A Thursday deadline is fast approaching for homeowners associations across South Carolina to have all their rules and regulations recorded in county deed offices, or else those rules become unenforceable Read the article………………………
New HOA law in effect in South Carolina
A new Homeowners Association law is now in effect throughout South Carolina. The law, first introduced in March 2017 and passed in May 2018, requires HOAs to be more transparent and gives neighbors a new way to report problems with their HOA. Some of the new requirements for HOA’s include documenting meetings and putting any […]
James Island condo tenants scramble after unsafe floors force them out for Christmas (SC)
Construction crews told ABC News4 that 16 workers are at the Peninsula Condominiums trying to shore up these structures. Sources say the problem is affecting the floors. We were invited to one of the condos to check out the damage. Renter Jessica Matthews showed us where her floor dipped and slanted. Read the article…………………
Units at James Island condominium complex ordered to vacate (SC)
Authorities have ordered 19 units at a James Island condominium complex to vacate. Officials with the City of Charleston say it’s because there’s are structural problems with the floors in affected units at “The Peninsula on James Island.” Read the article………………….
A beloved Seabrook gardener loses her plot, and a controversy sprouts (SC)
Mary Johnson’s garden has seen better days. Her plot, No. 23 in this island’s community garden, was just this summer bursting with herbs, flowers and tomatoes of all varieties. Now, it’s riddled with dollarweed. Tomato stakes lie across an empty planting bed, and moss grows on the wood and chicken wire gate. Next year, “when […]
Woodlake community wants brakes put on speeding problem (SC)
Following numerous pedestrian accidents here in the Midlands, one neighborhood is saying “no more!” Woodlake residents reached out to WACH FOX about an ongoing speed problem around their community and want the brakes put on it now. Read the article………………..
SC island property owners want homes torn down after beach erosion
A private island community in Beaufort County is suing the state over beach regulations — but in a twist, a homeowners association isn’t trying to circumvent the rules, but rather get the state’s help in removing six homes. Read the article……………
Woodlands of Clemson clubhouse: passed inspections, up to code (SC)
A structural engineer said hundreds of factors will need to be considered as investigators try to figure out why Clemson apartment complex’s clubhouse collapsed early Sunday morning during a party. Ed Harris, a forensic engineer and the principal at Building Inspections & Engineering in Greenville, said the items that need to be analyzed in looking […]
Shaky dams haven’t been repaired since 2015 flood. Now Florence is coming. (SC)
The hole in the Windsor Lake dam isn’t hard to miss. It formed on the side of the old earthen structure, just below a public road that runs over the dam, upstream from hundreds of homes. Behind the dam is a sparkling lake, built decades ago to enhance development. Despite state efforts to make S.C. […]
Lake Katherine HOA board members prepare for Hurricane Florence by lowering water levels (SC)
Bruce Guignard knows the drill all too well, “We had about five feet of water inside of our house and about eight to nine feet outside,” explains Guignard. The 2015 floods caused severe damage to Guiginard’s Lake Latherine home. ….”This will likely be more rain then we saw with Hugo or other Hurricanes,” Gov. Henry […]
Homeowners angry after DHEC locks up community pools (SC)
Homeowners in Waterway Landing recently found themselves locked out of their community pool area with a letter saying the Department of Health and Environmental regulations require pools to have bathroom facilities. The property management company posted the letter on the locked gate to the pool and homeowners tell WMBF News they received the notice by […]
The ‘Trump effect’: How a norm-scrambling presidency is changing the way one subdivision talks about race
SUMMERVILLE, S.C. • Before he heard from neighbors about the confrontation at his subdivision swimming pool, Jovan Hyman saw a shaky video of it on his phone, where it was quickly going viral. He clicked the link, which opened on turquoise water and a white woman walking quickly toward three black teenage boys, one of […]
South Carolina passes HOA reform law
Home owners associations in South Carolina are now under more scrutiny. Gov. Henry McMaster signed an HOA reform bill Wednesday, ending a three-year process for the bill’s supporters. Read the article………………
Judge grants preliminary injunction in lawsuit over noise complaints at Riptydz (SC)
A judge has granted a preliminary injunction in the lawsuit over noise complaints involving a Myrtle Beach bar and restaurant, and the condominium complex that neighbors it. Read the article………………
Buses will run as usual despite confusion about routes on private roads (SC)
Officials say Horry County Schools buses will run as usual on Wednesday despite confusion about routes on private roads. Earlier this summer, the South Carolina Department of Education issued a letter to school districts saying that school buses would not be allowed to travel down private roads without permission from the owners of the roads. […]
A woman was walking her dog by a lagoon. Then an alligator pulled her underwater, police say.
A South Carolina woman was killed by an alligator while walking her dog on Hilton Head Island in what authorities said was an “extremely uncommon” attack. Officials with the Beaufort, S.C., County Sheriff’s Office said the woman, identified by authorities as 45-year-old Cassandra Cline, was pulled into a lagoon Monday morning by the eight-foot-long reptile. […]
Residents cleared to return to Charleston condo complex after emergency repairs (SC)
People who live in a condominium complex on James Island received clearance to return to their homes. The City of Charleston confirms it granted clearance for Pelican Pointe Villas residents to move back in. City officials say the building failed an exit light inspection Tuesday, but that issue has since been resolved. Read the article………………
‘Gloves had come off:’ Ocean Boulevard restaurant countersues neighbor over surveillance camera (SC)
An oceanfront hot spot is suing a neighboring condominium complex, saying it invades customers’ privacy because of surveillance equipment overlooking the rooftop bar and grill. According to a verified answer and counterclaims filed Aug. 2, the owner of RipTydz states the business and its patrons have a “reasonable expectation of privacy on the third floor […]
Lawsuit claims Mount Pleasant Waterworks overcharged businesses (SC)
A lawsuit alleges Mount Pleasant Waterworks has been overcharging commercial customers by using estimates of demand on the sewer and water system that are too high. Filed by attorneys who successfully challenged Berkeley County’s transportation impact fee, the lawsuit seeks class-action status and refunds from the water and sewer utility, with interest. Read the […]
Sea, Sand, and Sustainability
In the May/June issue of Common Ground, CAI profiled Seabrook Island, S.C., a 2,400-acre coastal barrier island tucked away 20 miles south of Charleston, S.C. A maritime forest, marshes, and miles of beach make Seabrook Island a wildlife haven. The community’s residents have acted to preserve the area’s delicate habitat and promote sustainability. The 1,800 […]
Mount Pleasant neighborhood at odds over fate of alligators (SC)
Neighbors are worried about the fate of the alligators in the Brickyard Plantation community in Mt. Pleasant. The area is prone to having alligators, being that there are many small ponds throughout the neighborhood. All of the ponds have alligator warning signs posted near them. Read the article……………
Dunes West Homeowners Association cracks down on speeding (SC)
Tuesday the Dunes West Homeowners Association notified homeowners of new electronic speed measuring and recording devices that will be installed in the neighborhood, and homeowners are furious. According to residents, without any notice, the Dunes West Property Owners Association (DWPOA) sent a letter establishing new rules when it comes to speeding and safety within the […]
Free speech should include criticism of development, Mount Pleasant officials urge Statehouse (SC)
When a developer sued Mount Pleasant in 2016 over a zoning decision, a half-dozen town residents who had spoken critically about the development received subpoenas and became unwilling participants in the case. “That just happens to be one example where lawsuits can be used to stifle public participation,” said David Shimp, who was among those […]
How some plan to keep this private Beaufort County beach a treasure — and keep you out (SC)
At the end of an off-the-grid road in northern Beaufort County, a white sand beach that should be off-limits to the public draws visitors anyway — more in recent years. The private beach is a main draw of living in Coffin Point, the quiet St. Helena Island community once owned by former hoodoo-practicing Sheriff J.E. […]
Family files wrongful death lawsuit over North Myrtle drowning (SC)
The family of a 4-year-old who drowned in a North Myrtle Beach resort pool filed a wrongful death lawsuit and stated there were unsafe conditions. Sierra Coleman, the mother of Lierra Stevenson, filed the suit this week in Horry County. The suit lists the North Beach Towers Homeowners’ Association, Inc., Felicia Dinkins and Sanlis Caminero […]
Woman fighting proposed FEMA Flood Maps devastated same company will be used again (SC)
It’s been a lengthy battle since the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) first released proposed flood maps for Horry County. In November, FEMA agreed to reconsider the proposed flood maps that would have made insurance rates skyrocket for some homeowners and business owners in Horry County. This was exciting news for many, especially Becky Warren, […]
Property manager sues Summerville HOA for breach of contract, claims harassment, stalking (SC)
The tranquil atmosphere in the well-manicured neighborhood of White Gables belies a storm brewing behind the scenes. Typically, the biggest kerfuffles in the Summerville subdivision come when one of the 450 homeowners leaves their trashcan out too long or puts up a basketball goal without approval from the community’s architectural review board. Read the article…………….
It’s a private road many commuters grudgingly use. Lancaster County may have a remedy (SC)
The plan isn’t there yet, but Lancaster County is working toward a solution that could keep hundreds of residents from losing access to the road out of their neighborhood. And, to keep commuters going on their way. “We recognize that it’s a major commuter road,” Lancaster County Councilman Brian Carnes, who represents Indian Land, said […]
Housing subdivision fears a repeat of the 2009 wildfire, asks county for help (SC)
The City of North Myrtle Beach is asking Horry County for help regulating where you can burn trash in the county. This all started with a housing subdivision in North Myrtle Beach asking for help because they fear another wildfire like the one that happened back in 2009. Kathy Weis is the President of the […]
Residents of Del Webb Community complain of mold (SC)
Berkeley County homeowners in the Del Webb Community report that mold has been growing in their community’s clubhouse for over three years. On Monday, February 5, homeowners says this was the first time the community’s owner, Pulte Homes and their HOA board members addressed the mold issue to the community. Read the article……………
Residents of Horry County neighborhood discuss new HOA (SC)
Members of the Tuscany neighborhood in Horry County met in Myrtle Beach Wednesday night to discuss the transition of their home owners’ association. Right now, residents say the HOA is made up of three members of DR Horton, the building company that owns Tuscany. Residents are looking to make a transition so the HOA is […]
Three years after closing, future of Myrtle Beach golf course remains at impasse (SC)
The homeowner association around the property, the Myrtle Beach Golf & Yacht Club Association, discovered an indenture deed that was updated as recently as 1992 that it believes limits use of the land to a golf course or country club. Read the article……………….
Horry County neighborhood seeks to fix ‘severe road issues’ (SC)
The POA for the community said the area was developed by Deertrack Development Company, but when the company was dissolved in 2007, the roads were not transferred and remained in their name. According to the POA, the roads were transferred to Deerfield Roads LLC in 2014. WMBF News reached out to the company, but they […]
Little River neighborhood’s HOA says creek needs to be cleared before new development (SC)
The Heather Lakes neighborhood in Little River could possibly see the addition of hundreds of new homes in the near future. Last week, Horry County Council passed the first reading of an ordinance that would rezone the land, allowing developers to add the homes to where the now-closed Heather Glen Golf Course currently sits. But […]
Fort Mill HOA among those named in federal lawsuit over foreclosures (SC)
The Cole Creek Homeowner’s Association in Fort Mill is one of five in South Carolina that’s now the target of a federal lawsuit. The HOA is being sued after foreclosing on a home because the homeowner didn’t pay dues. Lawyers for the plaintiffs claim in the suit that HOAs don’t have that power. The result […]
Sea Pines, other gated communities close offices because of winter storm (SC)
As the weather deteriorates and Hilton Head braces for snow, gated community offices are closing across the island. Below is a breakdown of which communities have closed their offices. This story will be updated if more closings are made available. Read the article……………..
Local cemetery dealing with rain water runoff after pond damage (SC)
The problem started over eight years ago when a drainage pipe for a neighboring pond, Lake Williams, broke. The pond is owned by the University Estates Homeowners Association. An Aiken Standard article from May 29, 2009, mentions the damage and road repairs that had to be done because of the broken pipe. “The pipe was […]
Charleston accounting manager charged with embezzling more than $750,000 (SC)
An accounting manager accused of embezzling from her Charleston employer was in court asking for a public defender Thursday, after federal prosecutors accused her of depositing more than $750,000 in two unauthorized bank accounts. There was no clue what became of money Donna Haynes allegedly siphoned off from Community Management Group over five years. Haynes, […]
Federal government buying out flood-plagued Bridge Pointe townhomes in West Ashley (SC)
For the first time, the federal government has agreed to buy out flood-stricken homes in Charleston. The Federal Emergency Management Agency has approved a $2.45 million grant to buy out the owners of 35 Bridge Pointe townhomes in West Ashley, U.S. Sen. Tim Scott’s office said. All of the homes have suffered repeated flooding during […]
What’s causing Bees Ferry flooding? One man thinks he knows, and offers possible solution (SC)
He’s the HOA president for the Sienna neighborhood of nearby Grand Oaks Plantation. While his street hasn’t flooded, Porter worries how storm water affects Shadowmoss, Hickory Hills, and Hickory Farms. Porter believes litter, debris, and nature are blocking the flow of storm water. Read the article…………..
Creating a state homeowners association czar is a bad idea (SC)
Last May, as the 2017 legislative session in Columbia drew to a close, a bill that had been passed by the House, designated H. 3886 and titled the South Carolina Homeowners Association Act, was put on the Senate calendar for consideration. After reviewing the bill and discussing it with several managers for community associations in […]
Cane Bay Trail is a concern, needs permanent fix, residents say (SC)
People in Cane Bay want a fix to an ongoing problem. They say there’s drainage issues along the Cane Bay Trail in Berkeley County. they say the trail is also unfinished. People who live in the area say the trail is unreliable, because standing water often makes it impassible. The bigger concern, some say, is […]
Neighborhood gator’s removal involves city police, upsets residents (SC)
Some in Conway’s Ridgewood West neighborhood are grieving the loss of its popular alligator, Earl, and a Conway man has been charged with discharging a firearm in the city limits when he shot the gator. Conway police cited him with discharging a firearm in the city limits to kill the gator. Some neighbors say they […]
‘It’s no way to live’: West Ashley residents give U.S. Rep. Mark Sanford, Charleston mayor an earful (SC)
Frustrated West Ashley residents who have experienced repeated flood damage to their homes pressed U.S. Rep. Mark Sanford, Charleston Mayor John Tecklenburg and other elected officials for answers Friday morning. Shadowmoss residents were recently flooded, for the fourth time in three years, during Tropical Storm Irma. Many want a government buyout of their homes. […]
Sanford’s bill aim: ‘Treat taxpayers the same’ in private community storm cleanup (SC)
If another hurricane strikes South Carolina, Rep. Mark Sanford wants residents in private communities and neighborhoods with homeowners associations to be eligible for help cleaning up debris. The Republican congressman introduced a bill last week — the Disaster Assistance Equity Act — that would allow common interest communities — neighborhoods, condominium complexes, and cooperatives that […]
Hilton Head Plantation to raise fees to cover hurricane costs (SC)
Hilton Head Plantation property owner’s will be paying an additional $250 in fees next year to cover the costs of Hurricane Matthew. About $1.1 million has been budgeted for 2017 to cover the costs of damage from the storm, a release from The Hilton Head Plantation Property Owner’s Association said Monday. Read the article,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
Groups want to change lack of oversight, regulation for HOAs in SC
When homeowners are part of an HOA, they expect their street lights will stay on and their lawns will get cut. But there are groups that manage millions of dollars paid in dues to the HOAs each year — and they go largely unregulated. Read the article…………
Most HOA boards are doing what they are supposed to do
I’m not sure what Mr. Houser expected out of this study, a complete handcuffing of all HOA boards or what. He stated that the study committee was made up of special interest of developers, Realtors, property manager companies and attorneys, but had limited representation of the homeowners’ interests. Read the article………….
South Carolina Publishes HOA Report for Legislative Changes
The Committee of the South Carolina Assembly that has been holding hearings on HOA issues has released it’s report. The PDF can be seen below: http://communityassociations.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/SC_HOAStudyCommitteeFinalReport12182015.pdf
No hope yet for change in POA/HOA laws (SC)
For anyone who missed the S.C. legislative HOA law revision committee meeting broadcast online Oct. 27: All I could see on the committee were the people who still control the POA/HOA system in SC: the management companies, developers, and HOA lawyers. Read the article……….