Condo & HOA News Items
The sand traps at the Homestead Farms Golf Course are barely recognizable as such — visible from the patios of many residents in the adjacent Lynden subdivision, the bunkers are rocky and filled in with weeds, untouched by golfers and grazed over by a large flock of migratory wigeons. On the course, which has been closed since August 2023, the greens are fuzzy with grass growth and dotted with.
‘On the Record’: Relief for condo owners (FL)
South Florida condo owners are under pressure as new inspection regulations and rising insurance costs drive up monthly fees. Video news report..........................
Apartment damaged in fire at Orlan Brook Drive condo complex, no injuries (IL)
The Orland Fire Protection District (OFPD) responded to a fire in a 12-unit multi-family condo building......Crews found the fire adjacent to the furnace involving insulation
Entire Florida Condo Complex is Condemned – Just The Begining – Residents Forced To Sell Their Homes
The residents of Springbrook Gardens, a 75-year-old condominium complex in Fort Lauderdale, are facing an unprecedented crisis. The building, which has stood as a home
Liberty Mutual plans to exit state’s condo, rental insurance markets in 2026 (CA)
The garden in Brian Wallace's backyard is a little slice of peace within San Francisco's busy cityscape. He owns a condo in SOMA, a place
Resident worried about privacy as HOA warns it is recording audio and visual at the pool (FL)
Question: My HOA records both visuals and audio at the clubhouse and pool. A conversation between myself and another resident was recorded, which I found
Foreclosures & Financial Hardships Begin: Florida’s New Condo Laws Bring Unintended Consequences
As new Florida laws aimed at preventing another Surfside condo collapse take effect, hundreds of residents face foreclosure due to skyrocketing association fees and special
Carbon Monoxide Leads to Evacuations at Culver City Condo Complex (CA)
Three people at a Culver City condominium complex were overcome by carbon monoxide and taken to hospitals and a hazardous materials team was summoned Saturday
My Building Is Doing Unexplained Work. Can I Stop Paying Dues Until They Explain? (NJ)
Q: I live in a condominium in Passaic County, N.J., where the board recently authorized the replacement of all the balcony railings in our building.
Podcast: “Extreme unaffordability crisis” in wake of Surfside collapse, condo expert says (FL)
In the wake of the Surfside collapse tragedy, Florida’s condominium landscape has been transformed, with new regulations and rising costs threatening the affordability of living
Pine water district seeks to allay panic about condemnations (AZ)
The 2,000-foot-deep well is in the middle of a residential neighborhood, which is subject to the rules established by a homeowners association. Those rules would
Clash over Munjoy Hill condo building could be resolved soon (ME)
A yearslong legal battle over whether a Munjoy Hill condo building meets city requirements and fits in with the rest of the neighborhood is inching
Wildfire in Southern Colorado: L.A. lessons
The Golden Hills Homeowner Association has been proactive about mitigation in the neighborhood. Seeing the wildfire around Los Angeles is a reminder of why they
Condo & HOA Informational Articles
East Tennessee HOAs: Tips to Strengthen Your Reserve Fund
Is your East Tennessee HOA reserve fund ready for the unexpected? A well-managed reserve fund can save the day if you have unexpected problems with a roof replacement, road repair, or a surprise maintenance issue. But building and maintaining that financial cushion takes effort and strategy. Read the article..................................
Colorado Articles , Condo & HOA Articles , Documents & Rules - General , Louisiana Articles , Texas Articles
Understanding Covenants, Conditions, & Restrictions
Imagine it: you’ve finally found your dream home nestled within a picturesque community. The houses are charming, the streets are lined with trees, and a sense of tranquility fills the air. But before you settle into your new haven, there’s a crucial aspect of community living you need to understand:
Can I Sue My HOA for Emotional Distress? (CA)
Can you sue your HOA for emotional distress? The answer to that question is an easy one—Yes. What it takes to do so, however, is much more complicated and nuanced. Disputes between California homeowners and their HOAs can, and often do, escalate into significant legal battles. In some cases, homeowners
HOA Board Conflict Resolution
As a member of your HOA’s Board of Directors, you’re accustomed to listening to homeowners’ concerns, disputes, and complaints and resolving these issues to the best of your abilities. But what happens when your fellow Board members have an argument? What should you do if a dispute between board members
HOA Resale Certificate: What Is It & What’s It For? (TX)
When you’re buying or selling a property within a homeowners association (HOA), a Texas HOA resale certificate is crucial for a smooth transaction. This document provides valuable information about the financial health and rules of the community. In this article, we’ll explore the HOA resale certificate, Texas rules, why it’s
Colorado Articles , Condo & HOA Articles , Working With Accountants , Working With Attorneys , Working With Insurance Agents
When Experts Chime In: Can HOAs Afford to Tune Them Out?
An HOA receives an engineer’s report warning that a retaining wall on the property is on the brink of failure. The board, focused on other issues and keeping dues low, decides to put the report on the back burner. After all, the wall looks fine from a distance, right? Fast
Controlling the Outcome of Community Disputes: Why Alternative Dispute Resolution Ultimately Helps Associations (CO)
As someone who has litigated community association legal disputes for many years, and now mediates those conflicts, I have a strong bias in favor of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) for these cases. As to why, disputes over property rights, property values, and people's homes tend to be among the most
Community Association Considerations
Why you should pay special attention to closing your books this year
I’ve been posting the condo and HOA news for over 20 years now. During the first 6 years, I might have run across 3 or 4 cases of people stealing
Flags, Signs and Displays
Flags, signs and displays have become major areas of contention in condo's and HOA's. Actually they have always been, but with the divisiveness the country is going through now, it's
Industry News
Associa Honored as 2024 Winner of
Associa, the largest community association management firm in the industry, is
Jackery’s curved solar roof tiles are
Longstanding solar generator company Jackery is leveling up the US’ roof
Housing Experts Project Another Year of
Experts forecast continued modest growth for the U.S. housing market in
Legal & Legislative Articles
Amenities/Golf Courses/Pools/Clubhouses , Case Discussions , Headline , Legal & Legislative News , Washington Condo & HOA News
Empty, weedy Homestead golf course in Lynden is striking reminder of 5-year legal fight (WA)
The sand traps at the Homestead Farms Golf Course are barely recognizable as such — visible from the patios of many residents in the adjacent Lynden subdivision, the bunkers are rocky and filled in with weeds,
2025 Illinois Condo and HOA Legal Updates
KSN attorneys Omar Malik and Joshua Weinstein discuss important 2025 legal updates impacting Illinois community associations. Topics include changes to state law, federal law, accessible parking, native landscaping, board member responsibilities, best practices, and more Listen
Neighbors In A Tort Dispute Over Cutting Of Shrubs For A Better View Got Mixed Results (CA)
We have done many posts over the years on homeowner disputes, some involving HOAs-homeowners and some just between homeowners. With respect to many HOA disputes, there is a Davis-Stirling Act fee shifting provision which allows the
The Consequences of Failing to Maintain the Official Records (FL)
The following scenario happens all too often. A member makes a written records request to inspect the official records of the association and proceeds to provide a laundry list of documents that the member wants to
765 ILCS 160/1-50: 4 Things Every Illinois Common Interest Community Association Board Needs to Know About Developer Turnover
Developer turnover is a pivotal phase for any Illinois Common Interest Community Association. 765 ILCS 160/1-50 of the Illinois Common Interest Community Association Act (“CICAA”) governs the requirements for transitioning a common interest community association from
Colorado’s New ADU Laws and Their Implications for HOAs
Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs), affectionately known as granny flats, in-law suites, or backyard cottages, are the talk of Colorado – because, really, who wouldn't want their backyard to double as a thriving metropolis? As the state
Op/Ed
Regulations Keep Millions of Bedrooms Empty During a Housing Crisis
The U.S. is facing a housing affordability crisis, and new data from Realtor.com highlight an often missed contributing factor: millions of empty bedrooms. Census data reveal 31.8 million "excess" bedrooms in American homes—compared to just 4
2025 Federal Legislative & Regulatory Priorities
Community Associations Institute’s federal government affairs efforts are member driven. The targeted program is dedicated to improving federal policy outcomes for the community association industry through federal legislative action committee leadership and lobby teams, engagement with
A DIFFERENT POINT OF VIEW: My Questions About the PLPOA Special Assessment (FL)
Since I don’t belong to the Pagosa Lakes Property Owners Association (PLPOA), my opinion about the proposed financing of a community gym is just that: an opinion. We all know that opinions are like… well… everyone
Florida condo owners will pay more in 2025. Time is running out to sell
The Florida condo market is recalibrating, as changes to the Condo Act tank the market for 30-plus year old condos, creating uncertainty for the thousands of families who own them. But developers looking to buy them
Condo owners don’t deserve low-interest loan bailouts. It rewards bad behavior. (FL)
The editorial encouraging our Florida state government to step in and provide low interest loans to people living in condominiums that have insufficient reserves to fund long needed maintenance is rewarding bad behavior. These people and
After Surfside, Florida Baby Boomers need state help with condo repairs
It's not just waterfront condo towers that face shocking maintenance increases. And it's not just Century Village and its humble two-story buildings. Senior citizens all over Florida are up against the crumbling wall, left to face
Canada Condo, Strata & HOA News
Burnaby strata’s ‘Band-Aid’ fixes at leaky condo not unreasonable: tribunal (BC)
A Burnaby owner who complained his strata had used "Band-Aid" fixes for multiple leaks in his apartment has won only a partial victory at the province's Civil Resolution Tribunal. Owner Tuong-Van Tran,
Tribunal upholds some Vancouver strata fines for ‘offensive’ name-calling (BC)
B.C.’s Civil Resolution Tribunal has ruled some of B.C. strata’s fines of an owner and a tenant for name-calling will stand. In a Jan. 15 decision, tribunal member Nav Shukla said Steven
Condo Smarts: Managing electrical capacity (BC)
Q: Read the Q&A......................................We live in an older mid-rise building in Burnaby. Several owners are requesting permission to install EV charging for their vehicles, and the owners, particularly on the south side
Canada Condo, Strata & HOA Articles
11 Virtual Meeting Tips for Condominium Corporation Board Members
Because owners often have busy schedules, participation in condominium corporation meetings can be challenging. However, a significant number of condominium corporations now hold virtual meetings to make it easier for homeowners to
Does the CAT have jurisdiction over harassment disputes? (ON)
As many of our readers likely know, certain condo disputes (but not all) fall under the jurisdiction of the Condominium Authority Tribunal. Indeed, the CAT has jurisdiction over records, pets, parking, storage,
Timely enforcement of condominium caveats: Unenforceable caveats are no longer permitted on title (AB)
The court in Shui Ming Tong Foundation concluded that the condominium corporation was entitled to maintain the caveat it registered against the defendant unit owner’s certificate of title under s. 39.2(6) of
International Condo, Strata & HOA News
Thailand: Condo association pushes for added state assistance
This year should be a challenging one for the residential property market, carrying over from a sluggish 2024 as insufficient domestic demand and a lack of structural support for foreign
Philippines: Manila unveils rent-to-own public condominiums
Manila Mayor Honey Lacuna inaugurated yesterday the city’s first rent-to-own public condominiums. According to the local government, the housing project aims to provide affordable condominium units to low-income residents. Read
Australia: Building Management Agreements: 3 tips for negotiations
The new year (2025) seems to be bringing change for a number of my clients in relation to their building management agreements. Some are very happy with their current managers,