The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Climate Prediction Center (NOAA CPC) reported on August 13, 2026, that El Niño is strengthening and that there is a greater than 90 percent chance of a very strong El Niño during fall and winter 2026–2027. NOAA’s August 20, 2026 seasonal outlook further states that El Niño’s precipitation effects are expected to increase through the winter, with probabilities of above-normal precipitation exceeding 50 percent across much of coastal California during the core winter months. NOAA specifically cautions that even a very strong El Niño does not guarantee its typical regional impacts. They do, however, support taking reasonable precautions before the rainy season.

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Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac (collectively referred to as “FM”) back more than $7 trillion in mortgages, supporting roughly 70% of the U.S. mortgage market. Most lenders package their mortgages with the intent that the loan will be sold to FM, meaning that the loan must meet the eligibility standards for FM if the lender wants to sell the loan.

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In recent issues of the OC View you may have read articles describing California’s insurance crisis. Insurance carriers have incurred substantial losses, particularly from wildfire claims, over the last two decades. Carriers have left or ceased writing new policies in California and other high-risk states. Premiums have increased significantly for most homeowners associations, prompting board members to seek ways to reduce insurance costs.

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In 2023, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac released updates to project eligibility standards for condominiums and cooperatives. The updates distinguish between “critical” and “routine” repairs. A community needing “critical” repairs will likely be deemed ineligible for Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac-backed financing.

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After decades of seeing the same mistakes repeated, we have compiled a list of the most common issues that lead to litigation. 

Top 10 Architectural Review Mishaps 

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