Echo Journal – September 2025

RUNNING AN EFFECTIVE BOARD IS NOT ROCKET SCIENCE

PREPARING FOR TOMORROW

COMMUNITY MANAGEMENT RESOURCE DIRECTORY

Basic principles to empower HOA boards

Making the most of a reserve study

A resource for board members

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SERVING HOA BOARD MEMBERS & HOMEOWNERS

SEPTEMBER 2025

When Your Board Is Not a Board (At Least Not Like That) COMMUNITY MANAGEMENT SHOWCASE

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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 Adam Haney, CPA VICE PRESIDENT Mark T. Guithues, Esq. TREASURER David Levy SECRETARY Brian Campisi

DIRECTORS Rolf Crocker Sarah Dunia J. Spencer Edgett, Esq. John Gill, Esq. Karl Lofthouse Nathan McGuire, Esq. Ali Nekumanesh Louis J. Sarmiento, Esq.

EMERITUS BOARD MEMBERS 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 MEMBER ENGAGEMENT COORDINATOR Jared Giguere | jared@echo-ca.org 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.

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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.

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© 2025 Executive Council of Homeowners (Echo). All rights reserved. Reproduction except by written permission of Echo is prohibited.

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 | SEPTEMBER 2025

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Features 8

When Your Board Is Not a Board (At Least Not LikeThat)

BY DANIEL C. HEATON, ESQ.

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8

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BY DAVID COUZENS

The People Problem: The Obstacle and the Opportunity for HOAs

BY MATTHEW HOLBROOK

HOA Economics Corner

BY GAUTAM GAUBA AND SCOTT CLEMENTS

Happenings 6

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Running an Effective HOA Board is Not Rocket Science

CEO’s Message: In Celebration of the Commitment and Vision of Boards

BY DAVID ZEPPONI

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Echo Southern California Educational Seminar

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Echo In-Person Events

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Welcome to Echo’s New Professional Service Providers

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Legislation Tracker

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2025 Community Management Resource Directory

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SEPTEMBER 2025 | ECHO journal

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CEO’Sfrom ECHO news

MESSAGE

In Celebration of the Raison d’Etre – The Reason for Bo Commitment and Vision of Boards

What a beautiful phrase, raison d’etre (reason for being). It is a

Echo is very proud of the men and women who dedicate their time and skill to help manage their HOA every board member should consider and collectively agree. communities. Being a board member is not for the faint of heart or for the wishy-washy. Decisions must be made which are often controversial, challenging, and uncomfortable.

It is a tough without andone’s tong The phrase engenders humanity.

The job words rollpay from often without appreciation. We value those who accept the responsibility of overseeing the management stark business senses and adds the element of humanity to the of an HOA community: the directors of the HOA board.

a board: Strategic planning, execution and evaluation; mission

This industry owes a great deal to the HOA board directors. They voluntarily dedicate their time to the management.

The business should be community. Their “pay” is derived from the outcome of their work.

There isrealities some satisfaction for reflective a job well of com common values ofnot individuals the community. done. The position of director is too often a thankless job. It is often that ain homeowner drops in to a board meeting with a compliment for the directors. Most directors find satisfaction in knowing that they are imperfect because they are made are helping the homeowners build a safeCommunities and happy neighborhood.

Most–HOAs are nice places to live. of humans.

This is because a few homeowners have relating. stepped upHumans and said, using.

“I’ll do it.Human I will joinliving. the board and commit to Basically, humans being doing the work.” This takes courage and a desire to materially and intrinsically build community.

being human, communities sometimes forget that managem There are many reasons why one shouldn’t join the board or help building community.

It takes establish norms for awith successful community.

In aa sense, the b special individual, cut from the cloth of leadership, to competently and effectively serve on an HOA board. the community. Its purpose is to establish order and elevate o Fortunately, there are many who have stepped up and served. progress and pace by establishing norms and constraints to b I too am thankful for the Echo board. Echo is built around the premise of fostering a better quality of life to benefit all. in community associations, and it is the Echo mission to provide trusted resources to its members and especially those who serve on their HOA board.

It seems apparent that board leadership must understand and

On August 21, the Echo board of directors held itsin annual retreat.

We spent the day thinking of the best and gener owners order to orchestrate a sense of community ways to effectively develop and deliver services in support of our strategic objectives, thoughtfully and and protect community values. The purpose of a board, therefore carefully considering and weighing how Echo can best serve its constituent members, HOA communities, build community based on common values for the good of all. and engaged homeowners.

Echo is not a trade association with the purpose promoting an environment in which toItbuy andtime sell to know y It takesof time to orchestrate a community. takes goods and services; we are something different. Echo is a central place to build communities through time to listen to the voices and build a vision reflective of comm shared experiences and common challenges. Echo is an association driven by an amazing you will be more effective as a board member and satisfied ethos: we exist for others, to be a trustedand resource in order to foster a better quality of life in community associations. It’s simple.

Echo exists to help build community. your reason for being on the board.

Echo is a membership philanthropy, and our board is committed to keeping it that way.

ECHO is committed to helping homeowner boards and residents

ingmuch and advocacy thisserve is our An HOA director and an Echo director have in common:– both not“raison d’etre”. for personal gain but for the gain of the community, the common good, and the association. And value is measured in what is accomplished to build a better functioning and trustworthy community. Time is invested in order to achieve success. Let’s take a moment and appreciate those who have committed their time and are making a difference. Together our work betters all.

Sincerely,

ECHO CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

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David Zepponi Executive Director

ECHO journal | SEPTEMBER 2025

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When Your Board Is Not a Board (At Least Not Like That)

BY DANIEL C. HEATON, ESQ.

This article is Part II in a series on HOA board identity. Part I explored how community association directors are not landlords. This companion piece tackles a different but equally common misconception: treating association governance like a for-profit corporate boardroom.

The confusion is understandable. Directors are called “board members.” Most associations are incorporated under California nonprofit law. Budgets are prepared. Contracts are approved. But the resemblance to a private-sector business ends there.

When boards begin to imitate for-profit governance models, with CEOs, closed-door strategy sessions, or profit-minded decision-making, the results can end up legally noncompliant, culturally tone-deaf, and damaging to the association’s credibility.

So, let’s get it straight: an association may be a corporation, but it is not a business. And the board is not a leadership team hired to maximize shareholder profit. Board members are elected stewards of a neighborhood. Neighbors, not executives. And the legal, procedural, and fiduciary standards of their role should reflect that difference.

Not Out for Profit: Legal Purpose and Public Trust Most California associations are nonprofit mutual benefit corporations, governed by the Davis-Stirling Common Interest Development Act and the Corporations Code. Unlike a traditional business, a mutual benefit corporation has no direct “owners.” Its purpose is not to generate revenue or distribute profit. It exists solely to manage and maintain shared property for the benefit of its members Continued on page 10 ECHO journal | SEPTEMBER 2025

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www.gpins.com | Lic. #0603247 When Your Board Is Not a Board Continued from page 9

(the homeowners). In other words, it is not here to beat the market; it is here to maintain the sidewalk.

Assessments are not income.

They are member contributions to be used only for maintenance, operations, reserves, and other purposes authorized by law and the association’s governing documents. That is why assessments must be “reasonably related to the association’s anticipated expenses,” per Civil Code Section 5600. They are not a funding mechanism to build equity or accumulate unrestricted surpluses.

Governing documents are not just internal policies. They are binding covenants and equitable servitudes that limit board authority and require careful procedural compliance. The board does not have discretion to override them (even if the directors are only acting with good intentions).

The Board Does Not Equal a CEO Cabinet In a for-profit enterprise, the board of directors typically oversees a CEO who runs dayto-day operations. The board sets the vision; the CEO and the executive team implement it.

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Not so in a community association. There is no CEO. The board governs directly, as a body, and no single director has authority to act unless formally delegated by the full board.

Every director has an equal vote, and the board makes decisions collectively at duly noticed meetings with open deliberation.

Even the board president is primarily a facilitator and does not wield executive power.

When a board president starts issuing directives, signing contracts, or “representing” the board without a vote, they may create significant liability. Not just for the association, but potentially for themselves personally. And when the rest of the board allows that conduct to continue, the entire association becomes exposed – legally, operationally, and politically. That is how community trust erodes, and sometimes how recall petitions start.

Homeowners Are Not Shareholders; They Are Stakeholders The private sector often speaks of “shareholder rights,” but most investors have no direct voice in daily operations.

In community associations, owners do. They hold title to their homes and enjoy a wide

range of rights: access to records (Civil Code Section 5200), voting privileges, attendance and limited participation at board meetings (Civil Code Section 4925), and the ability to enforce provisions of their governing documents themselves (Civil Code Section 5975).

This is why governance models that mimic corporate investor relations (polished newsletters, minimal Q&A, and unilateral “policy leadership”) will generally fall flat. HOA members are not a passive audience. They are the very people the board serves, and they do not check those rights at the clubhouse door.

The board is not managing a brand. It is managing shared property, collective trust, and ongoing compliance with legal standards.

Fiduciary Duties Are Not About Profit In a for-profit boardroom, fiduciary duties are often focused on advancing shareholder value, even if that involves calculated risks or aggressive cost strategies.

In a community association, fiduciary duties serve a different purpose. They require neutrality, fairness, and unwavering loyalty to the whole membership. The duty of loyalty does not mean doing what is popular. It means avoiding favoritism, self-dealing, or rubber-stamping another director’s agenda. The duty of care is not about speedily racing to the highest profit margin.

It is about carefully following process. And the duty to comply with governing documents is not negotiable. It is absolute.

Boards that conflate these values with for-profit instincts Continued on page 12

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When Your Board Is Not a Board Continued from page 10

often begin stockpiling “surplus” assessments with no defined purpose, making decisions through informal channels or email exchanges, or skipping community feedback because it is unpopular or “unproductive.”

In engaging in these types of actions, boards risk a loss of confidence from those they are supposed to serve and ultimately could end up facing legal claims.

Transparency Is Not Just Good Policy; It Is the Law In private companies, board discussions can happen behind closed doors, with some policies not being released until the annual shareholder’s meeting.

Meeting minutes may never see daylight. Strategy is often confidential. Decisions are announced, not deliberated and made in public.

But under the Open Meeting Act (Civil Code Sections 4900–4955), community association boards are required to conduct business in open, noticed meetings. Executive sessions may only be used in limited circumstances, such as legal matters, disciplinary hearings, contract negotiations, and personnel issues (Civil Code Section 4935). Directors may not take action outside of those parameters unless a true emergency justifies urgent action.

By contrast, boards influenced by the for-profit business culture might hold off-the-record “strategy” calls, overuse executive sessions to avoid uncomfortable topics, or delay publication of minutes for months. They undermine the integrity of their decisions and open the door to 12

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potential legal challenges.

In many circumstances, transparency is not just a courtesy. There are procedures in place that make it a statutory mandate. And more importantly, it is what neighbors expect when they show up to a meeting.

not tools of control.

• Use legal counsel as a guide to help ensure compliance, not simply to justify existing preferences.

• Reinforce to new directors that board service is a role of stewardship, not command.

Rethinking the Model: Not Executives, But Stewards

Final Thought: The Role Is Hard Enough; Don’t Make It Harder

If for-profit corporate culture is the wrong analogy, what is the right one?

Association governance should be thought of as civic leadership.

Boards more closely resemble city councils, school boards, or public trustees. The board is charged with preserving fairness, enforcing rules, balancing competing interests, and ensuring sustainable operations, all in the public view.

The most successful boards understand that their authority comes from consensus, not control. They respect the difference between management and governance. They encourage scrutiny and community engagement. They view the process as a source of legitimacy instead of a burden. And they treat every homeowner (yes, even the “difficult” ones) as having a legitimate interest in the community they serve.

What Can Boards Do? Boards can avoid falling into a profit-mindset trap by adopting a few clear practices: • Conduct open meetings and publish minutes promptly.

• Treat rulemaking and assessment increases as public processes, not executive actions.

• View governing documents as the boundaries of authority,

Being a volunteer director is an important and often thankless job. Board directors will face pressure, disagreement, and extreme scrutiny. It is hard enough without the additional complexities created by the illusion that the association should be run like a for-profit venture.

But when the board embraces its real identity, grounded in transparency, limited by law, and shaped by a culture of inclusion, it doesn’t just avoid legal pitfalls.

It can enable the community to build a place where people are proud to live.

Not a business.

A neighborhood.

Daniel C. Heaton, Esq., is a senior associate at DeNichilo Law APC, exclusively representing community associations throughout California.

Daniel advises boards on complex areas of corporate governance, statutory compliance, enforcement of governing documents, and resolving complicated homeowner disputes or litigated matters.

HOA BOARDS Where To Focus In 2026 Navigating the board’s expanding role 5 Themes Shaping The HOA Director’s Agenda

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BY DAVID COUZENS

Running an Effective HOA Board Is Not Rocket Science Majority rules!

This notion lies at the foundation of our democracy.

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erving on my 200-plus-unit HOA board for more than 20 years has been rewarding, educational, inspiring, and sometimes challenging. During this long-term volunteer deployment, I have been fortunate to have worked alongside a number of excellent role models whose professional comportment, industry knowledge, and serious decision-making skills have honed my own ability to serve my community and have assisted in creating an ongoing legacy of very effective boards. Through this learning process, I have come to identify some basic axioms whose adoption should assist other HOA boards in ensuring and maintaining high functionality. This article provides an outline of basic principles to enable and empower other boards to achieve long-lasting results in terms of building board consensus, focusing on long-term goals and avoiding distractions, engaging with homeowners, and encouraging community participation.

Building HOA Board Consensus Majority rules! This notion lies at the foundation of our democracy. However, many HOA members fail to recognize that the HOA is run as a republic, with board members designated as their representatives. The board makes the decisions, not individual members. One cannot take a survey for every basic decision the board makes. This does not mean that we dismiss the opinion of homeowners, but all board members are ultimately accountable to the greater good of the community. Their decisions must be built upon constructive input including, but not limited to, gathered data, board member experience, relevant substantiated facts, standards of care and industry standards, precedents set in the past, and expert opinion.

Board decisions are based on thoughtful discussion and deliberation. Note that not everyone has to agree; in fact, if everyone is in agreement on every issue, then perhaps too much cloning has occurred on the board and the gene pool needs to be expanded. What one seeks is not unanimity but consensus.

Consensus is reached when everyone in the group assents to a decision, even if some do not fully agree with or support all aspects of it. According to the Consensus Principle, “People are more likely to adopt certain beliefs or take certain actions if they see that others around them are doing the same.” Board members are obligated to debate, discuss, argue over, and decide upon issues presented before them. However, in the end, a final decision needs to be made, and

a vote will be taken. This will represent the board’s consensus.

In future, this final decision needs to be fully supported by all board members, regardless of how each one voted on the issue. Board members who refuse to abide by this decision, through personal interaction, continued debate on the subject, or social media statements inconsistent with board policy, should be subject to immediate sanction.

In our HOA’s recent experience, we had the onerous duty of choosing a new management company. This was difficult, as we are a large complex with a myriad of facilities, numerous vendors, a million-dollar-a-year budget, and an excellent long-serving manager who had just retired. We interviewed several companies and spent many hours engaged in detailed discussions. In the end, it came down to two well-qualified

companies, with the board split almost evenly. But a definitive decision had to be made, and several board members made persuasive arguments that swayed others, so that the final vote was nearly unanimous. Once the company was selected, all board members were onboard with the choice, and revisionist discussions about the efficacy of our original decision were rare.

Avoiding Distractions Many boards get bogged down with mundane and often trivial issues: handling parking violations, revising tennis court rules, and addressing the sometimes-petty complaints from individual homeowners.

Management can help advise on prioritizing how to approach these often-pesky details.

Yes, such topics all need to be Continued on page 16

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ECHO journal | SEPTEMBER 2025

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Running an Effective HOA Board...

Continued from page 15

addressed, but their importance pales in comparison to crucial issues such as evaluating an underperforming vendor, choosing a contractor for a $700,000 project, or ensuring that the 500 trees in the community are routinely inspected and pruned as needed.

Boards cannot afford to squander valuable time on minor issues at the expense of overseeing the major maintenance and infrastructure needs of the community.

Relegating certain issues to board committees can help save valuable board time. For instance, not every board member needs to dwell over every single proposal for landscape improvements when a landscape committee can meet and vet such proposals for later board approval. If the tennis court rules need to be revised, designate a single board member to redraft the rules based on board input and management advice, then bring the whole board into the discussion. If your management company oversees other similar complexes, it can give useful advice or even provide a template.

Focusing on Long-Term Goals Effective management will take care of day-to-day business, so boards should not need to be involved in daily decision-making.

Routine HOA operations can be reviewed at the monthly meeting (and, crucially, meetings should not be more than a month apart).

Reserve studies are essential to plotting a 30-year course for the HOA. They enable boards to identify long-term goals and allocate assets accordingly. Alas, 16

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some homeowners, in their desire to keep assessments low, will argue that they will not be living there (or living at all!) 30 years from now, so “Why do we have to pay for these future bills?”

Usually, the board response is to explain that the board has a fiduciary responsibility to ensure that long-term needs for maintenance, repair, and improvement of existing HOA infrastructure are accounted for.

But jargon such as “fiduciary” can lead to glazed-over expressions.

A simpler way to justify paying up-front for these amortized costs is to talk about, for example, starting to save money for college while one’s child is an infant and not waiting until prom night.

Homeowners do not need to be talked down to, but boards should recognize that those who serve on the board often employ industry-specific language and can become accustomed to such language in interacting with board members, management, and HOA vendors.

Engaging vs. Contesting Unhappy Homeowners Board meetings are notoriously poorly attended by homeowners.

People lead busy lives and time is precious. A homeowner who is content with the way the HOA is being run sees no reason to attend a meeting. Of course, this means that many of the homeowners who do attend meetings come there with one thing in mind: to complain.

Management did not process my assessment check in time. The board chose ugly paint colors. My car got towed again. The list goes on and on. Often, management, the board, and security seem to comprise the “Axis of Evil.”

As a volunteer board member, one’s instinct when confronted by such malcontented homeowners is to fight back and engage in potentially volatile verbal discourse. This serves no useful purpose and can only escalate the situation. One has to put oneself in the homeowners’ shoes. They are upset because something did not go well and they feel slighted, punished, or otherwise mistreated. They likely do not read the newsletter, never review the board minutes, and do not consult the governing documents (“What governing documents?” they say). They are lashing out at the Axis of Evil. Board members need to muster their strength and explain and engage politely (no matter how impolite the disgruntled homeowner may be).

This requires restraint but, in the end, will yield results. The way the board comports itself and conducts business should serve as exemplary behavior. Being confrontational and fighting force with force will waste time and energy.

Encouraging Community Participation HOA boards serve their communities, but they cannot function in a vacuum. Engaging with and encouraging fellow homeowners to participate in the HOA are vital components of any healthy organization. Newsletters and electronic communication can facilitate sharing of HOA decisions and events.

During open forums, sometimes a homeowner raises an important issue that the board has overlooked or not addressed, most likely because of time constraints. Rather than interpret this as a complaint,

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consider it an opportunity. Solicit the homeowner to follow up and actively pursue some research and provide a potential solution.

Such engagement can bear fruit and maybe help in recruiting potential new board members.

Identifying potential board members and convincing them to serve can be challenging, and boards should use all the opportunities available to them. This is where committees come into play. As in baseball, committees can function as farm teams. Volunteers on budget, landscape, social, and other committees have already demonstrated a serious interest in serving the community.

If new board members are needed (and they always are!), these committees constitute an excellent resource. Reach

out to them about stepping up and serving on the board. Many will be honored that their thusfar selfless service has been recognized.

Summary Running an effective HOA board is not rocket science. It entails following basic axioms that have proven to be robust.

We all strive for board leadership that offers transparent, costeffective, and thoughtful solutions to our ongoing issues while elucidating long-term goals to the membership. The ideas expressed herein should help provide guidance in assisting our companion HOAs in serving their communities. Note that none of the counsel proffered here should be construed as legal advice. I am no legal expert; however, I used

16446432

to do rocket science!

David Couzens serves on the board of the Los Gatos Woods Homeowners Association, a community comprising 223 townhomes. In his 20 years on the board, he has participated on the budget committee, served as vice president, and is currently treasurer.

David has a background in physics and engineering, and he now works as a freelance editor of scientific and technical publications, with tasks ranging from developing mathematics textbooks to copyediting journal articles written by nonnative English speakers.

ECHO journal | SEPTEMBER 2025

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The People Problem:

The Obstacle and the Opportunity for HOAs

BY MATTHEW HOLBROOK

At first glance, it looks like everyone hates HOAs.

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A

ccording to a Rocket Mortgage survey, 57% of residents actively dislike their homeowners association; 10% have even considered selling their homes because of it. A survey from Frontdoor reveals that 70% of homebuyers would prefer to avoid living in an HOA entirely, and 63% of those who already do would advise others not to buy into one.

YouGov reports that only 14% of Americans have a favorable view of HOAs. This sentiment is not confined to surveys. It shows up in pop culture too. John Oliver’s satirical take on HOAs has garnered over 8 million views on YouTube. TV shows like Community and 30 Rock poke fun at them. HOAs, it seems, have become easy targets for comedy and criticism alike.

And yet, something doesn’t add up.

Numerous studies, from the Journal of Urban Economics to ScienceDirect, along with reports from industry trade associations, all point to the same conclusion: homes in HOAs tend to sell for more (anywhere from 5% to 19% more) than comparable homes outside of them.

So, how is this contradiction reconciled? How can something be widely disliked and yet undeniably valuable?

The answer lies in understanding both what HOAs provide and how people experience them.

HOAs often deliver real benefits: cleaner streets, wellmaintained landscaping, orderly neighborhoods, and amenities that add to both lifestyle and

resale value. These outcomes are usually achieved through rules, standards, and consistent maintenance. But all of that structure depends on people. And that is where things break down.

Managing a neighborhood is not like managing a spreadsheet.

It involves emotions, expectations, and human dynamics. Neighbors enforce rules that other neighbors violate. Board members must collect assessments and impose consequences when payments are not made. Disagreements over landscaping or parking escalate into personal battles.

Legal notices, fines, and confrontations follow. And over time, those interactions create a relational environment that feels tense and adversarial.

This is the paradox of the HOA: the value comes from order and standards, but the pain comes from the way people enforce and experience that order. The result is a kind of emotional tax that overshadows the financial benefit.

In many ways, HOAs have become casualties of a larger trend. Studies like the March 2025 paper by Törnberg and Chueri (https://arxiv.org/pdf/2503.22411) show that public discourse has grown more toxic and less civil.

The American Bar Association reports a measurable decline in civility across the country.

Most Americans believe they are facing a national crisis in how people treat one another. And HOAs are a petri dish where this dysfunction plays out.

But here is the opportunity: the future of HOAs is not fixed.

The perception can change. It is possible to turn the tide of perception about HOAs. But it requires a change in approach.

What is required is a shift

in focus. Most HOAs have historically operated in a costcentric model, but turning the tide in an HOA requires a peoplecentric strategy.

Traditionally, HOAs have prioritized keeping assessments as low as possible, which results in objectives that focus on lowcost options. On paper, that looks responsible. But in practice, the greatest threats to the HOA experience are not financial.

They are relational. Conflict, resentment, frustration, and disengagement are not caused by budgets; they are caused by people.

So, if HOA communities want to thrive, they need to optimize not just for costs, but for the right kind of people. And the people who are difference-makers in this kind of environment are people of character and emotional intelligence.

This starts with the people leading and serving the community. Board members, community managers, attorneys, landscapers, and insurance brokers all play a role in shaping how the HOA is experienced.

And the key differentiator in how that experience feels is not price. It is the actual individuals involved. High-character people with strong emotional intelligence create trust, reduce friction, and resolve conflict in productive ways.

This doesn’t mean avoiding conflict. As Patrick Lencioni writes in The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, healthy conflict is essential to team success. It fosters better decisions, greater buy-in, and real accountability.

But healthy conflict requires people who are self-aware, emotionally grounded, and

genuinely others-focused. This is where character comes in.

Character can feel abstract, but it becomes practical when we focus on three core traits: • Integrity: Do a person’s words and actions align? Is there consistency between what they say and how they act? Integrity is the glue that holds trust together.

• Responsibility: Does the individual take ownership of their actions and decisions? Are they accountable to others?

• Humility: Is there a willingness to put others ahead of oneself? To serve without an ego?

These traits must be nonnegotiable when electing board members, hiring management, selecting committee members, or choosing vendors. Boards should prioritize demonstrated character over credentials. They should ask for specific examples, not just résumés. Elections should highlight these values in the process and communication, and interviews should focus on concrete measurements based on real-life activities. Is there evidence of integrity under pressure? How have candidates owned their mistakes? When have they led with humility?

These factors can have significant impact on the quality of the experience for residents in a community.

Alongside character, emotional intelligence (EQ) must become a priority. People with high EQ are self-aware, empathetic, and capable of navigating difficult situations with calm and clarity.

They communicate well. They listen. They regulate emotion and avoid escalation. These qualities Continued on page 20 ECHO journal | SEPTEMBER 2025

19

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The People Problem Continued from page 19

are invaluable in the emotionally charged environment of HOA leadership and service.

The question is, how often do HOAs actively look for this?

If an HOA wants to transform its reputation and create a better experience for its residents, it must stop treating character and EQ as soft, secondary concerns.

They are core competencies. They should drive hiring, elections, committee appointments, and vendor selection.

A quick side note: It is common to hear board members express frustration about the lack of volunteers. They will say things like, “We can’t afford to be too picky. We are lucky if anyone steps up at all.” And on the 20

SEPTEMBER 2025 | ECHO journal

Water Management

surface, that seems reasonable.

When struggling to fill committee seats or board vacancies, it feels risky to be selective.

But here is the deeper truth: high-character individuals with strong emotional intelligence often avoid dysfunctional environments. They do not want to step into a culture filled with infighting, apathy, or toxicity.

Oftentimes, it is not that they lack interest. It is that they lack interest in chaos.

And this is where the paradox begins to shift. When a board becomes intentional about choosing to work with the right kinds of people, it starts to change the tone of the entire organization. Dysfunction begins to recede, and the culture of the whole community improves. And

in that healthier environment, more high-quality individuals begin to show up.

In other words, the best way to attract the right kinds of people is to start by choosing the right kinds of people. It is about setting a tone that says, this is a place where character matters. Once that standard is visible, it invites more of the right people to step forward.

When communities prioritize people with integrity, responsibility, humility, and emotional intelligence, the true value of the HOA can shine. It brings order, beauty, safety, and a stronger sense of community without being clouded by dysfunction or conflict.

In the end, people do not hate HOAs. They hate the experience with the wrong kinds of people who negatively influence their experience with the HOA. Fix the people problem, and the perception will follow.

Matthew Holbrook is CEO and owner of Action Property Management. He is a graduate of UCLA with a degree in business economics and has an MBA from Pepperdine University. He is also the host of The Uncommon Area, an educational podcast focused on giving helpful insight to board members and community managers.

ECHO journal | SEPTEMBER 2025

21

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October 11, 2025 | 9:00 am – 2:30 pm Laguna Hills Community Center 25555 Alicia Pkwy., Laguna Hills CA 92653 9:00 am Registration Begins 9:00 am Doors Open – Trade Show Begins 9:45 am Welcome / Who Is Echo?

10:00 am Legislation of 2025 and Expectations for 2026 – Nonfunctional Turf Law and Real Estate Brokerage License Requirement for Management Firms 10:50 am Association Liability Challenges: Water Damage, Earthquakes, Flood, Falls, Fire, and Fraud 11:40 am Complimentary Lunch and Raffle 12:30 pm Who’s Responsible for HOA Financial Reports and Controls?

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E A S T B AY & G R E AT E R S A C R A M E N TO COMMUNITY MANAGEMENT SHOWCASE ADVERTORIAL

OMNI COMMUNITY MANAGEMENT, LLC Nearly 40 Years of Providing Effective, Responsive Community Management while recognizing that time is finite, not infinite. That both sides act in TRANSPARENCY with what management can reasonably provide, against what the community can realistically expect (and afford) under a part-time, or ‘timeshare’ management model. These are the values that define OMNI’s T3 mission. OMNI doesn’t promise to do ‘everything for one low cost.’ We promise to have a manager dedicated to serving your community for an amount of time that board and management agree should be adequate to actually deliver on what was discussed.

Trust, Team, Transparency: OMNI’s T3 Mission.

These are the values that drive every aspect of our work, both internally and with our clients.

The Truth About Portfolio Management

Almost every community association is looking for some form of ‘full service’ management – a company that will handle all aspects for community association management, from financials, to board meeting prep and attendance, to vendor management, to customer service. But, what most communities looking for ‘full service’ management don’t realize, is that the very statement – full service – is a misnomer. The only way to truly get that level of service is to hire a full-time community manager – an individual who can dedicate their entire work week to serve the needs of a single community. However, for most community associations, that approach is cost-prohibitive, so they fall under the category of ‘Portfolio Management.’ In Portfolio Management, an individual manager will manage a predetermined number of communities, based on

the size, scope and needs of those communities. That number can vary anywhere from 4 to 5 and up to 10 or more. How that number is determined is different for every management company.

As a practical matter, that ultimate number is determined by TIME – the actual number of hours a manager needs to spend managing each community, so the sum total of their week doesn’t exceed what is reasonable and lawful in the State of California.

OMNI Community Management, LLC is a community association management company dedicated to working with clients who recognize that the board/manager relationship is predicated upon TRUST – trust in candid conversations, recognizing the strengths and limitations of this kind of management, and are willing to work as a TEAM in order to determine a community’s needs and expectations,

It’s not a perfect model, but in the absence of a better one, this model, developed over nearly 40 years of community management experience, is one where we have found that managers and boards alike can have a true working relationship, in the interest of serving our mutual client – the members of your community association.

So – if this approach makes sense to you, and if you are up for a truly candid discussion to work with a management company that is committed to your community’s success, we would love the opportunity to talk with you.

Rolf M. Crocker, AMS, CAMEx, CCAM rolf.crocker@omnicommunities.com (877) 700-6070 omnicommunities.com ECHO journal | SEPTEMBER 2025

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HOA ECONOMICS CORNER

Preparing for Tomorrow: Making the Most of an HOA Reserve Study

BY GAUTAM GAUBA AND SCOTT CLEMENTS

B

y the time this article is printed, fall will have settled across California. The long, sun-soaked days of summer will be behind us, leaves will have started to turn, and the air will feel crisper.

In nature, this is a season of preparation, a time when plants and animals ready themselves for the winter ahead. For homeowners association (HOA) boards, this seasonal shift is a reminder of their own preparations: budget season.

With aging buildings, rising construction costs, and the growing complexity of managing shared property, a significant portion of an HOA’s budget is often dedicated to its reserve fund. This fund is not merely a line item on a spreadsheet, but the financial foundation for keeping the community safe, functional, and attractive. The quality of a reserve study, and how effectively it is used, can determine whether a community thrives or faces costly surprises.

This article examines what reserve funds are, why they matter, how California law addresses them, and how boards can maximize the value of their reserve studies.

What Is a Reserve Fund?

A reserve fund is a dedicated pool of money set aside by a homeowners association to cover 24

SEPTEMBER 2025 | ECHO journal

the repair, replacement, and restoration of major common area components. It can be thought of as a savings account for the community’s big-ticket items such as roofs, siding, pool equipment, elevators, paving, and more.

In California, the Davis-Stirling Common Interest Development Act outlines specific requirements for reserve funds and reserve studies. Among other provisions, it states the following: • A Reserve Study with a Site Inspection at Least Every Three Years: The board shall cause to be conducted a reasonably competent and diligent visual inspection of the accessible areas of the major components that the association is obligated to repair, replace, restore, or maintain.

• Annual Disclosures to Members: HOAs must distribute the reserve funding plan adopted by the board (at an open meeting), a copy of the Assessment and Reserve Funding Disclosure Summary, and a summary of the association’s reserves, and they must disclose to membership via a statement whether one or more special assessments are anticipated; these requirements apply to each fiscal year.

The importance of the reserve fund cannot be overstated. Adequate reserves prevent deferred

maintenance, which can lead to safety hazards, emergency special assessments, and legal liability.

The Surfside condominium collapse in Florida in 2021, which claimed 98 lives, stands as a tragic reminder of the dangers of underfunded reserves and deferred repairs.

Healthy reserves also play a significant role in maintaining property values. Buyers and lenders increasingly review reserve funding levels before committing to a purchase or mortgage. Fannie Mae, which operates under the conservatorship of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), maintains a blacklist of condominiums, HOAs, and co-ops ineligible for conventional financing. Owners in these blacklisted communities often encounter difficulty in selling or refinancing their units. As of March 2025, there were 5,175 condominiums or HOAs across the nation on this list.

A well-funded reserve account signals stability and good governance, which can enhance both homeowner satisfaction and resale values.

What Is a Reserve Study?

A reserve study serves as the blueprint for an HOA’s long-term maintenance and repair strategy. It typically includes the following: 1. Component Inventory: A detailed list of all major common area elements the association is responsible for.

2. Condition Assessment: An evaluation of each component’s current state, remaining useful life, and projected replacement date.

3. Cost Estimates: Projected costs, in today’s dollars, for repair or replacement of each component.

4. Funding Plan: A road map for ensuring the reserve fund has sufficient money available when projects come due.

Who Can Conduct a Reserve Study?

While the Davis-Stirling Act does not require a specific license for reserve study providers, best practice is to hire a qualified reserve specialist or analyst. Many professionals hold designations such as RS (Reserve Specialist) or PRA (Professional Reserve Analyst), indicating expertise in both construction and financial planning.

How Often Should a Reserve Study Be Conducted?

California requires a reserve study with site

inspection at least once every three years, with interim updates annually. However, significant changes, such as a major repair, natural disaster, or unexpected failure, may warrant an earlier review.

Maximizing the Value of a Reserve Study Too often, boards treat a reserve study as a compliance exercise to meet regulatory requirements.

When used effectively, it becomes a strategic tool that safeguards both property and finances.

1. Collaborate with the Reserve Analyst and Service Providers Accurate and complete information improves the quality of a reserve study. Maintenance logs, repair histories, and recent inspections should be provided to the analyst. Updated warranties, building plans, and vendor contracts should also be shared. Community service providers can be a valuable source of information when preparing a reserve study.

2. Review and Update the Component List A reserve study is only as accurate as its component inventory. Walking the property with the analyst ensures that all relevant items are included, from asphalt to irrigation controllers.

Even small oversights can lead to budget shortfalls.

3. Consider the Total Cost of Ownership Initial project cost should not be the sole deciding factor in major repairs and refurbishments. A material or system with a higher up-front cost may last longer and require less maintenance, resulting in lower lifetime expenses. For example, composite siding may be more expensive initially than wood siding but generally lasts decades longer and requires less upkeep, making it more cost-effective in the long term.

4. Monitor the Percent Funded Reserve specialists often calculate a “percent funded” metric, which is the ratio of the actual reserve balance to the ideal fully funded balance. Communities above 70% are generally considered strong, while HOAs below 30% are considered at risk. Understanding this metric helps in setting priorities.

5. Integrate Reserves into the Annual Budget Funding reserves should be a consistent part Continued on page 26 ECHO journal | SEPTEMBER 2025

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HOA Reserve Study Checklist Before the Study Gather and provide recent maintenance logs, repair histories, and inspection reports.

Compile updated warranties, vendor contracts, and building plans.

Review the last reserve study to note changes or new components.

During the Study Walk the property with the reserve analyst to verify the component list.

Discuss recent repairs, unexpected failures, or upcoming projects.

Ensure that assumptions used in the study reflect current market conditions (interest rates) and inflation trends.

After the Study Evaluate whether reserve contributions in the annual budget are adequate.

Prioritize projects based on safety, urgency, and long-term value.

Communicate key findings and funding plans to all homeowners.

Preparing for Tomorrow Continued from page 25

of the HOA’s operating plan. Reducing reserve contributions to keep assessments low simply shifts costs into the future, often in the form of special assessments. Additionally, it unfairly penalizes the future owners of the HOA for maintenance costs that should have been paid by the current owners.

The Bigger Picture: Risk, Liability, and Reputation A reserve study is not only a financial document but also a risk management tool. Here is what neglecting reserves can lead to: • Safety Hazards: From failing balconies to electrical issues, neglected repairs can cause injury to residents or guests.

• Legal Exposure: California law holds boards to a fiduciary duty to maintain the common areas.

Underfunded reserves may be used as evidence of breach.

• Insurance Challenges: Insurers are tightening underwriting standards for aging buildings, especially those with deferred maintenance.

Final Thoughts: Preparation Is Power Just as nature uses fall to prepare for winter, an HOA can use budget season to position itself for long-term success. A thorough reserve study, combined with disciplined funding, is one of the most effective tools a board can use to protect property values, reduce risk, and maintain a safe, vibrant community.

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SEPTEMBER 2025 | ECHO journal

Board members may serve as volunteers, but their responsibilities carry real financial and safety implications. By treating the reserve study as more than a compliance requirement, an HOA can shift from reactive repairs to proactive stewardship.

As the next budget cycle approaches, boards should review their reserve studies carefully, engage with analysts, challenge assumptions, and commit to funding plans that address both present needs and future obligations. In doing so, they safeguard not only the physical structures but the long-term health of the entire community.

Gautam Gauba is the founder of Gallopify, an investment management platform specifically designed for HOA board members and property managers to analyze data in order to enhance their investment income.

He has nearly two decades of industry experience in banking and management consulting and has advised Fortune 500 clients on various strategic initiatives. He can be reached at gautam.gauba@gallopify.com.

Currently serving as CEO of Reserve Studies Inc., Scott Clements (RS, PRA, CMI) has had a long and distinguished career in reserve studies and building inspection and analysis. He has personally performed over 5,000 property inspections, including services for reserve funding analysis, property purchase, construction defect litigation support, and cost estimation.

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From proactive maintenance planning to swift response times, our focus is on anticipating and addressing challenges before they become problems.

Our team ensures that your community remains well maintained through routine inspections, preventive maintenance, and prompt repair services.

Our mission at Tailored Management Solutions is to provide personalized and professional management services that optimize the well-being of homeowners and foster a thriving, harmonious community. Our goal is to instill a sense of comfort and unity within the membership by enhancing community standards for an optimum quality of life.

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We diligently enforce community guidelines and covenants to maintain the overall aesthetics and property values of your neighborhood.

Maria Hernandez, CCAM-PM, COO 2322 Bates Avenue, Ste. G Concord, CA 94520 (925) 459-5535 maria@tailoredmanagementsolutions.com www.tailoredmanagementsolutions.com ECHO journal | SEPTEMBER 2025

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Attend an Echo In-Person Event!

Don’t miss an opportunity to get the education you need – and the networking and connection you want. Register today!

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.

Click a button or use the link to sign up to receive information on Resource Panel meetings near you!

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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Offices in: Los Angeles | San Diego | Tracy | Pleasanton | Sacramento | Nebraska Modern Community Management (833) 926-8626 www.moderncm.org Continued on page 32 ECHO journal | SEPTEMBER 2025

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WELCOME TO ECHO’S

New Professional Service Providers (cont’d.)

Earthquake Insurance for Residential Associations Assessment Coverage • Elective • Custom-Built The Motus Program brings all the benefits of a traditional master policy without the burden they place on the HOA Budget.

With Motus the HOA Board…

• Removes eligibility requirements, allowing ALL unit owners to access based on statewide averages • Reduces their fiduciary and statutory liability by OFFERING insurance to all owners at the best rates available • Increases the number of units that buy insurance • Gives the association an advantage in securing a critical Federal Disaster SBA loan.

• Policies available are designed to supplement a master policy, not replace one allowing unit owners to fully protect the equity of their home.

Failure to maintain insurance — earthquake in particular — is often excluded from D&O policies. Call Motus today.

MOTUS (833) 668-8746 www.motusins.com

We Work Where You Are At Reconstruction Experts (RE), we provide full-service reconstruction and restoration solutions for HOA, multifamily, commercial, and residential projects. With extensive experience in construction defect repairs, we specialize in addressing structural, waterproofing, and exterior envelope issues. Our services include pre-construction consulting, forensic investigation, budgeting, project management, and full-scale reconstruction.

We are well-versed in SB 800 compliance and legal coordination, ensuring a seamless resolution of construction defect claims. Our expertise covers dry rot remediation, siding replacement, roofing, balconies, stairs, stucco, painting, and waterproofing systems.

Beyond repairs, we offer proactive maintenance solutions and capital improvement planning to extend the longevity of buildings.

Our turnkey approach streamlines projects, minimizing disruptions for property owners and managers.

With a commitment to quality, communication, and efficiency, we deliver reliable solutions tailored to each client’s needs, ensuring durable and cost-effective results.

Offices Across: California | Colorado | Florida | Texas Reconstruction Experts (877) 410-4400 www.reconexp.com

Roseman Law, APC is a full-service real estate and business law firm, specializing in representing common interest developments since 1996 throughout California.

Recognizing that board members are volunteers, our expertise ensures that our clients are legally protected and provided with quality legal advice that best serves the community’s needs.

Our services include: • General counsel, corporate governance, legal opinions, and enforcement of governing documents • Drafting and negotiating contracts, including Construction and Maintenance Agreements • Loan negotiations and attorney legal opinion letters • Alternative dispute resolution/ mediation • Litigation services • Creating and amending governing documents, interpretation of CC&Rs, bylaws, and rules and regulations • SB800 Compliance • Calamity (earthquake/fire etc.) claim negotiation and litigation • Delinquent assessment collections – judicial and nonjudicial Offices in Los Angeles | Orange County | Coachella Valley | Inland Empire | San Diego | Northern California | Nevada (Clark County) Roseman Law, APC (866) 839-9400 www.roseman.law

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SEPTEMBER 2025 | ECHO journal

Visit bit.ly/Echo-Professionals

The Smarter Way to HOA OUR MISSION: To empower, enrich and elevate HOA communities and the lives of our employees who serve them. Leveraging our advanced technology and expert team to manage your HOA community with greater confidence, control and vision.

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At RowCal, we’ve made it our mission to take on the long-standing issues that have plagued the association management industry. Offering easyout agreements, no-surprise pricing and a team-based service approach that gets results. A simple 90-day exit clause with no financial penalty for termination.

Team Based Approach RowCal deploys teams of specialists — not soloists — to handle your property.

Guaranteed Response Working together to address and respond to all homeowner and board member inquiries in a timely manner.

Vendor & Project Management Managing your vendors for quality results – or find new ones if you’re not satisfied with them; crafting a 3-5 year strategic plan to set the vision for your community and its assets.

RowCal (651) 233-1307 www.rowcal.com

Trifecta Association Management is a bay area-based boutique HOA management company that prides itself on being customer service driven and responsive to our clients.

With over 30 years of collective management experience, we have managed all types of common interest developments including condominiums, townhomes, high rises, and single-family home communities.

Why Choose Us? 1. Local Expertise: We have over 30 years of combined HOA experience, managing communities within the Bay Area.

2. Professional Excellence: Industry experts who provide the highest standard of service with the latest regulations, technology, and best practices.

3. Personalized Care: Every community is distinct, and therefore, we customize our management strategies to suit your specific needs.

4. Community Engagement: We encourage collaboration, open communication, and work tirelessly to bring your community together.

You’re not alone.

Join Echo’s Exclusive Board Members Club.

• Open to current or recent HOA board members only • Opportunities to meet other board members • Share ideas and information • Learn peer to peer

It’s included with your Echo membership!

5. Transparency: You will always know where your community stands, from financial reports to maintenance updates.

Trifecta Association Management, LLC (415) 906-7737 www.trifectacommunities.com Sign Up for the Board Members Club Here

https://bit.ly/ECHO-BMC

ECHO journal | SEPTEMBER 2025

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Echo Legislation Tracker

BY NATHAN McGUIRE, ESQ.

The 2025 legislative session is turning out to be one of the most impactful, outside of the enactment of the Davis-Stirling Act in 1986 and its recodification in 2014. This is largely due to the surprising adoption of AB-130, which makes sweeping changes to how HOAs enforce violations. As I reported in the last update, things can change quickly, and that’s exactly what happened.

On June 30, 2025, Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB-130 into law. While AB-130 was introduced as a budget trailer bill, it includes last-minute amendments that significantly curtail the enforcement powers of HOAs across California. AB-130 was billed as part of the governor’s “Abundance Agenda,” a sweeping legislative package aimed at accelerating housing and infrastructure development. The governor’s press release described the bill as delivering “the most consequential housing and infrastructure reform in recent state history.” Yet, conspicuously absent from that announcement was any mention of the bill’s impact on HOAs. Inserted just days before the bill’s passage, the amendments to Civil Code Sections 5850 and 5855 were adopted without committee hearings or public input. They mirror language from SB-681, a bill that had been actively opposed by industry stakeholders and appeared to be headed for significant revision before being quietly folded into AB-130.

The result is a dramatic shift in how HOAs can enforce their governing documents, with new limits on fines, procedural hurdles for disciplinary action, and a host of ambiguities that are likely to generate confusion and litigation.

The legislative session is coming to a close. Legislators came back from summer recess on August 18. Each house has been working feverishly through to September 12, the last day to pass bills, and the governor will act on those bills by October 12. So again, stay tuned!

CALIFORNIA ASSEMBLY BILLS AB-1 (CONNOLLY) – RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY INSURANCE: WILDFIRE RISK

AB-21 (DEMAIO) – COMMON INTEREST DEVELOPMENTS: ASSOCIATION MANAGEMENT AND MEETING PROCEDURES

Requires the Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) to convene a working group to research and consider recommending building standards to allow residential developments of between 3 and 10 units to be built under the requirements of the California Residential Code (CRC) and requires HCD to perform a review of residential construction cost pressures, as specified.

This kitchen-sink bill proposes numerous changes to the management of common interest developments under the Davis-Stirling Act. It would require associations to provide individual notice of proposed rule changes, prohibit board members from discussing or acting on association business outside authorized meetings, and mandate that board meeting agendas include instructions for obtaining open session agenda packets. Announcements of litigation, insurance claims, or policy changes would be required in open meetings, with case names and numbers included in meeting minutes and executive session notes.

The bill would also require that open session board meetings be recorded and those recordings be made available to members, with notice provided at the start of each meeting. Meeting minutes, including dates, times, and attendance details, would need to be distributed electronically at no charge. Any board action conducted in violation of these requirements could be voided by a court, and members prevailing in court would be entitled to attorneys’ fees and court costs, including in small claims court. Amendments to operating rules would be exempt from the secret ballot requirement, and members could only be denied ballots if they weren’t members at the time of distribution. The bill updates relevant definitions and makes various related changes to the act.

STATUS: Passed out of Assembly 79-0 but was placed in the suspense file. Did not move to the floor for a vote.

STATUS: The bill was referred to the Housing and Community Development and Business and Professions

This bill would require the Department of Insurance, on or before January 1, 2030, and every five years thereafter, to consider whether or not to update its regulations to include additional building hardening measures for property-level mitigation efforts and community-wide wildfire mitigation programs. As part of this consideration, the bill would require the department to consult with specified agencies to identify additional building hardening measures to consider, as well as to develop and implement a public participation process during the evaluation.

STATUS: Passed out of Assembly 79-0 and is on the Senate floor pending a vote.

AB-6 (WARD) – RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENTS: BUILDING STANDARDS: REVIEW

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committees. It failed to advance out of committee. The author has stated his intention to bring it back next year (or support a colleague in doing so) in the second half (2026) of this legislative session.

AB-69 (CALDERON) – FAIR PLAN POLICY RENEWALS 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. It would also require the FAIR Plan Association to notify all policyholders of coverage options. This is a good reminder that FAIR Plan policies should truly be a last resort for most HOAs. STATUS: Passed out of Assembly 78-0. The hearing in the Insurance Committee scheduled for June 23 was cancelled at the author’s request, and the bill failed to move from there.

AB-130 (COMMITTEE ON BUDGET) – HOUSING In addition to numerous changes designed to implement the state’s budget, this bill includes several important changes impacting HOA enforcement. Monetary penalties are now capped at the lesser of the amount listed in the HOA’s fine schedule or $100 per violation. Fines may exceed $100 only if the violation poses an “adverse health or safety impact” and the board makes a written finding in an open meeting. Members may avoid penalties by

curing the violation or providing a “financial commitment to cure” before the hearing. Boards must now issue written decisions within 14 days (previously 15). If a member disagrees with the board’s decision, they must be offered Internal Dispute Resolution (IDR). If both parties agree, a written resolution must be signed and is judicially enforceable.

STATUS: The bill took effect immediately and all HOAs in California must comply. The law’s ambiguities will likely generate disputes over interpretation, and associations must now navigate a new enforcement landscape with caution.

AB-226 (CALDERON/ALVAREZ) – CALIFORNIA FAIR PLAN ASSOCIATION This bill would authorize the association (if granted prior approval from the commissioner) to request the California Infrastructure and Economic Development Bank to issue bonds and would authorize the bank to issue those bonds to finance the costs of claims, to increase liquidity and claims-paying capacity of the association, and to refund bonds previously issued for that purpose. The bill would specify that the association is a participating party and that financing all or any portion of the costs of claims or to increase liquidity and the claims-paying capacity of the association is a project for bond purposes. The bill would authorize the bank to loan the proceeds of issued bonds to the association, and would authorize the association to enter into a loan agreement with the bank and to enter

ECHO journal | SEPTEMBER 2025

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AB-1240 (LEE/PEREZ) – SINGLEFAMILY RESIDENTIAL REAL PROPERTY: CORPORATE ENTITY: OWNERSHIP

Professional Service Delivered Personally.

ACE Property Management provides a complete range of management services to homeowners associations.

408.217.2882 | acepm.net Echo Legislation Tracker Continued from page 35

into a line-of-credit agreement with an institutional lender or brokerdealer. This bill would require the association, if the above-described bonds, loan agreements, or lines of credit received the prior approval of the commissioner, to assess members in the amounts and at the times necessary to timely pay in full all obligations of the association with respect to those bonds, loan agreements, or lines of credit and related agreements, as specified.

STATUS: Passed out of the Assembly 77-0 and is now on the Senate floor pending a vote.

AB-462 (LOWENTHAL/ RIVAS) – LAND USE: COASTAL DEVELOPMENT PERMITS: ACCESSORY DWELLING UNITS The California Coastal Act of 1976 (which is administered by the California Coastal Commission) requires any person wishing to perform or undertake any development in the coastal zone, as defined, to obtain a coastal development permit from a local government or the commission, except as provided. Existing law specifies that the above-described provisions governing accessory dwelling units do not supersede or in any way alter or lessen the effect or application of the California Coastal Act of 1976, except as specified. This bill would exempt the construction of an accessory dwelling unit located within the county of Los Angeles, and in any county that is subject to a proclamation of a state of emergency made by the governor on or after February 1, 2025, from the need to obtain a coastal development permit, 36

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as specified.

STATUS: Passed out of the Assembly 77-0 and is now on the Senate floor pending a vote.

AB-739 (JACKSON) – COMMON INTEREST DEVELOPMENTS: MANAGING AGENTS: REAL ESTATE BROKER LICENSE This bill would require a managing agent of a common interest development to hold a real estate broker license issued by the state.

STATUS: The bill has been referred to the Housing and Community Development and Business and Professions committees. It was not heard in either of these committees and, since it did not pass out of the Assembly prior to the June 6 deadline, it is dead at least for this year.

AB-1154 (CARRILLO) – ACCESSORY DWELLING UNITS: JUNIOR ACCESSORY DWELLING UNITS This bill would prohibit a local agency from imposing any parking standards if the accessory dwelling unit is 500 square feet or smaller.

Under this bill, that owner-occupancy requirement would apply only if the junior accessory dwelling unit has shared sanitation facilities with the existing structure. The bill would require an ordinance that provides for the creation of a junior accessory dwelling unit to require that a rental of a junior accessory dwelling unit be for a term longer than 30 days.

STATUS: The bill passed out of the Assembly 70-1 and out of the Senate 40-0. It will be considered by the governor.

This bill would prohibit a business entity, as defined, that has an interest in more than 1,000 singlefamily residential properties from purchasing, acquiring, or otherwise obtaining an ownership interest in another single-family residential property and subsequently leasing the property, as specified.

STATUS: The bill passed out of the Assembly 42-18 but was held up in the Senate Judiciary Committee and didn’t make it to the Senate floor.

AB-1414 (RANSOM/WIENER) – LANDLORD-TENANT: INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDER SUBSCRIPTIONS This bill would have required a landlord, their agent, or an association to provide a tenant with the option to opt out of any subscription from a third-party internet service provider for specified services. It was amended on August 26 to clarify that it does not apply to HOA bulk service situations.

STATUS: The bill passed both houses and will be considered by the governor.

CALIFORNIA SENATE BILLS SB-282 (WIENER) – RESIDENTIAL HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS: WATER HEATERS AND HVAC: INSTALLATIONS 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.

STATUS: The bill did not pass out of the Senate before the June 6 deadline, so it is dead at least for this year.

SB-410 (GRAYSON) – COMMON INTEREST DEVELOPMENTS: ASSOCIATION RECORDS: EXTERIOR ELEVATED ELEMENTS INSPECTION This bill would require HOAs to provide potential buyers with the inspection reports required under

Section 5551 (SB-326 balcony inspection reports).

STATUS: The bill passed out of both houses and will be considered by the governor.

SB-448 (UMBERG) – TRESPASSING: REMOVAL OF TRESPASSERS ON RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY This bill would prescribe a procedure for the notice and removal of a squatter by a local law enforcement agency. The bill would authorize a property owner or their agent to serve a demand to vacate, as specified, upon a squatter. The bill would authorize the owner or agent, after service of the demand, to submit a request, signed under penalty of perjury, to the local law enforcement agency with primary jurisdiction where the property is located, as specified. This bill would require the law enforcement agency, upon receipt of the request, to verify the request and, upon verification, to remove the unlawful occupants from the property without unreasonable delay, as specified.

Private Property Towing, Vehicle Impound & Parking Enforcement

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STATUS: The bill passed out of the Public Safety (6-0), Judiciary (13-0), and Appropriations (7-0) committees but was placed in the suspense file. It did not pass out of the Senate and is now dead, at least for now.

SB-546 (GRAYSON) – COMMON INTEREST DEVELOPMENTS: ACCOUNTING Existing law requires the board of directors of a nonprofit corporation or unincorporated association created for the purpose of managing a common interest development to, on a monthly basis, review specified documents, including account statements, reconciliations, and ledgers, unless the association’s governing documents impose more stringent standards. Existing law authorizes those review requirements to be met when every individual member of the board, or a subcommittee of the board consisting of the treasurer and at least one other board member, reviews the documents and statements independent of a board meeting, so long as the review is ratified at

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

Explore opportunities at www.echo-ca.org

Continued on page 38 ECHO journal | SEPTEMBER 2025

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the board meeting subsequent to the review and that ratification is reflected in the minutes of that meeting. This bill would repeal those provisions authorizing the review requirements to be met when individual members or a subcommittee of the board review the documents and statements independent of a board meeting as described above.

STATUS: The bill did not pass out of the Senate and is dead, at least for this year.

SB-570 (ALVARADO-GIL) – COMMON INTEREST DEVELOPMENTS The Davis-Stirling Common Interest Development Act governs the management and operation of common interest developments. This bill would make a nonsubstantive change to the provision specifying the act’s title.

STATUS: This bill was likely a “spot” bill. It was never referred to any committees and did not make it out of the Senate.

SB-625 (WAHAB/RICHARDSON) – HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS: DISASTERS: RECONSTRUCTION OF DESTROYED OR DAMAGED STRUCTURES This bill would (1) create a streamlined ministerial approval process for rebuilding residential structures damaged in a disaster, (2) establish timelines for homeowners associations (HOAs) to review development proposals, (3) limit the scope of covenants and other instruments that would prohibit a property owner from rebuilding a residential structure destroyed in a declared disaster, and (4) prohibit local agencies from preventing property owners from living in a mobile home on their property for up to three years following a disaster.

STATUS: The bill passed out of both houses and will be considered by the governor.

SB-677 (WIENER/WICKS) – HOUSING DEVELOPMENT: STREAMLINED APPROVALS This bill would require local agencies to ministerially approve certain housing developments and urban lot splits and preclude the imposition of additional approval requirements. Additionally, this bill would make void any homeowner association private restrictions, including those contained in CC&Rs or other governing documents that effectively prohibit or unreasonably restrict these approved housing developments and urban lot splits.

STATUS: The bill did not pass out of the Senate and is dead, at least for this year.

SB-681 (WAHAB) – HOUSING This bill contained the language that was incorporated into AB-130.

STATUS: The bill passed out of the Senate 28-10 before being incorporated into AB-130.

SB-750 (CORTESE) – CALIFORNIA HOUSING FINANCE AND CREDIT ACT This bill would establish the California Residential Mortgage Insurance Fund in the State Treasury and would 38

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continuously appropriate moneys to the California Housing Finance Agency (CalHFA) for the purpose of insuring construction loans and permanent loans for affordable housing. The program would offer credit enhancements to stimulate private investment and defray administrative costs.

STATUS: The bill passed out of the Senate 38-0 and was placed in the Assembly Appropriations Committee’s suspense file following a hearing on May 19, 2025. It did not move from the suspense file and is dead for now.

SB-770 (ALLEN) – COMMON INTEREST DEVELOPMENTS: EV CHARGING STATIONS Existing law imposes various requirements regarding the installation and use of an electric vehicle (EV) charging station placed in a common area or an exclusive use common area of a common interest development, including that the owner is required to provide a certificate of insurance that names the association as an additional insured party. This bill would delete the requirement that the insurance policy name the association as an additional insured party, and would correct an erroneous crossreference regarding the amount of that insurance.

STATUS: The bill passed out of the Senate 28-10 and made its way through various Assembly committees to the Assembly floor.

SB-811 (CABALLERO) – COMMON INTEREST DEVELOPMENTS: DOCUMENT DELIVERY Existing law makes delivery of a document under the Davis-Stirling Act complete upon either its deposit into the United States mail or upon electronic transmission. This bill would make a nonsubstantive change to those provisions.

STATUS: This “spot” bill was never amended and did not move out of the Senate.

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

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 2021-2024; 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.

Ace Property Management, Inc. Yvette Lee, CEO 1290 Kifer Rd., Ste. 309 Sunnyvale, CA 94086 (408) 217-2882 yvette@acepm.net www.acepm.net

See our advertisement on page 36

Action Property Management 850 Montgomery St., Suite 150 San Francisco, CA 94133 (800) 400-2284 www.actionlife.com

American Management Services, Inc. 1190 South Bascom Ave., Ste. 242 San Jose, CA 95128 (408) 225-7380 www.amspcam.com

Common Interest Management Services Bay Area Property Services Lisa Triplett, CAMEx, AMS Executive Vice President 3021 Citrus Circle, Ste. 205 Walnut Creek, CA 94598 (800) 610-0757 lisa@bayservice.net www.bayservice.net

Butner Homeowner Association Services P.O. Box 1999 Mammoth Lakes, CA 93456 (760) 934-8589 www.butnerhoaservices.com

Carrick & English

P.O. Box 629 Burlingame, CA 94011 (650) 401-3688 www.carrickandenglish.com

Christison Company Association Services Ascendant Association & Property Management Sandy Oxley, Founder & CEO P.O. Box 15446 San Francisco, CA 94115 (415) 877-7689 sandy@ascendantmgmt.com www.ascendantmgmt.com

Assembly HOA Management 453 S. Spring Street, Ste. 400 Los Ángeles, CA 90013 (213) 282-8008 www.assemblyhoa.com

7901 Stoneridge Drive, Suite 222 Pleasanton, CA 94588 (800) 788-0208 www.christisoncompany.com

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

See our advertorial on page 11

Associa Northern California

Gina Bocage, CCAM 4305 Hacienda Dr., Ste. 140 Pleasanton, CA 94588 (800) 843-3351 gbocage@associanortherncalifornia.com www.associaonline.com

Avenues Select Management Services 3600 Fern Ct. Rescue, CA 95672 (877) 544-1434 www.5thaveinc.com

Collins Management Company Paul Collins, CCAM, PCAM Chief Executive Officer 500 Alfred Nobel Dr., Ste. 250 Hercules, CA 94547 (800) 557-5179 paul@collins-mgmt.com www.collins-mgmt.com

Common Development Management

Lorena Campos Senior Director New Business Development Community Association Management (916) 330-2129, ext. 121 lcampos@commoninterest.com www.commoninterest.com See our advertisement on page 21

Community Association Management 6088 Sunol Blvd., Ste. 100 Pleasanton, CA 94566 (925) 417-7100 www.hoasmanagement.com

Community First Property Management PO Box 72003 San Jose, CA 95172 (408) 373-1397 www.communityfirstpm.com

Community One Property Management 6820 Pacific Ave., Ste. 2A Stockton, CA 95207 (925) 247-3100 www.communityonepm.com

Condominium Financial Management, Inc. (CFM) 60 Mayhew Way Walnut Creek CA 94597 (925) 566-6672 www.condofinancial.com

De Camara Management, Inc. 9011 Soquel Dr., Ste. A Aptos, CA 95003 (831) 688-0500 www.decamaramanagement.com

EB Community Managers, An Associa Company 6600 Hunter Dr. Rohnert Park, CA 94928 (707) 806-5400 www.ebcommunitymgrs.com

Elemental Association Management 801 Lighthouse Ave., #109 Monterey, CA 93940 (831) 643-9400

Fairmont Heritage Place

(Ghirardelli Square) 900 North Point St., Ste. D100 San Francisco, CA 94109 (415) 292-1000 www.fairmontatghirardelli.com

1220 Diamond Way, #130 Concord, CA 94520 (925) 682-6012 www.cdmeastbayhoa.com

ECHO journal | SEPTEMBER 2025

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2 0 2 5 C O M M U N I T Y M A N AG E M E N T R E S O U R C E D I R E C T O R Y

COMMUNITY MANAGEMENT

2 0 2 5 C O M M U N I T Y M A N AG E M E N T R E S O U R C E D I R E C T O R Y

Focus Real Estate & Investments 3936 Mayette Ave. Santa Rosa, CA 95405 (707) 544-9443 www.focus-re.com

Grayson Community Management Allan Melkesian, President 1625 The Alameda, Ste. 625 Santa Clara, CA 95126 (888) 277-5580 allan@graysoncm.com www.graysoncm.com

The Helsing Group

JK Global Real Estate Services

RealManage

Keystone Pacific Property Management

Robert L. Jensen and Associates

PO Box 81 Belmont, CA 94002 (650) 888-9237 www.jkgrec.com 240 Commerce Irvine, CA 92602 (949) 988-0775 www.kppm.com

672 W. 11th St., PMB 220 Tracy, CA 95376 (925) 725-2000 www.moderncm.org

Mulqueeney & Associates

HOA Organizers Inc., AAMC®

Next Step Community Management

P.O. Box 4726 Foster City, CA 94404 (650) 574-3835

101 Cooper St. Santa Cruz, CA 95060 (800) 562-3885 www.nextstepcommunities.com

HOA Simplified

3395 Michelson Dr., #5402 Irvine, CA 92612 (310) 880-9084 www.hoasimplified.com

HOA Unlimited, LLC

125 Elmira Street San Francisco, CA 95124 (800) 640-2161 www.hoaunlimited.com

Homeowner Association Management Services

Frank Alioto, CEO 1371 Traynor Rd Concord, CA 94520 (408) 648-7775 falioto@communitymanagement.com www.hoamanagementservices.net See our advertisement on page 35

Hudson Management Company 818 Grayson Rd., Ste, 100 Pleasant Hill, CA 94523 (925) 827-2200 www.askhudson.com

Integrity Alliance Management 707 Doak Blvd., Ste. M, #4 Ripon, CA 95366 (877) 227-1752 www.integrityalliancemgmt.com

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2160 N. Fine Ave. Fresno, CA 93727 (559) 252-4525 www.robertljensen.com

Modern Community Management

4000 Executive Parkway, Ste. 100 San Ramon, CA 94583 (925) 355-2100 www.helsing.com 1990 N. California Blvd., Ste. 20 Walnut Creek, CA 94596 (925) 464-2227 www.hoaorganizers.com

7655 Redwood Blvd., Ste. B Novato, CA 94945 (866) 473-2573 www.realmanage.com

RowCal

Kevin Holloway, President 77 Las Colinas Ln. San Jose, CA 95119 (408) 620-5366 CareTeam@rowcal.com www.RowCal.com See our advertisement on page 5

Seabreeze Management Company 26840 Aliso Viejo Pkwy, Ste. 100 Aliso Viejo, CA 92656 (949) 310-6754 www.seabreezemgmt.com

Silvercreek Association Management OMNI Community Management, LLC Rolf M. Crocker, AMS, CAMEx, CCAM CEO/Principal 9807 Fair Oaks Blvd.

Fair Oaks, CA 95628 (925) 283-4900 rolf.crocker@omnicommunities.com www.omnicommunities.com

2950 Buskirk Ave., Ste. 300 Walnut Creek, CA 94597 (925) 690-5332 www.silvercreekam.com

Skyline Association Management

See our advertorial on page 23

PO Box 471450 San Francisco, CA 94147 (415) 422-9390 www.skylinepmg.com

PMI SouthBay

Specialty Real Estate Services

Premier Property Services

Steward Property Services, Inc.

2010 El Camino Real, PMB 3046 Santa Clara, CA 95050 (510) 403-1035 www.PMISouthBay.com 1451 Guerneville Rd., Ste. 220 Santa Rosa, CA 95403 (707) 544-2005 www.premierpsinc.com

Professional Association Services 42612 Christy St. Fremont, CA 94538 (510) 683-8614 www.pas-inc.com

Property Pro Ltd.

14127 Capri Dr., Ste. 8 Los Gatos, CA 95032 (408) 378-1730 www.propertyproltd.com

6701 Koll Center Pkwy., Ste. 250-2538 Pleasanton, CA 94566 (800) 400-2144 www.sresonline.com 1465 N. McDowell Blvd., Ste. 120 Petaluma, CA 94954 (707) 285-0600 www.stewardprop.com

Tailored Management Solutions

Maria Hernandez, CCAM-PM, COO 2322 Bates Ave., Ste. G Concord, CA 94520 (925) 584-7330 maria@tailoredmanagementsolutions.com www.tailoredmanagementsolutions.com

1625 E. Shaw Ave., Ste. 116 Fresno, CA 93710 (559) 228-6788 www.west-co.com

COMMUNITY MANAGEMENT CONSULTING

See our advertorial on page 27

Terra58 Management 3572 Castlebrook Road Cameron Park, CA 95682 (279) 400-2294 www.terra58.com

The Management Alternative 1932 W. Orangeburg Ave. Modesto, CA 95350 (888) 862-3335 www.hoapro.com

The Manor Association, Inc. 1820 Gateway Dr., Ste. 100 San Mateo, CA 94404 (650) 637-1616 www.manorinc.com

McMills Duffy Consulting Group Heather McMills, Founder & President 1 Belvedere Pl., Ste. 200 Mill Valley, CA 94941 (800) 919-4351 heather@mcmillsduffy.com www.mcmillsduffy.com See our advertisement on page 13

Gallopify

2 0 2 5 C O M M U N I T Y M A N AG E M E N T R E S O U R C E D I R E C T O R Y

Westco Equities, Inc. Property Management

CANADA & USA (416) 566-7915 www.gallopify.com

MANAGEMENT & TECH SOFTWARE BIMINIcorp

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

HOAworks,LLC

9375 E. Shea Blvd., Ste. 100 Scottsdale, AZ 85260 (877) 808-4HOA www.hoa.works

FINANCIAL INVESTMENTS & SERVICES Community Financials

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

Support the Professionals That Support Echo!

Check out the Professional Service Provider Online Directory. We have a new look that is easy to navigate and user friendly.

This Professional Directory is a one-stop shop that provides access to 250+ HOA industry experts!

ECHO journal | SEPTEMBER 2025

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Join like-minded colleagues and learn what is needed to prepare an individual for board service or to better serve your HOA clients.

The program covers the essentials, including the HOA legal environment, fiduciary responsibilities and duties, financial management and reserves, meetings (planning and management), election procedures, board ethics, and soft skills needed to deal with people. The curriculum is brought together with a capstone course on the role of HOA vision, mission, strategy, and core values in common interest developments.

The courses will be available in various formats including workshop, lecture, and lecture/lab. Faculty has been recruited from the most successful and knowledgeable companies in the industry. Currently, eight of the ten courses will be recorded and available on demand. All courses will be offered live via webinars. Two workshops require live, online participation: HOA Board Ethics and the capstone strategy course.

Participants will be given three years from the date of enrollment to satisfactorily complete the ten courses and successfully pass the exam for each course with a score of 70% or better. The examinations will be designed to cover the basic knowledge and skills discussed in the course and to encourage the internalization of the curriculum. After successfully completing the examinations, participants will be awarded a certificate of successful completion of the Echo Board Member Preparedness Program. This is a lifetime certificate and will be noted in the permanent Echo records.

Board Member Preparedness Certificate Program Curriculum Good Governance Series (100 series) 100 Leadership and Governance 101 Elections, Voting, and Candidacy 102 Meetings and Best Practices 103 Board Evaluation of HOA Management HOA Legal Environment Series (150 series) 150 Ask the Attorney: Davis-Stirling Act Overview 151 Ask the Attorney: Laws Other Than the Davis-Stirling Act 152 Ask the Attorney: Judicial Interpretation HOA Case Law Board Ethics (120 Series) 120A Foundations of HOA Ethics Workshop 120B Ethics in Practice Workshop HOA Financial Management & Reserves (170 Series) 170 HOA Financial Management & Reserves HOA Board Member Preparedness Capstone Course (199) 199 A Strategic Approach to HOA Management

ACADEMIC DEAN’S CIRCLE SPONSORS

ConsortiumLLC To enroll or learn more about the program, contact Connor Zepponi, connor@echo-ca.org, or visit www.echo-ca.org and click on the Echo 42 SEPTEMBER 2025 | ECHO journal HOA University program tab.

FUTURE FORWARD PLANNING

WALNUT CREEK

Legislative Update & Educational Seminar Saturday | November 15 9:00 am – 2:30 pm

TOPICS Legislative Update & Expectations for 2026

Nathan R. McGuire, Esq McGuire Schubert Sohal, LLP

Artificial Intelligence in HOAs Barry Ross Ross & Ross International

Maintenance Planning Hooman Bolandi MindMe Technologies, Inc.

Planning for Insurance Risks Jill M. Duffy McMills Duffy Consulting Group

SAVE THE DATE! Legislative Update & Educational Seminar: Future Forward Planning Rossmoor Event Center 1021 Stanley Dollar Drive | Walnut Creek Saturday | November 15, 2025 9:00 am – Registration and Trade Show Opens 9:45 am – 2:30 pm - Program (including lunch) Join us for an essential program designed to equip your HOA with the foresight and strategies needed to thrive in an evolving landscape. We’re bringing together industry experts to tackle the most pressing issues facing community associations today, from legal compliance and technological advancements to financial planning and risk management.

Echo members attend for FREE!

www.echo-ca.org

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

Echo Educational Workshop

Echo Ask the Attorney

Good Governance - Meeting Types and Best Practices

Judicial Interpretation HOA Case Law

October 16, 2025 | 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm

October 25, 2025 | 9:00 am – Noon

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

Community Conversations

Things to Know About Selecting a Contractor

Options for HOA Financial Management Systems

October 30, 2025 | 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm

November 6, 2025 | 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

Community Conversations

The Truth About Compliance with Nonfunctional Turf & Water Conservation December 4, 2025 | 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm

R E G I ST E R H E R E