Skunks take over Point Loma condo complex (CA)

Residents at a Point Loma condominium complex said skunks are taking over their property.  One resident at the Sea Colony complex told ABC 10News, “We have had a lot of skunks this past year. A lot of families. I have seen a mom walking around with her four babies.”   Read the article………………………..

Bella Vista POA board hears about brown recluse spiders in old pro shop (AR)

With Halloween approaching, the Bella Vista Property Owners Association Board spent a few minutes Oct. 20 thinking about spiders during its work session.  The old pro shop, a building next to the country club, is infested with brown recluse spiders, POA Chief Operating Officer Tom Judson told the board.   Read the article………………………..

HOA Homefront: Help! The termites are bugging us (CA)

Q: Our small HOA has shared-wall units with varying degrees of termite infestation and owners are demanding that the HOA treat the problem. However, our CC&Rs make no mention of termites and we do not have a “different maintenance scheme” as prescribed in 4780(b). What must our HOA do to legally have the authority to […]

Co-op Boards Must Exterminate Bedbugs. But Who Pays? (NY)

When her apartment was infested with bedbugs, a co-op shareholder spent several thousand dollars having them exterminated. Now, a year later, the co-op board is updating its proprietary lease so that treatment of bedbugs is entirely the responsibility of residents. Does a board have the power to do that?   Read the entire article……………………………….

Pesticides and Your Community (FL)

There is a lot to consider when choosing a pest control company or even keeping a pest control company. The vendor needs to accommodate the needs and ensure the health and safety of all parties, whether they are elderly, children, individuals with certain respiratory or immune disorders, allergies, etc. If you allow pets in your […]

Homeowners complain HOA won’t cut weeds that cause bug and snake problems (AL)

When you live in Alabama snakes and bugs are just a fact of life. But in one Chelsea community, property owners say the situation is so bad it’s become a health hazard. They contacted the I-Team’s Cynthia Gould after they say they couldn’t get help from their homeowners association.    Read the entire article……………………………….

HOA Homefront: When termites lurk, fumigate or spot clean? (CA)

Q: Our board is resolved to resume fumigation of the buildings in our community and has voted to obtain quotes for the next phase of fumigation but has not voted yet to schedule the work. The president does not consider that to move out of one’s home and into a hotel or another person’s home […]

Glenview Residents at Odds With HOA Over Beaver Removal (IL)

Some suburban Glenview residents are worried about the steps their homeowner’s association could take to remove beavers from a neighborhood retention pond.  Resident Katerina Pestova shared photos of the beavers, which often appear to be chewing on trees near the retention pond at the Concord at the Glen. The manager of the HOA said the […]

HOA Homefront: Who handles those termites? (CA)

Q: I live in a townhouse. My neighbor had termites and my other neighbor on the other side suspects them as do I. We were told by the association that it is our responsibility to take care of them. It just seems to me that termites come from the outside in and should be the […]

Pests and Infestations: Eight Considerations for Community Associations (IL)

As temperatures change, community associations often see an increase in the number of pest-related complaints. Determining the best way to deal with bed bugs, rodents, termites, and other pest complaints can be a challenge for board members and property managers who must juggle a variety of competing interests in order to best serve their communities.  […]

HOA Pest Infestation: Who Pays For Pest Control? (NC)

An HOA pest infestation is a pesky problem that many associations encounter. When faced with such an issue, it is important for your HOA board to know how to manage it properly. Yet, one question commonly remains, “Who must shoulder the cost of pest exterminations?”    Read the article……………………………..

Aggressive squirrels terrorizing Tampa Bay family in their condo (FL)

A Tampa Bay area mother says squirrels have moved into the condominium she’s renting near Kokomo and Marion Roads in Haines City.  After being tormented for 25 days, Annie Peavey called 8 On Your Side Investigates for help. While she admits it sounds silly, Peavey says the squirrels have destroyed her furniture and peace of […]

Don’t Let the Bed Bugs Bite!

Bed bugs have become a growing area of concern for planned communities across the country. Although no community is immune, bed bugs are most commonly found in single-family homes, condominiums, and hotels/motels. Because of their ability to travel from location to location, bed bugs can easily spread and infest multiple areas. This makes condominiums, townhomes, […]

Bed Bugs, Revisited: Tiny Pests, Big Problems

Do you have a plan to address bed bugs in your association? These tiny bugs create anything but a small problem if not addressed aggressively and eradicated thoroughly. Though the below discussion is most relevant to large associations, all association board members should take note and consider implementing a bed bug plan to protect their […]

Centennial woman says dog sickened by rat poison, seeks reimbursement of costs (CO)

When Patty Capson’s Shepherd mix, Titus, became lethargic just before Christmas, she thought he was a little depressed.  “He got worse,” she said. “He began vomiting and was just getting sick.”  Capson told Contact7 that’s when she remembered picking up a note that had been stuck on her front door.  “It said a rat station […]

Homeowner reports rat infestation in her west Las Vegas home (NV)

A valley woman is dealing with a giant rat problem and she claims her emails to First Service Residential (HOA) have gone unanswered for too long.  Creepy crawlers have been playing house in Anna De Chirico’s home for at least six months.    Read the article……………….

Is condominium association responsible for mice, pest control? (IL)

Q. For the last three years each autumn, mice get into our first-floor condominium unit through a hole between the foundation and brick above. Each year I have had to hire an exterminator at significant expense to rid my unit of mice. Each year I report the problem to the board, and they have not […]

Bungle In The Jungle – The Presence of Wild Animals In Your Community Association

With the ever-increasing urban development in Florida, especially in South Florida, we are sometimes reminded that we live in close proximity to a number of native and exotic invasive wild animals.  What can and should happen when your community association is confronted with that unexpected wild animal that causes a ruckus, or even worse, the […]

Keep Rodents Away In Your HOA

Few pests evoke stronger revulsion than rodents. While the manager of an industrial facility may tolerate an occasional rat, not so with homeowner associations. The demand for action is immediate…Get rid of them and I mean Now!  Most people believe that rodents have limited value. Norway rats, roof rats and common house mice live off […]

How to handle pest problems

Last month, a Florida woman was awarded a $5 million settlement from her homeowners association and community management company for not warning residents about a snake problem in the community. When stepping out onto her back patio in July 2015, a water moccasin bit her toe. The woman was lucky to live, but her leg […]

Wood-Destroying Pests: How to Protect Your Property

Whether interior or exterior, well-built, properly-maintained woodwork can last for centuries—but if wood-boring pests like beetles, termites, and carpenter ants find their way into the wood, they can wreak all kinds of havoc. Wood-destroying insects are more than a nuisance; they are dangerous and can cause significant, costly damage to the structure of a home, […]

How to Deal with Feral Cats in Your Community

Most neighborhoods in the United States encounter roaming outdoor cats. Some of these are indoor/outdoor cats that are pets, but many of them are feral cats. Stray cats that were once pets are usually adoptable whereas feral cats are not. While they are not typically dangerous to humans, they are too fearful of people to […]

HOA Horror: Roaches, Bedbugs, And Rats Pt. 4

Last month, we continued our examination of HOA Horror stories about roaches, bedbugs, and rats. This week, we discuss how condo and homeowner associations are addressing the rampant bedbug problem infecting the nation.    Read the article…………..

Mouse Trap!

The phrase “mouse trap” brings to mind methods of trapping mice, rats or other rodents, or the children’s board game that involves a plastic Rube Goldberg-like contraption to catch mice and win. In the board game, the goal is to capture all of your opponents’ mice while keeping your mouse safe from capture. As the […]

HOA Horror: Roaches, Bedbugs, And Rats Pt. 3

Last month, we continued our examination of HOA Horror stories about roaches, bedbugs, and rats. This week, we BEDBUGSdelve into the dirty bedbug problem plaguing the entire nation.  Read the article………….

6 Tips for a Safe Bug Season in Your Homeowners Association

Whether you’re attacked while working in the garden, enjoying a picnic in the park or lounging by the pool, bug bites and stings are an inevitable summer annoyance in any homeowners association. At best, bites and stings can be uncomfortable for a few days; at worst, they can be a serious, life-threatening hazard.Here are some […]

Texas condo corporation seeks $3 million from exterminators

A Galveston condo corporation is suing an exterminator partnership, alleging it owes $3 million.  Market Street Condominiums Association, Inc. filed a complaint April 19 in Galveston County District Court against Terminix and Dre Properties LLC, alleging negligence in failing to properly maintain the plaintiff’s property.    Read the article…………