When HOA Insurance Eats Your Reserves
California HOA insurance costs have reset permanently higher. The damage rarely shows up in the insurance line — it shows up in the reserve contribution.
Does Your State Require a Reserve Study?
State law on reserve studies ranges from strict to silent. But there's a second rulebook that applies in all 50 states, and most boards have never read it.
FHA Condo Approval and Your Reserve Fund
FHA requires condo projects to put 10% of assessments into reserves — unless a reserve study says otherwise. HUD's own rulebook writes the exception in.
Full vs. Threshold vs. Baseline Reserve Funding
Every reserve study offers your board three funding plans. As of August 3, 2026, picking the cheapest one can cost your owners their mortgages.
How to Read a Reserve Study
Your association paid thousands for an 80-page reserve study. Here's how a board member actually reads one — the five numbers that matter and where they hide.
How to Choose a California Reserve Study Company
Three proposals, three prices, no way to compare them. Here's what actually separates reserve study firms — and the questions that expose the difference.
How Much Should an HOA Have in Reserves?
There's no single dollar answer. The number that matters is percent funded — under 30% is weak, over 70% is strong. Here's how to find and read yours.
How to Avoid a Special Assessment
Special assessments aren't bad luck — they're arithmetic. What triggers them, what a board can impose without a vote, and how to head one off in time.
SB 326 Balcony Inspections and Your Reserve Study
California's SB 326 requires balcony inspections every nine years, and the report must feed your reserve study. SB 410 added new rules effective January 2026.
Fannie Mae's 15% Reserve Rule — and the Way Around It
Fannie Mae is raising condo reserve funding from 10% to 15%. A current reserve study is the documented alternative — but the rules tighten in August.
The Handoff: What New HOA Board Members Need to Know
What new HOA board members need to know about reserve studies, fiduciary duty, red flags, and how to avoid costly mistakes in their first 30 days.
Why Your Community Needs a Reserve Study
What is a reserve study? A financial roadmap that helps community associations avoid special assessments, protect property values, and plan ahead.
California's Reserve Study Law: A Quick Guide
A guide to California's reserve study law for HOA boards, covering key Davis-Stirling Act requirements to ensure compliance and protect your community.
3 Critical Mistakes HOAs Make With Their Reserve Study
Learn 3 common HOA reserve study mistakes, like mishandling the funding plan and poor communication, that boards must avoid.
The True Cost of Delay: Dangers of an Underfunded Reserve
Delaying reserve contributions is costly. This guide unpacks the dangers of underfunded HOA reserves, from special assessments to falling property values.
