San Bernardino County HOA Guide
Redlands HOA Guide: Local Rules for Boards and Owners
Redlands has about 74,000 residents, and the city runs its own water utility and its own fire department. That means a Redlands board often deals with one city for water, fire and code questions.
This guide collects the city rules a Redlands board runs into most often, and points you to the How2HOA guide that explains what to do about each one.
Local rules on this page were checked against the City of Redlands’ website, including its Fire Department, utilities and code enforcement pages, and the Census Bureau on October 27, 2026. The city’s online municipal code would not open for us, so this page covers only what we could confirm on official pages. Confirm the current rule before you act on it. Sources are listed at the bottom of the page.
At a glance
HOAs in Redlands at a glance
We found no official Redlands page that says anything specific about homeowners associations, so we do not quote a count of HOAs or a typical dues figure. Here is what the official pages do tell a board:
Local rules
Rules that apply in Redlands
Three layers of rules apply to a Redlands association. State law comes first, mainly the Davis-Stirling Act. City ordinances apply to every property, whether or not it is in an HOA. Your governing documents can then be stricter than the city in most areas, and state law limits them in a few. The city does not enforce your CC&Rs, and your CC&Rs do not excuse anyone from a city rule.
Short-term rentals and rental inspectionsWe could not confirm a Redlands short-term rental rule.
We found no official Redlands page or code section on short-term rentals, and the city’s municipal code would not open for us. We do not state a rule here. Ask the city before you adopt or enforce a rental policy that depends on it.
The city does run a Rental Property Inspection Program. Owners register their rental properties through the city. Its page does not say which properties it covers, what it costs or how often inspections happen, and it does not mention short-term rentals. Questions go to (909) 798-7655.
Whatever the city allows, your CC&Rs can set their own rental rules. Check your documents first.
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. For the California rules, see our guide to buying, selling and renting in a California HOA.
Parking and RVsA vehicle may not stay in one place on a street for more than 72 consecutive hours.
The city’s parking page does not mention private streets or oversized-vehicle rules, so we cannot say what the city will enforce inside an association. On association streets and lots, your own parking rules and state towing law do the work. Parking complaints go to (909) 335-4726.
Code Enforcement covers inoperable or unlicensed vehicles on private property. Its report line is (909) 335-4737.
What to do about it: How to Set Up a Towing Service in Your Homeowners Association and HOA Rules and Enforcing Violations. For the state rules on enforcement, fines and hearings, see California HOA enforcement, fines and disputes.
TreesTrimming, planting or removing a public tree in a city easement needs a permit.
A Public Tree Encroachment Permit is required to trim, plant or remove any tree in a City easement, meaning a public tree. The city waives permit fees for voluntary public-tree work done by certified contractors, subject to approval by Facilities and Community Services. Apply in person at 35 Cajon Street, Suite 222.
The city’s page says nothing about privately owned trees, so we cannot say whether a permit applies to trees on association land. Before your landscaper removes a large tree, call the city to ask.
What to do about it: How to Hire a Contractor for Your Homeowners Association covers what to require of a tree service before work starts. Budget recurring tree work with Planning Your HOA Budget.
Water use and rebatesThe City of Redlands sets assigned watering days and runs the rebate program.
The city’s water use restrictions page describes rules that took effect June 10, 2022. The page was last modified in 2026, but confirm the current rules with the city before you set your irrigation schedule. As the page describes them:
| Rule | What the city says |
|---|---|
| Watering days | Even addresses Monday, Thursday and Saturday. Odd addresses Tuesday, Friday and Sunday. No watering on Wednesdays. |
| Hours | No watering from noon to 8 p.m. |
| Rain | No irrigation during rain or within 48 hours after it. |
| Runoff and leaks | Excessive runoff is prohibited and leaks must be repaired immediately. |
| Other | No washing hard surfaces with water, and no ornamental turf irrigation on public medians. |
Enforcement starts with a notice of non-compliance and a warning, then penalties. A third violation adds a surcharge of 25% of the commodity charge, and continued waste can lead to a flow restrictor or termination of service. Report water waste or get help from the Water Conservation Division at (909) 798-7527 ext. 2.
The city’s rebates are first-come, first-served until the fiscal year’s funds run out. A free pre-inspection is required before work, and turf removal and nozzle rebates need an in-person pre-inspection. Work must be finished within 90 days of clearance, with one 30-day extension on request. Rebates are credited to the utility bill and cannot exceed the product price. Converting an area to irrigation-less groundcover must be approved by the applicable HOA before work begins.
The page lists no rebate dollar amounts, and we could not confirm a rebate program written for multi-family or HOA accounts. It says commercial customers may qualify for other water-saving product rebates, so ask the Water Conservation Division what your association qualifies for.
A state law passed in 2023 (AB 1572) limits the use of drinking water on nonfunctional turf in HOA common areas. We state no start date here. Confirm the start date, and how it applies to your common areas, with the City of Redlands water utility.
What to do about it: put any turf conversion in your numbers with Planning Your HOA Budget and Understanding HOA Reserve Studies, then compare landscape bids with the Vendor Comparison Worksheet. For the California rules behind these projects, see California HOA maintenance and repair responsibilities and California HOA reserves.
Weed abatement and fire zonesThe Fire Department inspects high fire hazard areas twice a year and bills owners when the city does the work.
The Redlands Fire Department’s Community Risk Reduction Division runs the Vegetation Management (Weed Abatement) Program. It inspects high fire hazard areas twice a year. A property that fails gets a notice to remove the hazard. If the owner does not, the city does the work and bills the owner. The city’s pages give no deadline or notice period and no inspection dates, so call (909) 798-7601 to ask what applies to your common areas.
The Division also posts information on state Fire Hazard Severity Zone maps, FireWise community designation and home-hardening resources. Its main line is (909) 798-7603.
On the 2025 Fire Hazard Severity Zone map, the city’s page shows a public comment period from April 1 to June 15, 2025, and council action by ordinance listed for July 2025. The page does not confirm that the ordinance was adopted, so we cannot say which zones now apply. Check council agendas or ask the Fire Department. The city also posted a Community Wildfire Protection Plan dated March 4, 2025, which we did not review.
What to do about it: How to Minimize Homeowners Association Liability, and for coverage questions, Rising HOA Insurance Costs in California and the FAIR Plan. For what the association’s insurance has to cover, see California HOA insurance requirements.
Special taxes and districtsThe city lists two Mello-Roos districts.
The city lists two community facilities districts (Mello-Roos): CFD No. 2001-1 and CFD No. 2003-1. Its CFD reports page posts the district reports but gives no contact information. These charges appear on the property tax bill and are separate from association dues.
We could not confirm whether any landscape or lighting maintenance districts apply in Redlands. A board answering questions about the tax bill should send owners to the city’s reports rather than estimating the charge.
Noise, work hours and code enforcementWe could not confirm Redlands construction hours or leaf blower rules.
The city’s municipal code page would not open for us, so we cannot give construction hours, noise limits or leaf blower rules. Ask the city before you write them into a vendor contract.
What we can confirm is who handles complaints. Code Enforcement covers rubbish, nuisances, vegetation removal, zoning, housing, dangerous buildings and inoperable or unlicensed vehicles on private property. Call (909) 335-4737.
What to do about it: Managing Outside Vendors for Your HOA.
Is this a lot for a volunteer board to track?
City rules, state law and your own documents all change, and someone has to keep up. If your Redlands 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 Redlands board members ask
Are short-term rentals legal in Redlands?
We could not confirm a city rule, so ask the city. Your association can set its own rental rules in its documents. More in How to Handle Short-Term Rentals in Your Community.
How long can a car stay parked on a Redlands street?
No more than 72 consecutive hours in one place, and it must be licensed and operable. Boats and RVs have the same limit.
Which days can we water our common areas?
The city’s page lists assigned days by address, with no watering on Wednesdays. It describes rules from June 2022, so confirm the current schedule with the Water Conservation Division at (909) 798-7527 ext. 2.
Can our HOA get a rebate for replacing common-area lawn?
We could not confirm an HOA program or dollar amounts. The city requires a free pre-inspection before work, so call the Water Conservation Division before you start. Plan the rest of the cost with the Annual HOA Budget Checklist.
Who clears weeds on common areas in a high fire hazard area?
The owner. The Fire Department inspects twice a year, and if a property fails and the owner does not act, the city does the work and bills the owner. Call (909) 798-7601 for timing.
Do we need a city permit to trim a tree?
Yes for a public tree in a city easement. We could not confirm a rule for private trees, so call the city.
Is the special tax on my bill part of my HOA dues?
No. Community facilities districts are city charges on the property tax bill. Your association does not set or collect them.
Calendar
A Redlands board’s year
The city publishes few fixed dates, so this list is short. The maintenance 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
Redlands contacts for HOA boards
The Municipal Utilities and Engineering Department is at 35 Cajon Street, Suite 15A.
| Office | Phone | Use it for |
|---|---|---|
| Code Enforcement report line | (909) 335-4737 | Nuisance, vegetation, zoning, vehicle complaints |
| Parking complaints (Traffic Safety Unit) | (909) 335-4726 | Parking issues and complaints |
| Traffic Safety Unit | (909) 335-4757 | Traffic questions |
| Fire Department weed abatement | (909) 798-7601 | Vegetation management and defensible space |
| Fire Department Community Risk Reduction | (909) 798-7603 | Fire inspections and plans |
| Water Conservation | (909) 798-7527 ext. 2 | Rebates, watering rules, waste reports |
| Municipal Utilities and Engineering | (909) 798-7698 | Main line |
| Leaks, pressure and water quality | (909) 798-7516 | Water system problems |
| Storm water | (909) 798-7597 ext. 5 | Storm water questions |
| Traffic and parking requests | (909) 798-7584 ext. 7 | Requests to Municipal Utilities and Engineering |
| Rental Property Inspection | (909) 798-7655 | Rental registration |
We could not find a direct phone number for Planning or Building.
Keep going
Where to go next on How2HOA
Sources for this guide
These sources open in a new tab.
City of Redlands: utilities, water and wastewater; Municipal Utilities and Engineering contact; Traffic Safety Unit; public tree permit; water use restrictions; conservation programs; weed abatement program; Community Risk Reduction; fire hazard zone map updates; Community Wildfire Protection Plan; community facilities district reports; Rental Property Inspection Program; Code Enforcement.
Other agencies: U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts, Redlands.
California law: AB 1572 (2023).
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.