Existing law, the Davis-Stirling Common Interest Development Act, defines and regulates common interest developments that are managed by homeowners’ associations. The act requires an association to adopt rules that ensure access to the common area meeting space, if any exists, during a campaign, at no cost, to all candidates and to all members advocating a point of view. The act also requires the adoption of rules that ensure that if any candidate or member advocating a point of view is provided access to association media, newsletters, or Internet Web sites during a campaign, for purposes that are related to that election, equal access is provided to all candidates and members advocating a point of view.

This bill would provide that the governing documents, including bylaws and operating rules, of a residential common interest development may not prohibit a member or resident of a common interest development from engaging in certain activities, including peacefully assembling or meeting during reasonable hours and in a reasonable manner for purposes relating to common interest development living, association elections, legislation, election to public office, or the initiative, referendum, or recall processes. The bill would prohibit a member or resident of a common interest development from being required to pay a fee, make a deposit, obtain liability insurance, or pay the premium or deductible on the association’s insurance policy to use the association’s common area for these activities. The bill would authorize a member or resident of a common interest development who is prevented by the association or its agents from engaging in any of these activities to bring a civil or small claims court action to enjoin the enforcement of a governing document that violates this bill. The bill would authorize a court to assess a civil penalty of not more than $500 per violation.