Category: Arbitration: Homeowners

Arbitration, Vacatur, Public Policy: Second Dist., Div. 6 Holds Arbitrator Award Violated Public Policy in HOA/Developer Dispute

And Now There Is A Split Between The 4th District, Div. 3, And The 2nd District, Div. 2.           In Branches Neighborhood Corp. v. CalAtlantic Group, Inc., 26 Cal.App.5th 743 (2018), a homeowner's association began a construction defects arbitration with a developer without first getting a vote of 51% of its […]

Arbitration/Appealability/Homeowners: Court Of Appeal Dismisses Appeal Of Order Denying Motion To Compel Arbitration Because Order Did Not Effectively Terminate Arbitration

Ordinarily, Denial Of A Motion To Compel Arbitration Is Appealable – But Not Here, And The Court Explains Why . . .      Hayward Renaissance Walk Corporation v. Olson Urban Housing, LLC, A148372 (2/1 12/20/16) (Margulies, Humes, Dondero) (unpublished) does something satisfying that we like cases to do:  it makes sense and imposes order on […]

Arbitration/Homeowners/References/FAA: Fifth District Affirms Order Denying Motion To Compel Arbitration In Construction Defect Lawsuit

The Key:  Close Reading Of Provision Providing For Arbitration If Reference Became “Legally Unavailable.”        The short but interesting opinion in Freeman v. Froehlich Signature Homes, Inc., F073374 (5th Dist. 12/15/16) (Levy, Gomes, Kane) (unpublished), merits close reading, because it reads like a finely-worded exam question.      In a construction defect lawsuit, the trial court […]

Arbitration, Homeowners: Failure To Comply With B&P Section 7191 Requirements For Prominence and Formatting Makes Arbitration Provision For Work On Residence Unenforceable

Placement and Prominence Requirements Are Key To Implementing Statutory Disclosure And Knowing Waiver Objectives      In Anna-Becky Redlich v. Reliance Management Group, Inc., Case No. A140313 (1/2 March 11, 2015) (Banke, Margulies, Dondero) (unpublished), the Court of Appeal agreed with the trial court that arbitration provisions between plaintiff homeowner, and defendants design firm and construction […]

Arbitration/Homeowners: California Supreme Court’s Pinnacle Museum Tower Association Case Disposes Of Enforceability of Arbitration Provision In CC&Rs In Verano Condominium Homeowners Association Case

January 26, 2013 · Arbitration: Homeowners

Based On Holding of Pinnacle, Fourth District, Division 1 Reverses Order Of The Superior Court That Had Denied Developer’s Request To Arbitrate      I posted on May 10, 2012 about Verano Condominium Homeowners Association v. La Cima Development, LLC, a 4th District Division 1 case, in which the Court of Appeal held, based on an […]

Arbitration/Homeowners: Fourth District, Division 1 Reverses Trial Court’s Order And Holds Arbitration Clause In Recorded Declaration Of Covenants, Conditions And Restrictions Is Valid

January 20, 2013 · Arbitration: Homeowners

Pinnacle Museum Tower Association Dictates Result      In Pinnacle Museum Tower Assn. v. Pinnacle Market Development (US), LLC, 55 Cal.4th 223 (2012), the California Supreme Court held that arbitration clauses in recorded CC&Rs, requiring that a homeowners association arbitrate construction claims against a developer, are enforceable.  See my August 16, 2012 post about Pinnacle.  (“Privity, […]

Arbitration/Enforceability/Homeowners: California Supreme Court’s Decision In Pinnacle Requires Reversal In Another Case Of Order Denying Developer’s Motion To Compel Arbitration

     On August 16, 2012, we blogged about the California Supreme Court’s decision (actually, a majority, concurrences, and a dissent) in Pinnacle Museum Tower Association v. Pinnacle Market Development (US), LLC, 55 Cal.4th 223 (2012).  That case held that covenants, conditions and restrictions of a recorded declaration created by a developer, which contain an arbitration […]

Arbitration/Fees/: HOA’s Dismissal of Arbitration Against Management Company Results In Award of Attorney’s Fees Against HOA

HOA Was Not Spared Fees Because It Initiated Arbitration, And Fees Clause Was Broad Enough To Cover Situation      Plaintiff homeowners association, Lakeside Club Villas, Inc., settled with developer defendants, and therefore voluntarily dismissed an arbitration against defendant property management company.  The management company brought a successful motion to obtain attorney fees.  The HOA appealed, […]

Arbitration/Enforceability/Homeowners: Privity, Shmivity, Says The California Supreme Court – A Provision To Arbitrate Construction Disputes In Recorded CC&Rs Will Be Honored If Not Unreasonable

  Majority Opinion Draws Two Concurrences and One Dissent      Arbitration is a matter of consent, right? Because there can be no meaningful consent between a developer that drafts covenants, conditions, and restrictions containing a provision requiring arbitration of construction disputes, and a homeowner’s association (HOA) that doesn’t yet exist, how can the HOA in […]

Arbitration/Enforceability/Homeowners: CC&R Arbitration Provision Does Not Constitute Agreement To Arbitrate Between HOA and Developer

  But Arbitration Provision Between Developer and Direct, Original Purchasers, Suffices To Compel Arbitration of Those Purchasers’ Claims      Covenants, conditions and restrictions (CC&Rs) containing an arbitration provision often raise gnarly questions about enforceability. Is the provision enforceable, and if so, what group will be bound to arbitrate? Those issues were presented in the next […]