California's more than 55,000 homeowners associations often create significant challenges for residents, with issues ranging from neglected maintenance and selective enforcement to financial mismanagement and abusive disciplinary practices. Attorney Michael B. Kushner addresses these problems in his new book 'HOA HELL | California Homeowners' Definitive Guide to Beating Bad HOAs,' which provides homeowners with practical strategies to combat problematic association boards.
Kushner, who has nearly three decades of experience representing homeowners in HOA disputes, identifies consistent patterns in dysfunctional associations. These include boards ignoring essential repairs, engaging in selective enforcement of rules, mishandling association finances, abusing disciplinary processes, blocking access to records, and hiding behind complex procedures that confuse homeowners. His book breaks down these patterns and offers clear, actionable responses.
The guide teaches homeowners how bad HOAs operate behind the scenes and why many violate laws without consequence. It provides methods for documenting wrongs such as selective enforcement, retaliation, and fiscal mismanagement. Homeowners learn to demand records and disclosures that expose financial problems and violations, creating pressure on boards to comply with legal requirements.
Kushner emphasizes that homeowners are not powerless but have lacked clear explanations of their legal rights and practical implementation methods. 'HOA HELL gives homeowners the tools to act and a way to force their HOAs to listen,' he stated. The book includes strategies for organizing neighbors, running recall campaigns, obtaining transparency, and escalating disputes so boards cannot ignore them.
All strategies presented are practical and battle-tested, developed through Kushner's extensive legal practice. He created many core systems and strategies still used by California's three largest homeowner-side HOA law firms. The book is currently available for preorder on amazon.com for Kindle and barnesandnoble.com for hardcover and paperback versions, with full availability beginning December 15, 2025.
This publication matters because it addresses systemic failures affecting thousands of California homeowners living under problematic association governance. By providing accessible legal knowledge and practical tools, it empowers residents to enforce compliance, stop abusive practices, and regain control of their communities, potentially improving living conditions and financial stability for affected homeowners.
