HOA HELL

Michael Kushner
  • 5.0 (8)
  • How To

HOA Hell with Michael Kushner is your inside guide to surviving—and winning—against California’s most abusive and overreaching HOAs. Leveraging almost 30 years of experience fighting for HOA members, Michael Kushner gives California homeowners real tools to fight back against abusive boards, outrageous rules, and everyday HOA nonsense. If your HOA is making your life a living Hell, then this podcast is for you. 

  1. 3d ago

    Can My California HOA Appoint a New Board Member When One Sells Their Home?

    In this HOA Q&A, California’s most respected homeowner-side HOA attorney, Michael Kushner, explains what happens when a California HOA director sells their home and the board hands the empty seat to a hand-picked replacement instead of holding an election. Most homeowners assume the board can just fill the seat, and most boards assume the same thing. But whether that appointment holds up turns on a distinction between resigning and being disqualified, and on a few lines buried in your bylaws that decide who actually gets to pick the next director.  🎯 What You’ll Learn in This HOA Q&A:  ✅ The moment a selling director stops being eligible to serve. ✅ Why a director who resigns and a director who sells open the seat under two completely different rules. ✅ What your HOA’s bylaws have to say for the board to have any appointment power at all.  When a board member sells their home, this Q&A lays out who gets to fill the empty board seat.   Helpful Links:  “Can My California HOA Replace a Board Member Who Sold Their House?” https://mbkchapman.com/california-hoa-board-member-sells-house-fact-sheet/  🎧 📞 If you enjoyed this Q&A, please like and subscribe to HOA HELL. Listen on YouTube at @hoahellpodcastofficial or wherever you get your podcasts. To schedule a consultation, visit https://mbkchapman.com/ and mention the HOA HELL discount.  Disclaimer: This content constitutes attorney advertising. The content of this podcast is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. No attorney-client relationship is created by listening to this podcast, submitting a question, or receiving a response. Always consult with a licensed attorney regarding your specific legal situation. MBK Chapman and Michael Kushner disclaim any liability for actions taken or not taken based on the information provided in this podcast.   This communication does not constitute a guarantee, warranty, or prediction regarding the outcome of your legal matter.   About: Michael Kushner created and taught the systems now used by the biggest law firms in the state focused on HOA litigation. Managing partner of MBK Chapman, and author of the best-selling book, HOA HELL, Kushner teaches homeowners how to fight their bad HOAs and win.  💥 Amazon [https://tinyurl.com/tx47hmvn] | Barnes & Noble [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/hoa%20hell]  #HOABoard #HOAElections #DavisStirlingAct #HOAAdvocate #CaliforniaHOA #BadHOA #HOAhell  🔥 HOA Hell Attorney Michael Kushner, California’s #1 homeowner-side HOA lawyer, shares real legal tools to help homeowners fight back and win against Bad HOAs. 👉 Got an HOA nightmare? Submit your question at HOAHELLpodcast@mbkchapman.com. Or learn more about your rights as a homeowner by visiting: https://www.mbkchapman.com/fact-sheets.  📲 Follow us on: Instagram: @mbkchapmanpc YouTube: HOA Hell LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/company/mbk-chapman Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/MBKChapman X:  https://x.com/MBKchapman Reddit:  https://www.reddit.com/r/hoa_hell/

  2. 6d ago

    Can My California HOA Ban Christmas Lights, Religious Decorations, or Trick-or-Treating?

    Every year before Halloween and Christmas, California homeowners ask whether their HOAs can restrict their holiday decorations, the religious items on their front doors, and the guests who come to trick-or-treat. In this episode, California’s #1 homeowner-side HOA attorney, Michael Kushner, explains how California law treats seasonal holiday decorations differently from religious items on entry doors, and how far HOAs can go in regulating each one.  What You’ll Learn in This Episode:  ✅ How Civil Code § 4350 limits the rules HOAs can pass on Christmas lights, Halloween decorations, and other seasonal holiday displays. ✅ How Civil Code § 4706 and Civil Code § 1940.45 protect a mezuzah, a cross, or a Star of David on an entry door, and the drafting error the Legislature still hasn’t corrected. ✅ How the size limit on religious door displays works, and what changes when the same cross goes up on a garage door. ✅ What rules HOAs can set for trick-or-treating hours, holiday noise, invited guests, and haunted houses. ✅ How gated communities can handle trick-or-treaters from outside the neighborhood, and the HOA rule targeting non-residents that made headlines last year.  If your HOA is threatening you over holiday decorations, a religious display, or your Halloween guests, this episode shows you where the HOA’s authority begins and ends.   Helpful Links:  “Can My California HOA Ban Trick-or-Treating or Keep Out Non-Residents on Halloween?” https://mbkchapman.com/california-hoa-trick-or-treating-fact-sheet/  “Can My California HOA Ban Christmas Lights, Holiday Decorations, or Religious Items?” https://mbkchapman.com/california-hoa-holiday-decorations-religious-items-fact-sheet/ “The Davis-Stirling Act Explained: California HOA Rules, Board Powers, and Homeowner Rights” https://mbkchapman.com/davis-stirling-act-explained-california-hoa-law-fact-sheet/ “When Are HOA Rules Illegal in California?” https://mbkchapman.com/illegal-hoa-rules-california-fact-sheet/  🎧 📞 If you enjoyed this episode, please like and subscribe to HOA HELL. Listen on YouTube at @hoahellpodcastofficial or wherever you get your podcasts. To schedule a consultation, visit https://mbkchapman.com/ and mention the HOA HELL discount.  DISCLAIMER:   This content constitutes attorney advertising. The content of this podcast is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. No attorney-client relationship is created by listening to this podcast, submitting a question, or receiving a response. Always consult with a licensed attorney regarding your specific legal situation. MBK Chapman and Michael Kushner disclaim any liability for actions taken or not taken based on the information provided in this podcast. This communication does not constitute a guarantee, warranty, or prediction regarding the outcome of your legal matter.  ABOUT:   Michael Kushner created and taught the systems now used by the biggest law firms in the state focused on HOA litigation. Managing partner of MBK Chapman, and author of the best-selling book, HOA HELL, Kushner teaches homeowners how to fight their bad HOAs and win.   💥 Amazon [https://tinyurl.com/tx47hmvn] | Barnes & Noble [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/hoa%20hell]  #HOAChristmasLights #HOATrickOrTreating #HOADecorations #HOALaw #CaliforniaHOA #BadHOA #HOAhell #DavisStirlingAct #HOARules  🔥 HOA Hell Attorney Michael Kushner, California’s #1 homeowner-side HOA lawyer, shares real legal tools to help homeowners fight back and win against Bad HOAs. 👉 Got an HOA nightmare? Submit your question at HOAHELLpodcast@mbkchapman.com. Or learn more about your rights as a homeowner by visiting: https://www.mbkchapman.com/fact-sheets.  📲 Follow us on: Instagram: @mbkchapmanpc YouTube: HOA Hell LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/company/mbk-chapman Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/MBKChapman X:  https://x.com/MBKchapman Reddit:  https://www.reddit.com/r/hoa_hell/

  3. Sep 24

    Can My California HOA Track My License Plate With Flock Cameras?

    In this HOA Q&A, California’s foremost homeowner-side HOA attorney and expert, Michael Kushner, explains what happens when a California HOA installs Flock license plate cameras at the entrance to an HOA-governed community. Once your HOA mounts an automated license plate reader in your community, every trip you take, every guest who comes to see you, every vendor your hire, and every caregiver who visits you gets photographed and logged. Your HOA didn’t ask you before installing a Flock camera, and you most likely never had the opportunity to vote in favor of it, but now those ALPR cameras are up and collecting data on you.  Most people are surprised to learn that the Davis-Stirling Act says absolutely nothing about your HOA’s use of Flock cameras, and the few statutes that do address their use in California weren’t passed with HOAs in mind. So, when it comes to your privacy, the gap between what most homeowners expect and what the law delivers is huge.  🎯 What You’ll Learn in This HOA Q&A:  ✅ What, if anything, the Davis-Stirling Act does to protect homeowner data collected by Flock cameras. ✅ The almost total lack of restrictions on the collection or use of Flock camera data on private organizations, like HOAs. ✅ The completely discretionary nature of the so-called remedies available to homeowners when ALPR camera data is abused by the HOA.  Flock cameras are spreading through California HOAs significantly faster than the laws aimed at protecting homeowners. This Q&A lays out where homeowners in California currently stand.  Helpful Links:  “Can My California HOA Track My License Plate With Flock Cameras?” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nChACcX1yfQ&t=1281s  “Can My California HOA Track My License Plate With Flock Cameras?” https://mbkchapman.com/california-hoa-flock-cameras-license-plate-fact-sheet/  “Can My California HOA Share My License Plate Data With the Police?” https://mbkchapman.com/hoa-sharing-flock-camera-data-fact-sheet/  🎧 📞 If you enjoyed this Q&A, please like and subscribe to HOA HELL. Listen on YouTube at @hoahellpodcastofficial or wherever you get your podcasts. To schedule a consultation, visit https://mbkchapman.com/ and mention the HOA HELL discount.  Disclaimer: This content constitutes attorney advertising. The content of this podcast is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. No attorney-client relationship is created by listening to this podcast, submitting a question, or receiving a response. Always consult with a licensed attorney regarding your specific legal situation. MBK Chapman and Michael Kushner disclaim any liability for actions taken or not taken based on the information provided in this podcast.   This communication does not constitute a guarantee, warranty, or prediction regarding the outcome of your legal matter.   About: Michael Kushner created and taught the systems now used by the biggest law firms in the state focused on HOA litigation. Managing partner of MBK Chapman, and author of the best-selling book, HOA HELL, Kushner teaches homeowners how to fight their bad HOAs and win.  💥 Amazon [https://tinyurl.com/tx47hmvn] | Barnes & Noble [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/hoa%20hell]  #FlockCameras #ALPR #DavisStirlingAct #HOALaw #CaliforniaHOA #BadHOA #HOAhell #HOAPrivacy 🔥 HOA Hell Attorney Michael Kushner, California’s #1 homeowner-side HOA lawyer, shares real legal tools to help homeowners fight back and win against Bad HOAs. 👉 Got an HOA nightmare? Submit your question at HOAHELLpodcast@mbkchapman.com. Or learn more about your rights as a homeowner by visiting: https://www.mbkchapman.com/fact-sheets.  📲 Follow us on: Instagram: @mbkchapmanpc YouTube: HOA Hell LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/company/mbk-chapman Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/MBKChapman X:  https://x.com/MBKchapman Reddit:  https://www.reddit.com/r/hoa_hell/

  4. Sep 21

    California HOA Special Assessment Red Flags to Check Before You Buy

    A Torrance HOA hit its owners with a $49,000 special assessment, and a San Clemente HOA hit its members with one for $26,000, stories that both ABC7’s Leanne Suter and KFI AM 640’s Monks & Merrill brought to California’s foremost homeowner-side HOA attorney, Michael Kushner, for his opinion. In this episode, Kushner walks prospective buyers through how to look into an HOA’s financial health before buying into a community. Looking for these red flags won’t predict the future, but it will give buyers a better chance of avoiding an HOA with a massive special assessment on the horizon.   What You’ll Learn in today's Episode:  ✅ How to force the required Civil Code § 4525 disclosures into your hands early so you can review them during your contingency period instead of after it’s too late. ✅ The percentage funded number in the reserve study, and the range Kushner points to as a healthy one. ✅ Why to ask for the full reserve study, not just the summary, when you check whether the major components are funded. ✅ The questions to ask the neighbors, and the reserve-borrowing habit that can signal a special assessment ahead.  Do this before you buy, and you’ll know whether you’re walking into a well-run HOA or the next $49,000 assessment.  Helpful Links:  “California HOA Special Assessments: What They Are, When They’re Legal, and How Homeowners Can Challenge Them” https://mbkchapman.com/california-hoa-special-assessments-fact-sheet/  “Why Do My California HOA Fees Keep Going Up?” https://mbkchapman.com/california-hoa-fees-fact-sheet/  “Can My California HOA Charge a Special Assessment for Rising Insurance Costs?” https://mbkchapman.com/california-hoa-special-assessment-insurance-fact-sheet/  “When Can a California HOA Raise Dues Without a Vote?” https://mbkchapman.com/california-hoa-assessment-increase-fact-sheet/  “HOA Reserve Studies in California: Understanding the “Percent Funded” Number” https://mbkchapman.com/hoa-reserve-studies-in-california-fact-sheet/  “Can My California HOA Borrow From Reserves?” https://mbkchapman.com/hoa-borrow-from-reserves-california-fact-sheet/  🎧 📞 If you enjoyed this episode, please like and subscribe to HOA HELL. Listen on YouTube at @hoahellpodcastofficial or wherever you get your podcasts. To schedule a consultation, visit https://mbkchapman.com/ and mention the HOA HELL discount.  DISCLAIMER:   This content constitutes attorney advertising. The content of this podcast is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. No attorney-client relationship is created by listening to this podcast, submitting a question, or receiving a response. Always consult with a licensed attorney regarding your specific legal situation. MBK Chapman and Michael Kushner disclaim any liability for actions taken or not taken based on the information provided in this podcast. This communication does not constitute a guarantee, warranty, or prediction regarding the outcome of your legal matter.  ABOUT:   Michael Kushner created and taught the systems now used by the biggest law firms in the state focused on HOA litigation. Managing partner of MBK Chapman, and author of the best-selling book, HOA HELL, Kushner teaches homeowners how to fight their bad HOAs and win.   💥 Amazon [https://tinyurl.com/tx47hmvn] | Barnes & Noble [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/hoa%20hell]  #DavisStirlingAct #CaliforniaHOA #badHOA #HOAHell #HOAlawyer #HOAattorney #SpecialAssessment #SellerDisclosures #HOAredflags #reservestudy  🔥 HOA Hell Attorney Michael Kushner, California’s #1 homeowner-side HOA lawyer, shares real legal tools to help homeowners fight back and win against Bad HOAs. 👉 Got an HOA nightmare? Submit your question at HOAHELLpodcast@mbkchapman.com. Or learn more about your rights as a homeowner by visiting: https://www.mbkchapman.com/fact-sheets.  📲 Follow us on: Instagram: @mbkchapmanpc YouTube: HOA Hell LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/company/mbk-chapman Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/MBKChapman X:  https://x.com/MBKchapman Reddit:  https://www.reddit.com/r/hoa_hell/

  5. Sep 14

    Fannie Mae’s New Condo Loan Rules: Can My California HOA Make My Unit Unsellable?

    Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac spent 2026 quietly rewriting the rules that decide whether anyone can get a loan to buy a condo in your community, and one more change hits in January 2027. In this episode, attorney Michael Kushner, California’s most experienced homeowner-side HOA attorney, breaks down what already changed, what’s coming, and why your HOA’s finances now decide whether you can sell your unit or refinance it.   If you own a California condo, the financial health of your HOA is more relevant than ever to your bank account.   What You’ll Learn in today’s Episode:  ✅ The financing shortcut that vanished on August 3, 2026, and why it could affect your ability to sell. ✅ Why the reserve minimum jumping from 10% to 15% on January 4, 2027 can push your monthly dues up. ✅ How some HOAs will wrongly call this an “emergency” under Civil Code § 5610(c) to skip your vote. ✅ The exact questions to ask your HOA board before you buy or sell a condo in California.  Whether you’re selling soon or just want to protect what your unit is worth, this episode shows you where you stand and what steps you can take with your HOA.   Helpful Links:  “New Fannie Mae Condo Loan Rules: Can My California HOA Make My Unit Unsellable?” https://mbkchapman.com/new-fannie-mae-condo-loan-rules-california-hoa-fact-sheet/  “Why Can’t Anyone Get a Loan to Buy in My California HOA?” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_-m8pfmdIw Freddie Mac March 18, 2026 Selling and Servicing Updates Bulletin (2026-C) https://guide.freddiemac.com/app/guide/bulletin/2026-C Fannie Mae Lender Letter (LL-2026-03) https://singlefamily.fanniemae.com/media/44986/display  “Can My California HOA Charge a Special Assessment for Rising Insurance Costs?” https://mbkchapman.com/california-hoa-special-assessment-insurance-fact-sheet/  🎧 📞 If you enjoyed this episode, please like and subscribe to HOA HELL. Listen on YouTube at @hoahellpodcastofficial or wherever you get your podcasts. To schedule a consultation, visit https://mbkchapman.com/ and mention the HOA HELL discount.  DISCLAIMER:   This content constitutes attorney advertising. The content of this podcast is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. No attorney-client relationship is created by listening to this podcast, submitting a question, or receiving a response. Always consult with a licensed attorney regarding your specific legal situation. MBK Chapman and Michael Kushner disclaim any liability for actions taken or not taken based on the information provided in this podcast. This communication does not constitute a guarantee, warranty, or prediction regarding the outcome of your legal matter.  ABOUT:   Michael Kushner created and taught the systems now used by the biggest law firms in the state focused on HOA litigation. Managing partner of MBK Chapman, and author of the best-selling book, HOA HELL, Kushner teaches homeowners how to fight their bad HOAs and win.   💥 Amazon [https://tinyurl.com/tx47hmvn] | Barnes & Noble [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/hoa%20hell]  #FannieMae #FreddieMac #CondoFinancing #HOAreserves #DavisStirlingAct #HOAlawyer #HOAattorney #CaliforniaHOA #badHOA #HOAHell  🔥 HOA Hell Attorney Michael Kushner, California’s #1 homeowner-side HOA lawyer, shares real legal tools to help homeowners fight back and win against Bad HOAs. 👉 Got an HOA nightmare? Submit your question at HOAHELLpodcast@mbkchapman.com. Or learn more about your rights as a homeowner by visiting: https://www.mbkchapman.com/fact-sheets.  📲 Follow us on: Instagram: @mbkchapmanpc YouTube: HOA Hell LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/company/mbk-chapman Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/MBKChapman X:  https://x.com/MBKchapman Reddit:  https://www.reddit.com/r/hoa_hell/

  6. Sep 8

    Can My California HOA Refuse to Give Me the SB 326 Balcony Inspection Report?

    In this HOA Q&A, California’s leading homeowner-side HOA attorney, Michael Kushner, explains the amendment to Civil Code § 5200, which took effect on January 1, 2026.    🎯 What You’ll Learn in This HOA Q&A:  ✅ The new amendment to Civil Code § 5200 that put the SB 326 inspection report in every homeowner’s hands, and the tight deadline your HOA has to produce it. ✅ How far back you can reach for older inspection reports, and what comparing two of them can expose about your board. ✅ The money you can recover from your HOA if it refuses to turn the report over.  Homeowners have a clear statutory right to the full SB 326 report, and this Q&A walks through the law supporting your right and what to do if your HOA stonewalls your request or refuses to turn the whole report over to you.  Helpful Links:  “Can My California HOA Refuse to Give Me the SB 326 Balcony Inspection Report?” https://mbkchapman.com/sb-326-inspection-report-fact-sheet/  🎧 📞 If you enjoyed this Q&A, please like and subscribe to HOA HELL. Listen on YouTube at @hoahellpodcastofficial or wherever you get your podcasts. To schedule a consultation, visit https://mbkchapman.com/ and mention the HOA HELL discount.  Disclaimer: This content constitutes attorney advertising. The content of this podcast is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. No attorney-client relationship is created by listening to this podcast, submitting a question, or receiving a response. Always consult with a licensed attorney regarding your specific legal situation. MBK Chapman and Michael Kushner disclaim any liability for actions taken or not taken based on the information provided in this podcast.   This communication does not constitute a guarantee, warranty, or prediction regarding the outcome of your legal matter.   About: Michael Kushner created and taught the systems now used by the biggest law firms in the state focused on HOA litigation. Managing partner of MBK Chapman, and author of the best-selling book, HOA HELL, Kushner teaches homeowners how to fight their bad HOAs and win. 💥 Amazon [https://tinyurl.com/tx47hmvn] | Barnes & Noble [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/hoa%20hell]  #CaliforniaHOA #BadHOA #HOAhell #DavisStirlingAct #SB326 #HOABalcony #HOAAdvocate 🔥 HOA Hell Attorney Michael Kushner, California’s #1 homeowner-side HOA lawyer, shares real legal tools to help homeowners fight back and win against Bad HOAs. 👉 Got an HOA nightmare? Submit your question at HOAHELLpodcast@mbkchapman.com. Or learn more about your rights as a homeowner by visiting: https://www.mbkchapman.com/fact-sheets.  📲 Follow us on: Instagram: @mbkchapmanpc YouTube: HOA Hell LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/company/mbk-chapman Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/MBKChapman X:  https://x.com/MBKchapman Reddit:  https://www.reddit.com/r/hoa_hell/

  7. Aug 31

    Can My California HOA Make Me Pay for the Previous Owner’s Violations?

    Weeks after you close on your new home, a letter shows up demanding you pay a fine, cover an unpaid assessment, or fix something the previous owner did. In this episode, attorney Michael Kushner, California’s most experienced homeowner-side HOA attorney, explains which of those charges you actually have to pay and which ones stay the seller’s problem.  What You’ll Learn in this Episode:  ✅ How Civil Code § 5725 leaves the previous owner’s fines their personal debt, not yours. ✅ The single moment an unpaid assessment stops being the seller’s problem and becomes yours. ✅ What Civil Code § 5673 requires before an HOA can record a lien on your property. ✅ The $1,800 and twelve-month triggers under Civil Code § 5720 that decide whether your HOA can foreclose.  Most of these demands come down to whether the HOA recorded a lien before you closed, and a lot of what shows up in your mailbox doesn’t survive it.  Helpful Links:  “Can My California HOA Make Me Pay or Fix the Previous Owner’s Violations?” https://mbkchapman.com/hoa-previous-owner-violations-fact-sheet/  🎧 📞 If you enjoyed this episode, please like and subscribe to HOA HELL. Listen on YouTube at @hoahellpodcastofficial or wherever you get your podcasts. To schedule a consultation, visit https://mbkchapman.com/ and mention the HOA HELL discount.  DISCLAIMER:   This content constitutes attorney advertising. The content of this podcast is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. No attorney-client relationship is created by listening to this podcast, submitting a question, or receiving a response. Always consult with a licensed attorney regarding your specific legal situation. MBK Chapman and Michael Kushner disclaim any liability for actions taken or not taken based on the information provided in this podcast. This communication does not constitute a guarantee, warranty, or prediction regarding the outcome of your legal matter.  ABOUT:   Michael Kushner created and taught the systems now used by the biggest law firms in the state focused on HOA litigation. Managing partner of MBK Chapman, and author of the best-selling book, HOA HELL, Kushner teaches homeowners how to fight their bad HOAs and win.   💥 Amazon [https://tinyurl.com/tx47hmvn] | Barnes & Noble [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/hoa%20hell]  #HOAliens #HOAforeclosure #HOAassessments #DavisStirlingAct #CaliforniaHOA #badHOA #HOAHell #HOAlawyer #HOAattorney #HOAdisclosures  🔥 HOA Hell Attorney Michael Kushner, California’s #1 homeowner-side HOA lawyer, shares real legal tools to help homeowners fight back and win against Bad HOAs. 👉 Got an HOA nightmare? Submit your question at HOAHELLpodcast@mbkchapman.com. Or learn more about your rights as a homeowner by visiting: https://www.mbkchapman.com/fact-sheets.  📲 Follow us on: Instagram: @mbkchapmanpc YouTube: HOA Hell LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/company/mbk-chapman Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/MBKChapman X:  https://x.com/MBKchapman Reddit:  https://www.reddit.com/r/hoa_hell/

  8. Aug 24

    Can My California HOA Stop Me From Criticizing or Organizing Against It?

    Your HOA says you can’t trash the board online, and it wants a deposit and an insurance policy before you can even meet in the clubhouse to talk about a recall. Both demands are illegal, and a $1,000-an-hour attorney recently told homeowners the opposite, in print. In this episode, attorney Michael Kushner, California’s most experienced homeowner-side HOA attorney, breaks down both halves of Civil Code 4515, the statute that protects your right to criticize your HOA and to organize your neighbors, and shows you exactly where those rights stop.  What You’ll Learn in Today’s Episode:  ✅ What Civil Code 4515 does to the non-disparagement clause in your governing documents. ✅ How harshly the law lets you criticize your board and its individual directors online, by name. ✅ The exact line where protected criticism crosses the line into defamation or criminal conduct. ✅ The $1,000-an-hour attorney who got this statute backwards in print.  Knowing both sides of 4515 is the difference between a homeowner who gets silenced and one who knows his or her rights and uses them freely.   Helpful Links:  “Can My California HOA Stop Homeowners From Meeting Together in the Common Area?” https://mbkchapman.com/hoa-stop-homeowners-meeting-common-area-fact-sheet/  “Can My California HOA Fine Me for Criticizing It on Social Media?” https://mbkchapman.com/can-hoa-fine-you-social-media-california-fact-sheet/  🎧 📞 If you enjoyed this episode, please like and subscribe to HOA HELL. Listen on YouTube at @hoahellpodcastofficial or wherever you get your podcasts. To schedule a consultation, visit https://mbkchapman.com/ and mention the HOA HELL discount.  DISCLAIMER:   This content constitutes attorney advertising. The content of this podcast is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. No attorney-client relationship is created by listening to this podcast, submitting a question, or receiving a response. Always consult with a licensed attorney regarding your specific legal situation. MBK Chapman and Michael Kushner disclaim any liability for actions taken or not taken based on the information provided in this podcast. This communication does not constitute a guarantee, warranty, or prediction regarding the outcome of your legal matter.  ABOUT:   Michael Kushner created and taught the systems now used by the biggest law firms in the state focused on HOA litigation. Managing partner of MBK Chapman, and author of the best-selling book, HOA HELL, Kushner teaches homeowners how to fight their bad HOAs and win.   💥 Amazon [https://tinyurl.com/tx47hmvn] | Barnes & Noble [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/hoa%20hell]  #DavisStirlingAct #CaliforniaHOA #CivilCode4515 #HOArecall #FreeSpeech #NonDisparagement #badHOA #HOAHell #HOAlawyer #HOAattorney  🔥 HOA Hell Attorney Michael Kushner, California’s #1 homeowner-side HOA lawyer, shares real legal tools to help homeowners fight back and win against Bad HOAs. 👉 Got an HOA nightmare? Submit your question at HOAHELLpodcast@mbkchapman.com. Or learn more about your rights as a homeowner by visiting: https://www.mbkchapman.com/fact-sheets.  📲 Follow us on: Instagram: @mbkchapmanpc YouTube: HOA Hell LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/company/mbk-chapman Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/MBKChapman X:  https://x.com/MBKchapman Reddit:  https://www.reddit.com/r/hoa_hell/

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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
8 Ratings

About

HOA Hell with Michael Kushner is your inside guide to surviving—and winning—against California’s most abusive and overreaching HOAs. Leveraging almost 30 years of experience fighting for HOA members, Michael Kushner gives California homeowners real tools to fight back against abusive boards, outrageous rules, and everyday HOA nonsense. If your HOA is making your life a living Hell, then this podcast is for you. 

Information

  • Creator
    Michael Kushner
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    179
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 HOA HELL
  • Show Website
    HOA HELL

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