Los Angeles County HOA Guide
Palos Verdes Estates HOA Guide: The Homes Association, Art Jury and City Rules
Palos Verdes Estates has about 12,600 residents by the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate, and the bureau puts its owner-occupied rate at 89.7%. Every owner of a building site in the city is a member of the Palos Verdes Homes Association, whose Art Jury reviews exterior changes separately from city approvals.
This guide collects the city and association rules a Palos Verdes Estates board or owner runs into most often, and points you to the How2HOA guide that explains what to do about each one.
Rules on this page were checked against the City of Palos Verdes Estates website, the Palos Verdes Estates Municipal Code on its code publisher, the Palos Verdes Homes Association website, the State Water Resources Control Board and the Census Bureau on November 2, 2026. The online municipal code says it is current only through an ordinance passed November 28, 2023, so newer changes may be missing. We could not confirm whether the city has adopted the state’s 2025 fire hazard map, which parts of the city are in a Very High zone, the exact short-term rental rule or any holiday limits on construction. The Homes Association’s CC&Rs and regulations were not reviewed for this page, and its For Property Owners page did not load. Confirm the current rule before you act on it. Sources are listed at the bottom of the page.
At a glance
HOAs in Palos Verdes Estates at a glance
Palos Verdes Estates is unusual. The deed restrictions from the city’s original development are enforced by one association whose members include every owner of a building site in the city, so even owners with no neighborhood HOA answer to an architectural review body. A few facts shape how this works:
If your community also has its own HOA, your CC&Rs, the Homes Association’s restrictions, state law and city ordinances can all apply to the same project.
Local rules
Rules that apply in Palos Verdes Estates
Several layers of rules apply here. State law comes first, mainly the Davis-Stirling Act. City ordinances apply to every property. The Homes Association’s deed restrictions apply to building sites across the city, and any neighborhood association’s governing documents add their own rules. The city does not say it enforces the deed restrictions, and an association approval does not excuse anyone from a city rule.
The Homes Association and Art JuryExterior changes need Art Jury approval, which is separate from any city approval.
The city describes the Palos Verdes Homes Association and Art Jury as operating separate and apart from the city’s organization. They enforce the deed restrictions set during the city’s early planning, which govern building setbacks and the permitted architectural style. Changes to a building’s exterior or its landscaping need Art Jury approval, and the city says that review “is separate from any City approvals that may be required.”
- What the Art Jury reviews: the association’s FAQ says plans for the exterior appearance of structures and properties, including new construction, remodels, repainting, re-roofing and window and door replacement.
- City rules still apply: the Art Jury cannot approve a building that does not meet city codes. The city’s Building and Safety page says Homes Association approval is required for most projects.
- Planning Commission: the association’s FAQ says projects that meet the city’s Neighborhood Compatibility criteria go to a public hearing, with notice to neighbors within 300 feet. Ask the city’s Planning Department whether yours does.
- Enforcement: the association says it has no field investigators, and problems are usually resolved at sale, when buyers are generally required to bring a property into compliance.
- Governance: each property gets one vote, and the annual meeting is the second Tuesday of January.
Neither the city nor the association page we read says which approval should come first, so check with both before you file. The association’s office is next to City Hall at 320 Palos Verdes Drive West, (310) 373-6721.
What to do about it: build Art Jury review into every exterior project schedule, from repainting to re-roofing. How to Hire a Contractor for Your Homeowners Association covers what to require of contractors, and California HOA maintenance and repair responsibilities explains who handles what. If you are buying, see buying, selling and renting in a California HOA.
Trees, foliage and viewsThe city handles public trees. Private foliage that blocks views goes to the Homes Association.
The city’s Code Enforcement page sends complaints about vegetation on private property that blocks views to the Palos Verdes Homes Association. Code Enforcement itself handles overgrown, dead or dying vegetation and vegetation over 30 inches in the city right-of-way.
For public trees, the city’s Tree Management Policy (Resolution R18-13) lets residents petition to trim or remove public trees that block or are starting to block views. The Parklands Committee weighs views from a home’s main viewing area against tree preservation, privacy, safety and neighborhood character. When a tree is removed the city requires a replacement tree or an in-lieu fee, which it may waive for some street trees. Street trees are covered by Municipal Code chapter 12.16.
What to do about it: How to Hire a Contractor for Your Homeowners Association covers what to require of a tree service, and Planning Your HOA Budget helps you budget recurring tree work. For neighbor disputes, see California HOA enforcement, fines and disputes.
Fire hazard zonesThe city has fire hazard zones, but we could not confirm whether it has adopted the 2025 state map.
The city’s Fire Hazard Severity Zone page says Palos Verdes Estates has Moderate, High, Very High or a combination of zones. It says the State Fire Marshal released revised recommendations on March 24, 2025, and that the City Council would consider adopting the new map within 120 days. We could not confirm the adoption or which areas are in a Very High zone.
The fire code in Municipal Code chapter 8.12 adopts Los Angeles County’s fire code and the California Fire Code, and section 8.12.020 has the council designate Very High zones on a map kept by the planning department. Section 8.12.030 says fire apparatus access roads “shall not be obstructed in any manner, including the parking of vehicles.”
What to do about it: ask the city whether your parcels are in a Very High zone, then read Wildfire Defensible Space for Foothill HOAs. For coverage, see Rising HOA Insurance Costs in California and the FAIR Plan and California HOA insurance requirements.
Oversized vehiclesRVs, boats and trailers need a 24-hour police permit to park on any street.
Municipal Code section 10.64 took effect January 1, 2022. It bars parking oversized vehicles and trailers on any street or alley in the city without a permit:
Remember the fire code too: vehicles may not block fire apparatus access roads (section 8.12.030).
What to do about it: How to Set Up a Towing Service in Your Homeowners Association and HOA Rules and Enforcing Violations.
Construction hours7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday to Thursday and shorter hours on Friday and Saturday. No work on Sunday.
These hours appear on the city’s Code Enforcement and Building and Safety pages and in its standard plan notes. None of them cites a code section or mentions holidays, so ask the city about holiday work.
What to do about it: Managing Outside Vendors for Your HOA.
Code enforcement and short-term rentalsThe city lists short-term rentals in the R-1 zone among the concerns Code Enforcement handles.
The city’s Code Enforcement unit handles non-emergency concerns such as property maintenance, overgrown vegetation, encroachments in parklands or the right-of-way, inoperable vehicles, refuse and business licenses. Its page lists short-term or vacation rentals in the R-1 zone among those concerns. We could not open the code section behind that, so we cannot say exactly what the rule allows.
Code Enforcement is at (310) 378-0383. Your CC&Rs may also limit rentals.
What to do about it: How to Handle Short-Term Rentals in Your Community walks through writing and enforcing a rental rule. For longer leases, see Renting Out Your Home in a Homeowners Association.
Is this a lot for a volunteer board to track?
City rules, state law, the Art Jury and your own documents all change, and someone has to keep up. If your Palos Verdes Estates board is deciding between managing itself 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.
Compare HOA management optionsQuick answers
Questions Palos Verdes Estates board members ask
Is the Palos Verdes Homes Association part of the city?
No. The city says the association and its Art Jury operate separate and apart from city government, and Art Jury review is separate from any city approvals.
Do we need Art Jury approval to repaint or re-roof?
The association’s FAQ says the Art Jury reviews maintenance such as repainting, re-roofing and replacing windows and doors. Call the association at (310) 373-6721 before you schedule the work.
Who handles a neighbor’s trees blocking our view?
The city sends complaints about private vegetation that blocks views to the Homes Association. For public trees, residents can petition the city under its Tree Management Policy.
Can an owner park an RV on the street?
Only with a 24-hour police permit if it is over 20 feet long, 7 feet wide or 8 feet high, and residents are limited to 24 permits in any 90 days.
Can contractors work on Saturday?
Yes, from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Construction is not allowed on Sunday.
When must we stop using drinking water on common-area turf?
The State Water Board says January 1, 2029 for nonfunctional turf in HOA common areas under AB 1572. Plan the cost with the Annual HOA Budget Checklist.
Calendar
A Palos Verdes Estates board’s year
The Homes Association’s January meeting date comes from the city’s page, and the 2029 turf date comes from the State Water Board. The other items are general good practice, not legal requirements.
Keep the year on track: use the Board Meeting Checklist and the Annual HOA Budget Checklist.
Who to call
Palos Verdes Estates contacts for HOA boards
| Office | Phone | Use it for |
|---|---|---|
| City Hall (Planning, Building and Code Enforcement) | (310) 378-0383 | Permits, Planning Commission questions, code complaints and construction hours |
| Building inspection requests | (310) 791-8400 | Scheduling inspections |
| Palos Verdes Homes Association | (310) 373-6721 | Art Jury review, deed restrictions and private view-blocking vegetation |
| Police non-emergency dispatch | 310-378-4211 | Non-emergency police matters |
Keep going
Where to go next on How2HOA
Sources for this guide
These sources open in a new tab.
City of Palos Verdes Estates: Palos Verdes Homes Association; Building and Safety; Code Enforcement; Standard Plan Notes; Tree Management Policy; Fire Hazard Severity Zone; Oversized Vehicle Information; Palos Verdes Estates Municipal Code, Chapter 8.12.
Palos Verdes Homes Association: Home page; FAQ.
Other agencies: U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts, Palos Verdes Estates; State Water Resources Control Board, Nonfunctional Turf FAQ.
Professional management
Thinking about management help?
Tell us about your community and we will send you options from affiliated management companies.
Compare HOA management optionsBrowse all HOA topicsThis page is general educational information, not legal, financial or insurance advice. City ordinances and state law change, and your association’s governing documents control many of these questions, so check the current code and talk with your association’s attorney or another qualified professional about your situation.