_Result_for_http___blogs-images_forbes_com_olliebarder_files_2015_09_pokemon_go_title_jpg.png Have you noticed some unusual behavior from some association residents lately? You may have seen them walking outside swiping their smartphones. They may have a newfound interest in going to parks. And when they talk, they use unfamiliar words like Pikachu, Snorlax, and Pokéstops. If this sounds familiar, then your residents are into Pokémon GO.

I have heard about this new phenomena, but knew little about it. I saw an article entitled Back In The Race: The Employer’s Guide To Understanding (And Dealing With) Pokemon GO that was directed to law firms and decided to use it as the basis for this blog post as to how Pokemon GO would impact California community associations. (Follow this link to read the article)

August 15, 2016

Zika Virus and Your Community Association

by David C. Swedelson

By David Swedelson, Partner at SwedelsonGottlieb, Community Association Attorneys

communityassociationlawblog_com-Zika_Virus_and_Your_Community_Association__1_page_.png Although the Zika Virus has not yet been found in California, that does not mean that it will not find it’s way here. Florida community association attorney and blogger Donna DiMaggio Berger addresses a community association’s obligation to protect owners and residents from the foreseeable risk of harm from something inside the community and adds the Zika Virus to the list. Maybe we in California should take note. (follow this link to read Donna’s blog)

As Donna states regarding an association’s obligation to protect residents from harm, “[w]hether or not that duty is spelled out in the governing documents, there is the expectation that the association will ensure that residents do not get sucked into a non-compliant pool drain and drowned, trapped inside an unsafe elevator or mugged in the parking lot.”