HOA HELL
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.
HOA HELL
Can My California HOA Interfere with My Rebuilding After a Fire or Other Disaster?
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In this episode of HOA HELL, attorney Michael Kushner explains how California’s new SB 625, which into effect on January 1, 2026, dramatically shifts the balance of power in favor of homeowners whose homes were destroyed in a declared disaster.
After the devastating Eaton, Palisades, and Malibu firestorm in Los Angeles in 2025, the California Legislature passed SB 625 to prevent cities and HOAs from blocking homeowners who simply want to rebuild what they lost. The law creates strict limits on local government and HOA authority, establishes objective rebuilding standards while eliminating subjective ones, and imposes fast-track review timelines that cities and HOAs must now follow.
What You’ll Learn:
✅ How SB 625 tipped the scales in favor of homeowners trying to rebuild their homes after a disaster.
✅ What the 110% rule is and how it helps homeowners.
✅ SB 625’s new approval deadlines aimed at streamlining rebuilding applications.
✅ How the law prevents cities and HOA from using newer aesthetic standards to delay reconstruction.
SB 625 is designed to remove the bureaucratic roadblocks that historically prevented homeowners from rebuilding after catastrophic fires and other declared disasters. By imposing objective standards, strict timelines, and mandatory fee shifting, the law ensures that HOAs and local governments cannot delay or obstruct reconstruction when homeowners simply want to restore what they lost.
🎧 📞 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]
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