Most anyone driving past the small garden planted in the front yard of Craig and Jamie Bussard’s James Island house at 1530 Ocean Neighbors Blvd. would think, “Is this really what all the fuss is all about?” if they even noticed the few small plants in a fresh bed of wood chips. That’s why the […]
Homeowners fight to keep rain garden in flood-prone James Island yard; can HOA be stopped? (SC)
Whenever it rained, Craig and Jamie Bussard knew their yard would flood. It became saturated every time the skies opened up ever since they moved into their home on Ocean Neighbors Boulevard in 2015. Over time, the Bussards just accepted it as their reality. But then they saw a way out: plant a rain garden, […]
‘Don’t see it slowing down:’ SC Consumer Affairs say Horry Co. HOA complaints on the rise
Horry County leads South Carolina in the number of Homeowner Association complaints, according to a recent report by the South Carolina Dept. of Consumer Affairs. The report shows consumers raised nearly 700 concerns with HOAs in 2023. Read the article…………………………….
Myrtle Beach HOA won’t provide completion date for public trail nearly 5 years after opening (SC)
A Myrtle Beach Homeowners Association still won’t provide a completion timeline for a public walking trail from nearly five years ago. The Grand Dunes community in June 2019 announced plans for the Waterway Trail, a 2-mile multi-use trail along the Intracoastal Waterway near the Claire Chapin Epps Family YMCA. Read the article…………………………….
Surge in HOA complaints fuels calls for regulation (SC)
Consumer complaints against South Carolina homeowner associations (HOAs) have more than quadrupled since official record-keeping began in 2018, according to a new S.C. Department of Consumer Affairs report. And that’s part of what is fueling renewed calls for better HOA regulation in a state where more than 25% of residents live under association governance. Read the […]
Surge in HOA complaints fuels calls for regulation (SC)
Consumer complaints against South Carolina homeowner associations (HOAs) have more than quadrupled since official record-keeping began in 2018, according to a new S.C. Department of Consumer Affairs report. And that’s part of what is fueling renewed calls for better HOA regulation in a state where more than 25% of residents live under association governance. Read […]
Richland Co. HOA complaints from 2023 continue to concern Lake Carolina residents (SC)
According to records from the Department of Consumer Affairs, 10 of the county’s 56 HOA complaints from 2023 were written specifically to the Lake Carolina Master’s Association. Some residents had filed complaints dating back to August 2023, pertaining to an abandoned property and walking paths that need repairs. Read the article…………………………….
20 displaced after 2-alarm condo building fire, officials say (SC)
When fire crews arrived to the scene they found fire moving quickly through the building and the roof, say officials. Officials also say 19 units were damaged at the condo building and 20 people have been left displaced due to the fire. Read the article…………………………….
Horry County again sees most HOA complaints filed in South Carolina, data shows
Horry County once again saw the most complaints against homeowners associations across South Carolina, according to new data. Read the article…………………………….
S. Carolina Insurer’s Bad Faith Causes $27M Loss from Policies with $2.5M Limit
A panel of the South Carolina Court of Appeals on Wednesday affirmed a trial court order requiring Pennsylvania National Mutual Casualty Insurance Co. to pay an award totaling $27,339,535.46 to developer Portrait Homes and the Persimmon Hill Homeowner’ Association, even though the policies it sold Castillo’s company provided only $2.5 million in coverage. Read the […]
Storm water damage in Aiken neighborhood sparks solution talks (SC)
It may not be your neighborhood, but it’s a problem you could be paying for eventually if you live in Aiken. Storm water damage has both leaders and residents eyeing solutions in the Woodside Plantation neighborhood. Read the article……………………………
Hilton Head POA ex-treasurer arrested for fraud. Over $150K missing from accounts (SC)
Ex-treasurer Patricia Butville embezzled nearly $200,000 from the POA of Broad Pointe, a private gated community located off Marshland Road in central Hilton Head. Read the article………………………………
Irmo mayor at odds with his community association over campaign signs (SC)
The meeting followed Walker, who is on the ballot for re-election Nov. 7, placing campaign signs in his yard and the association deeming it inappropriate. Neighborhood policy dictates that campaign signs may “may display only the politician’s name and party affiliation and possibly his/hers contact information and be displayed no more than thirty (30) days […]
Flagpole feud in Wildewood V: A family stands firm against HOA for patriotic display (SC)
In the Columbia community of Wildewood V, a flagpole in a family’s front yard has sparked conflict between people on social media. Read the article……………………………
Emergency crews respond to fire at Charleston condominium (SC)
The fire impacted five units with three being by water damage, according to Julazadeh. Six people were inside the units when the fire started and one person was taken to a hospital, Julazadeh said. The fire department believed that she had lost one animal. Read the article……………………………
Political campaign sign problems in Archers Court neighborhood (SC)
Mark Passmore said he put up a mayoral election sign in his yard last Thursday, and one day later, he got a letter from his HOA demanding he take it down. Read the article………………………..
Sun City HOA board amends political ban (SC)
The controversy in the Sun City Carolina Lakes (SCCL) community regarding a decision by its homeowners association board to bar campaigning by declared political candidates on association property is being resolved. Read the article………………………..
Regulators talk options for coastal SC homeowners reeling with home insurance ‘crisis’
The news is out about the ongoing premium pressures hitting hundreds of property owners across South Carolina, especially the coastal region. Monday, a town hall took place hosting state leaders from across the insurance industry to handle questions about what some state leaders see as a potential crisis for homeowners. Read the article………………………..
‘Insufficient maintenance’ contributed to staircase collapse at North Myrtle Beach condo, official says (SC)
Fabbri told News13 that a lack of regular maintenance contributed to the collapse. It happened at about 10 p.m. Friday while a family of four was walking on it, according to police. Read the article………………………..
Injuries reported after stairway collapse at North Myrtle Beach condo (SC)
Two adults and two children were involved in a stairway collapse late Friday in North Myrtle Beach, according to police. Ofc. Patrick Wilkinson with the North Myrtle Beach Police Department told WMBF News the incident happened at around 10:15 p.m. at the Sea Cabin condos on North Ocean Boulevard. Read the article………………………..
Myrtle Beach resort’s pools shut down several times. Now a mom is suing over chemical burns (SC)
Several defendants are named in the lawsuit, which was filed in June 2021 in Florence, but has had several versions since then. Defendants include Brittain Resorts and Hotels LLC; Ocean Front Investors, doing business as Caribbean Resort & Villas; Caribbean Oceanfront Tower Homeowners Association; Ally Management; and Hucks Pool Co. Read the article………………………..
Grand Strand HOA communities rocked by hard insurance market, some fear a housing downturn (SC)
In an area that’s seen its fair share of natural disasters rip people from their homes, a new threat has arrived on the Grand Strand and all of Coastal South Carolina. Property insurance is now leading to many sleepless nights for home and condo owners as well as those charged with representing their communities Read […]
Dashcam video shows closed gate slowing Summerville police response to drowning child (SC)
For the first time, we are seeing the moments Summerville police struggled to get to a 2-year-old drowning in a retention pond. According to an incident report, officers had difficulties getting to the scene because they could not open the community gate. Read the article………………………..
HOA bans political campaigns at popular neighborhood for stumping (SC)
There’s a neighborhood in South Carolina that has become popular with candidates with aspirations for higher office. But neighbors tell Channel 9 that the homeowner’s association is now banning candidates from stumping in the community. Read the article………………………..
Irmo homeowners want brick wall in their neighborhood fixed (SC)
An Irmo neighborhood has been in a three year battle over a partially collapsed brick wall. Upset residents have reached out to News 19 for help in reaching a solution. Back in May of 2020, homeowners in Carmel Commons explain they came home to a giant problem: a fallen brick wall. “It’s about eight feet, […]
Carolina Forest is the size of a large SC city. Will it ever actually become one?
Carole vanSickler, the association’s current president, said the organization remains neutral on the idea of incorporation, but “we are concerned about additional taxes and the costs to even follow the incorporation process.” Read the article………………………..
First responders faced unique challenges during fire on Goat Island Friday evening (SC)
Chief Oliverius says they also plan to meet with the Homeowners Association in an effort to educate them and create an awareness of their expectations and the challenges first responders have. Read the article………………………..
Alligators in the garden and a community living in fear of the next fatal attack (SC)
Having lived in Spanish Wells, a 400-acre private community on the peninsula of Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, for about 30 years, “savvy” Mrs Jenkins, 69, knew she was sharing her little corner of paradise with the island’s native alligators. So when her body was found in the clutches of a 10ft alligator in a […]
Aiken County sues River North HOA, construction company over unpaid expense of damaged sewer line (SC)
Aiken County is suing the River North Homeowners Association and a Virginia-based construction company over an incident three years ago that it says damaged a main sanitary sewer line and left the county still waiting on reimbursement of the nearly $120,500 expended in emergency repair of that line. Read the article………………………..
SCDCA Releases Special Five-Year Homeowners Association Complaint Report (SC)
In celebration of the Homeowners Association (HOA) Law’s fifth anniversary, the South Carolina Department of Consumer Affairs (SCDCA) is releasing a compilation of the HOA complaint data received from June 1, 2018 through December 31, 2022. The HOA Five-Year Complaint Report covers general complaint data and information from the HOA supplemental questionnaire, shows any trends […]
‘A kick in the teeth:’ Some Hilton Head condo insurance policies soar 500% (SC)
Anything in life that costs 500% more this year than last year is unthinkable. But for when it comes to condo insurance in Beaufort County, it’s a reality. This year, Hilton Head Island Sea Side Villas owner Jared Shope is paying $4,000 in special assessments on top of the condo’s $4,860 yearly regime fee. Read […]
‘People are panicking’: Homeowners fear losing homes after HOA hires unlicensed contractor (SC)
Some homeowners in one Volusia County community are up in arms after they claim their homeowners’ association president hired an unlicensed contractor to work on their buildings. They told Action 9?s Jeff Deal they’re worried about how they will cover the extra costs to finish the job. Read the article………………………..
Creekside residents want answers after subdivision sign keeps getting hit by drivers (SC)
Creekside resident Angela Cunningham can’t believe it has happened again. After spending months trying to get the wall repaired after an October 2022 accident took out the wall, it was hit again by another driver in early April. Read the article………………………..
Flag flareup offers a reminder about the power of HOAs (SC)
Some of the most intrusive, micro-managing local governments aren’t actually local governments at all but rather private associations many people join, with varying degrees of awareness, when they buy a new home. Read the article………………………..
After being robbed, then extorted, Condo Owners sue Sea Mist related management firms (SC)
A newly formed Sea Mist Resort rental company, associated Sea Mist Resort related LLCs, and individuals are being sued by the Sea Mist Resort Condo owners. Read the article………………………..
HOA bars Mount Pleasant man from flying Ukrainian flag. Is this policy ‘selective?’ (SC)
The dual U.S. and Ukrainian citizen removed the flag after receiving a “courtesy notice” April 3 from the homeowners association, according to documents shared with The Post and Courier. The notice, citing the community’s governing documents, asked Sereda to “please display only the American flag.” Noncompliance would lead to fines, it warned. Read the […]
Family says man-made ponds responsible for womans death (alligator) (SC)
A South Carolina woman’s family has sued the developer of the retirement community where she lived claiming the facility’s decision to install ponds led to her tragic death. Read the article………………………..
Myrtle Beach neighborhood concerned over removal of nearby alligators (SC)
Nearly a year after an alligator attack claimed a man’s life in the Myrtle Beach Golf and Yacht Club, those in the neighborhood are raising new concerns after hearing that alligators are being removed from a neighboring property. Read the article………………………..
Amendments could help end negotiations with home builder in Dorchester Co. (SC)
For years, Dorchester County, homeowners and builder Kolter Homes have been going back and forth on the fate of the Ponds community near Summerville, and there’s a potential way forward to end years of legal discussions. Read the article………………………..
Defamation lawsuit between Hilton Head Plantation, former mayoral candidate still alive (SC)
A defamation lawsuit filed before the November election by Hilton Head mayoral candidate JoAnn Orischak against Hilton Head Plantation and its general manager continues in circuit court and is in the financial discovery phase. Read the article………………………..
OSHA investigating excavator crash into Ocean Blvd. condo building (SC)
An investigation into the high-reach excavator that crashed into an Ocean Blvd. condo building just over a week ago is underway. South Carolina Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is investigating after the machine overturned, crashing into the Boardwalk Beach Resort while working on a construction site. Read the article………………………..
Dockside Condominiums releases preliminary report on whether it can withstand an emergency situation (SC)
Leaders with Dockside Condominiums are working to address structural concerns within the building including whether the building can withstand extraordinary loading conditions. Read the article………………………..
Construction projects force residents out of Myrtle Beach condos (SC)
Some condo owners are upset about construction projects at Heatherstone II Condominiums Association in Myrtle Beach that will temporarily put them out of their homes. Read the article………………………..
Johns Island neighborhood clashing with Homeowners Association (SC)
Members of a Johns Island community say they’re frustrated that they’re losing their privacy because of the actions of a Homeowners Association. Waterloo Estates is a small neighborhood that doubles as a nature oasis. Read the article………………………..
Experts talk dangers & frustrations of building corrosion in Myrtle Beach structures (SC)
Rust, cracks, and spalling, or fragmented concrete, are all signs of building corrosion. However, those signs actually come long after corrosion has already started. Over the past few years, infrastructure experts have been taking note of deadly occurrences involving coastal buildings, Read the article………………………..
HOAs agree to land deal, but owners object (SC)
The HOA at Inlet Point South supports a zoning change that will create two buildable lots on the site of a disused sewer treatment plan. But homeowners say they all object to the change in the middle of their gated community on the south end of Litchfield Beach. Read the article………………………..
Dockside Condominiums addressing structural issues (SC)
The letter sent to the Dockside Association Board of Directors on February 15th required them to correct a number of problems. One of the main concerns is whether the building is fit to withstand an emergency. Read the article………………………..
Homeowners in Berkshire Forest community report religious hate mail being distributed (SC)
On Wednesday, it was reported that hate mail directed towards certain religious groups was circulating around the Berkshire Forest neighborhood. Residents said fliers were placed throughout the neighborhood with food, seemingly dog kibble with it to hold the fliers down. Read the article………………………..
Residents return to formerly-deemed unsafe Renaissance Towers in Myrtle Beach area (SC)
More than four months have passed since residents of the Renaissance Towers were told to leave and that their homes were no longer safe. Horry County police evacuated the entire 22-story building and deemed it unsafe on October 7, 2022, by county code enforcement. Empress Management told residents the foundation was deteriorating, “substantially worse” than […]
Charleston mulling Dockside condos evacuation order over structural safety questions (SC)
Residents of Dockside Condominiums, the tallest building in Charleston, may be forced to vacate the 19-story harborfront structure by the end of February if the condo association does not come up with a city-mandated plan to immediately stabilize corroded support columns. Read the article………………………..