California homeowners benefit from regular updates on pending legislation that impacts their daily association rules
Rules can take effect in your community before anyone there hears that a bill passed. California HOA legislation is signed in the fall and applies on January 1, and boards enforce the new requirements whether or not members were told about them.
Lawmakers have days left to vote on the coming 2026 bills. Several of them would limit what an association can restrict inside a member’s home.
Read on to find out which California HOA laws are still developing, which have already passed, and what each bill would mean for your community.
The Davis-Stirling Act
Nearly every association in the state answers to the Davis-Stirling Act. It’s a body of California HOA laws at Civil Code sections 4000 through 6150.
It covers various HOA processes and functions, such as:
● Assessments
● Elections
● Meetings
● Records
● How a board disciplines a member
Lawmakers amend it almost every year, so your community’s rules change almost every year, too.
Both houses had until August 31 to pass bills this year, and the 2026 legislative calendar gives the Governor until September 30 to sign or veto them.
Anything signed takes effect January 1 unless the bill says otherwise. State law outranks your governing documents. Hence, when a new statute conflicts with your CC&Rs (Covenants, Conditions, and Restrictions), the statute wins, and the conflicting rule is void.
The Bills Awaiting a Final Vote
Three pieces of pending California HOA legislation do much the same thing. Each would remove an association’s power to restrict what a homeowner installs in their own unit.
Cooling Systems
AB 1684 would void any provision in governing documents or architectural guidelines that blocks a homeowner from installing, upgrading, replacing, or using a cooling system. An association that willfully breaks the rule would owe the member actual damages plus a civil penalty of up to $2,000, and a homeowner who wins in court could recover attorney’s fees.
The Assembly agreed to the Senate’s changes on August 20, 2026 by a vote of 76 to 0, which sent the bill to the Governor.
Heat Pumps and Windows
SB 222 covers appliances. In particular, it voids any rule that stops a homeowner from swapping a gas appliance for an electric one or that restricts a heat pump water heater or heat pump HVAC system.
Meanwhile, SB 908 does the same for windows, barring governing documents from limiting a replacement that meets the state Energy Code.
Reserves, Utilities, and Elections
AB 2050 changes how much your association has to save. Beginning January 1, 2032, a reserve study would have to name the smallest yearly contribution that keeps the reserve balance above zero across the next 30 years.
An association saving less than that amount would move at least 15% of its operating budget into reserves, with a reserve special assessment of 5% available no more than once every nine years.
AB 1892 covers one narrower issue, making the association responsible for restoring gas, heat, water, or electricity when the interruption starts in the common area.
The $100 Fine Cap Already in Effect
AB 130 took effect the day it was signed in June 2025. Since its passing, it has limited most fines to $100 per violation. A board may charge more only when the violation could harm health or safety in the common area or another member’s property after a written finding at an open meeting.
The same law lets a member fix the violation before the hearing, requires a written decision within 14 days, and bars late fees and interest on fines.
Boards pushed to loosen the cap this session, and AB 2579 would have added more violations to the exception list. Lawmakers moved it to the inactive file, so the $100 limit still applies. Following California HOA legislation updates matters because proposed changes often fail.
What To Watch Before January
There are two documents that will tell you most of what you need to know about whether your HOA can comply with California HOA legislation updates. These are the annual budget report and reserve study.
These show if your association saves for repairs at the level AB 2050 would eventually require, and an association saving far less than that will likely raise assessments later.
Your architectural guidelines are worth rereading for a different reason, since a restriction on air conditioners, windows, or electric appliances may be unenforceable in January.
Boards decide enforcement policies and budgets at open meetings, and members are entitled to attend.
For the bills themselves, the full bill tracker and the Legislature’s own records are updated as votes happen.
Comply With Existing California HOA Laws. Keep Up With Pending California HOA Legislation.
Most disputes between a homeowner and your board will often start with one side unaware of what California homeowners association laws currently require. By reading the annual disclosures when they arrive and comparing your governing documents against the new statutes each January, you’ll be able to prevent most of those disputes.
Stay compliant—but, most importantly, stay informed.
