Civil Code § 5551 and Complying with Safety Inspection Requirements of Balconies

by Stanley Feldsott On August 30, 2019, Governor Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill 326 into law. This law, which went into effect on January 2020, added §5551 to California’s Civil Code. The added section imposes inspection requirements for “exterior elevated elements” which a common interest development’s association has maintenance or repair responsibilities. This requirement does not apply to associations with fewer than three multi-family dwelling units. The statute goes on to define “exterior elevated elements” …