Echo Journal June 2026

LEVERAGING YOUR BANKING PARTNER

GUARDRAILS FOR THE FUTURE-PROOFED HOA

PROFESSIONAL SERVICE PROVIDER DIRECTORY

Strengthening community operations and professional relationships

What boards need to get right about using AI

Experience and expertise HOA boards can count on

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SERVING HOA BOARD MEMBERS & HOMEOWNERS

JUNE 2026

Hidden Insurance Risks Facing Community Associations

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MISSION STATEMENT Fostering a better quality of life in community associations through education, advocacy and networking.

Echo 5669 Snell Ave., #249 San Jose, CA 95123 408.297.3246 | info@echo-ca.org www.echo-ca.org BOARD OF DIRECTORS & OFFICERS PRESIDENT Mark T. Guithues, Esq. VICE PRESIDENT Sarah Dunia TREASURER Karl Lofthouse SECRETARY Jessica Roberts

DIRECTORS Brian Campisi Rolf Crocker John Gill, Esq. Adam Haney David Levy Nathan McGuire, Esq. Ali Nekumanesh Louis J. Sarmiento, Esq. Bridgette Tabor

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EMERITUS BOARD MEMBER David Hughes BENEFACTOR MEMBERS Donald W. Haney, CPA CID Consortium, LLC Paul Collins Collins Management

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER David Zepponi | dzepponi@echo-ca.org OPERATIONS MANAGER Connor Zepponi | connor@echo-ca.org MEMBERSHIP & SALES MANAGER Jacqueline Price | jprice@echo-ca.org MEMBERSHIP DEVELOPMENT MANAGER Leila Saeed | lsaeed@echo-ca.org PUBLICATIONS EXPEDITOR Pam Grove | pgrove@echo-ca.org MARKETING MANAGER Taylor Barnes | tbarnes@echo-ca.org

Get more from your Echo membership Echo members have exclusive access to our entire library of HOA-focused educational programming including Community Conversations, Educational Seminars, Workshops, Ask the Attorneys, and Ask the Experts.

The presentations referenced below are a sampling of what is available to our valuable members. Click a title to watch!

Ask the Experts: Construction and Maintenance Discrimination: Cultural Sensitivity & Reasonable Accommodations All Things Paving Privacy, Cameras, & Recordings ... What Can We Do? Tree Care and Defensible Space

The Echo Journal is published quarterly by the Executive Council of Homeowners (Echo). The views of authors expressed in the articles herein do not necessarily reflect the views of Echo. We assume no responsibility for the statements and opinions advanced by the contributors to the magazine.

It is released with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting or other professional service. If legal advice or other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional should be sought.

Acceptance of advertising does not constitute any endorsement or recommendation, expressed or implied, of the advertiser or any goods or services offered. We reserve the right to reject any advertising copy or image.

Case Law AB-130: Mandatory Changes to the HOA Fine Process The Truth About Compliance with Non-Functional Turf & Water Conservation

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Echo member information is never released to any outside individual or organization, unless agreed to by the member.

For more information visit www.echo-ca.org ECHO journal | JUNE 2026

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Features 8

Hidden Insurance Risks Facing Community Associations

BY CHRISTI SPINA

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Leveraging Your Banking Partner to Strengthen Community Operations and Professional Relationships

BY MARCY KRAVIT

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Guardrails for the Future-Proofed HOA: What Boards Need to Get Right About Using AI

BY DANIEL C. HEATON, ESQ.

Happenings 6

CEO’s Message: HOAs: California’s Housing Solution — Or a Long-Term Challenge?

BY DAVID ZEPPONI

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Echo In-Person Events

30

Welcome to Echo’s New Professional Service Providers

32

Echo Board of Directors Candidacy and Election Announcement

34

Legislative Update

BY NATHAN McGUIRE, ESQ.

41

2026 Professional Service Provider Directory

46

2026 Echo Event Calendar

Back Online Educational Offerings – Cover Register Today!

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JUNE 2026 | ECHO journal

ECHO journal | JUNE 2026

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CEO’S news from ECHO MESSAGE

HOAs: California’s Affordable Housing Solution – Raison d’Etre – The Reason for Bo Or a Long-Term Challenge?

attainable to buyers than residential housing outside Last month, Echo partnered with the Santa Cruz of a CID. However, thosed’etre involved in community County Association of Realtors to provide HOA What a beautiful phrase, raison (reason for being). It is a management understand that affordability is not training for real estate agents. The program generated every board member should consider and collectively agree. merely a date-of-sale issue. The homeowner may be thoughtful discussion, but one topic stood out: excited to be able to financially squeeze into a home, Many participants were surprised to learn that the The phrase engenders humanity. The words roll from one’s tong but can they continue to afford the home in the overwhelming majority of future residential housing stark business senses and adds the element of humanity long run? Home ownership is a long-term challenge to the in California (approximately 90%) will be built within that extends well beyond the initial and is mission common interest developments (CIDs) governed

by Strategic a board: planning, execution andpurchase evaluation; dependent on reasonably predictable component homeowners associations (HOAs). management. The business realities should be reflective of com cost estimation.

For many agents, this realization was striking. New common valuesCommunities of individuals in the community. are not built overnight. Strong housing construction is increasingly concentrated over decades through shared in higher-density developments where residents Communitiesneighborhoods are imperfectdevelop – because they are made of humans. experiences, relationships, and ongoing investment in share common amenities and infrastructure. As relating.

Humans using.

Human humans being community assets.

Whileliving. a homeBasically, may be affordable a result, most future new home sales will be in being human, communities sometimes thatover managem when purchased, maintaining that forget affordability HOA-governed communities that share common time is faramore complicated. interest components. More important, policymakers establish norms for successful community. In a sense, the b The current model assumes that household are generally not aware of this reality. And they the community.

Its purpose is to establish order and elevate o incomes will grow sufficiently and predictably enough continue to pass laws and policies that burden HOA progress andtopace establishing norms and keepby pace with the increasing costs of constraints maintaining, to b communities with mandatory increased costs that often address a near-term issue but in the long term to benefit all.repairing, and replacing community infrastructure.

Unfortunately, experience suggests otherwise. Many are at counter-purposes to California’s affordable It seems apparent that board leadership understand and HOA communities built in the 1970smust and 1980s housing strategy. now face significant maintenance and replacement The logic is straightforward. Policymakers believe owners in order to orchestrate a sense of community and gener obligations. Roofs, balconies, plumbing systems, that increasing housing supply will help reduce and protect community values. The purpose of a board, therefore paving, and other common components eventually housing costs. To make development financially build community based common values reach the end on of their useful lives.

The for costthe of good of all. feasible, housing density must increase, requiring repairing or replacing these assets can be substantial, shared amenities, infrastructure, and maintenance It takes orchestrate a community.

It anticipated takes timewhen to know y often exceeding what homeowners responsibilities. CIDs fit this model well because the time to time costs to listenthey to the voicestheir andhomes. build a vision reflective of comm purchased government and developers shift many ongoing When this occurs, HOA of repair, maintenance, and replacement ofand common you will be more effective as a board member and satisfied boards face difficult assets from local governments to homeowners. your reason for being on the board. decisions. They have a Thus, the financial burden of these common areas fiduciaryto responsibility falls on the HOA and is paid through homeowner ECHO is committed helping homeowner boards and residents to maintain the assessments. The government entities no longer have advocacy – thisbut is our “raison d’etre”. community, an obligation that would have been paid bying taxand levies, they also recognize and the developer is free to build without delays and homeowners’ financial can justify increased impact fees. limitations. Balancing In the short term, this approach can work. New these competing homes are available at prices that may be more

Sincerely,

Continued on page 14

ECHO CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

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JUNE 2026 | ECHO journal

David Zepponi Executive Director

ECHO journal | JUNE 2026

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UNDER THE UMBRELLA

Hidden Insurance Risks Facing Community Associations

The insurance marketplace for homeowners associations has changed dramatically in recent years.

BY CHRISTI SPINA

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JUNE 2026 | ECHO journal

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he insurance marketplace for homeowners associations has changed dramatically in recent years. Carriers that once approached HOA insurance with flexibility are now tightening underwriting standards, conducting more inspections, and closely scrutinizing how communities maintain their buildings. Boards that fail to understand these changes may find themselves facing higher premiums, fewer carrier options, or even nonrenewal of their policies.

Today’s insurance environment requires associations to be far more proactive about risk management. Underwriters are conducting more site inspections, requesting documentation up front, reviewing reserve studies, and closely evaluating claims history. Communities with poor risk profiles are increasingly being non-renewed, while others are being required to update critical building components such as electrical systems, plumbing, roofing, and HVAC. Associations that delay upgrades, rely on outdated interpretations of their governing documents, or assume that certain issues are not the association’s responsibility may find themselves with limited insurance options. In many cases, these communities are forced into the surplus lines marketplace, where premiums are significantly higher and deductibles can place a substantial financial burden on owners.

Understanding the risks insurers are focusing on today can help boards better prepare their communities and maintain access to affordable coverage.

Why Loss Control Inspections Matter Insurance carriers use loss control inspections to identify conditions that could lead to claims, such as fire hazards, safety issues, or maintenance problems that create liability for the association. Because insurers are financially responsible for paying these claims, they have become much more proactive about inspecting properties.

As a result, inspections are occurring more frequently, and carriers are increasingly requiring associations to address any deficiencies identified during these visits. If an association fails to correct the issues noted by the inspector, the consequences can include higher premiums, coverage restrictions, or even policy nonrenewal.

For this reason, boards should take the initiative to identify potential problems in their communities before the insurance carrier does.

Common Issues Identified During HOA Inspections While the list of items reviewed during inspections can be extensive, several areas consistently raise concerns for insurance carriers: •

Property Maintenance Inspectors frequently evaluate the overall condition of buildings, including roof age and condition, structural concerns, and the safety of decks, balconies, and railings.

•

Electrical Systems Outdated or hazardous electrical panels are a major concern for insurers. Panels manufactured by companies such as Continued on page 10 ECHO journal | JUNE 2026

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lighting, unsafe playground equipment, and improperly secured pool areas can all create liability exposure for associations.

Hidden Insurance Risks Facing Community Associations Continued from page 9

Zinsco, Challenger, and Federal Pacific have welldocumented safety issues and are often flagged during inspections. Carriers also look for overloaded panels and unsafe electrical modifications.

•

•

•

10

Fire Safety Inspectors evaluate fire prevention measures such as the presence and maintenance of fire extinguishers, sprinkler systems, and fire alarms.

They also look for combustible materials stored near buildings and unsafe practices such as gas or charcoal grills placed too close to structures or used on balconies.

Plumbing and Water Damage Prevention The age and condition of plumbing systems are closely examined.

Inspectors may look for signs of leaks, corrosion, outdated water heaters, and the presence of accessible shut-off valves.

Life Safety and Liability Hazards Trip-and-fall hazards are another common concern.

Cracked sidewalks, uneven pavement, damaged stairways, inadequate

JUNE 2026 | ECHO journal

•

Grounds and Common Areas Inspectors often review tree maintenance, drainage issues around buildings, parking lot conditions, and pavement cracks that could create safety hazards.

•

Building Systems The condition of HVAC systems, elevator inspection certificates, and maintenance records are also commonly reviewed.

•

Signs of Deferred Maintenance Perhaps most important, inspectors look for visible signs of neglect such as peeling paint, wood rot, rusting metal components, and other indications that necessary repairs have been postponed.

The Risks of Deferred Maintenance

Deferred maintenance can create serious financial and insurance challenges for HOAs because problems that are ignored or delayed rarely stay small. Issues such as aging roofs, deteriorating balconies, outdated electrical systems, and failing plumbing can gradually worsen and eventually lead to significant

property damage or safety hazards.

Insurance carriers closely evaluate how well a community maintains its buildings, and visible signs of deferred maintenance signal a higher likelihood of future claims. As a result, associations that postpone necessary repairs may face higher premiums, stricter underwriting requirements, coverage restrictions, or even policy nonrenewal.

Beyond insurance concerns, deferred maintenance can also lead to costly special assessments, disputes among homeowners, and declining property values.

Addressing maintenance issues proactively not only protects the physical property but also strengthens the financial stability of the entire community.

Outdated Governing Documents and Insurance Gaps Another challenge many associations face is reliance on governing documents that are decades old. It is not uncommon to review CC&Rs (covenants, conditions, and restrictions) that were written 20, 30, or even 40 years ago and have never been updated since the community was originally developed. These documents were often created under very different legal, construction, and insurance environments. Unfortunately, relying on outdated governing documents can leave associations exposed during an insurance loss.

The insurance marketplace has evolved rapidly over the past several years. Carriers have tightened underwriting standards, increased deductibles, and placed greater scrutiny on how responsibility for building components is defined. Older governing documents often fail to align with modern insurance policies, which results in gaps between what the association’s master policy covers and what unit owners are expected to

insure individually.

When a loss occurs, these gaps can lead to confusion, disputes, and unexpected financial burdens for both the association and its members. Updating governing documents to reflect current insurance practices and clearly define maintenance and insurance responsibilities is an important step in protecting the community.

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Continued on page 12

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Hidden Insurance Risks Facing Community Associations Continued from page 11

systems and that the master policy should not be affected by interior conditions. In many communities, it is assumed that electrical systems, plumbing, and HVAC equipment within units are solely the responsibility of the unit owner. From an insurance carrier’s perspective, however, the situation is not that simple.

Insurers evaluate risk at the building level, not solely based on the maintenance responsibilities outlined in the CC&Rs. For example, if an outdated electrical panel inside a unit causes a fire, the association’s master policy typically responds to the structural fire damage. Similarly, if aging plumbing within the walls causes water damage affecting multiple units, the association’s policy may again be triggered.

Because the insurance carrier is responsible for paying these claims,

underwriters focus on the overall condition of the property and whether critical building systems are being properly maintained and updated. In practical terms, insurers are less concerned with who the governing documents say is responsible for maintenance and are more concerned with whether those components are actually being maintained.

For this reason, associations should take a more active role in ensuring that critical systems within the community are properly maintained, even when governing documents assign responsibility to individual owners.

Best Practices for HOA Boards To protect insurability and help stabilize insurance premiums, boards should consider the following best practices: •

Conduct Electrical Evaluations Identify outdated electrical panels and develop a phased replacement plan where necessary.

•

Maintain Accurate Reserve Studies Ensure that reserve funding reflects realistic replacement timelines for roofs, plumbing, electrical systems, and other major components.

•

Document Maintenance Schedules Underwriters value wellorganized communities that can demonstrate consistent maintenance and risk management practices.

•

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JUNE 2026 | ECHO journal

Review Governing Documents with Insurance Professionals Updating outdated CC&Rs can help ensure that maintenance responsibilities and

insurance coverage align with current industry standards.

•

Communicate with Homeowners Educating owners about how interior systems affect the community’s overall insurance risk can help prevent costly problems.

The Bottom Line Insurance carriers do not evaluate risk the same way governing documents assign responsibility. Insurers view the entire building as a single exposure. If one unit contains outdated wiring, the entire structure is at risk. If maintenance is deferred, the increased likelihood of loss affects every owner through higher premiums and deductibles. When responsibilities between the association and individual owners are unclear, claims can become complicated, leading to disputes and delays in repairs.

In today’s insurance market, insurability is earned through proactive maintenance, modernized building systems, and strong risk management, not simply through policy language.

Associations that address these issues early position themselves for better insurance options, more stable premiums, fewer coverage restrictions, and stronger long-term financial protection for their communities.

Christi Spina is an insurance professional specializing in coverage solutions for community associations. She works closely with HOA boards and property managers to help communities navigate the evolving insurance marketplace and manage risk effectively.

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ince its inception, CID Consortium, LLC (CIDC) strives to provide excellent financial and operational guidance to communities, board members, managers, and owners of communities big and small in an ever-changing environment.

We believe in building relationships by doing our business transparently and keeping our clients informed. Before sending a proposal, we take the time to uncover what success looks like for your community. Once we are aligned, we will propose a combination of Governance, Finance, and Organizational services specific to your unique needs.

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CEO’s Message Continued from page 6

demands is rarely easy and often unpopular. In practice, boards typically prioritize immediate health and safety concerns.

Necessary but less urgent projects are deferred, and discretionary improvements are postponed indefinitely. Over time, deferred maintenance accumulates, creating even greater financial pressures for future homeowners.

This highlights a fundamental weakness in the affordable housing model. The model addresses affordability at the time of purchase but often fails to account for the longterm costs of community ownership. As communities age, maintenance expenses increase, and affordability can erode.

Compounding the challenge is the fact that maintenance and replacement costs frequently rise faster than general inflation.

Construction materials, petroleum products, labor, insurance, and regulatory compliance expenses have all increased dramatically in recent years. Household incomes, however, have not consistently kept pace. The result is a growing gap between what communities need to remain safe and functional and what homeowners can reasonably afford to pay.

Adding to these pressures are legislative and societal changes that often impose significant new costs on HOA-governed communities. For example, California SB-1007, as now amended by the Senate, would limit HOA assessment increases by the board to 8% per year, down from 20% (in current law), without a homeowner vote. This would restrict an association’s ability to generate the revenue needed to address extraordinary growth in the cost of maintenance obligations. Also, new legislation that requires balcony inspections 14

JUNE 2026 | ECHO journal

and repairs, while intended to improve safety, has created substantial unexpected expenses for many communities. These legislative mandates are just two examples of many governmental requirements that are at counterpurposes to the state’s affordable housing strategy.

It’s not just governmental mandates that oppose predictable affordable housing. Wildfires and other natural disasters have introduced another layer of uncertainty. Insurance markets throughout California have experienced significant disruption, resulting in higher premiums, reduced coverage options, and, in some cases, policy cancellations.

These costs ultimately fall on homeowners.

Additional requirements— such as electric vehicle charging infrastructure, turf replacement, building electrification initiatives, water conservation measures, façade inspections, and code compliance upgrades—may each serve worthwhile public policy goals. However, every mandate carries a cost. When multiple mandates are imposed simultaneously, and especially if they were not predicted, the cumulative financial burden can become overwhelming.

These impacts are felt most acutely by homeowners with limited financial flexibility. Retirees on fixed incomes, young families, and lower-income households often have little capacity to absorb unexpected assessment increases or special assessments.

For many, even well-intentioned policies can create serious financial hardship.

This is why policymakers must consider not only how housing is built but also how communities will be sustained over time. A housing model that delivers affordability on day one but does not consider the implications of

social inflation and economic shocks over the following decades is not a complete solution. It sets communities up to fail or, worse, fall into calamitous disrepair, as occurred in the Berkeley balcony and Surfside condo collapses.

Equally important, volunteer HOA board members should not become the targets of frustration when communities face difficult financial choices. These individuals are doing their best to fulfill fiduciary responsibilities while navigating complex legal requirements, aging infrastructure, rising costs, and homeowner concerns. In many cases, they are managing the consequences of policies they did not create and cannot control.

California’s reliance on HOAgoverned communities as a primary affordable housing solution deserves a more comprehensive discussion.

Increasing housing supply is important, but long-term affordability requires equal attention to maintenance obligations, reserve funding, insurance costs, regulatory mandates, and economic realities.

If these factors are not addressed, the financial pressures facing HOA communities will continue to grow. The result may be housing that appears affordable at purchase but becomes increasingly difficult to sustain and, therefore, to afford over time.

If California is serious about an affordable housing strategy, it must focus not only on building houses today but also on ensuring that communities remain financially viable and affordable for generations to come.

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Our founder, George A. Borba, Sr., was an enterprising dairy farmer and small business owner from Southern California.

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ECHO journal | JUNE 2026

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Leveraging Your Banking Partner Strengthen Community Operations and Professional Relationships

BY MARCY KRAVIT

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JUNE 2026 | ECHO journal

When focusing on professional service providers in community associations (managers, engineers, attorneys, reserve specialists, insurance brokers, contractors), there is a tendency to view each as a separate spoke in the wheel of community operations. But one partner is often overlooked as a strategic force multiplier: the bank.

A community association’s financial institution is far more than a place to store operating and reserve funds. The right banking partner can act as a connector, a problem-solver, and a stabilizing presence that supports both the board and the professionals who serve the community. When leveraged effectively, the bank becomes a core advisor that helps improve workflows, promotes financial resilience, and strengthens the relationships that keep a community functioning smoothly. A strong banking relationship transforms not just the association’s financial health but also its entire ecosystem of partnerships.

2. Optimizing Cash Flow Through Smart Treasury Management

1. The Bank as a Strategic Advisor in Capital Projects

When an HOA’s cash flow is predictable and stable, service providers experience fewer delays, and managers can work more efficiently.

Digital Payment Tools and Fraud Prevention – Modern treasury tools, lockbox services, online payment portals, ACH controls, and fraud and payment monitoring reduce administrative strain and strengthen transparency. This creates smoother interactions with vendors, prevents delays, and ensures that critical payments never slip through the cracks.

Whether it’s a roof replacement, structural restoration, elevator modernization, or a full-scale infrastructure overhaul, large projects can strain a community’s cash flow and test every relationship involved. This is where the bank can step in as a stabilizing force.

Construction Loans and Project Financing – A well-structured construction loan provides the association with flexibility, allowing progress to continue while assessments are collected over time.

Banks experienced in HOA lending understand: • How to structure draws • How to work with engineers and contractors • How timelines and cost escalations impact reserve projections • How to align financing with long-term planning When the board relies on the bank early in the process, everyone benefits. Managers gain clarity, vendors are paid promptly, and homeowners see confidence and organization from leadership.

Associations often underestimate how much their cash-management strategy impacts operations and vendor relationships.

CD Laddering and Reserve Optimization – Banks can help boards build structured CD ladders that do the following: • Improve liquidity • Maximize insured coverage • Capture better yields without sacrificing safety • Align with projected reserve expenditures

3. A Bank as a Trusted Resource for Vendor and Professional Connections Banks that specialize in community associations maintain extensive networks of qualified experts across the following disciplines: • Engineers • Reserve analysts • Construction firms • Legal counsel • Insurance professionals • CPAs • Management companies Continued on page 18 ECHO journal | JUNE 2026

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Leveraging Your Banking Partner Continued from page 17

If a board struggles to find the right service provider, the bank can often bridge the gap. This does not replace the board’s due diligence, but it can give the association a vetted, credible starting point. Over time, this creates a more cohesive ecosystem where all partners work in alignment rather than in silos.

4. Strengthening Relationships Between Boards and Their Professional Teams A bank’s role is not just to provide financial solutions; it is also to help foster collaboration.

When shared goals and open communication exist between the board, the manager, and the service providers, projects move faster and with fewer surprises.

The bank can facilitate better partnerships in several ways: • Clear reporting helps managers relay accurate information to boards.

• Project financing ensures that vendors are paid promptly, which improves trust.

• Strategic planning sessions with the bank, manager, and board align expectations.

• Education for new board members helps reduce misunderstandings and prevents friction.

When each partner understands the financial framework of the association, decisions become easier, and the entire community experiences more stability.

Communities today face rising insurance costs, aging infrastructure, economic uncertainty, and evolving legislation. A proactive banking relationship benefits the board and its service providers in several ways: • Identifying risk early • Strengthening reserves • Increasing homeowner confidence • Building continuity across board transitions • Preparing for unexpected events without panic A bank that knows the community’s history and financial patterns becomes a long-term asset, one that supports both the immediate operational needs and the broader strategic vision.

5. Building Financial Resilience for the Future

The Bottom Line

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• Condominium Associations • Planned Unit Developments • Mixed Use Associations • Commercial Associations We provide general counsel to Associations including the following services:

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JUNE 2026 | ECHO journal

Professional service providers are essential to community success, but an association’s bank can be the thread that ties everything together.

When a board views its financial institution not just as a vendor but as a strategic partner, it can unlock better communication, stronger relationships, and more efficient operations across the entire community ecosystem.

In other words, an HOA’s bank is one of its most powerful professional service providers, and it should be fully utilized.

Marcy Kravit (CMCA, AMS, PCAM, CFCAM, CSM) has over 25 years of experience in community association management and governance. Serving as vice president on her own association board gave her insight into the needs of HOA communities. She is a SmartStreet team member for Banc of California, providing services in conflict management, team building, project management, managerial finance, public speaking, and HOA management solutions.

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Guardrails for the U Future-Proofed HOA What Boards Need to Get Right About Using AI

BY DANIEL C. HEATON, ESQ.

Serving on a community association board has never been simple, but it feels particularly unforgiving now. Costs keep climbing, regulations keep changing, and homeowners increasingly expect communication that is immediate, accurate, and tailored to their specific concern. Into that environment comes AI, promising faster drafts, cleaner summaries, and answers at any hour of the day.

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sed well, AI can reduce administrative drag and give boards more time for actual governance and community-building. Used casually, it can just as quickly create legal, privacy, and trust problems larger than the administrative headaches it was supposed to solve.

This article is not about whether AI is “good” or “bad.”

AI is already embedded in management platforms, vendor portals, and tools directors may already be using on their own each day. The practical question for boards is whether they can capture the benefit without losing privilege, mishandling owner data, or letting software quietly displace board judgment.

The “Helpful” Chatbot That Made Things Worse Imagine a community that has just activated an online portal with an AI-powered assistant to answer owner questions.

The board is pleased. Response times are down, and the chatbot is handling routine questions that previously consumed management time.

One evening, a homeowner types: “Our roof has been leaking for months. Can I withhold my assessments until the association fixes it?”

The chatbot has been trained on a mixture of generic “landlordtenant” content and some association FAQs. It confidently responds: “Yes. If the association fails to make necessary repairs, you may withhold payments until the issue is resolved.”

Nobody intended to create a collections dispute. But the association now has a homeowner relying on the association’s own portal, a board trying to enforce assessments, and a management team explaining why the automated answer was wrong. The problem was not the effort to modernize.

It was adopting such a powerful tool without guardrails.

AI Can Help, But Only in the Right Lanes Before focusing on risk, boards should be clear about why AI is attractive in the first place. The benefits are real when the tool is used for the right task and with the right level of human review.

Used carefully, AI tools can do the following: • Turn bullet points from management into well-

organized draft newsletters and community-wide emails.

• Draft first-cut agendas, meeting recaps, and task lists based on open-session discussions.

• Help convert dense reserve and budget information into graphs and plain-language explanations owners can understand.

Continued on page 22 ECHO journal | JUNE 2026

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Guardrails for the Future-Proofed HOA Continued from page 21

• Assist managers with creating RFPs, comparison tables, and checklists for vendor proposals.

These uses are not hypothetical. Management platforms, banking systems, compliance tools, and vendor portals are already building AI features into products that associations use. In the right environment, the combination of speed and pattern recognition can be genuinely helpful.

The same power that makes AI useful also makes it risky. It can produce a polished answer faster than a human can review whether that answer is correct, complete, confidential, or appropriate for the audience.

For most associations, the risks cluster in three core areas.

Risk Zone 1: Privilege, confidentiality, and “the AI in the room” Boards already live with a constant tension between transparency and confidentiality.

Some information must be shared broadly with members.

Other information must be kept within the board, management, and counsel to protect the association and comply with the law.

Most generative AI tools are not designed around the distinctions that matter in association governance: attorneyclient privilege, executive session confidentiality, open records, and owner-specific information.

Instead, these tools are designed to take the information provided and generate the most likely response.

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Typical problem patterns: • A director pastes a legal opinion from the association’s attorney into an AI tool and asks it to “summarize this for the rest of the board.”

• A manager drops a full delinquency history, including notes on payment plans and personal circumstances, into a chatbot to “draft a stronger demand letter.”

• A committee member uploads a complaint about harassment or safety and asks AI to “turn this into a formal complaint for the board.”

In each example, information that should stay within a limited circle (board, management, counsel, and other necessary agents) is pushed into a thirdparty system that the association does not control. Depending on the tool and its terms of service, this could undermine privilege, breach confidentiality expectations, or create avoidable privacy exposure.

Board-level guardrail: If a document would not be shared with the general membership, it should not be pasted into a general AI tool. That includes attorney communications, litigation or threatened-claim materials, executive session topics (violations, delinquencies, or member discipline), or sensitive safety complaints.

Any exception should be narrow, documented, and tied to an enterprise-grade AI product approved by management and counsel. At minimum, the

contract should treat the AI provider as a confidential service provider, prohibit unauthorized training use, require reasonable security controls, and define exactly what information may be processed.

AI can help draft. It should not become the silent extra participant in an attorney-client conversation.

Risk Zone 2: Homeowner data and association records in the AI ecosystem Associations already generate a large amount of data: rosters, ledgers, violation logs, architectural records, maintenance history, reserve studies, meeting minutes, and more. AI tools are attractive because they promise to turn that pile of information into something easier to use.

The catch is that once association data is pushed into AI-enabled portals, dashboards, and chatbots, it does not stop being association data. It is simply being stored and processed in new places.

This raises several questions boards need to think about early: 1. What counts as an “association record”?

When AI systems generate financial dashboards, owner account summaries, violation reports, or chat logs, those outputs may become records the association needs to access, retain, or explain, even if they do not fit neatly into the statutory inspection categories. Boards cannot manage, preserve, or respond to records they cannot retrieve from a vendor system.

Continued on page 24

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Guardrails for the Future-Proofed HOA Continued from page 22

2. How are confidential and non-confidential data separated?

Associations hold data that is open to inspection and data that is not, including detailed delinquency information, disciplinary records, certain owner communications, employee information, and privileged communications.

Feeding everything into a single AI environment without proper access controls invites accidental disclosure.

3. What happens if there is a breach?

The more that detailed owner information is concentrated in one place, the more serious the impact if that system is ever compromised. Boards do not get to point at “the vendor” and walk away. Directors will be expected to show they selected and supervised vendors with reasonable care.

Board-level guardrails: Before adopting AI-driven platforms, boards should work with management and counsel to create a basic data map and decide the following: • Classify association data into clear categories, such as “open record,” “confidential association record,” and “privileged.”

• Decide which categories may be used with AI tools and which are off-limits.

• Confirm the following on contracts with vendors: – Identify who owns the data.

– Define how long data is kept, how it can be exported, and in what formats.

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JUNE 2026 | ECHO journal

– Describe how confidential data is segregated and accesscontrolled.

– Include reasonable security and breachnotification obligations.

The message to vendors should be simple: Data ownership is not a slogan. The association must be able to access, compartmentalize, export, and, when appropriate, delete its records in a way that aligns with its legal obligations.

Risk Zone 3: Governance by algorithm The last risk zone is more subtle but no less important. AI does not just process information.

It shapes decisions by influencing how information is presented, which options are highlighted, and which facts may be left out.

In the association context, this can play out in several ways: • AI tools auto-draft violation letters, and the board simply clicks “approve” on a queue without really reviewing the facts or tone.

• A budgeting assistant generates recommended increase levels and reserve contributions, and directors feel pressure to adopt them as-is, even if the underlying assumptions are not well understood.

• A resident-facing chatbot answers rule interpretation questions slightly differently over time, leading to uneven enforcement (e.g., one owner is told a certain patio structure is permitted, another is told it is prohibited).

Boards cannot outsource fiduciary duties to software, even

highly sophisticated software.

Associations are still judged based on whether enforcement is fair and consistent, decisions are made in good faith and in the best interests of the membership, and processes comply with applicable statutes and governing documents. None of that changes because AI tools are involved.

Board-level guardrails: • Treat AI output like a consultant’s memo. It is input, not a decision.

• Keep rule interpretation, enforcement decisions, and assessment decisions firmly in the hands of the board, at properly noticed meetings, with minutes that reflect human deliberation.

• Require that any AIgenerated violation notices, delinquency letters, or owner-specific communications receive human review before they are sent.

If the board would be uncomfortable defending a decision by saying, “That is just what the software recommended,” human judgment has slipped too far to the sidelines.

First, Decide What Problem AI Is Supposed to Solve Before adopting any AI product, boards should identify the task they are trying to improve. Is the goal to write clearer newsletters, sort maintenance requests, summarize board packets, or answer owner questions after hours? Those are different risk profiles. A tool that drafts a general newsletter is not the same as a tool that interprets CC&Rs (covenants, conditions, and restrictions) for

a particular owner. If the board cannot describe the problem, the data being used, and the human who remains responsible for the final answer, the association is not ready to turn the feature on.

Build the Guardrails Before Turning the Feature On The good news is that boards do not need to be technology experts to set workable boundaries. A practical AI use policy does not need to read like software code. It should give directors, managers, vendors, and owners an understandable framework for when AI may be used and when it may not.

At minimum, the policy for most associations should cover at least four areas.

1. Where AI is allowed, and where it is not “Safe lanes” and “prohibited lanes” should be defined in language that a volunteer director, manager, and homeowner can understand.

Examples of appropriate uses: • Drafting community-wide messages from bullet points provided by the board or management • Drafting first-cut agendas, open-session summaries, and task lists • Generating educational materials that explain already-adopted policies and budget decisions in plainer language • Assisting with RFPs, vendor comparison matrices, and internal checklists Examples of prohibited uses: • Processing, summarizing, or rewriting communications with the association’s attorneys

• Handling executive-session subject matter (discipline, delinquencies, personnel, sensitive disputes, litigation) • Making or communicating decisions on individual violations, disputes, or collection matters without human review • Creating or revising formal policy language, governing

document amendments, or settlement terms, except as a drafting aid reviewed and finalized by counsel.

Clarity here prevents later disputes. It also gives managers and directors something concrete to point to when a convenient shortcut would create unnecessary risk.

Continued on page 26

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Guardrails for the Future-Proofed HOA Continued from page 25

2. Tool standards: consumer versus enterprise Volunteer directors and on-site managers are understandably tempted to reach for whatever AI tool is easiest to access on a phone or browser. That usually means consumer-grade tools with click-through terms, uncertain retention practices, and limited administrative controls.

For association business, that is rarely acceptable.

Boards should insist on the following: • Any AI tools used by management or vendors for association work are business or enterprise products, not personal accounts.

• The association is a named customer or a named beneficiary under the contract, or at minimum is expressly protected by its terms regarding confidentiality and data handling.

• Training and retention settings are configured so that association data is not casually used to improve public products in ways the board did not intend.

• It is not realistic to prevent every director from ever touching a consumer AI tool.

It is realistic to say, “You may not use that tool to process association documents or owner information.”

3. Humans stay in the loop “Human in the loop” is a phrase that gets used often and implemented poorly. For an HOA,

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JUNE 2026 | ECHO journal

it should mean that a responsible person reviews AI-assisted work before it affects a homeowner, a vendor relationship, or a board decision.

For resident-facing tools: • Owner-specific communications that apply rules to individual facts, especially violation and collection communications, should be reviewed by management or the board before release.

• There should be a simple, clear way for an owner to escalate a concern to a human if they believe an AIassisted response is wrong or unfair.

• Periodic audits should be done of chatbot logs or templated responses to confirm that they are accurate and consistent with current policies and documents.

For board decision-making: • AI-generated summaries, risk flags, or recommendations should be included in the board packet, just like any other consultant’s report.

• The board packet and meeting process should show that directors had a real opportunity to review the information, ask questions, and make their own decision. Minutes should reflect the action taken without turning into a transcript of every AIgenerated point considered.

• Directors should feel free to disagree with AI-assisted analyses, not treat them as automatically correct.

4. Vendor and management coordination AI is not arriving just through tools that boards choose for themselves. It is also being integrated into management software, banking portals, compliance platforms, and other vendor systems.

Boards should build AI into the normal oversight cycle they already use for vendors: • By asking management and major vendors, at least annually, to describe what AI-related features they are using or planning to roll out that will touch association data or owner interactions • By reviewing proposed new features in light of the association’s AI use policy before turning them on • By involving legal counsel when AI features are tied to contract changes, data handling, or new categories of information moving into vendor systems The goal is not to slow everything to a halt. The goal is to make sure the board, not the vendor or a default software setting, is in charge of how association data and owner relationships are handled.

Explain AI Use Before Owners Discover It By Accident Owners do not need a technical lecture, but they do deserve clarity before an AI-assisted tool starts answering questions or shaping communications that affect them.

When a board adopts AI tools in a meaningful way, it should communicate that decision in plain language. That communication may include the following:

• A short article in the newsletter explaining where AI is being used (e.g., to help draft newsletters or to provide answers to common questions through the portal), and where it is not (e.g., legal decisions, individual enforcement decisions, or board deliberations).

• A statement that governing documents, properly adopted policies, and board decisions always have control over any automated or AI-generated response.

• A reminder that owners can always request clarification from management or attend board meetings to raise concerns.

Transparency builds trust and reduces the perception that “the software” has silently taken over community governance.

Innovation Without Shortcuts AI will keep moving into the HOA world whether boards are ready or not. The choice is whether boards will set the

terms of AI use or let vendors, volunteers, and software defaults set them by accident.

Used in the right lanes, with clear guardrails, AI can reduce administrative overload, improve communication, and help boards present financial and planning information more clearly to the members. What it cannot do is replace judgment, fiduciary duty, or the obligation to treat owners fairly and consistently.

The future-proofed HOA is not the one chasing every new tool.

It is the one that uses technology deliberately, protects the information entrusted to it, and keeps human beings responsible for the decisions that define the community.

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Educational Seminars Learn from an acclaimed faculty delivering essential knowledge for HOA boards and homeowners.

• Ask your questions of on-site attorneys • Visit with industry experts at exhibit tables • Meet and connect with board members from neighboring communities Visit echo-ca.org/events for more information on upcoming events.

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Resource Panel Meetings Come and reconnect with your peers and attend an upcoming Resource Panel in your region. These events are held in a casual atmosphere to enable homeowners, board members, managers, and other professionals to hear about important topics presented by experts in the HOA industry. Click a Resource Panel meeting location below to sign up to receive information.

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The Echo Club at Rossmoor 8/5 • 9:30 AM - 11:30 AM

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Orange County Resource Panel 8/12 • 11:30 AM - 1:30 PM Wine Country Resource Panel 8/18 • 11:30 AM - 1:30 PM

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North Bay Resource Panel 8/19 • 11:30 AM - 1:30 PM San Francisco Resource Panel 8/19 • 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM

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San Diego Resource Panel San Diego ECHO journal | JUNE 2026

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WELCOME TO ECHO’S

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Maven Management & Consulting Maven Management and Consulting is one of the premiere Homeowners’ Association (HOA) companies located in the heart of Silicon Valley.

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Ethical HOA Management for Next Decades nexova ai integrates experienced community managers with modern management systems to deliver clear, consistent experience for boards and homeowners.

We focus on protecting and strengthening long-term property value through responsible operations, transparent financial oversight, proactive vendor coordination, and engaged community support. Our approach helps communities operate efficiently, manage costs responsibly, and maintain well-run, attractive neighborhoods.

Administrative Support We support day-to-day community operations with structured processes that promote consistency, compliance, and effective board governance.

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Vendor Management We coordinate vendor relationships through competitive bidding, clear communication, and cost-conscious oversight to help communities control expenses.

Project Management We oversee maintenance projects and insurance coordination to support cost control, risk management, and timely execution. nexova ai (206) 482-0213 nexovaai.io Continued on page 32

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Visit bit.ly/Echo-Professionals New Professionals Continued from page 29

Echo Board of Directors Candidacy and Election Announcement Echo will conduct the annual election of its board of directors in early fall.

The results of the election will be announced at the Echo annual membership meeting, which will be held on Thursday. November 19, 2026, from 9:00 to 9:15 a.m. The meeting will be online only. Candidate nomination application forms can be requested via the following email: elections@echo-ca.org.

For the application to be considered by the Echo nominating committee, it must be completed and received by Echo no later than 5:00 p.m. on July 31, 2026.

For more information, contact Dave Zepponi at dzepponi@echo-ca.org.

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JUNE 2026 | ECHO journal

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We offer access to financial services including loan programs and investment opportunities tailored to your community's needs. Every homeowner ledger is maintained in detail, and when collection activity is required, we handle it with professionalism and in full accordance with the law. Your community's financial health is something we take personally.

Board members volunteer their time because they care. We support that commitment by guiding boards through meeting preparation, agenda setting, and minutes documentation. We help navigate difficult conversations, advise on policy enforcement, and ensure decisions are made with the right information.

RowCal also proudly offers board training — because a well-informed board is an effective one.

To our current clients: thank you. Your trust means everything, and we work every day to earn it.

To those exploring what's possible: we'd love to connect. Let's have a real conversation about what your community needs — and whether we're the right fit to deliver it.

Kevin Holloway

Branch President - California 408.414.1800 ext 38126 Kevin.Holloway@rowcal.com

rowcal.com/learn-more ECHO journal | JUNE 2026

33

LEGISLATIVE UPDATE June 2026

BY NATHAN McGUIRE, ESQ. (Note: The information in this report is as of June 5, 2026)

We are now in the heart of the legislative session. At this stage, bills either progress through the committee process (often with significant amendments along the way) or they stall—sometimes quietly—when they are held in committee, placed on a suspense file, or simply not set for hearing. Legislators will take their summer recess on July 2 and reconvene on August 3. Once they are back in session, the push begins to get bills to the governor’s desk before the August 31 deadline for each house to pass bills.

In California, a bill generally starts in its house of origin (Assembly or Senate) and is heard in one or more policy committees (for HOA bills, often Housing and Judiciary committees). If the bill has a fiscal impact, it may also be referred to Appropriations, where it can be placed on the “suspense file” for later consideration. Bills that clear committees move to the floor for a vote of the full house; if they pass, they “cross over” to the other house and repeat a similar committee-andfloor path. If the second house amends the bill, it returns to the house of origin for concurrence. Bills that pass both houses are sent to the governor for signature or veto.

Below are (1) the HOA-related bills we’re actively watching as they work their way through committees and floor votes, followed by (2) “watch bills” that currently appear stalled but could still be revived later in the session.

Because there are a some extremely harmful bills which seem to be heading toward passage, Echo has determined to formally oppose the following bills: • AB-1903, which would significantly limit an HOA’s ability to pursue lawsuits for construction defects.

• SB-1007, which would require member approval to increase regular assessments more than 8% from the prior fiscal year.

Follow Echo for more information about how you can help in the efforts across the industry to oppose these bills.

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JUNE 2026 | ECHO journal

ASSEMBLY BILLS AB-739 (JACKSON) – ASSOCIATION FEES This bill, originally introduced last year, would have required a managing agent of a common interest development to hold a real estate broker license issued by the DRE (Department of Real Estate). The bill was amended on January 5, 2026, and January 15, 2026, changing gears completely to require the board of directors of the association to review, on an annual basis, fees charged by the managing agent, as specified. The bill would also require the association to deliver through electronic means a statement of these fees upon written request by a member.

STATUS: The bill passed out of the Assembly 75-0 and has been referred to the Senate Housing and Judiciary committees.

AB-956 (QUIRK-SILVA) – ADUs This bill was amended in May to expand the prohibition of unreasonable restrictions on ADUs/JADUs from planned developments to all common interest development lots zoned to allow single-family homes. The bill also increases the number of ADUs permitted on a lot, subject to ministerial review, from one to two detached ADUs. STATUS: The amended bill has been re-referred to the Housing Committee.

AB-1184 (PATTERSON/DEMAIO) – GOVERNANCE This bill, originally introduced last year, has been amended and now appears to be the followup to AB-21, a “kitchen sink” bill which failed to move last year. This bill would: • Require the general notice for an emergency rule change to include the text of the rule change, a description of its purpose and effect, and the date when the rule change will expire.

• Prohibit a majority of the directors of the board, outside an authorized meeting, from using a series of communications of

any kind, directly or through intermediaries, to discuss, deliberate, or take action on any item of business within the board’s subject matter jurisdiction, except in an emergency. The bill would also exempt from this prohibition certain informational and ministerial communications.

• Require the board, if the association becomes involved in litigation, to provide notice of the occurrence as part of the annual budget report distributed to members, as prescribed.

• Require, if open session meetings of the board are electronically recorded using audio, or audio and video, that the recordings be considered a record of the association and be made available to members on the same basis as written meeting minutes. The bill would require notice to be given at the beginning of every open session of the board that the meeting is being recorded.

• Prohibit the imposition of a charge for minutes that are distributed electronically.

The bill would allow minutes posted on the association website to meet minute distribution requirements. The bill would require the minutes, or proposed minutes, to include specified information, including the date and time of the meeting.

STATUS: The bill passed out of the Assembly 69-0 and has been referred to the Senate Housing and Judiciary committees.

COMMENTS: The most impactful requirement of this bill would be that it would eliminate the email exception to the Open Meeting Act, which was expressly ruled as legal by the appellate court in the LSNU v. Alta Del Mar case.

AB-1684 (WARD) – COOLING SYSTEMS This bill would make any provision of the governing documents, architectural guidelines, or policies void and unenforceable if the provision prohibits or restricts the installation, upgrade, replacement, or use of a cooling system. The bill would also make void and unenforceable any covenant, restriction, or condition contained in any, among other specified agreements, deed that effectively prohibits or restricts the installation, upgrade, replacement, or use of a cooling system. The bill would make it unlawful for an association to prohibit or restrict a member from installing, upgrading, replacing, or using a cooling system in the member’s separate interest, or to take other specified actions in connection with the installation, upgrade, replacement, or use of a cooling system, subject to specified exceptions. Finally, the bill would make an association that willfully violates these provisions liable to the member for actual

damages occasioned thereby, and for a civil penalty paid to the member in an amount not to exceed $2,000.

STATUS: The bill passed out of the Assembly 74-0 and has been referred to the Senate Housing and Judiciary committees.

AB-1892 (DAVIES) – MAINTENANCE AND ELECTIONS This is a cleanup bill to 2024’s SB-900. Under SB-900, an association is responsible for repairs and replacements necessary to restore interrupted gas, heat, water, or electrical services that begin in the common area even if the matter extends into another area, as specified, unless the utility service that failed is required to be maintained, repaired, or replaced by a public, private, or other utility service provider, or otherwise provided in the declaration. This bill would attempt to clarify that requirement by replacing “that begin in the common area” with “when the interruption begins in.” Unrelated to SB-900, the bill would change the 90-day notice for an association intending to use election by acclamation to 30 days.

And finally, the bill would clarify that electronic ballots are to be delivered only to members who are voting electronically.

STATUS: The bill passed out of the Assembly 72-1 and is being referred to committees in the Senate.

COMMENT: This bill makes a few minor but important tweaks to the Davis-Stirling Act, the most impactful of which would be reducing the initial notice of intent to use acclamation from 90 to 30 days, which would better align with the overall election timeline and not unnecessarily extend the time it takes to conduct an election allowing for the possibility of acclamation.

AB-1903 (WICKS/BECKER) – CONSTRUCTION DEFECTS This bill would amend multiple civil code provisions related to construction defect actions, including Davis-Stirling Act provisions (including Civil Code Sections 5980 and 6150). Among other changes, it would create an alternative process for construction defect actions for “certified buildings” (where the builder obtains a private inspection by a licensed architect, engineer, or general contractor) and would modify the content and verification requirements for construction defect notices. For HOAs, the bill would require (1) notices involving separate interests to be signed by each affected homeowner and (2) notices involving common areas to be verified by the association’s president.

Continued on page 36

ECHO journal | JUNE 2026

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Legislative Update Continued from page 35

STATUS: The bill passed out of the Assembly 70-0 and is set for hearing on June 23, 2026, before the Senate Judiciary Committee. The bill was amended on April 23, 2026, to eliminate the 75% vote requirement, clarify that it applies only to condo projects and townhouse developments (constructed after January 1, 2027), and prohibit the recovery of investigative costs by abrogating the Stearman v. Centex Homes ruling. Further amendment on May 18, 2026, significantly tightens prelitigation and evidence requirements for homeowners, limits recoverable construction defect damages, insulates HOA board members from fiduciary liability regarding defect litigation, and introduces a voluntary “certified building” program that offers builders expanded liability releases.

COMMENT: The bill, if passed, would be a fundamental shift in how HOAs address construction failures, making the path to litigation significantly more difficult and expensive. The inability to recover expert fees would limit an HOA’s recovery dramatically. Echo has taken a position to formally oppose this bill.

AB-2035 (DIXON) – AMENDMENTS This bill would lower the threshold for petitioning the superior court to reduce the percentage of votes necessary for an amendment to more than 37 percent of the votes if the court finds that the common interest development is a senior citizen housing development, as defined, the separate interests in the common interest development meet specified criteria, and the declaration has not been amended in at least 35 years.

STATUS: The bill passed out of the Assembly 73-0 and has been referred to the Senate Housing and Judiciary committees.

COMMENT: While the concept works, the bill applies so narrowly there would be no benefit for most HOAs. AB-2050 (CALOZA) – RESERVE ACCOUNTS This bill would, beginning January 1, 2032, revise the requirement to perform a study of the reserve account requirements to, among other things, include the minimum reserve contribution level to prevent the projected association reserve account balance from falling below zero over the following 30 years. The bill would require an association to fund the reserve account on an annual basis in at least the minimum reserve contribution level. If the association is unable to fund the reserve account in at least the minimum reserve contribution level without exceeding the above-described specified limitations on increases on assessments, then, 36

JUNE 2026 | ECHO journal

notwithstanding those specified limitations, the bill would require the association to levy a reserve special assessment in an amount necessary to allow the association to fund to minimum contribution level without a reserve special assessment within nine (9) fiscal years, as provided.

STATUS: The bill passed out of the Assembly 59-7 and has been referred to the Housing, Judiciary, and Appropriations committees. The bill was amended on April 16, 2026, to extend the time an HOA has to levy a reserve special assessment from three (3) to nine (9) fiscal years.

COMMENT: The bill seeks to ensure that HOAs proactively fund the long-term maintenance of their essential infrastructure. By mandating a minimum funding floor, the bill protects homeowners from the financial devastation of sudden special assessments while securing property values and lending eligibility for the future.

AB-2439 (BLANCA RUBIO) – GOVERNING DOCUMENTS: ASSESSMENTS This bill was gutted and amended. As amended, it would prohibit governing documents from imposing restrictions on a member’s use of public roads. It would also make changes related to collections, including requiring associations to notify members by certified mail of a change in the person authorized to receive payment of assessments within 60 days of the change. Finally, it would add potential liability for “boards” that fail to comply with statutory collection procedures (including reconveyance fees, owner costs tied to the noncompliance, and a $1,000 civil penalty).

STATUS: The bill passed out of the Assembly 74-0 and has been referred to the Senate Housing and Judiciary committees.

COMMENT: This bill would significantly increase the financial risk for HOA boards by introducing a $1,000 civil penalty for even minor procedural errors in the lien process, moving beyond the current strict compliance standard, which already requires restarting collection processes. What is most concerning is that the $1,000 penalty could be applied to “the board,” not the association.

AB-2579 (PETRIE-NORRIS) – MEMBER DISCIPLINE This is a cleanup bill to last year’s AB-130. The bill would amend Civil Code Sections 5850 and 5855, and add 5851, regarding member discipline.

It was significantly amended on April 29, 2026.

The deleted exception for the $100 fine cap for “adverse health or safety impacts on the common area or another association member’s property” has been added back. And now, instead of a list of additional specified exceptions in the Davis-Stirling Continued on page 38

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37

Legislative Update Continued from page 36

Act (including environmental hazards, architectural improvements, pets/animals, maintenance, activities in the common area, violent acts, and short-term rental policy violations), a list would be developed and published by the California Department of Real Estate (DRE) pursuant to newly added 5851.

STATUS: The bill passed out of the Judiciary (12-0) and Housing (12-0) committees and, since there would be a fiscal impact to the state, it was referred to the Appropriations Committee. It was then ordered to the inactive file at the request of the author.

COMMENT: The fact that the DRE would be involved made this a more difficult process. The bill will not be going anywhere this year.

AB-2692 (IRWIN) – REINSTATEMENT OF TERMINATED DECLARATIONS (LA COUNTY) This bill would add Civil Code Section 4276 to allow covenants, conditions, and restrictions (CC&Rs) that have been terminated by operation of a declaration’s stated term to be reinstated in Los Angeles County if approved by the percentage of members required by the CC&Rs for extending the term. It would be limited to Los Angeles County and would sunset on January 1, 2028. The bill was amended on April 29, 2026, to make it an urgency measure, which means it would take effect immediately if passed.

STATUS: The bill passed out of the Assembly 66-0 and has been referred to the Senate Housing and Judiciary committees. It has been deemed to be an urgency measure, so if it passes it will take effect immediately.

SENATE BILLS SB-222 (WIENER/ALLEN/BECKER/STERN) – APPLIANCES AND UTILITIES This bill would make any provision of the governing documents, architectural guidelines, or policies void and unenforceable if the provision prevents the replacement of a fuel-gas-burning appliance with an electric appliance. The bill would also make any covenant, restriction, or condition contained in any, among other specified agreements, deed, and any provision of a governing document, that effectively prohibits or restricts the installation or use of a residential heat pump water heater or heat pump HVAC system, void and unenforceable.

STATUS: The bill passed out of the Senate 29-8 and has been referred to the Assembly Housing and Local Government committees.

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JUNE 2026 | ECHO journal

SB-876 (PADILLA) – FIRE AND RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY INSURANCE This bill would substantially expand insurers’ payment obligations, coverage requirements, and regulatory oversight for residential property insurance, particularly in the context of declared states of emergency. It would accelerate and increase mandatory claim payments following a total loss by requiring prompt payment of actual cash value and undisputed replacement cost amounts, with interest penalties for delays. It would broaden and mandate enhanced replacement cost, guaranteed replacement cost, and building code upgrade coverage, limiting insurers’ ability to issue or renew policies unless higher levels of coverage are affirmatively offered and, in some cases, automatically increased after disaster losses. It would tighten insurer compliance by eliminating exemptions from rebuilding cost estimates, extending those obligations to FAIR Plan policies, and exposing insurers to liability up to full replacement cost for noncompliance. Additional provisions expand additional living expense benefits, increase contents payouts after total losses, restrict adjuster reassignments, and impose stricter reporting and disaster planning requirements on insurers. While the bill is directed at insurers, its practical effect may be increased premiums, reduced underwriting flexibility, and tighter scrutiny of property condition and valuation—impacts that could be felt acutely by homeowners associations insuring large, multi-structure residential communities in high‑risk areas.

STATUS: The bill passed out of the Senate 30-9 after making it off of the Appropriations suspense file, a relatively rare occurrence.

SB-908 (WIENER/WAHAB) – RESIDENTIAL WINDOWS: RETROFITTING This bill would preclude governing documents from limiting or prohibiting owners from replacing existing residential windows with “California Energy Codecompliant windows,” as defined (by reference to the California Energy Code’s fenestration requirements, and as further described in proposed Government Code Section 65850.73).

STATUS: This bill passed out of the Senate 32-7 and has been referred to the Assembly Housing and Local Government committees.

SB-1007 (MENJIVAR) – DISCLOSURES AND ASSESSMENTS This bill would require the annual budget report to include a high-level summary breakdown of what the regular assessments fund and a statement regarding compensation of a management company, as provided. The bill would require a summary of an annual budget or policy statement to also include

a high-level breakdown that describes what the regular assessments fund, as specified. This bill would prohibit an association from increasing a regular assessment, unless the board includes the above-referenced information pertaining to regular assessments. The bill would, instead, prohibit a board from imposing a regular assessment for the association’s preceding year, adjusted for inflation, without the approval of the majority of a quorum of members. This bill would require the association to make any physical evidence used to determine that a violation of the governing documents has occurred available to the member at least five (5) business days before the hearing or deadline for the member’s response if the association seeks to impose a monetary penalty against a member for violation of the governing documents, as provided.

STATUS: The bill passed out of the Senate 24-13, one of the closer votes for an HOA bill this year.

COMMENT: This bill would have a massive harmful impact on HOAs, limiting the ability to increase assessments beyond the inflation amount and eliminating the current cap of 20% from the prior year. The bill would harm member property values by limiting an HOA’s ability to adequately fund reserves (which are woefully low in many cases), which is an important policy objective and would make it harder to obtain loans for purchase or refinancing. For these reasons, Echo has formally opposed this bill.

UPDATE: The bill was amended on May 21 to cap assessment increases at 8% (reduced from the current 20% cap) without member approval, instead of tying the cap to inflation. It also changes the requirement for the summary of an annual budget to include a comparison breakdown of anticipated expenses versus actual expenditures of the previous fiscal year and a statement regarding compensation of any management company.

SB-1238 (WAHAB) – MANAGEMENT AND MAINTENANCE This bill would make broad revisions to the Davis‑Stirling Act aimed at increasing transparency, accountability, and consumer protection in common interest developments. However, some of the requirements would be unworkable in practice. This bill would significantly expand the regulatory and administrative obligations placed on homeowners associations, with a particular focus on management practices, reserve funds, and structural safety disclosures. It would broaden the definition of association “agents” to capture managers and third parties involved in key disclosure and financial functions, expressly subjecting them to fiduciary duties owed to the board and members. It would substantially increase disclosure requirements for homeowners, associations, and managers in connection with sales and refinances, especially

where balconies or other exterior elevated elements are involved, and ties those disclosures to evolving federal lending standards and “critical repair” concepts. The bill would tightly restrict boards’ ability to use or transfer reserve funds for litigation or legal services involving owners or their relatives, even at the threat stage. In addition, it would integrate exterior elevated element inspections into the reserve study framework, emphasizing occupant safety and requiring that identified repairs be prominently summarized and incorporated into reserve planning and disclosures. Taken together, the measure would increase compliance complexity, documentation burdens, and risk exposure for volunteer boards, while narrowing board discretion over reserves and heightening scrutiny of how associations plan for, disclose, and fund major repair obligations.

STATUS: This bill, sponsored by CAR (California Association of Realtors), has been referred to the Housing, Judiciary, and Appropriations committees.

The bill was amended on April 16, 2026, to impose a “duty of care that is prudent and provides the highest good faith effort to the association and its members.” The bill passed out of the Senate 36-2 and has been referred to the Assembly Housing and Judiciary committees.

COMMENT: This bill would significantly increase operating costs for HOAs and would create a heightened standard of care that would discourage vendors and managers from working with HOAs or motivate them to shift even more liability to HOAs via contract or insurance obligations.

SB-1267 (ALLEN) – ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING STATIONS This follow-up bill to last year’s SB-770 (precluding HOAs from requiring insurance naming the association as an additional insured) aims to provide liability protection for associations that permit installation of EV charging stations. The bill would make each owner and successive owner responsible for any damages resulting from installation of an EV charging station and would further require installers to indemnify or reimburse the association or its members for loss or damage caused by the installation of the EV charging station. The bill was amended on February 19, 2026, to clarify that an association may require an owner to enter into a maintenance and indemnity agreement to transfer liability for damage arising from the charging station and that installers are only liable for the installation, not maintenance or use of the charging station.

STATUS: The bill passed out of the Senate 36-0 and has been referred to the Assembly Housing and Judiciary committees.

Continued on page 40 ECHO journal | JUNE 2026

39

TAKE A STAND AGAINST AB-1903 Join Echo and voice your

Legislative Update Continued from page 39

WATCH BILLS These bills don’t appear to be moving, but could still be picked back up again at this point in the session: •

AB-6 (WARD)—This bill was introduced last year and ended up in the suspense file. It would require the Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) to convene a working group to research and consider recommending building standards.

•

AB-21 (DEMAIO)—This kitchen-sink bill would make numerous changes negatively impacting operations and management of HOAs. It failed to advance out of committee. The author is working with Assemblymember Patterson on a related bill, AB-1184.

•

AB-69 (CALDERON)—This bill would require a broker of record to determine if a FAIR Plan policy can be moved to a voluntary market insurance company before the policy is renewed. Introduced last year, it passed out of the Assembly 78-0. The hearing in the Insurance Committee was cancelled at the author’s request, and the bill failed to move from there.

•

AB-1240 (LEE/PEREZ)—This bill would prohibit a business entity that has an interest in more than 1,000 single-family residential properties from purchasing additional single-family residential properties for rental purposes. It passed out of the Assembly 42-18 but was held up in the Senate Judiciary Committee and did not make it to the Senate floor.

•

SB-282 (WIENER)—This bill would void any restrictions in governing documents that prevent the replacement of a fuel-gas-burning appliance with an electric appliance or prevent the installation or use of a residential heat pump water heater or heat pump HVAC system.

It was returned to the Senate due to its failure to advance.

•

SB-448 (UMBERG)—This bill would implement procedures for removal of squatters. It was returned to the Senate due to its failure to advance.

•

SB-570 (ALVARADO-GIL)—This HOA spot bill was never amended to include substantive changes to the law.

•

SB-681 (WAHAB)—This bill contained the language that was incorporated into AB-130 but could be amended to make related changes.

•

SB-750 (CORTESE)—This bill would establish the California Residential Mortgage Insurance Fund in the State Treasury and would continuously appropriate moneys to the California Housing Finance Agency (CalHFA) for the purpose of insuring construction loans and permanent loans for affordable housing.

opposition to AB-1903, the developers’ bill to subvert a fair process for homeowners to fight poorly constructed new homes in California.

Use the QR code below or click here for more information and to sign the petition opposing this proposed bill: Safe Homes California Oppose AB-1903.

Be sure to check Echo’s website frequently for the most current information on pending legislation: www.echo-ca.org/echo-legislationtracker/.

Nathan McGuire, Esq., is a founding partner of McGuire Schubert Sohal LLP, a law firm specializing in representing community associations of all types. He has been engaged in legislative advocacy for HOAs for most of his 20-plus-year career and serves on the board of directors for Echo.

He was named Super Lawyers magazine’s “California Rising Star” for six years running; Super Lawyer in 2021-2026; and is the recipient of an AV Preeminent Peer Review designation from Martindale-Hubbell, which signifies the highest level of excellence in the attorney profession.

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JUNE 2026 | ECHO journal

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Butner Homeowner Association Services P.O. Box 1999 Mammoth Lakes, CA 93546 (760) 934-8589 www.butnerhoaservices.com

CID Consortium, LLC Brenda Lynch 919 Reserve Dr. Roseville, CA 95678 (888) 786-6000 (707) 484-9729 (cell) blynch@cidcllc.us www.cidcllc.us

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Condominium Financial Management, Inc., CMF 60 Mayhew Way Walnut Creek, CA 94597 (925) 566-6800 www.condofinancial.com

HOA Accounting Services 2261 Market St., Ste. 4100 San Francisco, CA 94114 (925) 332-2200 www.hoa-accounting.com

Lara Accountancy Group, Inc. 303 Twin Dolphin Dr., Ste. 600 Redwood City, CA 94065 (650) 632-4211 www.lara-cpa.com

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CalPro Construction & Painting 1076 Horizon Dr., Ste. 16 Fairfield, CA 94533 (800) 373-1352 www.thinkcalpro.com

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ECHO journal | JUNE 2026

41

2 0 2 6 P R O F E S S I O N A L S E R V I C E P R OV I D E R D I R E C T O R Y

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Saarman Construction, Ltd. 1900 N. Loop Rd. Alameda, CA 94502 (415) 749-2700 www.saarman.com

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Unlimited Property

Scott Swinton 1300 Galaxy Way, Ste. 6 Concord, CA 94520 (510) 367-0192 info@upsionline.com www.upsionline.com

Velocity Construction Services, Inc. Michael Nielsen, President 4123 Pestana Pl. Fremont, CA 94538 (510) 657-6432 michael@velocitycsinc.com www.velocitycsinc.com

Unlimited Property

Scott Swinton 1300 Galaxy Way, Ste. 6 Concord, CA 94520 (510) 367-0192 info@upsionline.com www.upsionline.com

Reeves Construction Advisors 1731 Howe Ave., #512 Sacramento, CA 95825 (916) 805-9809 www.reevesadvisors.com

CONSULTANTS Golden State Construction & HOA Law 2603 Camino Ramon, Ste 200, PMB 457 San Ramon, CA 94583 (800) 260-8488 www.goldenstateconstructionlaw.com

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JUNE 2026 | ECHO journal

ELECTION SERVICES & INSPECTORS OF ELECTIONS Bellwether Election Solutions 1508 Eureka Rd., Ste. 230 Roseville, CA 95661 (916) 872-1801 www.bellwethersolution.com

HOA Election Team, LLC

Dan Breeden, Manager 4041 Soquel Dr., Ste. 334 Soquel, CA 95073 (831) 316-3115 admin@hoaelectionteam.com www.hoaelectionteam.com

Deanna Libert, Owner 3150 Almaden Expy., Ste. 235 San Jose, CA 95118 (408) 444-4462 deanna@hoaelection.com www.hoaelection.com See our ad on page 25

Professional Association Services, Inc. 42612 Christy St. Fremont, CA 94538 (707) 539-5810, ext. 352 www.pas-inc.com

Building Bridges Communities, LLC

Citizens Business Bank

Daniel W. Davis Insurance Solutions, LLC

Kimberly Bohn, SVP, HOA Industry Mgr. 224 Airport Pkwy.

San Jose, CA 95110 (844) 489-0999 (408) 200-8730 (Direct) klbohn@cbbank.com www.cbbank.com/California

2 0 2 6 P R O F E S S I O N A L S E R V I C E P R OV I D E R D I R E C T O R Y

Liberty HOA Election Services, LLC

FINANCIAL & INVESTMENT SERVICES

10636 Scripps Summit Court, Ste. 110 San Diego, CA 92131-3965 (619) 822-0756

888 N. 1st St., Ste. D San Jose, CA 95112 (408) 888-5410 www.inszoneinsurance.com

See our advertorial on page 15

SmartStreet HOA Banking | Banc of California

3 MacArthur Pl. Santa Ana, CA 92707 (702) 335-3580 www.bancofcal.com/industries/communityassociations/

George Petersen Insurance Agency Rachel Adams 175 W. College Ave. Santa Rosa, CA 95401 (707) 525-4186 radams@gpins.com www.gpins.com See our ad on page 25

Pro Elections, LLC Abigail Padou, Owner P.O. Box 659 Murphys, CA 95247 (209) 559-1448 info@pro-ei.com www.pro-ei.com

ENGINEERING

GREEN SOLUTIONS Green Water & Power

16517 Arminta St. Van Nuys, CA 91406 (888) 928-6016 www.greenwaterandpower.com

HOA BOARD CONSULTING

Kelly Lux State Farm Insurance 2221 Harbor Bay Pkwy.

Alameda, CA 94502 (510) 521-1222 www.kellylux.com

The Kevin Boland Insurance Agency, Inc. 1202 Grant Ave., Ste. E Novato, CA 94945 (415) 898-4370 www.kevinbolandinsurance.com

Kevin Davis Insurance Services

DLC Construction Management 1350 Hayes St., #C13 Benicia, CA 94510 (707) 750-5155 info@dlccm.com www.dlccm.com See our ad on page 5

One Structural

19326 Ventura Blvd., Ste. 202 Tarzana, CA 91356 (844) 473-8761 www.onestructural.com

McMills Duffy Consulting Group Heather McMills- Partner Jill Duffy - Partner 1 Belvedere Pl., Ste. 200 Mill Valley, CA 94941 (800) 919-4351 heather@mcmillsduffy.com jill@mcmillsduffy.com www.mcmillsduffy.com

725 S. Figueroa St., Ste. 1860 Los Angeles, CA 90017 (213) 833-6191 www.kdisonline.com

Motus Earthquake Insurance 166 Mercer St., Ste. 3F New York, NY 10012 (833) 668-8746 www.motusins.com

Prendiville Insurance Agency

INSURANCE SERVICES

24661 Del Prado, #3 Dana Point, CA 92629 (949) 407-6322 www.prendivilleagency.com

Allied Brokers Insurance Agency, Inc.

Socher Insurance Agency, Inc.

See our ad on the Inside Front Cover

591 Lytton Ave. Palo Alto, CA 94301 (650) 328-1000 www.alliedbrokers.com

6101 Bollinger Canyon Rd., Ste. 150 San Ramon, CA 94583 (877) 317-9300 www.hoainsurance.net

Bay Area Insurance Agency, Inc. 3 Lagoon Dr., #260 Redwood City, CA 94065 (650) 654-9750 www.bai-online.com

ECHO journal | JUNE 2026

43

2 0 2 6 P R O F E S S I O N A L S E R V I C E P R OV I D E R D I R E C T O R Y

INSURANCE SERVICES CONT’D.

Common Ground Landscape Management

725 Lenzen Ave. San Jose, CA 95126 (408) 278-9807 www.commongroundlandscapeinc.com

Spina Insurance Agency

Christi Spina, Owner-Agent 1221 Farmers Lane, Ste. 200 Santa Rosa, CA 95405 (415) 382-9714 or (707) 523-3006 cspina@farmersagent.com www.agents.farmers.com/cspina See our ad on page 11

ILLUMINATION SPECIALISTS

Gachina Landscape Management 1130 O’Brien Dr. Menlo Park, CA 94025 (866) 266-6940 www.gachina.com

Green Vine Landscaping, Inc. 1400 Dutton Ave., Ste. 21 Santa Rosa, CA 95401 (707) 217-7507 www.greenvinelandscaping.com

Illumination Management

1048 Murray St. Berkeley, CA 94710 (510) 725-6463 www.illuminationmanagement.com

INTERIOR & SPACE DESIGN Sayler Design, Inc.

611 South B St. San Mateo, CA 94401 (650) 348-0100 www.saylerdesign.com

LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE & SERVICES Alpine Landscapes 8787 Monterey Rd. Gilroy, CA 95020 (408) 846-9511 www.youralpine.com

Del Conte’s Landscaping, Inc. 41900 Boscell Rd. Fremont, CA 94538 (510) 353-6030 www.dclandscaping.com

Elite Maintenance and Tree Service 2972 Larkin Ave. Clovis, CA 93612 (559) 292-2900 www.emtscorp.com

Cagwin & Dorward Landscape Contractors Lisa Starratt P.O. Box 6004 Petaluma, CA 94955 (800) 891-7710 lisa.starratt@cagwin.com www.cagwin.com See our ad on page 10 44

JUNE 2026 | ECHO journal

PAINTING CONTRACTORS C & A Painting & Construction 1260 Yard Court, Ste. A San Jose, CA 95133 (408) 712-9674 www.candapainting.com

Ekim Painting

10200 Imperial Ave. Cupertino, CA 95014 (408) 996-3897 www.ekimpainting.com

JLM Painting, Inc.

1728 Corporate Circle Petaluma, CA 94954 (707) 782-3652 www.jlmpaintingco.com

MB Jessee Painting

Landesign Construction & Maintenance, Inc.

1552 Beach St., Ste. G Oakland, CA 94608 (855) 625-3773 www.mbjessee.com

Kelley Lazzareschi P.O. Box 2326 Santa Rosa, CA 95405 (707) 578-2657 kelley.l@landesign-inc.com www.landesign-inc.com

OptiWise Landscape

28 Geary St., Ste. 650 #215 San Francisco, CA 94108 (408) 826-4684 www.optiwiselandscape.com

SavATree

1993 E. Bayshore Rd. Redwood City, CA 94063 (888) 969-8733 www.SavATree.com

MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE BIMINI Corp.

11626 Wolf Rd. Grass Valley, CA 95949 (530) 205-6912 www.biminicorp.com

Community Financials

7 W. Figueroa St., Ste. 300 Santa Barbara, CA 93101 (833) 266-3646 www.communityfinancials.com

Gigaly

44 Montgomery St., Ste. 2-320 San Francisco, CA 94104 (647) 509-2235 www.gigaly.com

Urban Painting & Urban Waterproofing

Tyra LaMar Director of Marketing & Business Development 630 Las Gallinas Ave., 2nd Floor San Rafael, CA 94903 (415) 320-0474 tyra.lamar@urbanco.com www.urbanco.com

Whit’s Painting, Inc.

4070 Nelson Ave., Ste. K Concord, CA 94520 (925) 429-2669 www.whitspaintinginc.com

PAINT MANUFACTURERS Bee Green Recycling & Supply 725 Julie Ann Way Oakland, CA 94621-4037 (510) 636-0852 www.beegreen.green

Dunn-Edwards Paint Corporation 407 Aaron St. Cotati, CA 94931 (707) 790-9385 www.dunnedwards.com

Action Asphalt and Concrete P.O. Box 418352 Sacramento, CA 95841 (916) 947-5425 www.actionasphalt.com

Reliable Pavement Services, LLC Rick Scheibley, CEO 877 Serene Ct. Morgan Hill, CA 95037 (408) 858-2117 rick@rpspaveman.com www.rpspaveman.com

SmartProperty

600 B St., Ste. 300 San Diego, CA 92101 (619) 384-2887 www.smartproperty.com

SEWER PIPE REPAIR AND REPLACEMENT Trenchless Titan

RESTORATION & CLEAN-UP

3 Heather Way Larkspur, CA 94939 (415) 924-2555 www.trenchlesstitan.com

Authentic Restoration & Waterproofing, Inc.

TOWING & PARKING SERVICES

25005 Viking St. Hayward, CA 94545 (510) 732-5400 www.authenticrestoration.com

Fire & Water Damage Recovery

2 0 2 6 P R O F E S S I O N A L S E R V I C E P R OV I D E R D I R E C T O R Y

PAVING, ASPHALT & CONCRETE

Morris and Sons Towing

300 E. Gish Rd. San Jose, CA 95112 (408) 995-6900 www.morrisandsonstowing.com

2495 Washington Ave. San Leandro, CA 94577 (510) 394-0980 www.waterdamagerecovery.net

See our advertorial on page 23

ROOFING CONTRACTORS PLUMBING | BOILERS | HVAC Flowing Water

150 Mason Circle, Ste. L Concord, CA 94520 (925) 255-6333 www.flowingwater.net

All Seasons Roofing and Waterproofing 1720 Smith Ave. San Jose, CA 95112 (408) 971-4455 www.allseasonsroof.com

Fidelity Roof Company, Inc. RESERVES Association Reserves, Inc. 2339 Jones St., Ste. #2 San Francisco, CA 94133 (415) 694-8931 www.reservestudy.com

1075 40th St. Oakland, CA 94608 (510) 547-6330 www.fidelityroof.com

San Diego Roof Doctor

3110 S. Santa Fe Ave. San Marcos, CA 92069 (760) 471-7131 www.sandiegoroofdoctor.com

Rebello’s Towing Services, Inc. Jonathan Lewis 696 Kings Row San Jose, CA 95112 (408) 292-8300 jonathan@rebellos.net www.rebellos.net See our ad on page 7

TREE SERVICES Arbor MD

7041 Koll Center Pkwy., Ste. 120 Pleasanton, CA 94566 (707) 730-8632 www.arbormd.com

ROOFING PRODUCTS Browning Reserve Group Christian Colunga 3435 Mission Ave. Carmichael, CA 95608 (916) 393-0600 christian@browningrg.com www.browningrg.com

The Helsing Group

Westlake Royal Roofing Solutions 721 Monroe Way Placentia, CA 92870 (714) 412-6244 www.westlakeroyalroofing.com

SECURITY SERVICES

SavATree

Gina Phillips - Regional Business Development 1993 E. Bayshore Rd. Redwood City, CA 94063 (888) 969-8733 (510) 695-1686 mobile gphillips@savatree.com www.SavATree.com

6101 Bollinger Canyon Rd., Ste. 200 San Ramon, CA 94583 (800) 443-5746 www.helsing.com

Reserve Studies, Inc.

PO Box 3007 Cerritos, CA 90703 (800) 485-8056 www.reservestudiesinc.com

Valiant Private Security

Hiram Libby, CEO P.O. Box 1303 Aptos, CA 95001 (408) 649-8386 vps102@yahoo.com www.valiantprivatesecurity.com See our advertorial on page 19 ECHO journal | JUNE 2026

45

2026 IN-PERSON & ONLINE EVENT CALENDAR LEGEND: * Online Event

|

** In-Person Event

JANUARY 13 15 20 21 22 27 28 28 29

Board Members Club* Community Conversation* Sacramento Resource Panel** Echo Club at Rossmoor** East Bay Resource Panel** Wine Country Resource Panel** North Bay Resource Panel** San Francisco Resource Panel** Educational Workshop: Good Governance Elections, Voting, and Candidacy*

FEBRUARY 3 4 5 10 10 11 12 21 26

MARCH 10 12 14 18 18 19 25

APRIL 7 8 9 14 14 15 16 16 21 22 22 23

28 29 30 46

Los Angeles Resource Panel** Orange County Resource Panel** San Diego Resource Panel** Board Members Club* San Pablo Bay Resource Panel** South Bay Resource Panel** Central Coast Resource Panel** Ask the Attorney: Davis-Stirling Overview Community Conversation* Board Members Club* Community Conversation* Collin’s Management Board Appreciation Educational Workshop: Board Ethics (Part 1) The Echo Club at Oakmont** Educational Workshop: Board Ethics (Part 2) Ask the Experts - Construction & Maintenance* Sacramento Resource Panel** Echo Club at Rossmoor** East Bay Resource Panel** Board Members Club* Los Angeles Resource Panel** Orange County Resource Panel** Community Conversation* San Diego Resource Panel** Wine Country Resource Panel** North Bay Resource Panel** San Francisco Resource Panel** Educational Workshop: Evaluating Your HOA Management Company* San Pablo Bay Resource Panel** South Bay Resource Panel** Central Coast Resource Panel**

JUNE 2026 | ECHO journal

|

MAY 2

6 12 14 28

JUNE 4 9 13 17 17 24

25

JULY 9 29

Echo HOA University Course Ask the Attorney: Laws Other than the Davis-Stirling Act* Echo Connection - Greater South Bay* Board Members Club* Community Conversation* Community Conversation* - Case Law Update Community Conversation* Board Members Club* Northern California Educational Seminar** Ask the Experts About Insurance* The Echo Club at Oakmont** Educational Workshop: Good Governance Leadership & Governance (Part 1)* Educational Workshop: Good Governance Leadership & Governance (Part 2)* Community Conversation* Ask the Experts - Managing a Well-Maintained Community*

AUGUST 4 5 6 11 11 12 13 13 18 19 19 26 27

Sacramento Resource Panel** Echo Club at Rossmoor** East Bay Resource Panel** Board Members Club* Los Angeles Resource Panel** Orange County Resource Panel** Community Conversation* San Diego Resource Panel** Wine Country Resource Panel** North Bay Resource Panel** San Francisco Resource Panel** South Bay Resource Panel** Central Coast Resource Panel**

SEPTEMBER 5

9 15 16 17 23 26 29 30

Educational Workshop: HOA Financial Management & Reserves* Echo Connection - East Bay* Board Members Club* The Echo Club at Oakmont** Community Conversation* Ask the Experts - HOA Management Services Southern California Educational Seminar Sacramento Resource Panel** San Pablo Bay Resource Panel**

1 100% 2 Almost of our clients are homeowners associations, planned unit developments, condominiums, condominium conversions, COOPs, tenancies in common and timeshare projects ...

8 REASONS TO CHOOSE LEVY, ERLANGER & COMPANY LLP 3 CPAs

150

Working with approximately management companies in Northern California out of a total of 300 serving community associations ...

5

12

Which enables our professional staff of including 6 CPAs and 6 CPA candidates (growing to almost 20 professionals during “tax season” from January to April) to ...

6

Since 1977 — more than

40 years’ experience ...

4

2,500

Serving more than community associations (3 to 6,700 units) in Northern California out of a total of approximately 17,000 ...

wide range of services

Provide a to community associations including …

• Financial statements • Annual budget reports (pro • Inspector of election and income tax returns forma budget + assessment/ services — audits, reviews and reserve funding summary) • Board and member compilations • Pro forma operating budgets meeting presentations • Comparative 2-year and PUPM assessment • Litigation support financial statements— computations services (developer more meaningful to readers • Assessment and reserve budget adequacy, • Reserve funding plans, funding disclosure summaries fraud investigation, owner complaints, etc.) or updates

7 unique publications & services 8 Including some

• 2020 Condominium Greenbook™, the 290-page financial reference book for Association treasurers • 2020 Community Association Financial Survey of over 1,500 associations

• A Management Fee Survey of more than 1,900 associations • ...and numerous other surveys of reserve study practices, percent funded, etc.

As well as more than 40 years of important business contacts to help associations connect with the

BEST.

290 King Street, Suite 12, San Francisco, CA 94107 (415) 981-9350 bill@hoa-cpa.com

PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID PERMIT NO. 271 85719 5669 Snell Ave., #249 San Jose, CA 95123-3328

Community Conversations

Ins and Outs of Paving

Echo Educational Workshop

HOA Financial Management & Reserves September 5 | 9:00 am – 12:30 pm

July 9 | 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm

R E G I ST E R H E R E

R E G I ST E R H E R E Echo HOA University Core Requirement

Echo Ask the Experts

Echo Educational Workshop

Managing a Well-Maintained Community

Good Governance: Meeting Types & Best Practices

July 29 | 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm

October 15 | 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm

R E G I ST E R H E R E

R E G I ST E R H E R E

Echo HOA University Core Requirement

Community Conversations

How to Shop for Insurance and Work with Your Agent

Echo HOA University Core Requirement

Echo’s online educational offerings provide a wealth of information to HOA board members and engaged homeowners.

August 13 | 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm

R E G I ST E R H E R E

Explore opportunities at www.echo-ca.org