Pheasant Ridge Association, Inc. v. Harper
HOA Won- HOA
- Pheasant Ridge Association, Inc. / Villages of Pheasant Ridge
- Court
- Ohio · Ohio Court of Appeals, Second Appellate District
- Date decided
- April 24, 2026
- Category
- Assessments & Collections
A homeowner who fell behind on HOA assessments did not respond to the foreclosure complaint and tried to raise mental health and lack of personal contact as defenses on appeal. The court affirmed default judgment, holding the defenses were waived for not being raised below.
McKisick v. Discovery Bay Colony Property Owners Association
HOA Won- HOA
- Discovery Bay Colony Property Owners Association
- Court
- Arkansas · Arkansas Court of Appeals
- Date decided
- April 8, 2026
- Category
- Architectural Control
After a thunderstorm destroyed his carport, a homeowner rebuilt it without prior board approval. The court upheld removal of the carport but reversed the HOA's $9,440 attorney fee award because Arkansas does not allow fees in injunction-only cases.
Cave Bay Community Services Inc. v. Lohman
Homeowner Won- HOA
- Cave Bay Community Services, Inc.
- Court
- Idaho · Supreme Court of Idaho
- Date decided
- February 9, 2026
- Category
- Property / Easement / HOA Dues
An HOA tried to enforce a $1 option to buy 7.31 acres against a new property owner. The Idaho Supreme Court vacated the trial court's ruling, holding that specific performance is a remedy — not a standalone cause of action — and breach of contract had not been established.
Knight v. Sagewood Village Homeowners Association (Utah HOA Ombudsman)
Homeowner Won- HOA
- Sagewood Village Homeowners' Association
- Court
- Utah · Utah Office of the HOA Ombudsman (Administrative)
- Date decided
- September 8, 2025
- Category
- CC&R Enforcement / Parking
After Utah enacted a statute limiting HOAs from restricting operable vehicles in driveways, an HOA still tried to force a homeowner to move his trailer behind a six-foot fence. The Ombudsman held the new law preempts the restriction.
Tanner v. Layton Parke Estates Homeowners Association (Utah HOA Ombudsman)
HOA Won- HOA
- Layton Parke Estates Homeowners Association
- Court
- Utah · Utah Office of the HOA Ombudsman (Administrative)
- Date decided
- January 1, 2025
- Category
- CC&R Enforcement
A family built a city-permitted chicken coop, then the developer — still in the declarant control period — recorded an amendment banning all poultry. The Utah HOA Ombudsman concluded the amendment was within the declarant's authority and the HOA can require removal.
Pecchia v. Wayside Estates Home Owners Association, Inc.
Homeowner Won- HOA
- Wayside Estates Home Owners Association
- Court
- Florida · Fifth District Court of Appeal
- Date decided
- June 7, 2024
- Category
- Records Access / Transparency
Homeowners requested official records and the HOA missed the 10-business-day statutory deadline and produced incomplete records. The Florida appellate court held the statute's "shall" is absolute and triggers a rebuttable presumption of willful noncompliance.
11640 Woodbridge Condominium HOA v. Farmers Insurance Exchange
Homeowner Won- HOA
- 11640 Woodbridge Condominium Homeowners Association
- Court
- California · California Court of Appeal
- Date decided
- January 1, 2024
- Category
- Insurance / Property
A roofing contractor left a condo building exposed and two rainstorms damaged half the units. The California Court of Appeal held that under an "all-risks" policy the insurer — not the HOA — bears the burden of proving any exclusion applies.
In re Kappmeyer (Kappmeyer v. Key Allegro Island Estates HOA)
Homeowner Won- HOA
- Key Allegro Island Estates Homeowners Association
- Court
- Texas · Supreme Court of Texas
- Date decided
- May 12, 2023
- Category
- CC&R Amendments / Governance
After homeowners challenged invalid CC&R amendments, the HOA insisted they join all ~700 other subdivision owners as parties or face dismissal. The Texas Supreme Court called that an abuse of discretion and granted mandamus relief.
Brown v. Montage at Mission Hills, Inc.
Homeowner Won- HOA
- Montage at Mission Hills
- Court
- California · California Court of Appeal
- Date decided
- January 1, 2023
- Category
- Short-Term Rentals
An HOA tried to enforce a newly adopted short-term rental ban against a homeowner who had purchased before the ban existed. The California court held that under Civil Code § 4740 a rental "prohibition" cannot be applied retroactively to pre-existing owners.
Kalway v. Calabria Ranch HOA LLC
Homeowner Won- HOA
- Calabria Ranch HOA, LLC
- Court
- Arizona · Supreme Court of Arizona
- Date decided
- March 22, 2022
- Category
- CC&R Amendments / Governance
The other four owners in a five-lot subdivision amended the CC&Rs by majority vote to impose new restrictions on the largest landowner without his knowledge. The Arizona Supreme Court held that a general amendment power cannot be used to impose new affirmative obligations unless the original CC&Rs gave fair notice.
Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. v. Mahogany Meadows Avenue Trust
HOA Won- HOA
- Mahogany Meadows HOA
- Court
- Nevada · Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals
- Date decided
- November 5, 2020
- Category
- Assessments & Collections
The Ninth Circuit upheld Nevada's HOA superpriority lien law — an HOA foreclosing nine months of unpaid dues can legally wipe out a first mortgage and the bank can't claim it's a taking.
Sanzaro v. Ardiente Homeowners Association
Homeowner Won- HOA
- Ardiente HOA
- Court
- Nevada · United States District Court, D. Nevada
- Date decided
- January 1, 2018
- Category
- Discrimination / Fair Housing
A Nevada HOA banned a disabled woman from its clubhouse because of her service animal — and paid for it personally: damages were entered against board members individually.
Nellie Gail Ranch Owners Association v. McMullin
HOA Won- HOA
- Nellie Gail Ranch Owners Association
- Court
- California · California Court of Appeal, Fourth Appellate District
- Date decided
- January 1, 2016
- Category
- Boundary / Easement
A California court set clear limits on homeowners trying to claim HOA common area as their own through adverse possession — you can't acquire what you haven't paid taxes on.
Watts v. Oak Shores Community Assn.
HOA Won- HOA
- Oak Shores Community Association
- Court
- California · California Court of Appeal
- Date decided
- August 17, 2015
- Category
- Short-Term Rentals
Owners challenged HOA rules and fees imposed on short-term rentals. The court upheld the rules and the association's authority to charge reasonable fees tied to short-term rental use.
Tract 19051 Homeowners Association v. Kemp
HOA Won- HOA
- Tract 19051 HOA
- Court
- California · California Supreme Court
- Date decided
- March 5, 2015
- Category
- Attorney Fees / CC&R Enforcement
The California Supreme Court expanded the reach of the Davis-Stirling attorney fees statute to HOA enforcement actions even when the development is not technically a CID.
Huntington Continental Townhouse Association, Inc. v. Miner
Homeowner Won- HOA
- Huntington Continental Townhouse Association
- Court
- California · California Court of Appeal
- Date decided
- January 1, 2014
- Category
- Assessments & Collections
A California court ruled HOAs must take partial payments and apply them in the proper statutory order — refusing payment to pile on fees is not allowed even after a lien is recorded.
In re De Guillen (Highland Greens Homeowners Assn. v. De Guillen)
Homeowner Won- HOA
- Highland Greens HOA
- Court
- California · Bankruptcy Appellate Panel of the Ninth Circuit
- Date decided
- July 12, 2013
- Category
- Assessments & Collections
California's BAP ruled that HOAs cannot use a single lien notice to capture all future unpaid assessments — a new notice is required before each new lien.
Diamond v. Superior Court
Homeowner Won- HOA
- Not specified
- Court
- California · California Court of Appeal, Sixth District
- Date decided
- July 12, 2013
- Category
- Assessments & Collections
A California appellate court held that HOAs must follow pre-foreclosure notice rules to the letter — "substantial compliance" is not enough when a homeowner's property is on the line.
Pinnacle Museum Tower Assn. v. Pinnacle Market Development
HOA Won- HOA
- Pinnacle Museum Tower Association
- Court
- California · California Supreme Court
- Date decided
- August 16, 2012
- Category
- Construction Defect / Arbitration
The court enforced a developer-drafted arbitration clause in recorded CC&Rs against a condominium association in a construction defect dispute.
Mazdabrook Commons Homeowners' Assn. v. Khan
Homeowner Won- HOA
- Mazdabrook Commons Homeowners' Association
- Court
- New Jersey · New Jersey Supreme Court
- Date decided
- June 13, 2012
- Category
- Free Speech / Signs
An HOA fined an owner for posting political campaign signs in his own window and yard. The New Jersey Supreme Court struck down the sign ban as an unreasonable restriction on political speech.
In re Manchester Oaks Homeowners Association, Inc.
Homeowner Won- HOA
- Manchester Oaks HOA
- Court
- Virginia · United States Bankruptcy Court, E.D. Virginia
- Date decided
- February 29, 2012
- Category
- CC&R Amendments / Governance
An HOA's illegal parking restrictions and botched CC&R amendment drove it into bankruptcy after $27,000+ per homeowner was awarded plus nearly $189,000 in attorney fees.
Lake Lindero Homeowners Association, Inc. v. Barone
Homeowner Won- HOA
- Lake Lindero HOA
- Court
- California · California Court of Appeal, Second Appellate District
- Date decided
- January 1, 2012
- Category
- Governance / Elections
Two HOA governance rules were clarified in one case: courts can review whether a board recall was legitimate, and email chains between board members are not the same as a formal meeting.
Villa De Jardines Association v. Flagstar Bank, FSB
Homeowner Won- HOA
- Villa De Jardines Association
- Court
- Arizona · Arizona Court of Appeals
- Date decided
- January 1, 2011
- Category
- Assessments & Collections
An Arizona court sanctioned HOA attorneys for trying to foreclose on a first mortgage — a legally baseless position that wasted court resources and harmed a lender.
Affan v. Portofino Cove Homeowners Association
HOA Won- HOA
- Portofino Cove HOA
- Court
- California · California Court of Appeal, Fourth Appellate District
- Date decided
- November 1, 2010
- Category
- Board Discretion / Maintenance
Homeowner sued an HOA for negligent maintenance; the court refined the judicial deference rule — boards can't hide behind Lamden if they never investigated the problem at all.
Vizzi v. Parc Corniche Condominium Association
Homeowner Won- HOA
- Parc Corniche Condominium Association
- Court
- Florida · Florida Fifth District Court of Appeal
- Date decided
- March 1, 2010
- Category
- Rule Enforcement / Parking
An HOA sued a homeowner for parking his truck in his own driveway — after years of allowing it — and lost on appeal, with over $300,000 in total costs.
Dover Village Association v. Jennison
Homeowner Won- HOA
- Dover Village Association
- Court
- California · California Court of Appeal
- Date decided
- January 1, 2010
- Category
- Board Discretion / Maintenance
A California court held that when CC&Rs are ambiguous about who is responsible for maintenance and repairs, the HOA cannot hide behind the deference rule.
Committee for a Better Twin Rivers v. Twin Rivers Homeowners' Assn.
HOA Won- HOA
- Twin Rivers Homeowners' Association
- Court
- New Jersey · New Jersey Supreme Court
- Date decided
- July 26, 2007
- Category
- Free Speech / Signs
Residents argued that HOA rules limiting signs and access to the community newspaper violated the New Jersey Constitution. The court ruled the HOA's restrictions were reasonable.
Villa De Las Palmas Homeowners Assn. v. Terifaj
HOA Won- HOA
- Villa De Las Palmas Homeowners Association
- Court
- California · California Supreme Court
- Date decided
- August 23, 2004
- Category
- Pet Restrictions
An owner argued a later-adopted pet ban could not be enforced against her because she purchased before its adoption. The court held duly adopted use restrictions bind all owners.
Lamden v. La Jolla Shores Clubdominium Homeowners Assn.
HOA Won- HOA
- La Jolla Shores Clubdominium Homeowners Association
- Court
- California · California Supreme Court
- Date decided
- August 9, 1999
- Category
- Board Discretion / Maintenance
An owner sued over the board's choice of spot termite treatment instead of fumigation. The court adopted a judicial deference rule for ordinary maintenance decisions made in good faith.
Fountain Valley Chateau Blanc Homeowner's Assn. v. Department of Veterans Affairs
Homeowner Won- HOA
- Fountain Valley Chateau Blanc Homeowner's Association
- Court
- California · California Court of Appeal
- Date decided
- April 29, 1998
- Category
- Architectural Control
An HOA pursued aggressive architectural enforcement against an owner over minor issues. The court awarded judgment to the owner and criticized the association's heavy-handed tactics.
Nahrstedt v. Lakeside Village Condominium Assn.
HOA Won- HOA
- Lakeside Village Condominium Association
- Court
- California · California Supreme Court
- Date decided
- September 2, 1994
- Category
- Pet Restrictions
A condo owner challenged a recorded CC&R prohibiting cats, dogs, and other animals. The California Supreme Court upheld the restriction, holding that recorded use restrictions are presumed reasonable.
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