Civil Code Rules & Governing Documents
Deleting Unlawful Restrictive Covenants
Chapter 3 · Governing Documents · General Provisions
Text current as of 2026-07-07 · Last amended by SB 189, eff. 2022-06-30
The code says CIV §4225
(a) No declaration or other governing document shall include a restrictive covenant in violation of Section 12955 of the Government Code.
(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of law or provision of the governing documents, the board, without approval of the members, shall amend any declaration or other governing document that includes a restrictive covenant prohibited by this section to delete the restrictive covenant, and shall restate the declaration or other governing document without the restrictive covenant but with no other change to the declaration or governing document.
(c) If the declaration is amended under this section, the board shall record the restated declaration in each county in which the common interest development is located. If the articles of incorporation are amended under this section, the board shall file a certificate of amendment with the Secretary of State pursuant to Section 7814 of the Corporations Code.
(d) If after providing written notice to an association, pursuant to Section 4035, requesting that the association delete a restrictive covenant that violates subdivision (a), and the association fails to delete the restrictive covenant within 30 days of receiving the notice, the Civil Rights Department, a city or county in which a common interest development is located, or any person may bring an action against the association for injunctive relief to enforce subdivision (a). The court may award attorney’s fees to the prevailing party.
(Amended by Stats. 2022, Ch. 48, Sec. 7. (SB 189) Effective June 30, 2022.)
How courts have read this
Editorial summaries — not the court’s words.
- Artus v. Gramercy Towers Condo. Ass'n 19 Cal. App. 5th 923 · 2018 Winning a preliminary injunction doesn’t make you the prevailing party for fees.
cited 3×
- Retzloff v. Moulton Parkway Residents' Ass'n 14 Cal. App. 5th 742 · 2017 A prevailing association recovers costs, not attorney fees, in records suits.
mentioned in passing
Decided under the former numbering
- Pinnacle Museum Tower Ass'n v. Pinnacle Market Development (US), LLC 55 Cal. 4th 223 · 2012 · as former §1352.5 Developer-drafted arbitration covenants in recorded CC&Rs bind the association.
- Carolyn v. Orange Park Community Assn. 177 Cal. App. 4th 1090 · 2009 · as former §1352.5 Merely tolerated public use does not make HOA common areas public accommodations.
Every decision listed was decided before the current text (eff. 2022-06-30, SB 189).