HOA vs. City Rules: Concord vs San Ramon

In Concord, HOAs (Common Interest Developments) operate under the California Davis-Stirling Common Interest Development Act at Civil Code 4000-6150. City ordinances and Davis-Stirling generally function as floors - the stricter of the two applies unless state law expressly preempts HOA rules (e.g., solar panels, ADUs, clotheslines, EV charging, artificial turf, native plants). HOAs cannot override zoning, building, or health codes set by the city.

In San Ramon, HOA CC&Rs and City ordinances operate as parallel regulatory systems. HOAs enforce private covenants under the Davis-Stirling Common Interest Development Act, while the City enforces zoning and municipal code. HOA rules cannot conflict with state law, but they can impose stricter standards than the City on most land-use and aesthetic issues.