California community association law
Assessments, liens & collection
Cal. Civ. Code §§ 5650-5720 (Davis-Stirling)
What the law requires
Regular and special assessments, plus late charges, reasonable collection costs, attorney fees and interest, are the personal debt of the owner at the time they are levied, and become a lien on the separate interest once the association records a notice of delinquent assessment. Davis-Stirling sets what must precede that recording, who may authorize it, and how the lien is enforced.
What it means for boards & managers
The decision to record a lien cannot be delegated to a managing agent. It is a recorded board decision, and the pre-lien notice and dispute-resolution offer come first. Skipping a step is the usual reason a California collection action unwinds.
Read the full text
The sections this topic covers, as we hold them. Each opens the statute text itself, not a summary of it.
This summary is for orientation and is not legal advice. Statutes are amended; confirm the current text of Cal. Civ. Code §§ 5650-5720 (Davis-Stirling) with the official California code, and consult counsel for specific situations.
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