There is opposition on the periphery of Park City Mountain Resort to a Provo firm’s plans for a major development on the resort’s parking lots. And critics have appeared elsewhere in Park City, in places like Prospector, as the talks between PEG Companies and the Park City Planning Commission continue. But the Planning Commission in […]
Fire at condominium displaces two Goldens Bridge families (NY)
Goldens Bridge firefighters were dispatched to a structure fire at 24 Boulder Lane in the Wild Oaks Village off Route 22 on Sunday morning. The call came in just before 11 a.m. for a second floor fire that affected two units at the condominium. Read the article………………………………
Taking the Temperature of Habitat’s Co-op and Condo Readers (NY)
After 10 months of unprecedented upheaval, 2020 is ending on a note of high anxiety for cooperative and condominium boards. Now, a comprehensive new survey, emailed to 3,474 board directors, provides a telling snapshot of our readers’ anxieties and hopes as this unimaginable year draws to a close. Here are some of the major concerns: […]
Content of HOA emails determines who can receive them (NV)
Q: Thank you for all of your help in the past. I have a few additional questions I am hoping you can answer, since I have not seen them previously asked or answered: • Are emails between board members and the community manager or management company viewable under Nevada Open Records Act? Read the Q&A……………………………..
Months after flood, residents of Wellington Hills still dealing with fallout (NC)
In the three years that Joy has lived in the Wellington Hills neighborhood, which lies just within the Salisbury city limits, she’s grown used to moving her Kia to higher ground when it rains. Joy lives in unit 205, which is one of five connected condos that sit at the bottom of a hill in […]
Looking ahead to 2021, common interest community service (VA)
Happy (almost) New Year! We think that we can all agree that we are ready to say “goodbye” to 2020 and “hello” to 2021! Like everyone else, we are looking forward to new and exciting things in 2021. The COVID-19 pandemic has had us adjusting our personal and professional lives. Our homes have become so […]
Charlestown settles land-grab lawsuit with residents of low-income neighborhood (IN)
Charlestown and the Pleasant Ridge Neighborhood Association have settled a yearslong legal battle in which the Southern Indiana city was accused of unfairly targeting residents with fines in order to redevelop the land. The agreement, according to a statement released by the city late Monday night, requires enforcement of maintenance code violations be applied equally […]
REAL ESTATE MATTERS: Resident concerned association wants to remove trees
Q: The association board of my building wants to take down basic pine trees behind my unit. The trees are healthy and provide no danger to the building. These trees provide privacy, shade and comfort to my unit. It is one of the main reasons I purchased the unit. Do I have any recourse? […]
Board is allowed to sue developer (IL)
Q: Our condominium association was recently turned over from the developer. An engineer retained by the board has identified numerous construction defects that will be expensive to repair. Negotiations with the developer broke down, and it looks like the association is going to file suit against the developer. Our declaration, prepared by the developer, requires […]
Can owner give tennis lessons on community court? (FL)
Q: We have a resident that appears to be giving tennis lessons on the tennis courts on the weekends. He is an owner and has every right to use the court, but he is also posting advertisements on the bulletin boards and obviously profiting by the existence of tennis courts which we all pay for. […]
Community association to homeowner’s Christmas display: Bah, humbug (SC)
You’d think Ebenezer Scrooge or The Grinch wanted to take down Samantha Mangum’s Christmas display. Every Christmas, Mangum spends hours meticulously designing the family’s holiday decorations that dominate her front yard in the Persimmon Hill subdivision. The display has enough lights, Christmas trees and inflatable snowmen to make Santa Claus smile. Read the article…………………………………….
Leilani Estates residents divided about road up fissure 8 (HI)
Leilani Estates residents are divided about a road up the side of fissure 8 that was built by a resident earlier this week. Sam Estes’ property, which contained a residence and an ornamental plant farm, is one of several located beneath fissure 8, the largest and most productive of the dozens of volcanic fissures that […]
HOA Homefront: ‘Twas the Night Before (the HOA’s) Christmas”
With apologies to Clement Clarke Moore, author of the original Christmas poem. ‘Twas the night before Christmas, and through the HOA community Not a complaint was heard, and there existed pure unity; The thank-you notes were placed by the bulletin board with care, Read the article…………………………………
Burr Ridge Asked To Enforce Parking In Private Neighborhood (IL)
A resident in a private Burr Ridge subdivision requested police assistance with parking violations more than a week ago. This is a neighborhood where the city confirmed earlier this year that others have no right to walk there. Read the article………………………………….
Grand Lake HOA donates $65K for wildfire recovery (CO)
A small Grand Lake Homeowners Association raised over $65,000 for people impacted by the East Troublesome Fire and is encouraging other HOAs to contribute. The Grand Lake HOA, which wishes to remain anonymous, consists of 12 homeowners who all donated money to either the Grand Foundation’s Wildfire Emergency Fund or a new fund for Grand […]
EXPLOSIVE CLAIM: Election Fraud In Seven Bridges Delray Beach, Emails Revealed (FL)
Emails obtained by BocaNewsNow.com suggest the president of the Seven Bridges Delray Beach Homeowners Association secretly accessed confidential voting information, then used that information to target homeowners who had not yet voted in the association’s election held last week. The community’s property management company then apparently tried to cover it up. Read the article…………………………………….
Condo questions: What is the HOA responsibility in neighbor dispute? (FL)
Q: There are two neighbors in our community that do not get along. They keep threatening each other, and the police have been called multiple times. Each neighbor is demanding the HOA do something about the other’s behavior. What is our responsibility here? Read the Q&A………………………………..
It’s Time for Co-op and Condo Boards To Make New Year’s Resolutions (NY)
With winter descending and the year drawing to a close, it’s the normal time to make resolutions for the New Year. Of course, nothing about this year has been “normal,” but in the spirit of optimism that 2021 will not be overwhelmed by the COVID-19 pandemic the way that 2020 has been, I submit a […]
North Little Rock yards quietly fill with Black Santas Show of support cheers father (AR)
A 7-foot-tall inflatable Black Santa Claus stands outside the Kennedy home in North Little Rock’s Lakewood neighborhood, waving to those who pass by. Chris Kennedy said an inflatable Black Santa has been a Christmas tradition for the family since his daughter Emily was born four years ago. Read the article………………………………..
About 100 Houston-area neighborhoods using license plate readers (TX)
In northwest Harris County, Westlake and Westlake Forest are among the newest neighborhoods in the Houston-area to use technology once only available to police: license plate readers. Read the article…………………………………….
Upstairs condo may have damage from past flooding (NV)
Q: My husband and I live in a condo on the bottom floor. Last year, we lived in a hotel for four months due to a flood that came from the upstairs unit. It came from the washing machine hose (that) wasn’t installed properly. I will make this part short. Read the Q&A……………………………………
Homeowners’ associations donate fingerprint kits to Hawkins County Sheriff’s Office (TN)
Sheriff Lawson says the kits will help solve crimes faster. “We are just happy to have them,” says Lawson. “I think it’s another great tool for patrol officers. It will help the victims too. Help us solve crimes.” The 25 kits were donated by the homeowners’ associations of Legacy Bay and Chelaque communities. Read the […]
When condo owners get stuck paying for a builder’s mistakes
Q: In 2006, we purchased a condominium in Chicago on the third floor of a three-story building. During those years, we’ve experienced water issues with the roof and windows and have repaired them as they have come up. Read the Q&A……………………………..
Golden Gloves on the Gold Coast in a battle over fate of high-rise (IL)
A Gold Coast battle of residents and unit owners versus the Newberry Plaza Board of Directors broke out in October and now may have spiraled deeper into acrimony and distrust, just in time for the holidays. The residents, who call themselves the Newberry Plaza Community Coalition, oppose a pending deal to transfer part of the […]
Owner is responsible for balcony damage (IL)
Q: Our condominium association is in the process of performing extensive repairs on the balconies. During an inspection by the contractor, it was learned that an owner used an epoxy to install carpet on the balcony serving his unit. It is going to be very expensive to remove the carpet and repair balcony damage caused […]
Burlington neighborhood all aglow in holiday spirit (WA)
Think the Griswolds of the movie “Christmas Vacation” fame, but on a neighborhood-wide scale. That’s the festive spirit on display at the Homestead Place Holiday Wonderland, where home after home is aglow with twinkling and blinking lights. Read the article………………………………
1 dead after fire breaks out in Centerville condo (OH)
Firefighters are working to extinguish a fire that broke out at a Centerville condominium Friday afternoon. Initial reports indicate firefighters located one person injured inside while searching the structure. The condition of the victim was not immediately known. Read the article………………………………
Fireworks in an HOA? (FL)
Q: Is it legal to use fireworks in an HOA community on New Year’s Eve? A.B.Read the article……………………………………… A: Your inquiry is very timely, not only because the New Year’s Eve holiday is coming up but also because there is a new law impacting this issue.
HOA Homefront: Stop the fights over records requests (CA)
Over the many years I have been writing this column, the clear number one ranked dispute between homeowners and their associations is access to records and information. Read the article………………………………….These disputes are never productive, and generally avoidable. Here are some tips for HOAs regarding producing requested records and some tips for requesting homeowners.
Popular ‘Katie Land’ Christmas display stokes Plain Township neighborhood feud (OH)
In the seemingly quiet Wicker Creek subdivision brews a longstanding neighborhood feud that has ensnared a beloved Christmas light display. Both sides are dismayed. Both feel afflicted by past grievances and want the other side to let it go. Read the article…………………………….
Details still emerging in argument leads to shooting death (TX)
A dispute between neighbors turned deadly on Monday afternoon, leaving a retired Houston police officer dead in a gated community in Kerrville. Kerr County Sheriff W.R. “Rusty” Hierholzer said his office continues to investigate the shootout between neighbors Mart Hanna and Kenneth Brown. Hanna, who retired from the Houston Police Department, was shot and killed. […]
Collier County community divided over plan to eradicate neighborhood (FL)ducks
The Island Walk homeowner’s association board is considering spending $6,000 to trap and kill the Muscovy ducks that call the neighborhood home. They voted in favor of it but may reconsider after an uproar from residents. Read the article………………………………….
Gotha Residents Sue Orange County, FDOT Over Home Flooding (FL)
Their suit accuses Orange County, Florida Department of Transportation, the Central Florida Expressway Authority, and the Braemar homeowners association of trespass, negligence, and inverse condemnation — meaning the government took their property without compensation. Read the article………………………………..
Lisle condo association sells water system (IL)
Illinois American Water has purchased the Four Lakes Village Condominium Homeowners Association’s water distribution system for $900,000. The purchase adds 57 connections serving about 1,300 households in Lisle. Read the article………………………………….
Condo questions: Does the president have the authority to approve work? (FL)
Q: Our board adopted a budget for 2021, and it included a sizeable line item for landscaping improvements. The landscape committee is already getting a new landscape vendor mobilized to start in January. We asked whether the board approved the new landscape contract, and the president just responded that he had the authority to approve […]
Homeowner not exempt from car being towed (NV)
Q: Hi, I was just wondering, if I’m unemployed and my vehicle isn’t registered, will my car be exempt from tow under the governor’s call for “essential towing regulations?” Read the Q&A……………………………..
Cape St. Claire resident pulls the plug on phallus Navidad lights after complaints to HOA (MD)
The Annapolis “penis house” became a beacon for laughs in hard times, but it appears the joke is over. The Ramblewood Drive home with a 35-foot phallic holiday light display on the roof would have made a great landing strip for Santa, but after complaints to the neighborhood homeowners association, the display is no longer […]
Neighboring Condo Residents File Lawsuit to Halt Miramar Project (CA)
Residents of an oceanfront condominium tower have filed a lawsuit seeking to halt the redevelopment of the neighboring Miramar Hotel approved by the City Council in September. The lawsuit filed last week contends that the 502,157-square-foot project at 101 Wilshire Boulevard violates the coastal land use plan (LUP)), the Downtown Community Plan (DCP) and the […]
Subdivision residents ask Catoosa County officials for storm drain assistance (GA)
During the Dec. 1 Board of Commissioner’s meeting, resident Courtney Bowers of Kailors Cove Circle addressed commissioners during the public appearances portion of the meeting and politely asked if the county would consider adopting the private drains. Bowers represented her Homeowner’s Association (HOA) in Somerset Estates off Baggett Road. Read the article………………………….
Clearwater condo owners and association at odds over sand and vegetation removal (FL)
Cindy Dervech and her neighbors woke up to the sound of workmen and a man in a Bobcat removing sand and vegetation from the Dune field behind the Regatta Beach Club in North Clearwater Beach. “We saw them clearing everything out Monday morning,” Dervech said. “This time they went too far.” Read the article………………………………
HOA Homefront – Requests for HOA Information (Part 2) (CA)
Q: I attended my first HOA meeting and I noticed that the format is slightly different from city council meetings. Board members were provided a lengthy document prepared by management, containing specific details on water usage, maintenance requests, and detailed financials. I queried if the report was available, and was told no, they are only […]
Board should be wary of advice from other states IL)
Q: One of the newer board members in our Chicago area condominium association is also a longtime board member of his Florida condominium association. His “go to” line at our board meetings is “In Florida, this is how we do it… …” Can the board rely on such input? Read the article…………………………………….
HOA 1st certified as Firewise (AZ)
Catherine Knox is excited that she and her neighbors are the only one of their kind in Sedona. But, she’s hoping that distinction won’t last long. Knox and the 33 other homeowners that make up the Cottages at Coffeepot HOA are being recognized as the only homeowners association or community within the Sedona Fire District […]
Reducing reserve assessment to minimize impact on premium increase (FL)
Q: Our condominium insurance premium increased this year by a significant amount. Rather than increase assessments by the same amount, we want to reduce the reserve assessment to minimize the impact on the premium increase. I read somewhere that the board has discretion over the budget but was also told that there is no discretion […]
Wesley Chapel homeowners express concern after HOA sends violation letters (FL)
One local homeowner’s association recently said not so fast to Christmas flags being hung on people’s homes. A couple of homeowners in a Wesley Chapel neighborhood received a letter that said they were in violation of their community’s standards. Read the article……………………………..
Condo World: Here comes winter. Be ready. (NH)
With the longer, darker days come the longer, darker moods of winter. Whether we love it, like it, endure it, or hate it, winter is coming. Oh sure, it starts out nice. The first snowfall for most brings a smile to the face as snow gently settles on the ground and brings back memories of […]
HOA helping those in need (IL)
One area in town wants to help families in need and is encouraging others to do the same. The Devonshire South II HOA is providing Christmas presents to people in need in the area. They are encouraging other HOA’s to do the same. Read the article,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
HOA Homefront: Why can’t I get the meeting minutes? HOA documents, Part 2 (CA)
Q: I attended my first HOA meeting, and I noticed the format is slightly different from city council meetings. Board members were provided a lengthy document prepared by management, containing specific details on water usage, maintenance requests and detailed financials. I queried if the report was available, and was told no, they are only provided […]
Generally Board Members Cannot be Compensated (FL)
Q: Can the members of our board of directors receive a holiday bonus? Read the Q&A…………………………………..
Residents in Mobile neighborhood fighting $6K HOA increase (AL)
Residents in a Mobile neighborhood aren’t happy about an increase in their HOA dues. Those dues are now rising and they want answers. “It’s a terrible shock and we’re not going to pay it,” said Ben Preston. Preston says he went from paying $300 a year to his homeowner’s association in 2019 to owing $6300 […]