The council has been coordinating with fire districts and local agencies to get individual homeowners and homeowners associations’ advice and funding options they need to reduce their fire risk and be better prepared in the face of a wildfire. Read the entire article……………………………….
Pan Ark moves towards special district (CO)
Residents of Pan Ark Estates near Twin Lakes could vote in November on whether their properties will become part of a taxing special district. The matter was passed along for another stage of review with Lake County District Court last week after the Board of County Commissioners approved a proposed service plan for the would-be […]
Governor Signs HOA Bills (CO)
On Friday, July 2, 2021, Governor Polis signed into law HB 21-1229, the Unit Owners Protection Bill, and HB 21-1310, the Freedom of Speech Bill. HB 21-1229 and HB 21-1310 will become effective in September unless referred to the people for a vote. See our prior Legislative Wrap-up blog post for a brief summary of […]
Neighborhood groups engage in fire mitigation projects (CO)
As wildfires continue to plague the county and state, area homeowners association groups are taking on fire fuels mitigation projects to protect their neighborhoods. Work continues this week, for example, in the Sanctuary neighborhood, situated adjacent to a key area of potential fire danger on the east side of Steamboat Springs. The Sanctuary is located […]
Colorado HOAs losing power to restrict speech on flags and signs
Coloradans will soon be able to fly flags or display signs outside their homes without restrictions on the content, even if they live in a neighborhood with a homeowners association. Gov. Jared Polis signed HB21-1310 into law Friday — one of 19 that got his signature before the July Fourth holiday weekend. Read the entire […]
Chew on this: Goats mow down fire danger in La Plata County neighborhood (CO)
A tribe of goats is making lunch out of Gambel oak stands in a subdivision northeast of Durango – and helping the community reduce its wildfire risk along the way. Edgemont Highlands, a 430-home subdivision, has put a concerted effort into wildfire mitigation projects since 2012. Normally, those projects include sawyer crews and contractors trimming […]
Judge: Condominium Association May Still Fine Landlords For Approving Aspen Pot Shop And Wine Cellar (CO)
A judge’s ruling last week dealt a blow to a landlord and its two tenants, a pot shop and wine cellar, both of whom must be evacuated due to new regulations on a downtown Aspen building. Read the entire article……………………………….
From the Community Editorial Board: HOA rules (CO)
Question: If you live under HOA rules, House Bill 1310 would allow you unfettered expression by way of posting flags and signs. Some lawmakers worry about escalating disputes among neighbors and offensive content, while others cheer free speech. Your take? Read the entire article……………………………….
HOA flag bans misunderstood, mitigate hate (CO)
Homeowners Associations, or HOAs, are based on a concept of you give up something to get something. That which you give up you know before you move into the HOA. You sacrifice homeowners’ rights to gain the advantages of living in a planned, orderly, amenity-oriented and improved-home-value community. Read the entire article……………………………….
Insurer wins bad faith construction case
A federal appeals court Tuesday upheld a lower court decision that ruled an insurer is not obligated to defend a land developer charged with negligent design and construction under exclusions in its policies. Read the entire article……………………………….
Fungus, rot, overgrowth, decay; Aurora condo owners say HOA has avoided fixes for years (CO)
Decaying stairs, unfastened railing posts, pot holes, overgrown grass patches and dead trees are just a few of the items on a growing list of complaints residents have with an Aurora HOA. Read the entire article……………………………….
Goat-Led Wildfire Mitigation on Pioneer Trail (CO)
The San Juan National Forest’s Columbine Ranger District and Edgemont Highlands Community Association are coordinating for a temporary detour of the Pioneer Trail. Edgemont Highlands Community Association is beginning a goat-led wildfire mitigation project near the trail. The trail will be detoured when the goat herd begins work Wednesday, May 26 through June 6. Read […]
Trapper’s Crossing Homeowners Association grateful for fire mitigation work (CO)
Trappers Crossing subdivision recently completed a fire mitigation day for Wildfire Awareness month in May. Our goal was to clear roads of brush and trees to improve visibility, access for emergency responders and to minimize the chance of a roadside fire. Read the entire article……………………………….
Got Retainage in Your Construction Contracts? (CO)
Looks like the Colorado legislature is tackling retainages in commercial contracts. Retainage is a portion of the contract price withheld from a contractor as a way to make sure that the contractor will complete the job properly. Retainage is usually set between 5% and 10%. It is common in public construction projects where state laws […]
What kind of flag can I fly outside my house? (CO)
David Pendery’s rainbow pride flag had only been waving outside his house for a few days when a letter arrived ordering him to take it down. Pendery, 44, a marketing executive, lives with his husband and their two children in Arapahoe County, Colorado. When he hung up the flag at the end of August 2020, […]
HOA Turf War: Broomfield orders homeowners remove unapproved artificial turf (CO)
During a time when water conservation is a growing concern, a Broomfield homeowners association was forcing a family to tear out artificial turf that they had just installed. If a new bill passes, however, that could soon be against the law. Read the entire article……………………………….
Special assessment, $9,546, for roof repair stuns Thornton condo owners who purchased units long after storm (CO)
Lucille Ulibarri bought a condo in Thornton’s Peachtree complex in December and three months later, she got stuck with a special assessment for storm damage that occurred in 2018. Read the article…………………………………….
Littleton Couple & Neighbors Support Voting For A Change To HOA’s Flag Policy (CO)
The kerfuffle over a Black Lives Matter flag hung outside a Littleton home started in early February when Kara and Ben Wilkoff’s HOA sent them a letter telling them to take it down. “Literally the statement is ‘flag is not approved,’” said Ben. Read the article…………………………………
Man Sues Arapahoe County HOA Over Pride Flag, BLM Sign (CO)
The controversy over metro Denver homeowners’ associations banning residents from displaying Black Lives Matter flags and other humanistic signage has been raging in recent weeks. And now, a lawsuit filed by the ACLU of Colorado takes the matter into a new realm: the federal judicial system. Read the article……………………………….
Thin Blue Line Flag Joins Littleton Black Lives Matter HOA Fight (CO)
Kara and Ben Wilkoff’s fight for the right to display a Black Lives Matter flag over the objections of the Kensington Ridge/Cobblestone Village homeowners association was headed for a February 27 virtual meeting with the HOA’s board of directors, at which they hoped to find a mutually satisfactory solution. Read the article………………………………..
Reader: HOAs Are for Beige Neighborhoods Run by Beige Boards
Down in Littleton, a couple has faced off against its HOA regarding a Black Lives Matter flag. In Lafayette, another couple is fighting their HOA over a sign that mentions the BLM movement. “I want to have signage that promotes our values of diversity and inclusion on our own private property,” says Kristen Freaney, the […]
Indian Creek Property Owners Association schedules mitigation work March 20 (CO)
Indian Creek Property Owners Association will be conducting ITS 4th Fire Mitigation Workday of 2021 on Saturday, March 20. Their continuing momentum has more Indian Creek residents joining their “posse,” having fun, learning the benefits of fire mitigation, and little by little, making Indian Creek and Teller County safer. Read the article………………………………..
Rebuilding at fire-gutted Mary’s Lake Lodge in Estes Park remains on hold (CO)
The reopening of a fire-ravaged historic lodge on the south end of Estes Park, once scheduled for next month, remains uncertain because reconstruction that was paused last fall has yet to resume. Tina Harlow, the homeowners’ association manager for the Mary’s Lake Lodge property, said “we’ve had some interest” in “multiple aspects of the property.” […]
Littleton HOA’s Bizarre Fight Against Couple’s Black Lives Matter Flag (CO)
Kara and Ben Wilkoff don’t know what to think. Since late last year, the Kensington Ridge/Cobblestone Village Homeowners Association, the HOA for the couple’s Littleton neighborhood, has been trying to force them to take down a Black Lives Matter flag that’s been flying outside their residence for months; on February 1, the HOA put its […]
Highlands Ranch parents told to take down senior class yard signs (CO)
A number of parents in Highlands Ranch have been told to take down yard signs honoring their high school seniors. Those signs, which read “Highlands Ranch Senior Class of 2021,” were passed out by the school in the fall, as students were in remote learning. Read the article………………………………..
Additional lawsuit emerges alleging fraud in Windsor condo development (CO)
A third lawsuit was filed this week against the developers of the Grasslands Park complex in Windsor, alleging that the developers had taken funds from the project to pay off personal loans and purchase a home. Read the article………………………………..
Are We Actually Talking About Deferred Maintenance?
This may seem a little crazy, but what if we boil down something as complex as climate change, by asking a couple of questions: Is ignoring climate change about the same as ignoring maintenance on something like, let’s say, your home? Deferred maintenance… is that what this whole thing, really, is all about? I got […]
When The Wilderness Meets The Urban, Homeowners And Neighbors Are On Their Own Against Wildfires (CO)
Climate change likely means more and bigger fires. And as more people live in risky areas, wildfire mitigation becomes more critical. For the most part, it’s up to residents to do the work to protect their homes. Individuals can do a lot, but if a neighbor hasn’t cleared dead material, kept the lawn green, and […]
Alert Neighbors Credited For Quick Response At Condo Fire (CO)
Ten people were forced out of their homes early Sunday morning after a fire erupted at the Sandstone 70 condominiums in Vail. Firefighters say they arrived to find the upper unit of a fourplex in flames. Read the article………………………………..
Condo Association Trying to Force Dispensary’s Eviction in Aspen, Colorado (CO)
An Aspen, Colorado condominium association is asking the landlord of the complex to evict a cannabis dispensary from one of its commercial units, arguing that the retailer isn’t compatible with nearby residential units, the Aspen Times reports. The association also wants cleared a unit used by a restaurant to store inventory. Read the article……………………………….
Woman fights to keep BLM sign in her window (CO)
Helen Rigmaiden had hoped the sign she put in her window would lead to a conversation, but she received a complaint instead. “I received a notice on Christmas Eve that I had to take my Black Lives Matter sign out of my bedroom window, and it’s been there for a couple of years,” Rigmaiden said. […]
Grand Lake HOA donates $65K for wildfire recovery (CO)
A small Grand Lake Homeowners Association raised over $65,000 for people impacted by the East Troublesome Fire and is encouraging other HOAs to contribute. The Grand Lake HOA, which wishes to remain anonymous, consists of 12 homeowners who all donated money to either the Grand Foundation’s Wildfire Emergency Fund or a new fund for Grand […]
Condo owner says HOA ignoring requests to repair leaky roof at Dublin Terrace (CO)
Jennifer Maddox said she’s at her wits end over a roof leak in her condo, which has gone unrepaired for nearly two years. She said she has notified her HOA about the leak, repeatedly, and that the association is dragging its feet. Read the article…………………………….
Loveland woman foreclosed on by HOA back in home after acquiring deed (CO)
One year after she was told that she was being evicted, Martha Hummel says she’s bought back the deed to her north Loveland home, where she is again living. The 71-year-old was foreclosed on by her homeowners’ association in 2019, after unknowingly falling behind in her dues while incapacitated and homebound with severe depression linked […]
Elk Creek Ranch Owner’s Association wins case (CO)
Elk Creek Ranch Owner’s Association prevailed in its lawsuit against developer William H. Wheeler for breaching his fiduciary duties while he was a director on its board. Elk Creek Ranch is a premier fly-fishing and hunting club outside Meeker, Colorado. An eight-person Rio Blanco county jury also found that Wheeler’s company Elk Creek Operations, LLC […]
Aspen electeds pass short-term rental laws requiring business license, rental permit (CO)
After more than a year of discussion, Aspen City Council on Tuesday passed new legislation that requires all property owners who rent their condos or homes on a short-term basis to have a business license and a vacation rental permit filed with the municipal government. Read the article……………………..
Aspen’s most popular trick-or-treating neighborhood will close on Halloween (CO)
Aspen’s North 40 neighborhood will close their common area pathways for Halloween 2020, the homeowners’ association announced Monday. Homeowners will not be offering candy to trick-or-treaters, according to the release. Halloween at the North 40 typically attracts thousands of community members and families in the Roaring Fork Valley. Read the article……………………………..
Three-alarm fire breaks out in Denver condo complex (CO)
Firefighters in Denver on Wednesday afternoon responded to a three-alarm fire at an apartment complex where flames were rising out of the roof and smoke billowed into the sky. Read the article……………………………
Littleton man faces lawsuit from HOA over garden mulch (CO)
A Littleton man’s battle over mulch in his yard is headed to court. Isaac Puckett wanted to take a patch in front of his townhome and improve it. So, he said he put in an application to his homeowners’ association to do the work. But when he didn’t hear back, he started the work. Read […]
Erie HOA Homeowners Upset Over Sign Orders (CO)
Homeowners in the Erie Village subdivision say they are appalled and outraged that their management company ordered them to immediately remove their social activism yard signs or face financial penalties. Read the article…………………………….
Littleton townhome owners say HOA is raising rates amid rat infestation (CO)
The troubles at the Dakota Station II townhomes are still going on. First it was the issue of rats, now homeowners say they are facing an increase in HOA fees that some say comes at a “suspicious” time. Read the article……………………………….
Aurora man disputes HOA fines for flying flags celebrating Black culture (CO)
Shandon Toliver walks his husky “King” around the block of the Copperleaf neighborhood in Aurora, and comes home to a black flag hanging outside his door. The flag depicts two sheathed swords with gold handles and a red star between them, saying “Buffalo Soldiers” in gold on the top and bottom. This isn’t the first […]
Black Lives Matter or Hate has no home here, Denver neighborhood tiff over yard sign is just the beginning (CO)
A quick drive through Denver’s Lowry neighborhood late last week was akin to a voyage through a haven of tranquility and quiet, with rows of homes fronted by tidy lawns and smiling, helmeted families biking down tree-lined streets. But just 48 hours prior, this community on the city’s east side was at the center of […]
HOAs grapple with sign rules in era of social justice reform (CO)
Colorado law states community associations can’t ban political signs around elections but can make rules about all other signs. That’s prompting debate in Lowry. Read the article……………………………..
Owners, preservation advocates agree to pause landmark process for Denver condo building (CO)
The future of the Carmen Court condo building in Denver’s Speer neighborhood and a decision about whether or not its past makes it a historic landmark have both been put on hold. Read the article…………………………………..
HOA charges Denver homeowner $1,000 for trimming neighbor’s bushes (CO)
A Denver man thought he was doing his neighborhood a favor by taking on some yard work. His Homeowner’s Association thought differently. In his southwest Denver neighborhood, Curtiss Eckhardt isn’t beating around the bush about the bushes he trimmed. Read the article…………………………..
Both sides in Carmen Court landmark fight detail failed attempts at compromise (CO)
The two sides battling over the future of Carmen Court on Tuesday detailed their failed efforts to find a compromise during their first appearance before the Denver City Council. Chris Crawford, managing director of Hines — the Houston-based developer under contract to buy the condo complex at 900 E. 1st Ave. — said the company […]
HOA will allow Colorado police chaplain to fly ‘Thin Blue Line’ flag
A Colorado police chaplain is now allowed to fly a “Thin Blue Line” flag in front of his house after his homeowners association said it was in the wrong for demanding he take it down. Read the article…………………………….
About 30 People Displaced After Condominiums Catch Fire In Aurora (CO)
Aurora Fire Rescue says about 30 people are now displaced after a fire tore through a condominium complex. Firefighters responded to the Red Sky Condos near Sable Boulevard and Dearborn Way Saturday morning. Read the article……………………………
Landmark Preservation Commission to weigh in on status for Denver’s Carmen Court Condos (CO)
The Landmark Preservation Commission will weigh in Tuesday on a request to designate the Carmen Court Condominiums in Denver as a landmark. The request is pitting the owners, who say they don’t want the designation, against some neighbors, who do. Read the article……………………………..