California has experienced many drought periods, but in January 2014 the drought situation became sufficiently severe that then-Governor Brown declared a state of drought emergency. Soon thereafter, several laws added to the Davis-Stirling Act, Civil Code Sections 4735 and 4736. Civil Code Section 4735 does not allow governing documents to directly or indirectly prohibit low water-using plants or artificial turf. During a time of declared drought emergency, under subpart “c” of that statute the HOA may not penalize homeowners for letting their yards “go brown.” Section 4736 bars HOAs from requ ..read more

Today, many people across North America live in a homeowners’ association (HOA), and more than half of U.S. homeowners call an HOA home. The appeal is understandable, as HOAs typically provide neighborhood amenities, standards for property maintenance and aesthetics, an avenue to address resident concerns, and the potential for higher resale values. But a poorly run HOA can lead to homeowner dissatisfaction. Here are five ways board members can foster a positive homeowner experience. 1. Encourage connections. From the very beginning, strive to create a welcoming, friendly, inclusive environmen ..read more

What Are HOA Dues/Assessments? HOA Dues/Assessments Meaning Explained Before you can understand what, these fees are, you must first learn how homeowners’ associations work. A homeowner’s association is a governing body that creates and enforces rules within a planned community. An HOA is also responsible for maintaining the community, usually in the form of hiring vendors to perform repairs and maintenance work or rendering other types of services. This is where homeowner’s association fees come in. HOA fees, otherwise known as HOA dues, are sums that associations charge to homeowners to pay ..read more

During the course of my business, I get callers asking if I am interested in managing their Homeowners Association (HOA). The first question I ask is, “What is wrong with your current HOA management company?” Their answer is, “They don’t do what we think they should be doing” This question typically opens a Pandora’s box of accusations that their management firm is not performing up to their expectations and anticipations. The litany of concerns about expected performance usually includes unrealistic demands and poor communications: management does not return calls, they do not complete all ta ..read more

You are in the office and the telephone rings. The voice on the other end asks, “What would you charge to manage a 151+ unit HOA? We need a ballpark figure so we can talk it over with the other members of the board.” Most HOA community managers have received calls such as these. The caller assumes that association management can be priced like eggs in the supermarket, and he is shopping around to find out where eggs are the cheapest. Some managers, anxious to get what business they can, are quick to respond without knowing anything about the property in question. They answer with a standard pr ..read more

HOA management companies are essential to the success of a community that thrives under a Home Owner’s Association. While HOA management is something that is quite common, many homeowners and elected board members believe most of these common misconceptions. Weldon L. Brown Company is proud to help clear up some of these misconceptions and show your HOA how we can be a helpful partner in the development of your community. Myth 1: The HOA Management Company is the Association Many community members mistakenly believe that the management company is the Association. It makes sense that ..read more