A Mooresville man risks getting fined $100 a day from his homeowners association for his backyard lights. It’s something he said has not been a problem, so he reached out to WCNC Charlotte hoping to get answers. Read the article…………………………….
Court sides with homeowners in NC ski country who want short-term rentals
After a homeowners association in the North Carolina High Country tried to block short-term rentals during ski season, a court has ruled against the HOA. The Reserve II sits feet from the slopes on the top of Sugar Mountain in Avery County. Jeff and Martha Wells have had their home there for more than 10 […]
‘Sick to my stomach’: Neighbors demand answers from HOA over flag violations (NC)
Nickey Crowley says for the last 20 years, he’s flown a gay pride flag outside his home in Holly Park with no issue. Then in September of last year, he received a violation saying that flag did not comply with the rules set out by the homeowners association. “Why now, is my pride flag an […]
Jim Slaughter presented with the Don Buck Lifetime Contribution Award as a legal trailblazer and thought leader shaping the future of community association law.
Jim Slaughter, president of Law Firm Carolinas’ six offices, has been honored with the Don Buck Lifetime Contribution Award at the Community Association Law Seminar in Las Vegas. The award, presented by Community Associations Institute’s College of Community Association Lawyers (CCAL), recognizes attorneys who demonstrate exceptional commitment to the community association industry. Read the article…………………………….
A Mooresville couple tried to paint their home. They were hit with a $1,000 fine from their HOA (NC)
Living in a neighborhood run by a homeowners association has its advantages, like maintaining uniformity with the exterior colors of the homes. But after discovering some of their HOA’s “approved” colors didn’t even exist anymore, a Mooresville family found themselves asking, “Where’s the money?” The family picked a color they liked, only to be hit […]
NC Community Association Legislative Update – February 28, 2024
Today (Wednesday, February 28) was the fourth and final meeting of the NC House Select Committee on Homeowners’ Associations. As a reminder, this Committee was created by House Bill 311 (see NC Community Association Legislative Update – May 9, 2023) and tasked with examining planned communities and condominium associations, Read the article…………………………….
NC House panel okays recommendations limiting power of HOAs
A state House panel Wednesday gave the final okay to recommendations they say would help curb abuses of power by community and homeowners’ associations in North Carolina. “We can’t make as many changes probably as some would like to see happen, but we do have a few suggestions in the way of this committee report,” […]
2 people displaced after massive condo fire in Raleigh, officials say (NC)
Two people lost their homes after a fire broke out at a condo building in Raleigh on Wednesday evening, fire officials said. Read the article…………………………….
Court sides with homeowners in NC ski country who want short-term rentals
After a homeowners association in the North Carolina High Country tried to block short-term rentals during ski season, a court has ruled against the HOA. Read the article…………………………….
Homeowner association regulations proposal expected in short session (NC)
Proposed changes to how North Carolina regulates homeowners’ associations expected to be introduced as a bill in the short session was reviewed by lawmakers on Tuesday. Staff with the General Assembly’s Legislative Analysis Division outlined five recommendations from the Select Committee on Homeowners’ Associations in the House of Representatives following several hearings on a variety […]
Five recommendations North Carolina lawmakers may consider to tackle HOA disputes
Members of the House Select Committee on Homeowners’ Associations are moving closer to advancing a draft bill designed to level the playing field between homeowners and their HOAs. Following two public hearings in January, five recommendations were presented Tuesday to the committee by legislative staff. Read the article…………………………….
Homeowner association regulations proposal expected in short session (NC)
Proposed changes to how North Carolina regulates homeowners’ associations expected to be introduced as a bill in the short session was reviewed by lawmakers on Tuesday. Staff with the General Assembly’s Legislative Analysis Division outlined five recommendations from the Select Committee on Homeowners’ Associations in the House of Representatives following several hearings on a variety […]
Homeowner association regulations proposal expected in short session (NC)
Proposed changes to how North Carolina regulates homeowners’ associations expected to be introduced as a bill in the short session was reviewed by lawmakers on Tuesday. Staff with the General Assembly’s Legislative Analysis Division outlined five recommendations from the Select Committee on Homeowners’ Associations in the House of Representatives following several hearings on a variety […]
North Carolina HOAs could face new hurdles to foreclosures
North Carolina homeowners’ associations could soon face new hurdles to approving larger budgets and seizing property as a means to enforce their rules. The House Select Committee on Homeowners’ Associations have been meeting this year to address voter claims that HOAs have abused their power in the state. Committee members have welcomed input from homeowners […]
Judge says Cabarrus County HOA didn’t maintain sidewalks it was required to (MD)
A judge said a Cabarrus County homeowners association has a duty to maintain the sidewalks and didn’t. Robert Beirne lives in the Skybrook subdivision. When tree roots started pushing up the sidewalk in front of his house, his HOA told him it’s the homeowner’s responsibility to fix. Beirne told Action 9?s Jason Stoogenke he did […]
Some homeowners say it’s been hard paying their portion of $3M neighborhood facelift (NC)
The Carmel Chace community near Johnston Road has three sections. The largest is more than 60 homes. They’re about 50 years old and many residents agree they desperately needed work, a lot of it. So, the Homeowners Association paid a contractor more than $3 million to redo the roofs, siding, and more. Read the article…………………………….
Happy homeowners: Speak up before laws are reformed
A legislative committee in North Carolina has been examining the need for potential reform to community association laws. The committee has done an admirable job collecting input from all involved stakeholders—homeowners, board members, community association managers, attorneys, and others who could be impacted by updates to state laws. Read the article…………………………….
HOA/Condo Op-Ed Article Published Today (NC)
I was asked by The Charlotte Observer and Raleigh News & Observer to respond to recent reporting looking at changing North Carolina’s HOA/condo laws. My article, “Caution: When NC HOA Laws Change, Property Values and More Are at Stake,” appears in both newspapers today Read the article…………………………..
Townhomes accuse city of causing pipes to burst (NC)
Some residents in the Park Place Townhomes in south Charlotte said they’ve been out of water off and on since the middle of November and they’re the ones who might have to pay to fix it. Read the article………………………….
When North Carolina HOAs want to block or pass legislation, they often get their way
North Carolina Sen. Kandie Smith was troubled by news reports of people who lost their homes over small HOA debts. So in March, the Pitt County Democrat introduced a bill to prohibit homeowners associations from foreclosing on homeowners. Read the article……………………………..
Charlotte HOA member learned the hard way: Fighting back can be a long, costly battle (NC)
Jennifer Jackson has survived cervical cancer. But not even that diagnosis — or the year of intensive radiation and chemotherapy that followed — caused as much distress as her long-running dispute with her https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/news/charlotte-hoa-member-learned-hard-110000422.html
Deceit, rigged bids and extortion: How HOA foreclosures can open the door to predators (NC)
A federal lawsuit focused on an intricate bid-rigging and extortion scheme has helped illuminate another pitfall of HOA foreclosures: They can leave homeowners vulnerable to profiteers. Read the article……………………………
Hundreds in NC lose homes, equity after HOAs foreclose. Who protects homeowners?
NC rules make it easy for HOAs to foreclose on homeowners. State law allows them to force the sale of homes for any amount of unpaid dues, no matter how small. Our investigation shows how often it’s happening – and how it can it’s devastateing homeowners. Read the article…………………………….
Fairfield Harbour community divided over POA Board’s decision to sell undeveloped land (NC)
The Property Owner’s Association Board at Fairfield Harbour has announced a controversial decision to sell a piece of land within the community and residents are speaking up about it. Read the article……………………………..
‘It’s been awful: Residents in south Charlotte complex almost 1 week without water (NC)
Residents living in a south Charlotte neighborhood have been without water for the past five days and have had to use water bottles for everything over the holiday weekend. Read the article…………………………
Marion City Council hears about Westwood Chateau situation (NC)
In early 2019, officials with McDowell County Emergency Management, the city of Marion, McDowell County and other local agencies notified the residents at the 32-unit condo complex, located behind the Lady Marian Plaza shopping center, of a voluntary evacuation order. It was issued for the Westwood Chateau residents because of “possible sinkhole formation under the […]
Residents of Fairfield Harbour ask for voices to be heard as property owner’s association mulls over selling portion of 385-acre property (NC)
On Tuesday, the POA held a board meeting at The Pointe Restaurant, with almost 100 residents attending. The Sun Journal and several other local media members attempted to attend the meeting but were told the board was not allowing media inside. Almost a dozen attendees were also escorted out of the meeting before it ended. […]
‘What have they done with the money?’ | Settlement money paid to HOA following 2016 tornado damage still sits in general fund (NC)
Homeowners in Avenues at Ayrsley’s phase one neighborhood said their homeowners association received payments in 2021 and 2022 related to a tornado, and claim the money is still sitting in the HOA’s general fund, which is currently tapped for the entire community, not just the homes that were affected. Read the article………………………………
New law protects Thin Blue Line flags after Union County HOA prevented former officer from flying it (NC)
Union County residents now have the right to fly first responder and military flags after a homeowners association asked residents to remove all flags that didn’t represent an official county. Read the article…………………………………….
Brandywine Bay residents voice concerns over poor water quality and high bills (NC)
Concerns over water from the tap: That’s the situation for hundreds of people living in the Brandywine Bay community just outside of the Morehead City limits. Read the article……………………………..
‘I own this place’ | Charlotte woman told to leave her home last minute due to repairs (NC)
A Charlotte woman is being forced to pay to stay in a hotel after her condo’s management group said she had to be out while repairs were being made to her unit. The woman, who is requesting to remain anonymous, said she was only told a few days ahead of time she would have to […]
As residents push for answers, Brunswick HOA addresses financial concerns (NC)
Some homeowners in the Westport development in Winnabow are facing 50 to 60 percent increases in their homeowner association dues next year. The rate hike has many in the community questioning actions of the development’s community association manager, GOProperty Management, and the Westport Homeowner Association Board of Directors. Some of their concerns include the association’s […]
Register of Deeds seeks help to catalog racially restrictive covenants (NC)
The Wake County Register of Deeds Office is putting out the call for volunteers to help dive into its archives and uncover historic insights into our community’s past. The historical evidence is hidden within the “restrictive covenants” of perhaps hundreds of properties and homeowner association clauses throughout the county. Read the article…………………………….
Homeowner facing lien and more than $12,000 in fines sues HOA and has been winning (NC)
A woman facing thousands in fines from her Homeowners Association (HOA) sued the board and has been winning. Sherry Loeffler’s windows are white. Her neighbors’ windows are beige. But it’s not about the color. Both sides say the HOA plans to paint them. It’s about the number of windows. Read the article………………………………..
South Charlotte HOA chops down tree, now protected by UDO (NC)
The city said because the rule recently changed, it’s working to lay a new foundation from the ground up. It has focused on education and not a penalty. Read the article………………………………………
Another resident hit with flag violation in Union County neighborhood (NC)
Another flag controversy is unfolding in a Union County neighborhood. Earlier this week, WBTV talked to a man in the Holly Park neighborhood in Indian Trail who said his homeowners association told him the Pride flag he has been flying freely outside his home for nearly 20 years violated HOA rules. The fine print in […]
Nationwide will not renew thousands of homeowners’ policies in North Carolina
Nationwide has chosen not to renew 10,525 homeowners’ insurance policies in North Carolina, citing concerns primarily related to hurricane risks. The move is expected to impact 4.4% of the insurer’s 237,652 policies in the state Read the article……………………………….
Neighborhood HOA asks man to take down Pride flag in Union County (NC)
Nick Crowley has lived along Council Fire Circle in the Holly Park neighborhood in Indian Trail, flying his Pride flag outside for nearly 20 years. He was surprised to receive a violation from the HOA on Monday stating that he cannot have the flag on his property. Read the article…………………………………….
NC Short-Term Rentals Ban in Spotlight as Homeowners Association Takes Battle to Appeals Court
Amidst the scenic beauty of western North Carolina’s mountains, a fierce legal storm is brewing. At the heart of the tempest lies the contentious NC short-term rentals ban, pitting homeowners against community associations. Read the article………………………..
Ask SAM: How can our subdivision get speed bumps? (NC)
Q:We live in the Peppertree development just outside Clemmons. There are 25 mph speed limit signs posted within our development. However, cars are constantly speeding through the neighborhood, creating serious safety problems. Several neighbors are now interested in having speed bumps installed. Who would we contact to see if this is a feasible project? Read […]
Burnt out condominiums still standing in Greensboro 5 months later (NC)
It’s been five months since flames covered the Greensboro sky along Lawndale Drive. The flames are out, but the hurt and damage from that day remain. Read the article………………………..
Fight with Brunswick condo association leads man to push for state reform
Hinds explained the issues at Ocean Walk arose when he noticed a significant amount of money — $182,057— had been moved out of the association’s reserve fund and into a working account. He explained this concerned some of the condo owners because they worried how this could impact the condos in the event of a […]
Invasive Plant Kudzu Being Used for Landscaping in North Carolina Home, Neighbors Enraged with HOA Inaction
The invasive plant kudzu was used to transform the landscaping of a North Carolina property. Their neighbors are furious because the HOA took no action to prevent the use of the invasive vine. Read the article………………………..
Hampstead neighborhood and yacht club reach agreement on boating access (NC)
Harbour Village Yacht Club (HVYC), a private organization, was restricting Olde Point lot owners from using an area for boat landing and recreation purposes. According to a GoFundMe page created in January to raise legal expenses, many homeowners had deeded rights. The creator, Ferrell Drewry, said he was unaware of the conflict when he was […]
Homeowners prevail in jury trial on two out of three issues against their homeowners association (NC)
Soon after the Aziz family moved to the Heatherstone community in Harrisburg in 2017, they discovered the backyard had drainage issues. Adil Aziz applied for HOA approval and was approved to build a retaining wall and a fence. Read the article………………………..
U.S. Flag Rule for New Housing Development Explained by Founder (NC)
A new housing development in Gastonia, North Carolina, has drawn attention for reportedly requiring residents who move in to fly the American flag on their front porch in a show of patriotism. Read the article………………………..
South Charlotte HOA chops down tree, now protected by UDO (NC)
There are questions about Charlotte’s new zoning rules after neighbors in south Charlotte came to WCNC Charlotte about their HOA planning to remove some trees. All of this happened after the UDO and Charlotte’s Tree Ordinance went into effect last month. Read the article………………………..
Are HOAs allowed to ban street parking in NC neighborhoods? Here’s what legal experts say
There are thousands of homeowners’ associations across North Carolina who implement and regulate certain rules within communities. One common rule has recently caused controversy among some Charlotte residents: street parking. Read the article………………………..
‘It’s unacceptable’: Homeowner says HOA used funds on private party for retiring manager (NC)
The Old North State Club neighborhood is a gated community in New London steeped in tranquility, except for one resident, Maria Ray. Ray says she recently found out that the homeowners association board held a retirement party for a long-time manager in December and only certain people were invited. Read the article………………………..
HOA bills garner bipartisan support. Critics say they could lead to higher costs, lower property values (NC)
Several bills targeting HOAs — particularly their power to take people’s homes through foreclosure — have been filed this year. They have bipartisan support in the state House and Senate. Advocates for HOAs say the proposals could result in higher costs for homeowners. Read the article………………………..