California Subdivided Lands Act (Part 2)

11018.5. With respect to the subdivisions and interests of the type described in Section 11004.5, and in addition to the other grounds for denial of a public report as set forth in this code, the commissioner shall issue a public report if the commissioner finds the following with respect to any such subdivision or interest:

(a) (1) Reasonable arrangements have been made to assure completion of the subdivision and all offsite improvements included in the offering.

(2) If the condominium or community apartment project, stock cooperative or planned development, or premises or facilities within the common area are not completed prior to the issuance of a final subdivision public report on the project, the subdivider shall specify a reasonable date for completion and shall comply with one of the following conditions:

(A) Arranges for lien and completion bond or bonds in an amount and subject to such terms, conditions and coverage as the commissioner may approve to assure completion of the improvements lien free.

(B) All funds from the sale of lots or parcels or such portions thereof as the commissioner shall determine are sufficient to assure construction of the improvement or improvements, shall be impounded in a neutral escrow depository acceptable to the commissioner until the improvements have been completed and all applicable lien periods have expired; provided, however, the commissioner determines the time for the completion is reasonable.

(C) An amount sufficient to cover the costs of construction shall be deposited in a neutral escrow depository acceptable to the commissioner under a written agreement providing for disbursements from that escrow as work is completed.

(D) If the project is a condominium situated on a single parcel as shown on an approved final subdivision map, arrange for (i) lien and completion bond or bonds in an amount sufficient to assure lien-free completion of all common area improvements not located in a residential structure, and (ii) placement of all funds, or such portions thereof as the commissioner shall determine are sufficient, from the sales of condominium interests in a neutral escrow depository acceptable to the commissioner. The funds for purchase or lease of the condominium interest shall remain in the escrow account until the residential structure in which the purchaser’s separate unit is located has been completed, and all lien periods applicable to the purchaser’s separate and undivided interests in the entire project arising out of the work of improvement performed by either the subdivider or any successor in interest to the subdivider have expired or have been insured against in a manner satisfactory to the commissioner.

(E) Such other alternative plan as may be approved by the commissioner.

(b) The deeds, conveyances, leases, subleases, or instruments or assignment to be used are adequate to transfer to the purchasers the legal interests and uses which the owner or subdivider represents the purchasers will receive.

(c) After transfer of title to the first lot, apartment, or condominium in the subdivision to any purchaser, the provisions of the declaration of restrictions, articles of incorporation, bylaws, management contracts (and the provisions of any and all other documents establishing, in whole or in part, the plan for use, enjoyment, maintenance, and preservation of the subdivision) as last submitted to the commissioner prior to issuance of the final public report, shall be binding upon the purchaser and occupant of every other lot, apartment, or condominium in the subdivision, including, except with regard to a limited-equity housing cooperative, purchasers acquiring title by foreclosure, whether judicial or nonjudicial, or by deed in lieu thereof, under any mortgage or deed of trust, whether or not the mortgage or deed of trust was recorded prior to recordation of the covenants, conditions and restrictions applicable to the first lot, apartment, or condominium.

(d) Reasonable arrangements have been made for delivery of control over the subdivision and all offsite land and improvements included in the offering, to the purchasers of lots, apartments, or condominiums in the subdivision.

(e) Reasonable arrangements have been or will be made as to the interest of each of the purchasers of lots, apartments, or condominiums in the subdivision with respect to the management, maintenance, preservation, operation, use, right of resale, and control of their lots, apartments, or condominiums, and such other areas or interests, whether or not within, or pertaining to, areas within the boundaries of the subdivision, as have been or will be made subject to the plan of control proposed by the owner and subdivider, and which are included in the offering. “Purchaser,” as used in this section, shall include within its meaning a lessee of the legal interests described in Section 11003 of this code.

11018.6. Any person offering to sell or lease any interest subject to the requirements of subdivision (a) of Section 11018.1 in a subdivision described in Section 11004.5 shall make a copy of each of the following documents available for examination by a prospective purchaser or lessee before the execution of an offer to purchase or lease and shall give a copy thereof to each purchaser or lessee as soon as practicable before transfer of the interest being acquired by the purchaser or lessee:

(a) The declaration of covenants, conditions, and restrictions for the subdivision.

(b) Articles of incorporation or association for the subdivision owners association.

(c) Bylaws for the subdivision owners association.

(d) Any other instrument which establishes or defines the common, mutual, and reciprocal rights, and responsibilities of the owners or lessees of interests in the subdivision as shareholders or members of the subdivision owners association or otherwise.

(e) To the extent available, the current financial information and related statements as specified in subdivision (a) of Section 1365 of the Civil Code, for subdivisions subject to those provisions.

(f) A statement prepared by the governing body of the association setting forth the outstanding delinquent assessments and related charges levied by the association against the subdivision interests in question under authority of the governing instruments for the subdivision and association.

11018.7. (a) No amendment or modification of provisions in the declaration of restrictions, bylaws, articles of incorporation or other instruments controlling or otherwise affecting rights to ownership, possession, or use of interests in subdivisions as defined in Sections 11000.1 and 11004.5 which would materially change those rights of an owner, either directly or as a member of an association of owners, is valid without the prior written consent of the Real Estate Commissioner during the period of time when the subdivider or his or her successor in interest holds or directly controls as many as one-fourth of the votes that may be cast to effect that change.

(b) The commissioner shall not grant his or her consent to the submission of the proposed change to a vote of owners or members if he or she finds that the change if effected would create a new condition or circumstance that would form the basis for denial of a public report under Sections 11018 or 11018.5.

An application for consent may be filed by any interested person on a form prescribed by the commissioner. A filing fee to be fixed by regulation, but not to exceed twenty-five dollars ($25), shall accompany each application.

There shall be no official meeting of owners or members nor any written solicitation of them for the purpose of effectuating a change referred to herein except in accordance with a procedure approved by the commissioner after the application for consent has been filed with him or her; provided, however, that the governing body of the owners association may meet and vote on the question of submission of the proposed change to the commissioner.

11018.12. (a) The commissioner may issue a conditional public report for a subdivision specified in Section 11004.5 if the requirements of subdivision (e) are met, all deficiencies and substantive inadequacies in the documents that are required to make an application for a final public report for the subdivision substantially complete have been corrected, the material elements of the setup of the offering to be made under the authority of the conditional public report have been established, and all requirements for the issuance of a public report set forth in the regulations of the commissioner have been satisfied, except for one or more of the following requirements, as applicable:

(1) A final map has not been recorded.

(2) A condominium plan pursuant to subdivision (e) of Section 1351 of the Civil Code has not been recorded.

(3) A declaration of covenants, conditions, and restrictions pursuant to Section 1353 of the Civil Code has not been recorded.

(4) A declaration of annexation has not been recorded.

(5) A recorded subordination of existing liens to the declaration of covenants, conditions, and restrictions or declaration of annexation, or escrow instructions to effect recordation prior to the first sale, are lacking.

(6) Filed articles of incorporation are lacking.

(7) A current preliminary report of a licensed title insurance company issued after filing of the final map and recording of the declaration covering all subdivision interests to be included in the public report has not been provided.

(8) Other requirements the commissioner determines are likely to be timely satisfied by the applicant, notwithstanding the fact that the failure to meet these requirements makes the application qualitatively incomplete.

(b) The commissioner may issue a conditional public report for a subdivision not referred to or specified in Section 11000.1 or 11004.5 if the requirements of subdivision (e) are met, all deficiencies and substantive inadequacies in the documents that are required to make an application for a final public report for the subdivision substantially complete have been corrected, the material elements of the setup of the offering to be made under the authority of the conditional public report have been established, and all requirements for issuance of a public report set forth in the regulations of the commissioner have been satisfied, except for one or more of the following requirements, as applicable:

(1) A final map has not been recorded.

(2) A declaration of covenants, conditions, and restrictions has not been recorded.

(3) A current preliminary report of a licensed title insurance company issued after filing of the final map and recording of the declaration covering all subdivision interests to be included in the public report has not been provided.

(4) Other requirements the commissioner determines are likely to be timely satisfied by the applicant, notwithstanding the fact that the failure to meet these requirements makes the application qualitatively incomplete.

(c) A decision by the commissioner to not issue a conditional public report shall be noticed in writing to the applicant within five business days and that notice shall specifically state the reasons why the report is not being issued.

(d) Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 11018.2, a person may sell or lease, or offer for sale or lease, lots or parcels in a subdivision pursuant to a conditional public report if, as a condition of the sale or lease or offer for sale or lease, delivery of legal title or other interest contracted for will not take place until issuance of a public report and provided that the requirements of subdivision (e) are met.

(e) (1) Evidence shall be supplied that all purchase money will be deposited in compliance with subdivision (a) of Section 11013.2 or subdivision (a) of Section 11013.4, and in the case of a subdivision referred to in subdivision (a) of this section, evidence shall be given of compliance with paragraphs (1) and (2) of subdivision (a) of Section 11018.5.

(2) A description of the nature of the transaction shall be supplied.

(3) Provision shall be made for the return of the entire sum of money paid or advanced by the purchaser if a subdivision public report has not been issued during the term of the conditional public report, or as extended, or the purchaser is dissatisfied with the public report because of a change pursuant to Section 11012.

(f) A subdivider, principal, or his or her agent shall provide a prospective purchaser a copy of the conditional public report and a written statement including all of the following:

(1) Specification of the information required for issuance of a public report.

(2) Specification of the information required in the public report that is not available in the conditional public report, along with a statement of the reasons why that information is not available at the time of issuance of the conditional public report.

(3) A statement that no person acting as a principal or agent shall sell or lease, or offer for sale or lease, lots or parcels in a subdivision for which a conditional public report has been issued except as provided in this article.

(4) Specification of the requirements of subdivision (e).

(g) The prospective purchaser shall sign a receipt that he or she has received and has read the conditional public report and the written statement provided pursuant to subdivision (f).

(h) The term of a conditional public report shall not exceed six months, and may be renewed for one additional term of six months if the commissioner determines that the requirements for issuance of a public report are likely to be satisfied during the renewal term.

(i) The term of a conditional public report for attached residential condominium units, as defined pursuant to Section 783 of the Civil Code, consisting of 25 units or more as specified on the approved tentative tract map, shall not exceed 30 months and may be renewed for one additional term of six months if the commissioner determines that the requirements for issuance of a public report are likely to be satisfied during the renewal term.

11018.13. (a) After written notice to the subdivider, or the subdivider’s representative, the commissioner may abandon any application for a subdivision public report if the data required by Section 11010 has not been furnished within three years from the date a notice of intention is filed for a subdivision public report.

(b) The commissioner shall adopt regulations establishing time periods for notifying the subdivider, or the subdivider’s representative, of the intention to abandon a file, and establishing hardship or justifiable extenuating circumstances the commissioner deems acceptable.

11018.14. The commissioner shall not be a responsible agency for purposes of the California Environmental Quality Act (Division 13 (commencing with Section 21000), Public Resources Code). Receipt by the commissioner of a copy of an environmental impact report or negative declaration prepared pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act shall be conclusive evidence of compliance with that act for purposes of issuing a subdivision public report.

11019. (a) Whenever the commissioner determines from available evidence that a person has done any of the following, the commissioner may order the person to desist and refrain from those acts and omissions or from the further sale or lease of interests in the subdivision until the condition has been corrected:

(1) Has violated or caused the violation of any provision of this part or the regulations pertaining thereto.

(2) Has violated or caused a violation of Section 17537, 17537.1, or 17539.1, in advertising or promoting the sale of subdivision interests.

(3) Has failed to fulfill representations or assurances with respect to the subdivision or the subdivision offering upon which the department relied in issuing a subdivision public report.

(4) Has failed to inform the department of material changes that have occurred in the subdivision or subdivision offering which have caused the subdivision public report to be misleading or inaccurate or which would have caused the department to deny a public report if the conditions had existed at the time of issuance.

(b) Upon receipt of such an order, the person or persons to whom the order is directed shall immediately discontinue activities in accordance with the terms of the order.

(c) Any person to whom the order is directed may, within 30 days after service thereof upon him, file with the commissioner a written request for hearing to contest the order. The commissioner shall after receipt of a request for hearing assign the matter to the Office of Administrative Hearings to conduct a hearing for findings of fact and determinations of the issues set forth in the order. If the hearing is not commenced within 15 days after receipt of the request for hearing, or on the date to which continued with the agreement of the person requesting the hearing, or if the decision of the commissioner is not rendered within 30 days after completion of the hearing, the order shall be deemed to be vacated.

(d) Service and proof of service of an order issued by the commissioner pursuant to this section may be made in a manner and upon such persons as prescribed for the service of summons in Article 3 (commencing with Section 415.10), Article 4 (commencing with Section 416.10) and Article 5 (commencing with Section 417.10) of Chapter 4 of Title 5 of Part 2, of the Code of Civil Procedure.

11020. (a) It shall be unlawful for any person to make, issue, publish, deliver, or transfer as true and genuine any public report which is forged, altered, false, or counterfeit, knowing it to be forged, altered, false, or counterfeit or to cause to be made or participate in the making, issuance, delivery, transfer, or publication of a public report with knowledge that it is forged, altered, false, or counterfeit.

(b) Any person who violates subdivision (a) is guilty of a public offense punishable by a fine not exceeding ten thousand dollars ($10,000) or by imprisonment in the state prison, or in the county jail not exceeding one year, or by both that fine and imprisonment.

(c) The penalty provided by this section is not an exclusive penalty, and does not affect any other penalty, relief, or remedy provided by law.

11021. For the purpose of calculating the period of any applicable statute of limitations in any action or proceeding, either civil or criminal involving any violation of this chapter, the cause of action shall be deemed to have accrued not earlier than the time of recording with the county recorder of the county in which the property is situated of any deed, lease or contract of sale conveying property sold or leased in violation of this chapter and which describes a lot or parcel so wrongfully sold or leased. This section does not prohibit the maintenance of any such action at any time before the recording of such instruments.

11022. (a) It is unlawful for an owner, subdivider, agent or employee of a subdivision or other person, with intent directly or indirectly to sell or lease subdivided lands or lots or parcels therein, to authorize, use, direct, or aid in the publication, distribution, or circularization of an advertisement, radio broadcast, or telecast concerning subdivided lands, that contains a statement, pictorial representation, or sketch that is false or misleading.

(b) An owner, subdivider, agent, or employee of an owner or subdivider may, prior to the use, publication, distribution, or circulation of any advertisement concerning subdivided lands, submit the same to the department for approval. The submission shall be accompanied by a fee of not more than seventy-five dollars ($75). The commissioner shall prescribe by regulation the amount of the fee.

If disapproval of the proposed advertisement is not communicated by the department to the owner, subdivider, agent, or employee within 15 calendar days after receipt of the copy of the proposed advertisement, the advertisement shall be deemed approved, but the department shall not be estopped from disapproving a later distribution, circulation, or use of the same or similar advertising.

(c) Nothing in this section shall be construed to hold the publisher or employee of any newspaper, or any job printer, or any broadcaster, or telecaster, or any magazine publisher, or any of the employees thereof, liable for any publication herein referred to unless the publisher, employee, or printer has actual knowledge of the falsity thereof or has an interest either as an owner or agent in the subdivided lands so advertised.

11023. Any person who violates Section 11010, 11010.1, 11010.8, 11013.1, 11013.2, 11013.4, 11018.2, 11018.7, 11018.9, 11018.10, 11018.11, 11019, or 11022 is guilty of a public offense punishable by a fine not exceeding ten thousand dollars ($10,000) or by imprisonment in the state prison, or in a county jail not exceeding one year, or by both that fine and imprisonment.

11200. Every sales contract relating to the purchase of real property in a subdivision as defined in this chapter shall clearly set forth the legal description of the property, of the encumbrances outstanding at the date of the sales contract, and the terms of the contract.