Compare
A direct comparison of eight California homeowners associations reviewed by HOA Notes. Different sizes, different counties, different risk profiles - one consistent format.
Scroll the table horizontally on mobile to see all columns.
| Community | Location | Size | Founded | Sub-Assocs | Min Lease | Top Buyer Concern |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Forest II Master | Lake Forest, OC | ~891 acres | 1970 | 5 | 30 days (ADU/JADU only) | Every exterior change needs written MAC approval |
| Ladera Ranch (LARMAC) | Ladera Ranch, OC | Master + villages | Master adopted Nov 2025 Guidelines | Multiple | Not specified in Guidelines | 6 active lawsuits disclosed Nov 2025 |
| Tanglewood West | Cypress, OC | 76 units | 1969 (CC&Rs restated 1977) | None | No recorded restriction | Owner pays interior maintenance (incl. plumbing from meter in) |
| Coto de Caza CA | Coto de Caza, OC | Master HOA | 1970 | Yes (Via Conejo, Villa Serena) | 6 months (no STR) | 2019 CC&R restatement unsigned and possibly unrecorded |
| Laguna Audubon II | Aliso Viejo, OC | 1,681 units | 1989 | 5 condo | 30 days | Documented flooding on King Eider and Chickadee streets |
| Camino Village | Carmichael, Sacramento | 43 units | 1994 | None | 90 days | Active sewer/water line dispute + 2 board seats vacant |
| La Costa Oaks | Carlsbad, San Diego | ~844 homes | 2003 (CC&Rs recorded) | Special Benefit Areas | 30 days (no STR) | Likely Mello-Roos special tax, not in the documents |
| La Costa Valley Master | Carlsbad, San Diego | 1,073 homes | ~2001 | Verify | 30 days (no STR) | Reserves 70% funded; $866K shortfall (2022 study) |
Every claim above is sourced to a specific governing document on the underlying review page.
If a specific risk is what's keeping you up at night, here's which community is the case study for that concern.
Rental restrictions
Strictest minimum lease term
Camino Village requires a 90-day minimum lease, stricter than the 30-day floor most California HOAs use. Coto de Caza requires 6 months. If you plan on any short-term rental income, both rule it out.
Read Camino Village →Active litigation
Most lawsuits on the books
Ladera Ranch (LARMAC) disclosed 6 active lawsuits in November 2025: CC&R breach, premises liability, fiduciary duty. These cases shape future legal fees, insurance premiums, and potential special assessments.
Read Ladera Ranch →Dues complexity
Most layers of HOA dues
Laguna Audubon II condo buyers pay up to three separate dues: their condo sub-association, the Laguna Audubon II master, and the Aliso Viejo Community Association. None of the three amounts is in the standard packet.
Read Laguna Audubon II →Physical hazards
Documented flood and drainage risk
Laguna Audubon II homes on King Eider and Chickadee flooded during the December 2010 storms. The HOA's own policy disclaims liability and recommends owners buy separate flood insurance. Standard homeowners insurance excludes flood.
Read Laguna Audubon II →Architectural friction
Strictest exterior-change rules
Lake Forest II requires a Master Architectural Committee application for any exterior change, including like-for-like repaints, garage door swaps, and mailbox replacements. Deposits of $500 to $1,500 apply.
Read Lake Forest II →Governance fragility
Thinnest board coverage
Camino Village has the Vice President and Secretary positions vacant as of Fall 2025. A 43-unit community with an understaffed volunteer board is more exposed to delayed decisions and deferred maintenance.
Read Camino Village →Document quality
Most paperwork uncertainty
Coto de Caza's reviewed packet was a 2019 CC&R restatement with an unsigned, undated certification page - meaning buyers may not be looking at the operative recorded version. The 1970 originals may still be the controlling document.
Read Coto de Caza →Maintenance burden
Largest owner-side responsibility
Tanglewood West owners are responsible for inside-the-walls maintenance including plumbing from the meter in, electrical, HVAC, doors, glass, and pest control. The HOA covers roofs, exterior paint, and common landscaping only.
Read Tanglewood West →Special taxes
Mello-Roos that isn't in the documents
La Costa Oaks and La Costa Valley, both built in Carlsbad in the early 2000s, likely carry a Mello-Roos special tax that can add thousands of dollars a year on top of HOA dues - and it is not stated in the governing documents. Confirm it on the San Diego County tax bill for the specific home before you set a budget.
Read La Costa Oaks →Reserve funding
Healthy reserves, thin cushion
La Costa Valley posts its reserve study publicly, which is rare among HOAs. The 2022 study has it about 70% funded with an $866,565 gap to full funding, roughly $808 per home. That is the low edge of healthy, so a large early repair could still prompt a special assessment.
Read La Costa Valley →Every one of these reviews was built from the documents the HOA publishes publicly on its own website. In every case, the buyer-facing disclosure packet legally required at sale (under California Civil Code §4525) is incomplete in the same predictable ways:
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About this comparison
Every fact on this page is sourced to a specific governing document on the underlying HOA review page. HOA Notes built the reviews from each association's publicly published documents (CC&Rs, bylaws, rules, design guidelines, and recent board minutes where available). This page is a free summary. HOA Notes is not a law firm and this is not legal advice. Consult a California real estate attorney before removing contingencies.