You could call it a sign of the times: Proud parents are doing their best to make up for canceled graduation ceremonies with congratulatory signs………..But King’s sign was up all of two weeks before she received a letter in the mail from her homeowners association. “It read, ‘you currently are in violation of the association’s […]
Westport condo destroyed during Tuesday morning inferno (WI)
The Waunakee Fire Department responded to a residential fire at 5323 Westport Road Tuesday morning, shortly before 8 a.m. No injuries to residents or emergency responders were reported. “We believe the cause of the fire was careless use of smoking materials,” said Waunakee Fire Chief Dave Kopp. “Now you’ve got probably 20 residents that will […]
People have been debating Stapleton’s name since 2001 (CO)
The Master Community Association (MCA) announced on Sunday it is taking steps to remove the “Stapleton” name from the community and its operations. Stapleton’s namesake is a former Denver mayor who was a member of the KKK. The neighborhood has put the decision to change the name to a vote in the past, but the […]
Fishers family faces threat of HOA legal action over 2-foot backyard wade pool (IN)
Bob and Julia Taylor bought an inflatable pool to help cool off during the pandemic. But that pool got them in hot water with their homeowners’ association. Read the article………………………
Fences in servitude removed by parish to cut ditch, residents must pay to put them back (LA)
Last year, the Livingston Parish Department of Public Works said it would be tearing down fences in Arbor Walk, if the neighbors didn’t move them out of the servitude. The neighborhood’s HOA, Community Management, LLC, sent out a final notice on June 10 saying homeowners not in compliance would have their fences removed. The parish […]
Tempers boil over as Democrats square off with Trump supporters at golf cart rally
Emotions ran raw, insults were hurled back and forth at least one fight almost broke out between Republicans and Democrats during a pro-Trump golf cart parade late Sunday afternoon. Read the article………………………..
Village West residents vote to not rebuild flooded condos (MI)
Pat Withrow and the rest of the residents of the 46 units at Village West Condominiums are trying to move forward after voting unanimously to not rebuild their residences. Read the article…………………………..
Woke Grandpa Defies Miami Beach Condo Board (FL)
That led Abramson to ask his granddaughter, Arley Hunt, to help him write “Black Lives Matter” in chalk paint on the sliding glass door that leads to the balcony of his Mid Beach condo. It wasn’t long before neighbors confronted him and complained to management. Staff at his Collins Avenue building told him to remove […]
REAL ESTATE MATTERS: Property owner requests improvement for something in excess of HOA covenants
Q: I am on the board of directors of my homeowners association (HOA). The dues to our HOA are voluntary. We can’t assess liens against any property in our community; we can only sue a property owner for violations of our covenants. Read the Q&A……………………….Our HOA document speaks to architectural control covenants, and homeowners can […]
Denver protest leader says Stapleton may be next target if neighborhood doesn’t change name (CO)
A Denver Public Schools board member who has helped direct some of the recent police protests said Saturday that Stapleton is a likely next target for demonstrations if the neighborhood doesn’t change its name. Read the article……………………………
Insurance companies set to squeeze even more money out of us this storm season (FL)
Florida homeowners, already paying nearly the highest home insurance rates in the nation, should get ready for more sticker shock if and when their policies next renew. Premiums for most Florida property owners are poised to jump again — sharply — as insurers pass along skyrocketing costs of coverage they need to pay claims after […]
Rules for expedited budget process (IL)
Q: Traditionally, the board of our association held a meeting of the owners to discuss the proposed budget before the board voted on the budget. The board does not intend on doing that this year. Rather, the board will only call a meeting of the board to adopt the budget. Is the board required to […]
Realtor: More Houston neighborhoods have old racist deed restrictions (TX)
Momentum is growing in one of Houston’s oldest neighborhoods to change racist deed restrictions that say only people of Caucasian race can live in or own a home. “There’s anger, there’s hurt, there’s outrage,” said Sally Walden, an Oak Forest resident and realtor. She’s been doing her own digging into Houston’s past. “I want to say […]
Use of title when campaigning for re-election (FL)
Q: The vice president of our condominium association is running for re-election and sent a letter to all owners outlining why he should be re-elected. The letter was signed as the vice president and I feel it is improper to use the title when campaigning. Does this invalidate the election? Read the Q&A………………………………
Black Lives Matter yard signs spark debate within Chapel Hill neighborhood as HOA looks to enforce display policies (NC)
Some residents of the Briar Chapel community in Chapel Hill are questioning the timing of their HOA’s enforcement of a yard sign policy. They say the policy has not been enforced until now and believe it has to do with “Black Lives Matter” signs that have been popping up around the neighborhood. Read the article……………………………..
Termination of HOA is complicated (NV)
Q: Is it possible to leave a homeowners association? I have details if you are interested in my situation. Read the Q&A………………………………
HOA Homefront: Are virtual board meetings legit? (CA)
Q: Our association canceled the March meeting and then April’s meeting was held by a teleconference with just the board members. Is this legal? We have not received any information about what was discussed in this meeting Read the Q&A…………………………
Club West battle heats up as nonprofit seeks injunction (AZ)
A nonprofit opposed to houses on Club West’s golf course has asked a judge to stop an apparent fast-track effort by the HOA’s board to push a homeowners’ vote on a plan by four investors who bought the site last week. The Club West Conservancy last week asked a Maricopa County Superior Court judge to […]
Condo owners file suit City of Canfield, association blamed for flooding issues (OH)
Owners of a condominium in the Hunter’s Woods Condominiums of Canfield have filed suit against the city of Canfield and their homeowner’s association over flooding that damaged basements May 28, 2019. Read the article………………………………
Sandy Springs’ Lake Forrest Drive renaming draws support as anti-racist, some criticism as empty gesture (GA)
A proposal to change the spelling of Sandy Springs’ Lake Forrest Drive due to possible Confederate and Ku Klux Klan inspirations is winning many fans. But on neighborhood social media, it’s also drawn criticism from residents calling it political correctness or tokenism. Read the article……………………………
The rainy day is coming. Are you ready? (NH)
As a board, you’ve come to the long dawning realization that you can’t put off replacing the rot around windows, the failing roofs, the cracked and pothole filled parking lot and other needed repairs that have turned your once lovely association into something closer to a third world country. It’s time to get the work […]
Despite foreclosure freeze, HOAs sending default notices (NV)
Daisy Maldonado knew she was behind on her homeowners association dues. But when a collection agency mailed her a notice recently, she read a dire message. “WARNING!” it declared. “IF YOU FAIL TO PAY THE AMOUNT SPECIFIED IN THIS NOTICE, YOU COULD LOSE YOUR HOME, EVEN IF THE AMOUNT IS IN DISPUTE!” Read the article………………………….
Woman Drowns in Northeast Dallas Condo Pool (TX)
A 35-year-old woman drowned Wednesday in a pool at a Northeast Dallas condominium complex, police say Read the article……………………………….
Sprinkler system knocks down fire at Orleans condo complex (MA)
A sprinkler system doused a stove fire in a multi unit condo complex in Orleans Wednesday afternoon. The fire started on the second floor of the three story structure Read the article……………………………
Sea Gate Homeowners in Uproar Over Payouts Tied to Private Police Force Misconduct (NY)
The NYPD is not New York City’s only police force under scrutiny over reports of misconduct. A string of legal cases filed against members of the private Sea Gate Police Department, who patrol a gated community at the tip of Coney Island, allege some officers have: Read the article………………………
Vacant lot pits homeowners against their home owners association (TX)
A zoning issue in one local neighborhood put on hold due to the pandemic is back. “This is kind of a quiet neighborhood street,” said homeowner Kim Gibbs…..Kim Gibbs lives across the street and supports proposed rezoning that would allow developers to build about 20 townhomes. However, the land is currently zoned for multi-family use, […]
Baca Grande POA receives grant to prepare for wildfires (CO)
The Baca Grande Property Owners Association has received a $245,000 2019 State Fire Assistance grant to reduce the wildfire risk within the community, with an emphasis on creating healthier, more fire-resistant common lands. Baca Grande POA applied for the grant in partnership with the Colorado State Forest Service. The Colorado State Forest Service works with […]
1 injured in Pacific Beach condo fire (CA)
Firefighters Monday night rescued one person from a fire that broke out inside a condominium building in Pacific Beach. Firefighters contained the flames to the eighth floor. Investigators are looking into what sparked the blaze. Read the article…………………………….
Houston neighborhood’s deed restrictions read as if they only allow white people to live there (TX)
There are renewed calls to change an outdated, racist rule in the deed restrictions of Houston’s Oak Forest neighborhood. KHOU reported on the issue three years ago. The old rule states only white people could own and live in homes in the northwest Houston subdivision. Read the article…………………………
Association May Keep Unit Keys (FL)
Q: My condominium association has the digital key-code to my unit but is still insisting on having a physical key. Is the law specific on how I have granted them access to my unit? Read the Q&A…………………………….
Maintenance worker drowns in lake near Pembroke Pines condos (FL)
A man has died after, police said, he drowned in a lake while performing maintenance at a condominium complex in Pembroke Pines. Investigators said the victim, a 22-year-old man, had been hired by the homeowners association to perform water management and land erosion maintenance. Read the article…………………………..
Foothills HOA meeting turns heated over election timing (AZ)
An effort to partially stymie the impact of a special election on changes to the Foothills Community Association charter bylaws backfired when four of its seven board members refused to support longtime HOA President Bill Fautsch. Read the article……………………………….
Homeowners vow to ‘not back down’ in legal battle with Billings water district over leaking canal (MT)
A group of Billings homeowners living directly under the Billings canal have filed a lawsuit against the Billings Bench Water Association after they say a constant leak in the canal has massively damaged homes and caused financial ruin. Read the article…………………………….
Co-ops and Condos Must Act Fast to Protect Against Looters (NY)
As New York City is convulsed by protests over the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, some co-op and condo boards are facing a problem that was unimaginable just a week ago: how to protect their street-level commercial spaces from looting and vandalism. There are smart precautions boards can take – but they need to […]
Condo column: Can the board of directors do that? (FL)
Q: Our condominium Board of Directors has been holding board meetings via a video service such as Zoom. However, the owners are only provided the telephone call in number to listen to the meeting and are not allowed to watch the video feed. Is this allowed? Read the Q&A……………………………
Less Than 1% of Miami’s Condo Buildings Have FHA Approval (FL)
According to a recent report by Miami Realtors, only 13 of the 9,307 condominium buildings in Miami-Dade and Broward counties were approved for Federal Housing Administration (FHA) loans, down from 29 last year. In Florida, potential condo buyers must personally qualify for a home loan, but the condo project itself must also undergo approval for […]
How the New Condo Rule is Playing Out for Reverse Mortgage Lenders
In late 2019, the Department of Housing and Urban Development issued new condominium guidelines that aimed to make it easier for single units to be approved for Federal Housing Administration (FHA) financing. This included transactions under the Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) program. Read the article…………………………..
Serrano board recall fizzles (CA)
After three hours of ballot counting, HOA Elections of California, acting as inspector of elections, informed Serrano HOA board meeting attendees last Friday that the recall failed to garner enough votes to proceed to the election of a contingent board. No public comment was made during an open forum offered prior to ballot counting. Read […]
Two women unhappy with complaint about black lives matter sign on home (KY)
Two single moms from Lexington said they only had their sign up for a couple of days before they were asked to take it down. Alyssa Derrick and Becca Wise say the director of the Homeowner’s Association of the neighborhood they rent in came directly to their house. Read the article……………………………..
Why Trump Plaza removed Flagler Drive ground floor signs bearing president’s name (FL)
“Trump” means a lot of things to a lot of people but at the West Palm Beach condo towers that bear the President’s name, it means risk. Management removed the ground floor Trump Plaza signs Monday morning from both sides of the twin buildings’ Flagler Drive entry, “for your safety,” General Manager Michael Kampy wrote […]
Lawsuit accuses now dead ex-treasurer of Mt. Juliet’s Brookstone HOA of embezzling $290K (TN)
A Mt. Juliet neighborhood association has filed a lawsuit that accuses its former treasurer of embezzling more than $290,000 over a period of years. The treasurer being accused died in December. Read the article…………………………..
Sea Gate residents take homeowners’ association to court for release of financial records (NY)
Three residents from a gated community in southern Brooklyn are taking their homeowners’ association to court to force the release of its financial records — claiming that there are more than $5.1 million in discrepancies between the governing body’s tax returns and financial statements over the course of four years. Read the article…………………………..
Harassment of Disabled Persons is Illegal (FL)
Q: An owner reported to the board that another owner has been “harassing” him due to his physical disability and has asked the board to take action. Is this an association responsibility or a private matter between the two owners? Read the Q&A………………………………..
Houston’s most outrageous HOA rules, according to KPRC 2 readers (TX)
We asked KPRC 2 readers to share their most outrageous dust-ups with local homeowners associations and what we got back were hundreds of grievances. Some of the tales are humorous up until the moment when you think on what it would be like to face a fine, receive a citation or get a warning for […]
Asbury Woods Homeowner’s Association to allow sign supporting McDowell graduating senior (PA)
It’s a happy ending for a story that JET 24 Action News brought you last night. McDowell High School senior Connor Williams placed a sign in his yard that read “Celebrating Our McDowell Senior 2020.” However, the Asbury Woods Homeowner’s Association told the Williams family that they must take the sign out of their front […]
Condominium has options to recover unpaid assessments owed by deceased owner (FL)
Our small community (40 units) has a unit that was owned by an elderly woman who died with no relatives or heirs. She had a reverse mortgage with the bank; a neighbor and friend who was also a realtor who had control of the unit has died (and his business partner went to court and […]
At least 35 displaced after condo fire (AR)
The Lake Hamilton Fire Department responded after a fire reportedly erupted in one of the condos and quickly spread to multiple other condos, according to witnesses at the scene later in the morning. Josh Egbert, regional communications manager for the American Red Cross in Arkansas, said the Red Cross did respond to the fire and […]
Round Rock family battling HOA over pool slide height during pandemic (TX)
A family in Round Rock has started an online petition to fight an order by their Home Owners Association. Christina and Rick Greene say last year a donor paid to install an in-ground pool in their backyard for their immunocompromised son, Jonah. Read the article…………………………..
HOA Homefront: Are our reserves being handled properly? (CA)
Q: Is there a formula for the reserve funds that are necessary, or at least advisable, for a HOA? Also, can an assessment be collected from each homeowner and put in reserve and then returned to them after a reasonable time if it’s not needed? Read the article………………………..