Why you should attend:

Today, virtually every residential, commercial, or mixed-use project involves a common interest development (CID). Anyone advising a prospective purchaser or member of a CID must have a working knowledge of the Davis-Stirling Act. Further, over 8 million Californians live in CID's, many of them seniors and people on fixed incomes. The nature of CID's and the homeowner associations (HOA's) that govern them often create a myriad of challenges for members, including, most recently, problems related to reverse mortgages and the lender defaulting on HOA dues and assessments. Increasingly, assessment liens and other liens are resulting in foreclosures, greatly impacting and damaging many communities. 

What you will learn:

Attendees will receive an orientation to the Davis-Stirling Act, related statutes, and the Act's relationship to an association's governing documents.  Recent legislative changes designed to protect homeowner consumer rights have created one of the fastest-growing areas of civil practice for Legal Services attorneys, the private bar, and for attorneys seeking pro bono opportunities.  Under the Act, homeowners can now seek redress in small claims for specific association issues, but they need legal assistance to prepare small claims documents and briefs.  Attorneys will learn how to expand their practice by using limited scope representation to assist homeowners in preparing their pleadings. The training will also focus on foreclosures and the interplay between the lender's lien and the association's lien for unpaid assessments.    

Who should attend:

Real estate attorneys representing homeowners, pro bono attorneys, legal services attorneys, self-help counselors, limited scope representation attorneys, small claims advisors, consumer rights advocates, gray law/senior law attorneys, disability rights attorneys, HUD counselors and paralegals, fair housing advocates, pro tem judges and small claims bench officers.