San Joaquin County HOA Guide
Mountain House HOA Guide: The City, the CC&Rs and Your HOA
Mountain House became a city on July 1, 2024. Unusually, its community-wide CC&Rs are enforced by a government district governed by the City Council, not by a homeowners association, and many neighborhoods also have an HOA of their own.
Owners and neighborhood HOA boards in Mountain House deal with two sets of private rules and one city. This guide explains who enforces what, and where a neighborhood board fits.
Facts on this page were checked against the City of Mountain House’s website, the posted Master Restrictions, the Mountain House Municipal Code and San Joaquin LAFCo records on October 26, 2026. Some city documents would not open for us, so confirm details with the office listed before you act on them. Sources are listed at the bottom of the page.
At a glance
Mountain House at a glance
The city also administers the landscape and lighting districts and special taxes that were in place before incorporation. Those charges are on the property tax bill, not in HOA dues.
Who enforces the master CC&Rs
Every home in Mountain House is subject to the Mountain House Community Master Restrictions, a declaration of covenants, conditions and restrictions the developer made in 2002. Before 2024 the Mountain House Community Services District enforced them. When the city incorporated, LAFCo kept that district alive as a subsidiary district of the city with one job: enforcing the CC&Rs. The City Council sits as its board, and city Code Compliance staff do the work. The city took over everything else the district did.
The Master Restrictions say they create no common area, no association and no assessments as defined in the Davis-Stirling Act. That means the master layer is not an HOA, and a neighborhood board should not assume the Davis-Stirling procedures it follows apply to the city’s enforcement.
Read next: HOA Governing Documents Explained and The Davis-Stirling Act Explained.
Two approvals for exterior changes
Changes to the front yard, plants, exterior, driveways or anything in public view need a request to city Code Compliance before work starts. The city’s new homeowner guide lists landscaping, concrete, artificial turf, exterior paint, yard structures, fencing, water softeners and driveway extensions. Owners file form CCR-001, and backyard structures carry a $50 fee.
The city’s form also tells owners to contact their local neighborhood HOA for its own approval. An owner in a neighborhood with an HOA needs both approvals, and a building permit where one applies, because design approval does not replace it.
Front-yard synthetic turf must meet the city’s quality guidelines, and turf not on the recommended list must be sampled before contracting. Lawn may cover no more than 65% of a front yard, and dead front-yard plants must be replaced within 30 days.
What to do about it: neighborhood boards can line up their own review with the city’s. See How to Propose Changes to Your Property in a Homeowners Association and How to Set Up and Run HOA Committees.
Fines, hearings and liens
Article 5 of the Master Restrictions sets out how the city enforces them. Fines require notice and an opportunity to be heard under the state’s fair process rules for nonprofit corporations. The city can charge remedial assessments to recover its costs and attorney fees, amounts become delinquent after 15 days, and late charges and 10% interest apply.
Assessment liens can be foreclosed, but fines alone cannot become a lien enforced by a foreclosure sale. Violations can lead to an advisory notice, fines and liens. Questions about the Master Restrictions go to Code Compliance at (209) 831-5606.
Neighborhood HOAs and the master rules
The Master Restrictions call a neighborhood association a project association. Its own CC&Rs must comply with the Master Restrictions, can be stricter and lose in any conflict (section 9.02). A project association can enforce the Master Restrictions against its own members, but only the developer or the district can enforce the design review provisions (section 9.01).
We could not confirm the names of individual neighborhood associations from official sources. If you are buying, the seller’s disclosures will show whether the home is in one.
What to do about it: read your neighborhood’s documents alongside the Master Restrictions. How to Rewrite HOA Governing Documents covers amendments that need to stay consistent with a master declaration.
Rules
Parking, rental and use rules
Parking, RVs and boatsOversized vehicles, RVs, boats and trailers are banned from city streets without a 24-hour permit.
We found no private parking areas designated for public traffic enforcement in the city code. The Master Restrictions also bar vehicle repairs outside the garage.
What to do about it: HOA Rules and Enforcing Violations. For the state rules on enforcement, fines and hearings, see California HOA enforcement, fines and disputes.
Leasing and rentalsNo rentals shorter than 7 days under the Master Restrictions.
The Master Restrictions bar leases of less than 7 consecutive days and require leases to be in writing and subject to the governing documents. City rules require ADUs to be rented for at least 30 days. In January 2026 the city said it was working on a rental housing ordinance, so check for new rules before relying on this page. California Civil Code section 4741 limits how far an association can restrict rentals generally, but it does not stop an association from prohibiting rentals of 30 days or less.
What to do about it: How to Handle Short-Term Rentals in Your Community and Renting Out Your Home in a Homeowners Association. For the California rules, see our guide to buying, selling and renting in a California HOA.
Trash, noise and work hoursBins out no more than 24 hours before pickup.
Under the Master Restrictions, trash containers may be out no more than 24 hours before pickup and must come in within 24 hours after. Construction in occupied residential areas is limited to 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays and 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekends and national holidays. West Valley Disposal provides trash service.
What to do about it: Managing Outside Vendors for Your HOA.
Weeds and fire seasonTwo 14-day notices, then the county fire warden.
The French Camp McKinley Fire District handles weed abatement under County Ordinance 4286. Owners get a first notice with 14 days to clear the property and a final notice with 14 more days before the case goes to the county fire warden, and forced abatement costs become a lien. Inspectors act on what is visible from the street. The district’s posted guidelines say fire season in San Joaquin County runs May 1 to October 30 and call for vegetation cut to no more than 4 inches.
What to do about it: How to Minimize Homeowners Association Liability and our HOA maintenance and vendors section. For what the association’s insurance has to cover, see California HOA insurance requirements.
ADUs
The city’s ADU handout allows an attached ADU of up to half the home’s size or 850 square feet, whichever is greater, a detached ADU of up to 1,200 square feet and a junior ADU of up to 500 square feet. Civil Code section 4751 limits how far an association can restrict them.
California rules: For how architectural review works under California law, see California HOA architectural review and owner rights.
Running a neighborhood HOA inside Mountain House?
Your board answers to its own documents, the city’s enforcement of the Master Restrictions and state law all at once. If you are deciding between managing yourselves and hiring help, start with Self-Managed vs. Professional HOA Management, or tell us about your community and we will send you options from affiliated management companies.
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Questions Mountain House owners and board members ask
Who enforces the Mountain House CC&Rs?
The Mountain House Community Services District, which since July 2024 is a subsidiary district of the city governed by the City Council. City Code Compliance staff handle it day to day.
Is the master layer an HOA?
No. The Master Restrictions say they create no association, common area or assessments under the Davis-Stirling Act.
Do I need my neighborhood HOA to approve a change too?
If your neighborhood has an HOA, yes. The city’s form tells owners to get their local HOA’s approval as well.
What happens if the city does not answer my application?
Under the Master Restrictions, an application with no action within 60 days is deemed approved.
Can an RV park on the street?
Not without a city permit, which lasts up to 24 hours and can be issued no more than twice in seven days.
Can I rent my home for a weekend?
No. The Master Restrictions bar leases shorter than 7 days, and your neighborhood HOA may set a longer minimum.
Who to call
Mountain House contacts
City Hall is at 251 East Main Street.
| Office | Phone | Use it for |
|---|---|---|
| City Hall | (209) 831-2300 | Main line, water, public works, code compliance |
| Master Restrictions questions | (209) 831-5606 | Exterior change requests and violations |
| Planning | (209) 831-5974 | Zoning, ADUs |
| Building Division | (209) 831-5037 | Building permits |
| Sheriff non-emergency | (209) 468-4400 | Police matters |
| French Camp McKinley Fire District | (209) 982-0592 | Weed abatement |
| West Valley Disposal | (209) 835-3639 | Trash and recycling service |
The City Council meets at 7 p.m. on the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month in the Council Chambers at City Hall.
Keep going
Where to go next on How2HOA
Sources for this guide
These sources open in a new tab.
City of Mountain House: Master Restrictions and CC&Rs; Master Restrictions article 1; article 4, use restrictions; article 5, enforcement; article 6, architectural controls; article 9; Master Restrictions FAQs; new homeowner guide; synthetic turf guidelines; form CCR-001; Code Compliance; ADU handout; water services; garbage and recycling; community concerns and city response; agendas and meetings; police; fire.
Mountain House Municipal Code: Title 10, division 2, traffic regulation; Title 10, division 4, chapter 8, traffic laws on private property.
Other agencies: San Joaquin LAFCo, incorporation resolution 23-1526; certificate of completion; incorporation initial study; French Camp McKinley Fire District, weed abatement; fire hazard reduction guidelines; U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts, Mountain House.
California law: Civil Code section 4741; section 4751.
Professional management
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Compare HOA management optionsBrowse all HOA topicsThis page is general educational information, not legal, financial or insurance advice. How2HOA is not affiliated with the associations or agencies named here. Ownership and maintenance vary parcel by parcel, so check your recorded maps and governing documents and talk with your association’s attorney or another qualified professional about your situation.