Security Cameras

I'm on the board of an HOA of 22 townhouses in Southern California. Over six months ago my next door neighbor mentioned he was going to install cameras on the outside walls of his home. I did tell him I objected and urged him to seek permission from the HOA. (Our CCR's don't mention cameras, but as usual state that any alteration to the outside walls must have written permission from the board.) I myself would object but would give him a fair hearing. I think such cameras are of dubious value, especially since it is monitored by the neighbor, not the HOA. It intrudes on my privacy for little extra security. Nevertheless, the neighbor installed three cameras on the wall, never requesting permission. I choose my battles carefully after many ugly arguments and said nothing. A few weeks later his neighbor on his other side went ballistic saying it should never have been allowed, "who died and made him sheriff," etc. He removed the cameras.

The board president also said that he should have requested permission to do this. But the president also said they worried that "recent law" indicated a homeowner had a "right" to such cameras and that an HOA board might not be allowed to deny such cameras. I asked what law and they said they were not sure but were confident it was up to date HOA policy. They worried we might have no standing if someone else makes such a request. That certainly sounds like a stretch, but even so, I wondered if there was something to this. Does current HOA policy give homeowner's a right to install such cameras, no matter what the CCR's say?

As is so often the case, Melissa is wrong. The & condos almost always have restriction against penetrations of the common area walls. Both you & your neighbor are right to be upset about privacy, but the integrity of your buildings is even more important.

There is no "recent law" in CA permitting this. Have your prez show you the law. The Board, btw, needs to decide on this, NOT the president.

In my opinion cameras should be allowed. That said they should be aimed so that they are showing ones property and no other property. Showing anything outside one's own property I would consider a violation of privacy.

Since this is a townhouse community I think the HOA should only be concerned about how the cameras look on the building and that they are installed in a way that does not allow damage to the building if the HOA has to maintain it. Let local, state and federal government deal with the other issues concerning cameras.

I know there are laws that limit an association's ability to impede the installation of a satellite dish, I'm not aware of any that limit the association's ability to prohibit or limit cameras.

I did ask, they thought it was "current state HOA policy." I agree that that is probably not true.