Condo & HOA News Items
What makes an animal a pet? That they come when called? The way they curl up and rest in your lap while you watch TV? Or that they’ll ride in the car with you — for a morning coffee or on trips to Hilton Head Island? Mary Schroeder had this and more with what she considered to be her pets — a flock of 62 chickens. They were kept.
Man caught on camera torching car in West El Paso (TX)
Managers of the Sierra Del Sol Homeowners’ Association in West El Paso are seeking help identifying the person shown of surveillance video torching the former
Kensington Farms HOA Joins Forces with Lawrence’s Neighborhood Hub to Strengthen Community Ties (IN)
Lawrence's community-driven initiative, the Neighborhood Hub, has a new member joining its ranks—a move signaling further steps towards a connected, inclusive community. Kensington Farms HOA
New Hampshire Property Owner Alleges Discrimination Against Florida Condo Board Over Service Dog Ban
A New Hampshire-based company has filed a lawsuit against a Florida condominium association and two of its board members, alleging discriminatory practices that interfered with
Condo owners file claim with city as 16th Street sinkhole sits open for months (NE)
A sinkhole in the alley and a basement full of mud, the problem started months, even years ago, but remains unsolved. Reporter Molly Hudson obtained
Florida condo crisis: What is a milestone inspection report in Florida?
Florida condos are a popular real estate option for people living in the Sunshine State, especially if it has an ocean view. However, a condo
5 displaced after fire breaks out at Durham condo complex (NC)
Five people have been displaced after a fire broke out at a building containing several condominiums Wednesday night, the Durham Fire Department said. As a
Houston HOAs outpace the national average (TX)
Greater Houston homebuyers are more likely than most Americans to face homeowners association fees, per a recent report from Realtor.com. Why it matters: For many
Birch Bay Village opens up private golf links to nearby HOAs (WA)
Tucked away in Birch Bay Village (BBV), a gated community of roughly 1,100 homes on the north shore of Birch Bay, is a nine-hole golf
‘I would like to see the HOA be held accountable’: Extreme debt to displace Green Terrace residents (FL)
Time is running out for residents of the Green Terrace condominiums, south of Belvedere along Georgia Avenue. In less than two weeks the city of
Co-op Board’s Licensing Agreement Breaches Its Fiduciary Duty (NY)
Q: I was considering buying a co-op on the Upper East Side with a private back yard that was included in the offering plan. The
Nearly 40 homes flooded, supplies needed for families in Lake Forest Subdivision (AL)
It’s been eight days since torrential rain flooded hundreds of homes all across the Gulf Coast. Lake Forest in Daphne, the second largest subdivision in
Florida’s condo crisis: Five things to know ahead of Wednesday’s important Post town hall (FL)
Palm Beach County officials are preparing to issue fines to building associations that have failed to comply with the state's new safety-inspection law.......The Post will
Condo & HOA Informational Articles
The Dos and Don’ts for Successful HOA Task Management (OH)
Serving on a homeowner's association (HOA) management board comes with plenty of challenges. There’s no shortage of responsibilities—budgeting, resident concerns, maintenance, event planning—but there is a shortage of time. Without a clear system in place, tasks can pile up, meetings can stretch on without resolution, and community members can feel
How East Tennessee’s Changing Weather Affects Your HOA Budget
East Tennessee weather doesn’t believe in boring. One minute it’s snowing, the next minute it’s grilling weather. And your HOA budget? It’s caught in the middle of this atmospheric rollercoaster. Let’s break down how these shifting skies impact your community’s bottom line, and why flexible, forward-thinking budgeting is more than
Land Banking in Common Interest Ownership Communities (TX)
The real estate development industry is full of trends. Usually, the trends involve design aspects of the home or community or the latest in amenities, but recently new trends in land banking are arising. One of these new trends is land banking by homebuilders, which has added complications for common
A Baker’s Dozen – Risky Actions by Community Association Board Members (OH)
It is well-established that Association Board members (directors and officers) have fiduciary duties to their owners and associations. Failure to adhere to them can result in lawsuits against the associations, their directors, and officers. Unfortunately, directors and officers sometimes increase their risk by engaging in behaviors that make lawsuits more
5 Must-Know Tips for Working with an HOA
If you’ve never lived in a community with a homeowner’s association, you’ll soon learn there are several rules of engagement that can affect your daily life. From where you park your vehicle to the type of fencing you can install, buying a home with an HOA means you'll have to
Reserve Disclosures; the Lending “Blacklist” (CA)
Despite great efforts to lessen the problem, too many HOAs still have inadequate reserve fund savings. Civil Code Sections 5300(b)(2-7) and 5570 require detailed disclosures regarding reserves. The problem is so serious that the Department of Real Estate in September 2012 issued a “Consumer Warning: Underfunded Homeowners Associations” bulletin- still
Fire-Resistant Shrubs To Add To Your California Landscape
On average, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection reports a little over 700 wildland fires every year. While many of us focus on the ways to protect our homes against fires, we often forget that wildfire protection can start in our own lawns. Believe it or not, there
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
Colorado’s Leading HOA Services Provider ACCU,
ACCU, Inc., a leading provider of HOA services in Denver, has
Crystal Structures completes fixing a catastrophic
When a catastrophic skylight failure occurred at the Jetty East condominium
Cedar Management expands their HOA Management
Cedar Management Group, an Accredited Association Management Company®, has expanded its
Legal & Legislative Articles
Greenbaum Rowe mourns loss of Wendell A. Smith, name partner and distinguished real estate attorney of five decades
The Woodbridge-based firm said Tuesday that Smith died April 13, calling him a friend and colleague who was widely recognized as one of New Jersey’s pre-eminent authorities on condominium and community association law. He became a
Headline , Legal & Legislative News , North Carolina Condo & HOA News , Service/Emotional Support Animals
62 chickens in the backyard? NC Supreme Court to decide whether they’re poultry or pets
What makes an animal a pet? That they come when called? The way they curl up and rest in your lap while you watch TV? Or that they’ll ride in the car with you — for
Florida lawmakers advance condo legislation amid cost crisis
Florida lawmakers are advancing legislation aimed at helping condominium owners beset by rising costs. "What I will fight for is to make sure that condo owners see a safe future in their homes at a cost
Passing Legal Fees To Rule-Breakers Can Be An Effective Sanction (NY)
What happens when a shareholder or a unit-owner calls your bluff and says, "Bring it on?" Bruce says, "Then you really have a dilemma. Either you pursue the litigation, carry through on your threat, and seek
Florida lawmakers advance condo legislation amid cost crisis (FL)
Florida lawmakers are advancing legislation aimed at helping condominium owners beset by rising costs. "What I will fight for is to make sure that condo owners see a safe future in their homes at a cost
Bill Could Limit HOA Control Over RVs and Food Trucks (IN)
Your homeowner’s association might not be able to keep people from having RVs or food trucks in the neighborhood, if a bill discussed Tuesday (HB1389) on the Indiana Senate floor becomes law. Some lawmakers feel that
Op/Ed
Op-ed: Local Law 97 set to cost co-op and condo owners millions (maybe billions!) in fees and fines (NY)
The city’s zeal to enforce new environmental laws is set to crush the City’s middle-class housing stock under the weight of shockingly untenable fines. At issue is the implementation of Local Law 97, which was passed
Vare’s view on Fishers rental cap proposal (IN)
The Fishers City Council is poised to approve Mayor Fadness’ proposal to enact a citywide rental cap. This new policy would be the first of its kind in the nation and will impact Fishers neighborhoods of
This should be public record (NC)
I submitted a public records request for information about an "independent review" of what the city calls a claim against the city by the Covent Gardens Homeowners Association. As a High Point taxpayer and member of
HB 16 wrongly targets homeowner association ‘No yard sign’ rules (OH)
Ohio House Bill 16 seeks to void existing Homeowners Associations’ (HOA) yard sign rules as applied to political signs. This bill would unnecessarily reduce local control, overlook less intrusive options, and give HOAs unwanted headaches and
Condo owners take another hit with ‘blacklist.’ What’s Florida’s future for condos? | Opinion
The news that a rising number of Miami-Dade County condos are included on a “blacklist” of properties that may be blocked from securing conventional mortgage financing and potentially face a tough time obtaining maintenance loans is
Kill bill that turns short-term rentals into residences (MT)
Kill Montana Senate Bill 336. This bill seeks to redefine short-term rentals as residential, non-commercial property use, disregarding neighbors’ rights, undermining local control and threatening public safety. While framed to protect private property rights, SB336 ignores
Canada Condo, Strata & HOA News
Condo Smarts: Strata not liable for flood damage (BC)
Q: We live in a Richmond townhouse complex. Our property is well maintained, but during recent heavy rains, and a discharge line being plugged, our finished basement was partially flooded. We assumed
Winnipeg’s bylaws lack teeth to curb short-term rentals, say downtown condo owners (MB)
A year after the City of Winnipeg introduced bylaws to regulate short-term housing rentals, residents in a downtown condo building say the rules have done little to stop their home from becoming
Condo Smarts: Owners fight strata over banned changes to unit (BC)
Dear Tony: Our strata council has received a very threatening letter from an owner because we will not approve retroactive alterations to their unit. They removed a wall, which was load bearing,
Canada Condo, Strata & HOA Articles
Court tosses $200k condo claim after seller misses closing deadline (ON)
The Ontario Superior Court of Justice has dismissed a seller’s claim for over $200,000 in damages after a condominium sale collapsed - concluding that the plaintiff’s own failure to deliver closing funds
Condo ordered to pay $75K for oppressive fraudulent Status Certificate (ON)
In this blog post, we explore the Gonzales decision which brings important lessons for condo corporations about the importance of accuracy and honesty when issuing status certificates. This case dealt with two distinct issues: The accuracy of the
A Condominium Corporation’s Right to Access the Units (ON)
In the case of Metropolitan Toronto Condominium Corporation No. 978 v. McNeil, the condominium corporation sought access to the Respondent’s unit in order to attend to required repairs to an adjacent water
International Condo, Strata & HOA News
Bahamas: Judge cuts ‘Gordian Knot’ in Lucayan Towers South dispute, ending rival factions control battle
A long-running legal battle over control of the Lucayan Towers South Condominium has reached its conclusion, as a Supreme Court judge has ruled in favor of the 2005 Directors, dismissing
Australia: ‘Clearly inadequate’: strata owners call for broker code overhaul
The Owners Corporation Network of Australia says aspects of the $2 billion strata insurance market raise questions on ethics in the broking industry and the role and performance of the
Malaysia: ‘Law must make strata watchdogs act’
From run-down facilities and dirty walkways to allegations of misused management funds, the issue of poor property and building management continues to plague stratified homes in Malaysia. With the government