Bus. & Prof. Code §11265.1. Delinquent Assessments and Association’s Recovery Rights

California Business and Professions Code  >  Bus. & Prof. Code §11265.1. Delinquent Assessments and Association’s Recovery Rights
 (a) Regular and special assessments levied pursuant to the time-share instrument are delinquent 30 days after they become due, unless the time-share instrument provides a longer time period, in which case the longer time period shall apply. If an assessment is delinquent, the association may recover all of the following:
  (1) Reasonable costs incurred in collecting the delinquent assessment, including reasonable attorneys’ fees.
  (2) A late charge not exceeding 10 percent of the delinquent assessment or ten dollars ($10), whichever is greater, unless the time-share instrument specifies a late charge in a smaller amount, in which case any late charge imposed shall not exceed the amount specified in the governing instrument.
  (3) Interest on all sums imposed in accordance with this section, including the delinquent assessments, reasonable fees and costs of collection, and reasonable attorneys’ fees, at an annual interest rate not to exceed 12 percent, commencing 30 days after the assessment becomes due, unless the time-share instrument specifies the recovery of interest at a lower rate, in which case, the lower rate of interest shall apply.
 (b) Regular assessments imposed or collected to perform the obligations of an association under the governing documents of this title shall be exempt from execution by a judgment creditor of the association only to the extent necessary for the association to perform essential services, such as paying for utilities and insurance. In determining the appropriateness of an exemption, a court shall ensure that only essential services are protected under this subdivision. This exemption shall not apply to any consensual pledges, liens, or encumbrances that have been approved by the owners of the association, constituting a quorum, casting a majority of the votes at a meeting or election of the association, or to any state tax lien, or to any lien for labor or materials supplied to the common area.
 (c) The association shall provide notice by first-class mail to the owners of the time-share interests of any increase in the regular or special assessments of the association, not less than 30 days nor more than 60 days prior to the increased assessment becoming due.
 (d) Associations are hereby exempted from interest rate limitations imposed by Article XV of the California Constitution, subject to the limitations of this section. [2006]

Bus. & Prof. Code §11245. Prohibited Representations and Nondisclosures

California Business and Professions Code  >  Bus. & Prof. Code §11245. Prohibited Representations and Nondisclosures
 (a) No person subject to this chapter shall do any of the following:
  (1) Make any material misrepresentation that is false or misleading in connection with any advertisement or promotion of a time-share plan.
  (2) Make a prediction of any increases in the resale price or resale value of the time-share interest.
  (3) Materially misrepresent the size, nature, extent, qualities, or characteristics of the offered time-share plan.
  (4) Materially misrepresent the conditions under which a purchaser may exchange the right to use accommodations in one location for the right to use accommodations in another location.
  (5) Materially misrepresent the current or future availability of a resale or rental program offered by or on behalf of the developer.
  (6) Materially misrepresent the nature or extent of any incidental benefit.
  (7) Fail to deliver any item offered in connection with a promotion to a prospective purchaser upon the conclusion of the sales presentation, or fail to deliver any item offered in connection with a promotion to a prospective purchaser, upon request, reasonably approximate to the conclusion of the length of time for the sales presentation that was previously represented to the prospective purchaser.
  (8) Fail to disclose, in a manner that meets the requirements of Section 17537.1 or 17537.2 of the Business and Professions Code, that a certificate, coupon, or raincheck redeemable for fulfillment for goods or services will be provided in connection with a promotion for the purchase of a time-share interest, if that is the case.
  (9) State that the purchase of a time-share interest constitutes a financial investment.
  (10) Fail to clearly and conspicuously disclose, prior to the execution of any purchase contract, the annual maintenance and association dues or any separately billed taxes, when applicable.
  (11) Fail to clearly disclose in writing any automatic charging or billing procedure, and fail thereafter to obtain the express written authorization from the prospective purchaser for any purchase, subscription, or enrollment that results in that automatic charging or billing of initial or periodic amounts to the prospective purchaser.
  (12) If the contract for a time-share interest is negotiated primarily in Spanish, Chinese, Tagalog, Vietnamese, or Korean, orally or in writing, and the developer fails to provide to the prospective purchaser prior to the commencement of the rescission period an unexecuted translation of the contract in the language in which the contract was negotiated.
  (13) Fail to inform, verbally or in writing, any prospective purchaser that he or she can take as much time as he or she requires in order to read the public report, and any and all other documents necessary to consummate a sale before leaving the premises or signing a contract, and not allowing, upon request, the prospective purchaser the time and opportunity to do so. If the prospective purchaser requests that he or she be able to return the next calendar day to complete the review of the documents before signing, the developer shall accommodate such a request, and the return visit shall not disqualify the prospective purchaser from receiving any price reduction or other incentive for purchasing on the day of the scheduled sales presentation. Further, it shall not be fraudulent or misleading for a developer to honor the request even if presented as an incentive only available on the day of the offer.
  (14) Inform prospective purchasers that they are finalists in winning an item offered in connection with a promotion or have already won a specific prize, unless it is true.
  (15) Offer as a promotional incentive any travel certificate or coupon redeemable for transportation, accommodations, or other travel-related service that does not allow the recipient to activate or redeem the incentive without incurring any additional telephone expenses charged by or on behalf of the developer other than the usual toll costs imposed by the prospective purchaser’s telephone service.
  (16) Offer as a promotional incentive any travel certificate or coupon redeemable for fixed air transportation or hotel accommodations or other travel-related service that entitles the prospective purchaser to a trip of a specified duration unless the offeror states at the time of the offer that there are terms or conditions that must be followed in order to utilize the incentive and that the details of the terms will be sent to the consumer in writing in time to be received by the consumer prior to leaving his or her house to attend the scheduled sales presentation. The writing shall include the approximate times of the air or sea transportation’ s departure and return, if applicable, and all other material conditions, including any limitations as to the dates or times available for use of the incentive.
  (17) Misrepresent or fail to disclose that a prospective purchaser is required to attend a sales presentation to obtain a prize or promotional item, if attendance is a requirement of the promotion.
  (18) Fail to inform any prospective purchaser who contacts the developer with a request to cancel a purchase within the rescission period provided by this chapter all of the procedures necessary to effectively cancel the purchase.
  (19) Fail to cancel a purchase upon the receipt of a valid timely written notice of rescission. No person may obtain from the person a waiver or cancellation of the rescission.
  (20) Fail to provide any refund of moneys, within the required timeframe, due to the prospective purchaser upon receipt of a valid timely written notice of rescission.
  (21) Fail to provide a mechanism for an equitable apportionment of expenses between the time-share owner’s association and any commercial operation on the property not operated by the time-share owner’s association.
 (b) For any time-share plan in which the managing entity is an affiliate of the developer, neither the developer nor the managing entity shall, during any applicable priority reservation period, hold out for rental to the public on a given day, developer owned or controlled time-share periods in a number greater than the total number of time-share periods owned or controlled by the developer in a particular season, multiplied by a fraction wherein the numerator is the number of time-share periods owned or controlled by the developer in that particular season, and the denominator is the total number or time-share periods in that particular season. For example, if the developer owns or controls 1,000 time-share periods in a particular season, out of a total of 4,000 time-share periods available during that season, then the developer may not hold out for rental to the public during any applicable priority reservation period, more than 250 time-share periods on a given day during that season (1,000 X 1,000/4,000=250). The number of time-share interests permitted to be rented under this subdivision shall be in addition to any time-share interests that the developer may have the right
to rent or use by virtue of having acquired those rights from another owner. The developer or managing entity may, at any time, rent any inventory transferred to the developer or managing entity by another owner in exchange for hotel accommodations, future use rights, or other considerations. For any use or rental by a developer of time-share interests owned or controlled by the developer, the developer shall reimburse the association for any increased expenses for housekeeping services that exceed the amount allocated in the assessment for maintenance for the use or rental. [2004]

Bus. & Prof. Code §11246. Inventory Control System Certification

California Business and Professions Code  >  Bus. & Prof. Code §11246. Inventory Control System Certification
 With each application for an amendment or renewal of a public report, and with the initial submittal of an application for a time-share plan in which sales have occurred prior to obtaining a California public report, the developer shall submit to the commissioner a certification by an independent third party acceptable to the commissioner and dated not more than three months prior to the submittal of the application, stating that the inventory control system, described in paragraph (6) of subdivision (c) of Section 11226 functions in accordance with the description set forth in that section. The certification shall be based on a random sampling of transactions performed within the six months preceding the date of the application. Inventory control systems that cover time-share estates for which the developer offers, and the title insurance company agrees to provide title insurance, shall not require certification. Independent title insurance companies licensed to do business as such in this state and independent certified public accountants shall be deemed acceptable third parties in accordance with this section. [2004]

Bus. & Prof. Code §11250. Purchaser to Accommodation Ratio

California Business and Professions Code  >  Bus. & Prof. Code §11250. Purchaser to Accommodation Ratio
 A time-share plan may be created in any accommodation unless otherwise prohibited. All time-share plans shall maintain a one-to-one purchaser to accommodation ratio, which means the ratio of the number of purchasers eligible to use the accommodations of a time-share plan on a given night to the number of accommodations available for use within the plan on that night, such that the total number of purchasers eligible to use the accommodations of the time-share plan during a given calendar year never exceeds the total number of accommodations available for use in the time-share plan during that year. For purposes of the calculation under this section, each purchaser must be counted at least once, and no individual accommodation may be counted more than 365 times per calendar year or more than 366 times per leap year. A purchaser who is delinquent in the payment of time-share plan assessments shall continue to be considered eligible to use the accommodations of the time-share plan for purposes of calculating the one-to-one purchaser to accommodation ratio. [2004]

Bus. & Prof. Code §11251. Components of Time-Share Instrument

California Business and Professions Code  >  Bus. & Prof. Code §11251. Components of Time-Share Instrument
 (a) The developer of a single site time-share plan and for the component sites of a multisite time-share plan located in the state, shall cause to be recorded prior to the closing of the first sale of a time-share interest in each accommodation in the time-share plan, covenants dedicating the accommodations to the time-share plan and incorporating all covenants of the grantor or lessor of the time-share interests, and the following provisions:
  (1) Organization of an association of time-share interest owners.
  (2) A description of the real property for the common ownership or use of the time-share interest owners. Where the time-share plan is a personal property time-share plan, a description of the personal property for common use of the time-share interest owners.
  (3) A description of the method for calculating and collecting regular and special assessments from time-share interest owners to defray expenses of the time-share property and for related purposes.
  (4) A description of the method for terminating the membership and selling the interest of a time-share interest owner for failure to pay regular or special assessments.
  (5) A description of the method for the disciplining of time-share interest owners for the late payment of assessments.
  (6) Provisions requiring comprehensive general liability insurance and adequate property and casualty insurance covering the time-share property.
  (7) Restrictions upon partition of an accommodation of the time-share plan.
  (8) A description of the method for amending the covenants affecting the time-share plan.
  (9) Where applicable, a description of the method relating to the annexation or de-annexation of additional accommodations, phases, or properties to the time-share plan.
  (10) A description of the procedures in the event of condemnation, destruction, or extensive damage to an accommodation, including provisions for the disposition of insurance proceeds or damages payable on account of damage or condemnation.
  (11) A method of the procedures on regular termination of the time-share plan.
  (12) Where applicable, allocation of the cost of maintenance and operation between different elements or mixed uses within the portions of a project or relating to reciprocal rights and obligations between the time-share project and other property.
  (13) A description of the method for entry into accommodations of the time-share plan under authority granted by the association for the purpose of cleaning, maid service, maintenance, and repair including emergency repairs and for the purpose of abating a nuisance or a known or suspected dangerous or unlawful activity.
  (14) Delineate all reserved rights of the developer.
  (15) For projects located within the state, the covenants shall, insofar as reasonably possible, satisfy the requirements of Section 1468 or Sections 1469 and 1470 of the Civil Code for real property located in this state.
 (b) For single site time-share plans and component sites of a multisite time-share plan located outside of the state, the developer shall cause to be recorded a declaration dedicating the accommodations to the time-share plan and incorporating all covenants of the grantor or lessor of the time-share interests. The declaration shall include the subject matter set forth in paragraphs (1) to (14), inclusive, of subdivision (a). If there is no provision for the recording of a declaration in the state or jurisdiction in which the time-share property or component site is located, alternatively, the developer shall establish that the declaration is otherwise enforceable in the state or jurisdiction in which the time-share property or component site is located. The declaration shall be in compliance with the applicable laws of the state or jurisdiction in which the time-share property or component site is located, and if a conflict exists between laws of the situs state and the requirements set forth in this section, the law of the situs state shall control. If the declaration provides for the matters contained in paragraphs (1) to (14), inclusive, of subdivision (a), the declaration shall be deemed to be in compliance with the requirements of subdivision (a) and this subdivision and the developer shall not be required to make revisions in order to comply with subdivision (a) and this subdivision.
 (c) The developer of a time-share plan located within the state shall make provisions in the time-share instruments for all of the following:
  (1) A description of the services to be made available to time-share interest owners under the time-share plan.
  (2) A description, to be contained in the declaration or the bylaws of the association, of the procedures regarding transfer to the association of control over the time-share property and services comprising the time-share plan.
  (3) A description of the method for preparation and availability to time-share interest owners of budgets, financial statements, and other information related to the time-share plan.
  (4) A description of the methods for employing and for terminating the employment of a managing entity for the time-share plan.
  (5) A description of the method for adoption of standards and rules of conduct for the use of accommodations by time-share interest owners.
  (6) A description of the method for establishment of the rights of time-share interest owners to the use of an accommodation according to schedule or under a first-reserved, first-served priority system.
  (7) A description of the method for compensating use periods or monetary compensation for an owner of a time-share estate if an accommodation cannot be made available for the period of use to which the owner is entitled by schedule or under a reservation system because of an error by the association or managing entity.
  (8) A description of the method for the use of accommodations for transient accommodations or other income-producing purpose during periods of nonuse by time-share interest owners.     (9) A description of the method for the inspection of the books and records of the association by time-share interest owners.
  (10) A description of the method for collective decisionmaking and the undertaking of action by or in the name of the association including, where applicable, representation of time-share accommodations in an association for the time-share in which the accommodations are located.
 (d) For single site time-share plans and component sites of a multisite time-share plan located outside of the state, the developer shall cause to be included in the time-share instrument the subject matter set forth in subdivision (c). The time-share instruments shall be in compliance with the applicable laws of the state or jurisdiction in which the time-share property or component site is located, and if there is a conflict between laws of the situ
s state and the requirements set forth in this section, the law of the situs state shall control. If the time-share instruments provide for the matters contained in subdivision (c), the time-share instruments shall be deemed to be in compliance with the requirements of subdivision (c) and this subdivision and the developer shall not be required to make revisions in order to comply with subdivision (c) and this subdivision. [2004]

Bus. & Prof. Code §11252. Majority Assent Required to Encumber Accommodations

California Business and Professions Code  >  Bus. & Prof. Code §11252. Majority Assent Required to Encumber Accommodations
 In a time-share plan offering time-share use interests, the developer shall not encumber the accommodations of the time-share plan in a manner that could materially and adversely affect the use rights of the purchasers of the accommodations without the written assent of not less than 51 percent of the time-share interest owners other than the developer. This section shall not prevent the developer from encumbering the purchaser’s use rights so long as the developer has sufficient protection as permitted by Section 11244. [2004]

Bus. & Prof. Code §11240. Contents of the Estimated Operating Budget

California Business and Professions Code  >  Bus. & Prof. Code §11240. Contents of the Estimated Operating Budget
 An estimated operating budget for the time-share plan shall be filed with the commissioner along with the other information required to be registered pursuant to this chapter, and shall contain the following information:
 (a) The estimated annual expenses of the time-share plan along with the estimated revenue of the association from all sources, including the amounts collectible from purchasers as assessments. The estimated payments by the purchaser for assessments shall also be stated in the estimated amounts for the times when they will be due. Expenses shall be shown in a manner that enables the purchaser to calculate the annual expenses associated with the time-share interest being purchased. Expenses that are personal to purchasers that are not uniformly incurred by all purchasers or that are not provided for or contemplated by the time-share plan documents may be excluded from this estimate.
 (b) (1) The estimated items of expenses of the time-share plan and the association, except as excluded under subdivision (a), including, but not limited to, if applicable, the following items, that shall be stated either as association expenses collectible by assessments or as expenses of the purchaser payable to persons other than the association:
  (2) Expenses for the association:
   (A) Administration of the association.
   (B) Management fees.
   (C) Maintenance.
   (D) Rent for accommodations.
   (E) Taxes upon time-share property.
   (F) Taxes upon leased areas.
   (G) Insurance.
   (H) Security provisions.
   (I) Other expenses.
   (J) Operating capital.
   (K) Equitable apportionment of expenses between time-share and non-time-share uses of the common area, if applicable.
   (L) Reserves for deferred maintenance and reserves for capital expenditures. All reserves for any accommodations and common areas of a time-share plan located in this state shall be based upon the estimated life and replacement cost of accommodations and common elements of the time-share plan. For any accommodations and common elements of a time-share plan located outside of this state, the developer shall disclose the amount of reserves for deferred maintenance and capital expenditures required by the law of the situs state, if applicable, and maintained for those accommodations and common elements, which amount of reserves shall be based on the estimated life and replacement cost of each reserve item. The developer or the association shall include in the budget a reasonable reserve accumulation plan. A plan that (i) provides for reserves to be funded within five years at a level of 50 percent of the amount specified in the reserve study as fully funded, and (ii) requires those reserves collected in any given year to equal or exceed the amount of reserve expenditures estimated for that year shall be deemed to be a reasonable reserve accumulation plan. The funding of reserves may be based on collection of reserve amounts in conjunction with annual assessments, or on some alternative mechanism, including, but not limited to, a bond, letter of credit, or similar mechanism. Collection of required reserve amounts solely by one or more special assessments is not reasonable. If control of the association is in owners other than the developer, and such owners vote not to maintain reserves or to maintain reserves at less than 50 percent, the failure to maintain the required level of reserves shall not be cause for denying the developer a public report.
 (c) The estimated amounts shall be stated for a period of at least 12 months and may distinguish between the period prior to the time that purchasers elect a majority of the board of administration and the period after that date.
 (d) The budget of a phase time-share plan shall contain a note identifying the number of time-share interests covered by the budget, indicating the number of time-share interests, if any, estimated to be declared as part of the time-share plan during that calendar year, and projecting the common expenses for the time-share plan based upon the number of time-share interests estimated to be declared as part of the time-share plan during that calendar year.
 (e) For single site time-share plans and component sites of a multisite time-share plan located outside of the state, the budget shall include the subject matter set forth in subdivisions (a) to (d), inclusive. The budget shall be in compliance with the applicable laws of the state or jurisdiction in which the time-share property or component site is located, and if there is a conflict between the affirmative standards set forth in the laws of the situs state and the requirements set forth in this section, the law of the situs state shall control. If the budget provides for the matters contained in subdivisions (a) to (d), inclusive, the budget shall be deemed to be in compliance with the requirements of this section, and the developer shall not be required to make revisions in order to comply with this section.
 (f) The budget shall include a certification subscribed and sworn by an expert in the preparation of time-share plan budgets, who may be (1) an independent public accountant, (2) a certified public accountant, who is an employee of the developer, or (3) at the discretion of the commissioner, an individual or entity acceptable to the commissioner to conduct the review. Acceptance of the individual or entity shall not be considered an endorsement by the commissioner of a proposed budget. The budget certification shall also be signed by the developer or on behalf of the developer by an appropriate officer, if the developer is a corporation, or the managing member, if the developer is a limited liability company. The certification concerning the adequacy of the budget shall be in the following form:    On behalf of the developer of the captioned time-share plan, I/my firm has reviewed or prepared the budget containing projections of income and expenses for time-share operation. My/our experience in this field includes: (List experience.)  I/we have reviewed the budget and investigated the facts set forth in the budget and the facts underlying it with due diligence in order to form a basis for this certification. I/we certify that the projections in the budget appear reasonable and adequate based on present prices (adjusted to reflect continued inflation and present levels of consumption for comparable units similarly situated) or, for an existing project, based on historical data for the project. I/we certify that the budget:
  (1) Sets forth in detail the terms of the transaction as it relates to the budget and is complete, current, and accurate.
  (2) Affords potential purchasers an adequate basis upon which to found their judgment.
  (3) Does not omit any material fact.
  (4) Does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact.
  (5) Does not contain any fraud, deception, concealment, or suppression.
  (6) Does not contain any promise or representation as to the future which is beyond reasonable expectation or unwarranted by existing circumstances.
  (7) Does not contain any representation or statement which is false, where I/we:
   (A) Knew the truth.
   (B) With reasonable effort could have known the truth and made no reasonable effort to ascertain the truth.
   (C) Did not have knowledge concerning the representation or statement made.
    I/we understand that a copy of this certification is intended to be incorporated into the public report so that prospective purchasers may rely on it. This certification is made under the penalty of perjury for the benefit of all persons to whom this offer is made. We understand that violations are subject to the civil and criminal penalties of the laws of California. The certification shall be dated within 90 days prior to the date of the submission of the budget to the commissioner. The expert’s certification shall be based on experience in the management of hotel, resort, or time-share properties and disclose the approximate number of properties managed and length of time managed, together with other relevant real estate experience, qualifications, and licenses.
 (g) Any budget that is not certified by an independent certified public accountant or an employee of the developer who is licensed as a certified public accountant may be reviewed by the commissioner to confirm the accuracy of the certification.
 (h) The certified budget for the time-share plan shall be prepared and submitted by the developer to the commissioner annually for as long as the registration is in effect. If the budget is increased more than 20 percent in any year, the developer shall submit to the commissioner, along with the increased budget, evidence that the requirements of paragraph (5) of subdivision (a) of Section 11265 have been met. The budget shall be submitted at least 15 days prior to the first day of the period that it covers. Upon the submission of each annual budget, the exhibit to the public report specified in paragraph (8) of subdivision (a) of, and paragraph (16) of subdivision (c) of, Section 11234 shall be updated. The updating of the exhibit shall not be considered to constitute an amendment of the public report.
 (i) The audited financial statements of the association prepared pursuant to paragraph (2) of subdivision (b) of Section 11272 shall be delivered to the commissioner upon request.
 (j) At the time an application is submitted for renewal of the public report or any amendment of the public report that affects the budget for the time-share plan, the developer shall submit with the application a copy of the most recent audited financial statement for the time-share plan, along with a certified copy of the budget reflecting the amendment or renewal. If the commissioner, upon reasonable comparison of the budget and the prior year’s audited financial statements, determines that the budget is deficient, the commissioner may subject the budget to a substantive review. [2006]

Bus. & Prof. Code §11242. Buy Down Subsidy; Developer Undertaking to Pay

California Business and Professions Code  >  Bus. & Prof. Code §11242. Buy Down Subsidy; Developer Undertaking to Pay

(a)        In any time-share plan, the developer may undertake to pay a portion of the assessments otherwise payable by each purchaser (“buy down subsidy”). Any developer undertaking to pay a buy down subsidy shall do both of the following:

(1)  Enter into a contract with the association that specifies in detail the obligations of the developer and the methods to be used in valuing the goods and services furnished under the time-share plan.

(2)  Furnish the association with an executed copy of the subsidization contract within 10 days after closing of escrow of the first sale or lease of a time-share interest.

(b)  If the developer is paying a buy down subsidy, the developer shall provide an assurance for its buy down subsidy obligation in an amount acceptable to the commissioner, but not more than the aggregate amount by which annual assessments are to be reduced, for example, the number of interests to be sold in each unit type multiplied by the amount by which the annual assessment for such unit type is to be reduced, multiplied by the number of years in the term of the buy down subsidy.

(c)  For any buy down subsidy agreements entered into after July 1, 2005, the subsidy agreements shall provide that if there is a dispute between the developer and the association with respect to the question of satisfaction of the conditions for exoneration or release of the security, the issue shall, at the request of either party, be submitted to arbitration in accordance with the Commercial Arbitration Rules of the American Arbitration Association or another third-party arbitration organization selected by the parties and in accordance with Title 9 (commencing with Section 1280) of Part 3 of the Code of Civil Procedure. Any fee to initiate the arbitration shall be remitted by the developer. The cost of arbitration shall ultimately be borne as determined by the arbitrator under those rules. [2019]

Bus. & Prof. Code §11242.1. Instructions for Escrow Depository

California Business and Professions Code  >  Bus. & Prof. Code §11242.1. Instructions for Escrow Depository

(a)        The assurance specified in Section 11241 and, if applicable, the assurance specified in Section 11242, shall be delivered to the trustee or an escrow depository acceptable to the department along with an executed copy of the subsidization contract and instructions to the escrow depository signed by the developer and on behalf of the association. The instructions shall provide for both of the following:

(1)  The escrow agent shall not release or exonerate the security device until it has received written notice from the association that the developer has faithfully performed all of the developer’s obligations under the subsidization contract, if applicable, and the escrow agent has received the written notices specified in paragraph (1) of subdivision (c) of Section 11241.

(2)  If there is a dispute between the developer and the association with respect to the questions of satisfaction of the conditions for exoneration or release of the security, the issue or issues shall, at the request of either party, be submitted to arbitration in accordance with the Commercial Arbitration Rules of the American Arbitration Association or another third-party arbitration organization selected by the parties and in accordance with Title 9 (commencing with Section 1280) of Part 3 of the Code of Civil Procedure.

(b)  Any fee to initiate arbitration shall be submitted by the developer. The costs of arbitration shall be borne by the party as determined by the arbitrator.

(c)  The agreement for the deficit subsidy, described in subdivision (a) of Section 11241, and the agreement for the buy down subsidy, described in subdivision (a) of Section 11242 may, at the option of the developer, be contained in one instrument. [2019]

Bus. & Prof. Code §11243. Escrow Requirements for Developer

California Business and Professions Code  >  Bus. & Prof. Code §11243. Escrow Requirements for Developer

*New statutes and amendments effective January 1, 2023 are shown in bold, underline italics. [ ] indicates an amendment of deleted text only.

The developer shall comply with the following escrow requirements:

(a) A developer of a time-share plan shall deposit into an escrow account in an acceptable escrow depository 100 percent of all funds that are received during the purchaser’s rescission period. An acceptable escrow depository includes, when qualified to do business in this state, escrow agents licensed by the Commissioner of Financial Protection and Innovation, banks, trust companies, savings and loan associations, title insurers, and underwritten title companies. The deposit of these funds shall be evidenced by an executed escrow agreement between the escrow agent and the developer that shall include provisions that state the following:

(1) Funds may be disbursed to the developer by the escrow agent from the escrow account only after expiration of the purchaser’s rescission period and in accordance with the purchase contract, subject to subdivision (b).

(2) If a prospective purchaser properly cancels the purchase contract pursuant to its terms, the funds shall be paid to the prospective purchaser or paid to the developer if the prospective purchaser’s funds have been previously refunded by the developer.

(b) If a developer contracts to sell a time-share interest and the construction of any property in which the time-share interest is located has not been completed, the developer, upon expiration of the rescission period, shall continue to maintain in an escrow account all funds received by or on behalf of the developer from the prospective purchaser under the purchase contract. The commissioner shall establish, by regulation, the types of documentation which shall be required for evidence of completion, including, but not limited to, a certificate of occupancy, a certificate of substantial completion, or an inspection by the State Fire Marshal designee or an equivalent public safety inspection agency in the applicable jurisdiction. Unless the developer submits financial assurances, in accordance with subdivision (c), funds shall not be released from escrow until a certificate of occupancy, or its equivalent, has been obtained and the rescission period has passed, and the time-share interest can be transferred free and clear of blanket encumbrances, including mechanics’ liens. Funds to be released from escrow shall be released as follows:

(1) If a prospective purchaser properly cancels the purchase contract pursuant to its terms, the funds shall be paid to the prospective purchaser or paid to the developer if the prospective purchaser’s funds have been previously refunded by the developer.

(2) If a prospective purchaser defaults in the performance of the prospective purchaser’s obligations under the purchase contract, the funds shall be paid to the developer.

(3) If the funds of a prospective purchaser have not been previously disbursed in accordance with the provisions of this subdivision, they may be disbursed to the developer by the escrow agent upon the issuance of acceptable evidence of completion of construction.

(c) In lieu of the provisions in subdivisions (a) and (b), the commissioner may accept from the developer a surety bond, escrow bond, irrevocable letter of credit, or other financial assurance or arrangement acceptable to the commissioner. Any acceptable financial assurance shall be in an amount equal to or in excess of the lesser of (1) the funds that would otherwise be placed in escrow, or (2) in an amount equal to the cost to complete the incomplete property in which the time-share interest is located. However, in no event shall the amount be less than the amount of funds that would otherwise be placed in escrow pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (a).

(d) The developer shall provide escrow account information to the commissioner and shall execute in writing an authorization consenting to an audit or examination of the account by the commissioner on forms provided by the commissioner. The developer shall comply with the reconciliation and records requirements established by regulation by the commissioner. The developer shall make documents related to the escrow account or escrow obligation available to the commissioner upon the department’s request. The escrow agent shall maintain any disputed funds in the escrow account until either of the following occurs:

(1) Receipt of written direction agreed to by signature of all parties.

(2) Deposit of the funds with a court of competent jurisdiction in which a civil action regarding the funds has been filed. [2022]