California Codes, Civil Code - CIV, Division 4 — General Provisions, Part 5.3 — Commercial and Industrial Common Interest Developments, Chapter 7 — Assessments and Assessment Collection, Article 3 — Assessment Collection, Section 6824

(a) A monetary charge imposed by the association as a means of reimbursing the association for costs incurred by the association in the repair of damage to common areas and facilities caused by a member or the member’s guest or tenant may become a lien against the member’s separate interest enforceable by the sale of the interest under Sections 2924, 2924b, and 2924c, provided the authority to impose a lien is set forth in the governing documents.

(b) A monetary penalty imposed by the association as a disciplinary measure for failure of a member to comply with the governing documents, except for the late payments, may not be characterized nor treated in the governing documents as an assessment that may become a lien against the member’s separate interest enforceable by the sale of the interest under Sections 2924, 2924b, and 2924c.