HOA Community Reinvestment Fund of OC

The HOA Community Reinvestment Fund of OC, is fiscally sponsored by Charitable Ventures and is intended to act as a catalyst for reinvestment in severely distressed HOAs (with CC&R's) occupied by low / moderate income residents.

Orange County is home to nearly 5,000 homeowner associations (HOAs) with Covenants, Conditions & Restrictions (CC&Rs). An HOA is a legal entity set up to manage and maintain a particular neighborhood, and its members are typically homeowners in the community. The CC&Rs are the rules of the community.
It is estimated that about one million of Orange County’s three million residents live in an HOA . For the most part, HOAs exist to provide an important source of stability for property maintenance and maintenance of neighborhood standards. But HOAs in low-income neighborhoods do not always function as they should, and sadly, there is a surprisingly large segment of the Orange County HOA community that is not well understood.

Distressed HOAs in Orange County have been ignored for too long, and homeowners and neighborhood residents have suffered as a result. Up until now, there has been extremely limited assistance or support provided to these troubled communities, and the people who live there have been left to themselves.

Grant funding supports our plans to:
• Utilize our innovative partnership with CAI-OC (for donated and in-kind services, material and labor) to very cost effectively convert underutilized clubhouses to after-school learning centers;
• Reduce acrimony/discord among distressed HOA residents, enabling HOAs to better address their core issues;
• Ensure that residents of HOAs are better informed to make improved operating decisions;
• Launch “Map Your Neighborhood” disaster preparedness efforts. This approach allows residents of a neighborhood to share what assets or skills they in advance of a disaster;
• Develop “workout plans” between HOA boards and local government Code Enforcement (for non-life safety conditions only);
• Introduce cost-effective security enhancements (for example, at Bishop Manor – install breakaway security bars);
• Introduce physical improvements and cost-saving measures with 3–5 year return on investment;
• Compliment the workplans of participating HOA Boards, management companies and concerned residents.

Our present focus is on the Bishop Manor HOA, located in a low-income and low-resource neighborhood of Santa Ana. The property was constructed in the early 1960's and major building systems are quickly approaching the end of their useful life. As a result, the leadership of the HOA are focusing their limited financial resources on these critical repairs. Support from the HOA Community Reinvestment Fund of OC is needed at this time to open an afterschool learning center on-site, which will benefit local youth for years to come.

Orange County

We are a first mover, nationally in efforts to stimulate community reinvestment among distressed homeowner associations (HOAs) with CC&Rs. Our pilot project in Orange County - Bishop Manor HOA is located in a low income / low resource neighborhood in Santa Ana, California. By cost effectively creating an afterschool learning center on site (operated by KidWorks OC and The Cambodian Family) , we fully intend to act as a catalyst to promote greatly needed private reinvestment. Thank you for your interest and support.

Scott Kutner, Principal
HOA Community Reinvestment Fund of OC