97 registered communities in Novato across Marin County. Mix: 53 unclassified entity, 30 homeowners association, 12 condominium, 1 property owners association, 1 townhome association. Median monthly HOA/condo fee in the county is $560.
A copy of all governing documents. If the association is not incorporated, this shall include a statement in writing from an authorized representative of the association that the association is not incorporated. Cal. Civ. Code §4525(a)(1) · verified May 2026
If there is a restriction in the governing documents limiting the occupancy, residency, or use of a separate interest on the basis of age in a manner different from that provided in Section 51.3, a statement that the restriction is only enforceable to the extent permitted by Section 51.3 and a statement specifying the applicable provisions of Section 51.3. Cal. Civ. Code §4525(a)(2) · verified May 2026
A true statement in writing obtained from an authorized representative of the association as to the amount of the association's current regular and special assessments and fees, any assessments levied upon the owner's interest in the common interest development that are unpaid on the date of the statement, and any monetary fines or penalties levied upon the owner's interest and unpaid on the date of the statement. The statement obtained from an authorized representative shall also include true information on late charges, interest, and costs of collection which, as of the date of the statement, are or may be made a lien upon the owner's interest in a common interest development pursuant to Article 2 (commencing with Section 5650) of Chapter 8. Cal. Civ. Code §4525(a)(4) · verified May 2026
A copy or a summary of any notice previously sent to the owner pursuant to Section 5855 that sets forth any alleged violation of the governing documents that remains unresolved at the time of the request. The notice shall not be deemed a waiver of the association's right to enforce the governing documents against the owner or the prospective purchaser of the separate interest with respect to any violation. This paragraph shall not be construed to require an association to inspect an owner's separate interest. Cal. Civ. Code §4525(a)(5) · verified May 2026
Any change in the association's current regular and special assessments and fees which have been approved by the board, but have not become due and payable as of the date disclosure is provided pursuant to this subdivision. Cal. Civ. Code §4525(a)(8) · verified May 2026
If there is a provision in the governing documents that prohibits the rental or leasing of any of the separate interests in the common interest development to a renter, lessee, or tenant, a statement describing the prohibition. Cal. Civ. Code §4525(a)(9) · verified May 2026
If requested by the prospective purchaser, a copy of the minutes of board meetings, excluding meetings held in executive session, conducted over the previous 12 months, that were approved by the board. Cal. Civ. Code §4525(a)(10) · verified May 2026
A pro forma operating budget, showing the estimated revenue and expenses on an accrual basis. Cal. Civ. Code §5300(b)(1) · verified May 2026
The disclosures required by this article with regard to an association or a property shall be summarized on the following form: Cal. Civ. Code §5570(a) · verified May 2026
Unless the governing documents impose more stringent standards, a review of the financial statement of the association shall be prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles by a licensee of the California Board of Accountancy for any fiscal year in which the gross income to the association exceeds seventy-five thousand dollars ($75,000). A copy of the review of the financial statement shall be distributed to the members within 120 days after the close of each fiscal year, by individual delivery pursuant to Section 4040. Cal. Civ. Code §5305§5305 · verified May 2026
A summary of the association's property, general liability, earthquake, flood, and fidelity insurance policies. For each policy, the summary shall include the name of the insurer, the type of insurance, the policy limit, and the amount of the deductible, if any. To the extent that any of the required information is specified in the insurance policy declaration page, the association may meet its obligation to disclose that information by making copies of that page and distributing it with the annual budget report. Cal. Civ. Code §5300(b)(9) · verified May 2026
A statement describing the association's policies and practices in enforcing lien rights or other legal remedies for default in the payment of assessments. Cal. Civ. Code §5310(a)(7) · verified May 2026
Statutory requirements, board preparation checklist, the components a professional study covers, and the useful-life ranges that drive thirty-year funding plans. Generic reference. Not a substitute for a study calibrated to a specific association.
California Davis-Stirling Act requires a reserve study at least once every three years (Cal. Civ. Code §5550) with annual review.
Most state regimes also require:
A reserve study has three parts:
CommunityPay maintains a Reserve Funding Status Report (RSR) generator tied to the live ledger. It is a status report, not a substitute for a professional study with on-site inspection.
What a board should have organized before commissioning a reserve study, and what a study delivers back. Use this list to evaluate whether the association is ready, regardless of state.
Categories most reserve studies cover. The specific components depend on the association. High-rise condos track far more than single-family HOAs. Gated communities track infrastructure that condos never see.
Asphalt shingle, metal, tile, or flat membrane roofs. Siding (wood, fiber cement, stucco, vinyl). Exterior paint. Soffits and fascia. Gutters and downspouts. Decks and balconies. Railings. Window and door frames in common areas.
HVAC chillers and cooling towers. Boilers and water heaters. Ventilation. Pumps. Fire suppression and sprinkler systems. Emergency generators. Elevators — cabs, controllers, jacks, and modernizations.
Parking lots: seal coat, overlay, full reconstruction. Concrete sidewalks and curbs. Site lighting. Storm drainage. Retaining walls. Fencing. Entry gates and signage.
Main water lines and risers. Sanitary and storm sewer lines. Backflow preventers. Common-area electrical panels and switchgear. Transformer pads. Distribution.
Pools, spas, and pool equipment. Clubhouse interiors. Fitness rooms. Playgrounds. Tennis and pickleball courts. Mailbox kiosks. Trash enclosures and dumpster pads.
Fire alarm panels. Emergency lighting. Smoke detectors in common areas. Fire-rated doors. Structural fireproofing. Sprinkler heads and inspection-required components.
A mid-size HOA typically tracks thirty to eighty components. A high-rise condo tracks two hundred or more. The categories above are illustrative. A professional reserve study identifies the components a specific association is responsible for.
Typical useful-life ranges for components common in reserve studies. Industry averages, not specific to any state, climate, or association. A professional study calibrates these to local conditions, construction quality, maintenance practice, and use intensity.
| Component | Typical useful life |
|---|---|
| Asphalt shingle roof | 20–25 years |
| Metal roof | 40–50 years |
| Tile or slate roof | 50+ years |
| Flat membrane roof (TPO/EPDM) | 15–25 years |
| Wood siding | 20–30 years |
| Fiber cement siding | 30–50 years |
| Stucco | 50+ years |
| Exterior paint cycle | 7–10 years |
| Gutters and downspouts | 20–30 years |
| Wood deck, pressure-treated | 15–20 years |
| Composite deck | 25–30 years |
| Asphalt parking — seal coat | 3–5 years |
| Asphalt parking — overlay | 12–15 years |
| Asphalt parking — reconstruction | 25–30 years |
| Concrete sidewalks and curbs | 30–50 years |
| Site lighting (poles, fixtures) | 20–30 years |
| Wood fencing | 15–25 years |
| Pool plaster | 10–15 years |
| Pool pump and filter | 7–10 years |
| HVAC rooftop unit | 15–20 years |
| Boiler | 25–30 years |
| Commercial water heater | 10–15 years |
| Fire alarm panel | 20–25 years |
| Elevator cab finishes | 15–20 years |
| Elevator modernization | 25–30 years |
| Carpet, clubhouse | 7–10 years |
| Playground equipment | 10–15 years |
Ranges synthesized from common professional reserve-study references and U.S. building-component literature. Verify against a study performed by a credentialed reserve specialist (RS, PRA, or equivalent) before relying on any figure for funding decisions.
Statutory floors for owner and board meetings — notice periods, delivery rules, quorum, voting, written consent, and record retention. Generic reference. Specific bylaws or declarations may impose tighter requirements; statutes set the minimum.
Most state regimes also require:
CommunityPay maintains a Board Meeting Packet generator that produces a state-aware agenda, draft minutes template, and compliance checklist for the board pack.
How meeting notice must be delivered, what it must contain, and what defects invalidate the notice. Statutes vary in mechanics; the principles are consistent.
Full notice requirements appear in Cal. Civ. Code §4525-4530 and the specific subsections cited in the Requirements tab.
Quorum sets the floor for a valid meeting. Voting mechanics — proxies, ballots, written consent — determine how votes are counted once the quorum is established.
Statute sets the default at 33% of allocated interests unless the governing documents specify a different threshold.
Most states permit proxies for owner meetings. The proxy must be written, dated, and signed; many states require revocation rights and an explicit scope (general or limited). Proxies do not extend to board meetings — directors must vote in person or by permitted remote means.
Action without a meeting requires unanimous written consent in most jurisdictions, though some states permit a lower threshold for narrow categories (uncontested matters, ratification). Document the consent in the corporate records, indexed to the action taken.
Secret-ballot procedures, double-envelope requirements, and inspector-of-elections rules apply in states with comprehensive election statutes. Director elections, recall votes, and assessment increases above a statutory threshold typically require secret-ballot procedure.
Available only when explicitly authorized by the declaration or bylaws. Otherwise straight voting applies — each membership casts one vote per open seat per candidate, with no concentration permitted.
Voting rights may be suspended for delinquent accounts in some jurisdictions. Suspension typically requires due-process notice and an opportunity to cure. Statutes vary; the bylaws must align.
Voting and quorum procedures are codified in Cal. Civ. Code §4525-4530 and applicable subsections. Specific procedures may be modified in the declaration and bylaws within statutory limits.
Minutes are the corporate record of the meeting. Statutes in every state require associations to maintain meeting minutes and make them available to owners on request. Retention periods and access rules vary.
Records retention and inspection rights are codified in Cal. Civ. Code §4525-4530 and related subsections. A records-request response that misses the statutory deadline may expose the association to a per-day penalty.
One PDF — every active California statute we track, statutory fee caps and time limits, recent legal changes from the last 12 months, and the resale-certificate disclosure profile. Built from CommunityPay's living legal corpus, the same data that drives our resale certificates, reserve reports, and CARI scoring.
California law requires 12 statutory disclosures on every resale. Buyers, agents, and title officers can request a certificate here — we contact the board to deliver it.
Request California resale certificate