The Strawberry Property Owners Association (SPOA) is an unincorporated organization of individuals and families who own property in the village of Strawberry in Tuolumne County.
Established in the early 1980s, the organization’s mission statement declares “SPOA provides a means to respond in a thoughtful and coordinated manner on issues within the Stanislaus National Forest related to public services, laws, regulations, as well as those that affect the preservation, enhancement and enjoyment of privately owned properties in Strawberry. The underlying purpose of SPOA is to promote the common interests of its residents and to inform and educate members and the general public on matters affecting the use, improvement, and preservation of Strawberry.”
SPOA is managed by a volunteer board of directors elected by the membership at the organization’s annual meeting, which is typically held on the 4th of July weekend.
Directors are elected to three-year terms. There are no term limits. Members also elect officers, consisting of its President, Vice-President, Secretary, and Treasurer. Currently, the board consists of eight directors.
In recent years, SPOA’s primary focus has targeted the critical issue of fire safety and preparedness. As climate change has produced larger and faster-moving wildfires in California, issues of homesite “sanitation” involving removal of dead pine needles, branches, and low-lying vegetation, communication with local authorities in the event of an emergency, preparation of “go bags”, and other critical factors have been the focus of educational efforts by SPOA. The organization has also pressed local and state lawmakers and agencies to complete work on a comprehensive emergency action plan and has partnered with the national organization FireWise® in the development of approved “FireWise communities” in Strawberry, which encourages neighbors to work together to harden their properties against fire danger.
SPOA has also challenged its local water supplier, Del Oro Water Company, to supply fresh water that complies with California state standards, including independent testing paid for by the organization to hold DOWC accountable.