HOAcrew
California

HOA services in California

California is one of many places communities run HOAcrew. The platform is available to communities nationwide — this page covers what service work looks like here.

California has both the largest number of common-interest developments and the most demanding compliance regime. Reserve discipline, elections, and vendor documentation get more board attention here than almost anywhere else.

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The rules where you are

What governs a California association

Every link below goes to the source, not to us. Read it yourself before you rely on it.

Primary association statute

Davis-Stirling Common Interest Development Act, Cal. Civ. Code § 4000 et seq.

The single most detailed HOA statute in the country, covering governance, records, elections, assessments, and disputes.

Read the code text

Reserves, budgets & bidding

Cal. Civ. Code § 5550

Requires a visual reserve study at least every three years, with an annual review of the reserve funding plan.

Read the code text

Reserves, budgets & bidding

Cal. Civ. Code § 5300

Requires an annual budget report distributed to members, including reserve funding disclosures.

Read the code text

Contractor licensing

California Contractors State License Board

General and specialty licensing, including the C-27 landscaping and C-53 swimming-pool classifications.

Visit the authority

Pool regulation

California Department of Public Health and county environmental health departments

Public pool construction standards, permitting, and inspection.

This is a starting point, not legal advice. Statutes are amended, and your declaration and bylaws may impose stricter requirements than the state does — verify against the current code and your association’s counsel before acting.

The season here

What the year looks like

A long dry season and recurring drought restrictions make irrigation efficiency and turf conversion central, not optional. Coastal, valley, and desert communities inside the state run on genuinely different watering and swim calendars.

Pool CleaningTwice-weekly cleaning, balanced water chemistry, and safety checks for community pools and spas.LandscapingMowing, edging, trimming, irrigation checks, and seasonal color for HOA common areas, entrances, and medians.Porter ServicesClubhouse cleaning, trash and common-area pickup, restroom detailing, and light upkeep across shared amenities.Amenity StaffingCertified pool attendants, lifeguards, gate and front-desk staff, and event coverage for community amenities.

California markets we've written up

Local conditions differ inside a state as much as they do between states. These pages cover what changes.

Guides from the HOAcrew library

Landscaping

HOA Landscaping Budgeting: What Sets the Price and How to Compare Bids

What drives an HOA landscaping bid up or down, how the common pricing structures differ, and how boards can compare bids fairly instead of chasing the lowest number.

Vendor Management

HOA Contractor Licensing: How to Verify a Vendor Is Legit

A board's guide to which licenses HOA vendors actually need, how to verify them with the state, and why 'we're licensed' should never be taken on faith.

Insurance

How to Verify a Vendor's Certificate of Insurance (and Why One Check Isn't Enough)

A step-by-step process for verifying an HOA vendor's certificate of insurance — how to read a COI, confirm it's real and current, and set up ongoing monitoring so coverage doesn't lapse mid-contract.

California HOA services — questions, answered

Which statute governs HOAs in California?+
Davis-Stirling Common Interest Development Act, Cal. Civ. Code § 4000 et seq.. The single most detailed HOA statute in the country, covering governance, records, elections, assessments, and disputes. Your own declaration and bylaws sit on top of it and may be stricter.
Are there reserve or bidding rules California boards need to know?+
Cal. Civ. Code § 5550: Requires a visual reserve study at least every three years, with an annual review of the reserve funding plan. Cal. Civ. Code § 5300: Requires an annual budget report distributed to members, including reserve funding disclosures.
Who licenses the contractors an association hires in California?+
California Contractors State License Board — general and specialty licensing, including the C-27 landscaping and C-53 swimming-pool classifications. Every vendor’s insurance and trade credentials are collected, verified, and stored with their expiry dates, and held to a stated renewal window — 30 days for insurance, none for a competency certification. Once that window closes, the vendor cannot bid for or be awarded new work until it is current again.
Who regulates community pools in California?+
California Department of Public Health and county environmental health departments — public pool construction standards, permitting, and inspection. That is why pool scope on HOAcrew includes water-quality records and operator credentials, not just cleaning visits.
Is HOAcrew available here?+
Available to communities nationwide. Bring your own vendors anywhere; our vetted network is growing market by market.
Do you have vendors near me?+
Two ways it works. Invite the vendors you already use — they get credentialed and onboarded here, anywhere in the US. And where our vetted network has reached, additional vetted vendors can submit proposals too. Our network is growing market by market, so bringing your own vendor is always the fastest path.

Ready to run your California community on one platform?

Join free — your first community is on us. Credential the vendors you already use, then review proposals and pick who you contract with.

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Serve HOA communities for a living? Join the HOAcrew vendor network — free.