The HOA Show Podcast

This podcast covers a variety of relevant topics geared toward HOAs. Some episode topics include "Liens and How Associations Should Best Use Them."

Firewise Communities

The Firewise USA® recognition program is administered by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and provides a collaborative framework to help neighbors in a geographic area get organized, find direction, and take action to increase the ignition resistance of their homes and community and to reduce wildfire risks at the local level. The Firewise USA program is a part of California’s efforts to ensure communities are prepared against wildfire, and CAL FIRE Office of the State Fire Marshal’s new Community Wildfire Preparedness & Mitigation Division works to assist local communities in receiving this designation.

How to Become a Firewise Community:

Step 1: Organize it

Create a board or committee of volunteers to represent your community, including residents and partners such as local forestry agencies or the fire department. Identify a resident leader who will be the program's point of contact. The board or committee defines the boundaries of the site and determines the number of individual single-family dwelling units. Community size: Minimum of 8 dwelling units and a maximum of 2,500. Multiple Firewise USA sites can be located within a city/town or master-planned community/HOA.

Step 2: Plan it

The board or committee will collaborate with their local wildfire expert to complete a community wildfire risk assessment. The assessment should be a community-wide view that identifies areas of successful wildfire risk reduction and areas where improvements could be made. Emphasis should be on the general conditions of homes and related home ignition zones. The assessment is a living document and needs to be updated at a minimum every 5 years.

• Contact your state liaison to learn more about the requirements and how to get started.
• Some states use the Firewise USA template.
• Online training - Community Wildfire Risk Assessment Tutorial

Step 3: Do it

Each year, neighbors complete educational and risk reduction actions identified in the plan. These go towards your site's annual reporting efforts.

• Find examples (PDF) of activities that count towards your investment.
• Use our volunteer hourly worksheet (PDF) to collect information from residents in your community

At a minimum, each site is required to annually invest the equivalent of one volunteer hour per dwelling unit in wildfire risk reduction actions. If your site has identified 100 homes within its boundary, than 100 hours of work or the monetary equivalent, based on the independent sector value of volunteer time, need to be completed for that year.

Ensure the Protection of Nesting Birds During Construction & Tree Trimming

Did You Know?

To harm or kill a native bird, regardless of intent, is a violation of the law.

The different types of violations may include:

• Deliberately hunting protected birds
• Accidentally misidentifying and hunting protected birds
• Poisoning birds with improperly used pesticides
• Poaching birds for sale as pets
• Destroying nests or disturbing nesting birds
• Raising baby wild birds as pets
• Raising “abandoned” baby wild birds with the intent to release them
• Collecting wild bird feathers, nests, or eggs

State & Federal Laws Protect ALL Native Birds

The Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 (MBTA) is one of the country’s oldest and most comprehensive pieces of legislation designed to protect birds, ensuring wildlife diversity and conservation for generations to come. Agencies at the State and Federal level work to

protect all native birds in the United States and internationally, according to the MBTA, the federal Endangered Species Act, and other legislation. While the MBTA addresses migratory birds specifically, each state may have laws of its own to protect species of conservation concern within its borders. In California, Section 3513 of the Fish and Game Code further protects migratory birds, while additional codes extend this protection to certain types of birds. Essentially, this means all native birds.

Help Protect Native Birds!

Avoid nesting birds when trimming trees near your property or during construction activities by:

• Planning activities (brush removal, tree trimming, building demolition, grading, etc.) outside of nesting season whenever possible.
• Surveying construction areas for nesting birds and active nests: Always assume a nest is active, particularly if adult birds are present. Consider hiring a biologist to assist with the survey and to determine when it is safe to commence activities.
• Delaying construction activity within 300 feet of an active nest until the nest is no longer active (i.e., when the chicks have left the nest and activity around the nest is no longer observed).

CAI-OC Education Committee's

"HOA U Educational Series"

Tuesday Evenings

March 7-28

6:00pm - 8:00pm

Designed for homeowner volunteers and others in community association management, this comprehensive program will guide you through key issues in association management today.

March 7 - Law

March 14 - FInances & Reserves Studies

March 21 - Insurance

March 28 - Maintenance, Construction Contracts & Bidding

Many California backyard gardeners have been composting for years. Now, all Californians will, one way or another, be required to recycle organic waste for composting, much as we have been recycling green garden waste.

Pursuant to regulations effective January 1, 2022, local jurisdictions and multi-family dwellings with more than five units (including community associations) are required to have organic waste recycling programs in place. Associations with fewer than five units won't be required to take action, but all individual owners, whether they live in condominiums, planned developments, or standard subdivisions, will be required to comply. The new trash laws apply to everyone. Communities are struggling to understand and implement these new requirements, and there may be more changes to the law in the future to provide better understanding and guidance, but these requirements are in effect so communities must act.

Organic waste in landfills emits 20% of... to read more click here.