Bill to let homeowners install fire‑hardened materials despite HOA rules draws broad support and technical concerns
SB 1551 would void HOA provisions that block homeowners from installing or maintaining fire‑hardened materials (with a 10% cost cap on alternatives and a 60‑day HOA response requirement). Sponsors and wildfire‑resilience advocates support the measure; HOA managers and legal counsel praised the goal but urged clarifying amendments on cost caps, replacement versus removal language and shared‑fence disputes.
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Senator Sarah Gelster Bleuen told the committee SB 1551 arose from constituent concerns in wildland‑urban interface neighborhoods where wooden fences and other non‑fire‑hardened elements increase wildfire risk. "The only thing that this bill does is make sure that no matter what house you live in, you can voluntarily make smart choices about building materials that are authorized in existing codes," she said.
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