California HOA Board Meetings, Elections & Records (Davis-Stirling Act)

Under the Open Meeting Act, Civil Code section 4910 provides the board "shall not take action on any item of business outside of a board meeting" and may not conduct business by email except in a written-consent emergency. Section 4920 requires at least four days' notice of regular board meetings (two days for executive-session-only), with an agenda, and members may attend and speak. Civil Code section 5100 requires secret ballots for director elections, assessment votes, document amendments, and exclusive-use grants, with a board election at least every four years; section 5110 requires an independent inspector who is not a director, candidate, or employee. Section 5205 requires associations to make enumerated records available for member inspection and copying.

Members may sue to enforce the Open Meeting Act (with civil penalties up to $500 per violation under section 4955), to void elections that violate the election rules, or to compel record production. Prevailing members may recover costs and attorney's fees.