The Rancho Palos Verdes Council of Homeowners Associations sprung from a grass roots group of citizens who was fed up with Los Angeles County officials allowing developers and landowners to build high-density apartments and condominiums on the hillsides and shoreline of the unincorporated City of Rancho Palos Verdes.  Many of the grass roots groups were individual homeowners associations (HOA) who led the way to the City’s formation in 1973.

After the City was formed, Elza Cortés and her husband, Jose, found themselves attending many City Council meetings.  Elza, who was president of the Miraleste Hills HOA, decided to form the Council of Homeowners after listening time and again to representatives from the various homeowner associations throughout the City repeatedly ask the City Council members similar questions dealing with the same topics, i.e., views impairment, antennae, building code violations, sewer systems, neighborhood compatibility, etc.  She realized that even though there are many different areas in the City, they all share common experiences and problems, and that many voices would be stronger than one.  She gathered approximately 20 HOAs, some of which had worked to form the City and started the Council of Homeowners in 1978; Elza was elected president.

The Council continued their tradition of focusing around pressing issues facing the City as well as sharing common experiences and resolving common problems.  They worked hard in support of Prop13; in 1986 they helped cities on the Peninsula receive a share of the tax revenue from the highway users fax fund, the cigarette tax fund, and motor vehicle license fees.  In 1989, they were instrumental in drafting a ballot initiative, Proposition M, to restore and preserve views in the City of Rancho Palos Verdes, which was approved by the citizens of RPV. 

1999 marked the election of CHOA’s then-president Doug Stern to the RPV city council. CHOA vice president Dr. Jerald Simon then became president until his retirement the following year. With no volunteers to become president and membership dwindling over the months after Dr. Simon’s departure, the board members in 2001 asked CHOA’s then-2nd vice president Brian Campbell to take on leadership of the organization.

After two years as president and a resurgence in membership, Brian then led the recruitment of Jon Cartwright to take his place as CHOA president. In 2009, Brian was himself elected to serve on the RPV city council.

In May 2003, CHOA, as it is called today, selected Jon Cartwright to run the organization.  His first action was to create a board of directors to manage the affairs of the Council, which relieved the president of the responsibility of doing it all.  The board along with the approval of the members instituted many changes.  For instance, the bylaws were completely rewritten to reflect the reorganization of the Council; meetings are now held every other month, instead of once a month, a City Council Candidates Forum is held every two years; and the meeting place was changed to Fred Hesse Park, creating a more business-like and cozier atmosphere.

One of the most important changes made in 2003, was to place an equal focus on helping CHOA’s members to better manage their individual HOAs.  Guest speakers at the meetings reflect this new vision—with topics ranging from new California State laws that impact homeowner associations, the importance of CC&R’s and bylaws, the fiduciary responsibility of the board, what’s driving up the cost of insurance for HOA’s, etc.  They also try to have at least one City Council member attend their meetings to listen, learn, and interact with the members on a one-on-one basis, something that cannot be done at a City Council meeting.   One of the first official acts of the newly revamped organization was to assist the City to write new guidelines for the RPV Beautification Grant Program; several years before this, CHOA was instrumental in reversing the City Council’s decision to eliminate the program.

Today CHOA's membership fluctuates between 55-60 HOAs, representing approximately 6500 RPV residents; attendance at the meetings has been averaging about 45-50 people in the audience.  There is a website (www.palosverdes.com/choa), a newsletter, The CHOA News, a membership directory, and a brochure that can tell you about our organization at a glance.

CHOA has come a long way: it remains an adhesive force within Rancho Palos Verdes, and is recognized by City officials as an integral and important organization in RPV; the City Council often asks CHOA to provide feedback on important city-wide issues that affect the residents.  CHOA remains a force to be reckoned with when it decides to Speak with One Voice on vital issues that affect members HOAs.  None of these accomplishments would have been possible without the dedication of past presidents, a great board of directors, and supportive members.