As buildings and their internal systems and physical components age, how can the community associations that own them best prepare to meet the unexpected—but necessary— financial demands. Over many conversations in recent years, members of the Foundation for Community Association Research (FCAR) have identified aging infrastructures—the physical structures and the components within them that community […]
Crumbling condition of Canton subdivision streets ‘an embarrassment’ for residents (MI)
The streets in Essence Uke’s Canton Township neighborhood aren’t like those in war-torn Europe in the mid-1940s. In some cases, they’re probably worse. Tattooed with steady streams of patched-up craters and crumbled chunks of concrete that resemble a chewed-up checkerboard in aerial photos, Read the entire article……………………………….
Recent storms stir up a nasty issue in Las Vegas valley channels (NV)
“It’s very difficult to keep all of it cleaned, and I can’t even estimate how much trash is going to be thrown out of our windows today that ends up back into the system,” Neff said. “If it’s a private-owned facility, we really don’t have a responsibility to keep it cleaned, so a homeowner’s association […]
Hallandale Beach condos The Hemispheres in need of repairs but city has been slow with approving permits (FL)
There was concern and harsh words aimed at a South Florida building department Monday. An engineer called the City of Hallandale Beach Building Department dysfunctional and incompetent in the wake of the Champlain Towers South collapse. Residents of The Hemispheres want to get repairs done as soon as possible, but one of the biggest obstacles […]
Incomplete infrastructure could hinder completion of five McHenry County subdivisions (IL)
Most people don’t move to a subdivision to live alone, but that’s what life has been like for Bob and Linda Murray, who have lived in the Woods of Stone Ridge subdivision outside Crystal Lake for the past 10 years after the neighborhood’s developer left it unfinished. Read the entire article……………………………….
West Seattle beach pollution from condo sewer problems not over after all (WA)
Nine days after we first reported on warning signs south of Alki Point because of a sewer leak on private property, the problems aren’t over after all, Seattle Public Utilities confirms. Two days after that first report, SPU told us the leak had stopped, but bacteria levels were still high enough to keep nearby beaches […]
Lawsuit alleges illegal wastewater discharge, breach of contract in Blanchard community (ID)
Homeowners near Blanchard are filing suit over a series of complaints including illegal wastewater discharge they say is causing a public nuisance, breach of contract and failure to pay assessments for maintenance of roads and common areas. Read the entire article……………………………….
Erosion threatens homes in The Villages of Brentwood
The historic flash flooding that occurred March 27 and 28 of this year made an already perilous situation in The Villages of Brentwood neighborhood even more challenging. Multiple homes along Village Way saw much of their backyards tumbling into the creek below. Read the entire article……………………………….
Residents at O’Fallon, Mo. condominium say city storm system doesn’t protect them from flooding when it rains (MO)
Residents of a condominium complex in O’Fallon are not happy following the weekend’s storms and are seeking help from the city after years of flooding continue to damage their homes. Read the entire article……………………………….
Breaking Point: Examining Aging Infrastructure in Community Associations
As buildings and their internal systems and physical components age, how can the com-munity associations that own them best prepare to meet the unexpected—but necessary—financial demands. (From the Foundation for Community Association Research) Read the report (PDF)……………………………………..
Condos Are in Uncharted Territory
The cracks in the concrete suddenly feel like chasms. As South Florida reels from the tragedy in Surfside, condo owners across the region—and as far away as New York and California—are looking with new, worried eyes at rust, water damage, and spalling, a word we all learned this week. Anxiety is in the air at […]
Following Florida condo collapse, inspectors focus on Marina del Rey complex
Responding to safety concerns that have gained heightened attention following last week’s deadly building collapse in Florida, Los Angeles County building inspectors were taking a close look Thursday at the Marina City Club condominium complex, which consultants estimate is in need of millions of dollars in repairs. Read the entire article……………………………….
North Beach drainage will get improvements through American Rescue Plan Act (TX)
North Beach residents are no stranger to flooding due to high tides and rain. That’s why the city of Corpus Christi has chosen to allot $5 million towards better drainage on North Beach through the American Rescue Plan Act. Read the entire article……………………………….
Mayor’s Office Looks For Jax Retention Pond Solutions After Accidental Deaths (FL)
Mayor Lenny Curry’s office and the Jacksonville City Council are exploring solutions to a recent spate of deaths involving children and retention ponds. Retention ponds are man-made pools of water used to prevent flooding from stormwater runoff and trap sediment loads that can harm the environment if they move downstream. They are often deceptively deep. […]
Condo boards should address structural issues (MI)
Q: As a co-owner in a hi-rise condominium, the recent condominium collapse in Florida has me on edge. What do you recommend that condo boards and co-owners take away as lessons from this tragedy? Read the Q&A………………………………….
The Story Behind a Downtown Sarasota Condo’s Near-Collapse (FL)
By the time you’re reading this, Charlotte Ryan, a retired psychotherapist from New Jersey, will have accomplished what Sisyphus never did. She’ll have pushed her great rock to the very top of the mountain and crawled out from under her burden at last. The petite, smartly dressed Ryan will have taken the elevator up to […]
Should taxpayers foot the bill for restoring the Midland dams? (MI)
A group of Michigan legislators has introduced a bill package that would use public funds to rebuild the Sanford and Edenville dams and repair two upstream dams that were damaged in the floods, while enacting regulatory reforms designed to hold private dam owners accountable for maintaining their property. Read the entire article……………………………….
Maintenance of drainage easements under scrutiny (AR)
Nobody seems to know whose job it is to maintain two drainage easements at Brookland Hills subdivision, but it’s becoming a issue. City Attorney Kevin Orr said he’s not sure who is responsible for maintaining the drainage easements of Block C, which is .55 acres, and Block E, which is .44 acres. David Loggins, Brookland […]
Jacksonville leaders meet with state regulators on child drownings in retention ponds (FL)
After the drowning deaths of two children with autism this year, Jacksonville City Council members are meeting with state regulators to figure out how to move forward with new safety requirements for retention ponds across Duval County. It’s an effort that could touch hundreds of neighborhoods. Read the entire article……………………………….
Community in Roque Bluffs left trapped by Wednesday’s storm (ME)
One of the hardest hit areas during Wednesday’s early morning storms was Roque Bluffs, just south of Machias. A homeowners association on Duck Cove Road had its gravel roads completely washed away. That has left no access for people to get in or out, including emergency vehicles. A plan is in place to evacuate by […]
Quick Response to Damaged Dam Saved Homes, Pipe to be Replaced (MS)
Quick response from homeowners in Tara Estates and local first responders helped to keep the damaged levee in Lake Tara from failing and flooding the area, according to William McKercher, chief of the Dam Safety Division of the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality. Read the entire article……………………………….
Buckner Farm residents vote to lower quarterly fees and pause a multi-million dollar project in neighborhood (VA)
10 On Your Side has a follow-up in a battle between a homeowners’ association and the neighbors it represents. Last November, we reported on Buckner Farm Homeowners Association’s plan to increase quarterly dues to pay for cracks in concrete aprons surrounding seven retention ponds. Neighbors are fighting back to keep fees down, and to pause […]
When it Rains, it May Pour on Your Homeowners Association (NC)
It seems like it rained most all of this past winter. It rained for 4 days straight as this post was being written, and regardless of your beliefs regarding climate change, it is a fact that we in the Carolinas have had more than our fair share of rain over the last few years. Read […]
Divided Western Springs Condo Group May Be Ready To Deal (IL)
Last summer, a Western Springs condo subdivision appeared ready to sign an agreement with the village for a drainage project. But then a few members of the condo association came forward to oppose the costs under the agreement. The project was derailed. Read the entire article……………………………….
Be Proactive! Why Community Associations Should Pay Attention to Their Stormwater Management Systems (FL)
Stormwater management systems if managed correctly can greatly enhance the value and safety of a community. As community associations managers and governing boards are well aware, however, stormwater management systems can be expensive, and their operation and maintenance highly contentious. This blog provides an overview of what a stormwater management system is, the challenges associations […]
Form Association Or Face Fines? (FL)
The problem goes back to 1988, when a developer got a variance that allowed him to build 91 homes instead of 50 if he created an association to maintain the private roads and drains. But after the construction was finished, the association was dissolved in 1992. And 29 years later, Sweetwater is telling homeowners they […]
Horn Lake to help drain Kings View Lake for MDEQ (MS)
Latimer asked Campbell if the city does take over the job for MDEQ whether they will be obligated in any way to repair the dam. “No sir,” Campbell said. “That has been made clear that it is the homeowner’s association’s responsibility by us and MDEQ.” Read the entire article……………………………….
Confusion over road status contributes to Cross Neck Road floods (MA)
A one-mile-long, half-paved road stretching from Marion Golf Club to Brainard Marsh confounded area residents and board members alike during the Selectmen’s meeting on April 6. Parties debated whether Cross Neck Road truly lies on public or private land, and who should be charged with maintaining a road that, despite its normality in nearly every […]
Connecticut’s first condo lifted for pyrrhotite removal in Willington
Congressman Joe Courtney joined community leaders, engineers, and residents were at the Willington Ridge Condo complex Saturday in an effort to improve condominium infrastructure in Willington. Read the article……………………………….
Flood mitigation project proposed at Longwood Golf Club in Cypress (TX)
Dozens of homes in the Longwood Village neighborhood have flooded in recent years—including more than 100 in Hurricane Harvey alone—but a Harris County Flood Control District project proposed at Longwood Golf Club could mitigate effects of future flooding events. Read the article…………………………….
Condo Development Ordered to Remove Islands (NJ)
The Towne Club of Beach Haven condominium development has been ordered to remove nine existing tree islands by next month. The islands are located on a section of Centre Street between Bay Avenue and Delaware Avenue. Read the article……………………………..
Homeowners Association DIY Community Water Resources Management
Ponds or lakes are common features in homeownership associations residences. Ponds are created for various purposes, including fishing, collecting runoff, aesthetics, or conserving wildlife. Ponds require regular maintenance and monitoring to meet statutory or county standards. The association has a responsibility to ensure that these ponds or lakes are clean and safe. Read the article…………………………………
County to split storm water repair with Verna Hills HOA (KY)
The Clark County Fiscal Court approved a joint project with a home owners association to split the costs of repairing a failed storm water system in the Verna Hills subdivision. Verna Hills Homeowners Association president Shelby Gill told the court Wednesday morning repairs would cost nearly $6,000 to repair the drainage system, which has sent […]
Long-awaited Timber Lake dredge date approaches, new tax in effect for residents (VA)
By mid-March, Timberlake residents hope to see the beginning of a dredging process — a long-awaited, much-fought-for effort to save Timber Lake from decades of damage and compounded sedimentation that threatens its health. After a referendum held in November 2019, the Timberlake Watershed Improvement District acquired the power to tax its residents, and recently set […]
Sandestin resident seeking court judgment on flooding and Walton stormwater retention (FL)
Additionally, Osborne’s request asks for a determination of whether the county has illegally or improperly allowed “substantial deviations” from the planned-unit development (PUD) standards set locally for Sandestin. Read the article………………………….
Property Owners Association board considers septic issues (AR)
A policy that was discussed last month could be used for new construction on the far west side. The owner of two small lots asked permission to traverse common property with a line to reach a septic field on his second lot. The owner had already attempted to purchase a third lot that would accommodate […]
ODNR files civil suit relating to Knox Cattle Company Dam (OH)
The suit names The Landings Property Association Inc., Mullins Bros Ltd., Delano Asset Management LLC, Crown Hill Condominiums at Mount Vernon Unit-Owners Association, the City of Mount Vernon, and 10 homeowners who reside or formerly resided on Mallard Pointe as defendants. Read the article………………………………..
Dana Point landslide drama likely to be replayed elsewhere along the coast (CA)
Some 60 oceanview homes in Dana Point sit precariously on a landslide-prone bluff, but efforts to upgrade the protective boulder wall lining the beach below have been rebuffed — even as the cliff becomes increasingly vulnerable to rising seas and pounding winter waves. Read the article………………………………..
A Dam Shame (MI)
Two large earthen dams breached by heavy rains in mid-May wiped out hundreds of businesses and homes in and near Midland. Damages, estimated at $200 million, have property owners seeking relief through the courts while questioning the role state leaders played in the disaster. Read the article…………………………………
Lake Charlene residents worry over flooding threats (FL)
A FEMA-funded project to reduce the likelihood of flooding in the Lake Charlene area has a second chance at approval if the County Commission and Lake Charlene Homeowners Association can approve a new easement agreement. Read the article……………………………..
Subdivision residents ask Catoosa County officials for storm drain assistance (GA)
During the Dec. 1 Board of Commissioner’s meeting, resident Courtney Bowers of Kailors Cove Circle addressed commissioners during the public appearances portion of the meeting and politely asked if the county would consider adopting the private drains. Bowers represented her Homeowner’s Association (HOA) in Somerset Estates off Baggett Road. Read the article………………………….
Maryland Residents Could Be Forced to Leave at Moment’s Notice as Retaining Wall Fails
Some homeowners in one Maryland neighborhood have been told to prepare to leave their homes as the retaining wall supporting some of their houses has failed, threatening collapse at any moment. The retaining wall built to support houses in the Tantallon community in Fort Washington is shifting every time it rains. Read the article……………………………….
Houston, county consider $14M buyout of unfinished Kingwood subdivision blamed for flooding (TX)
Houston city council on Wednesday will consider paying $4 million to acquire an unfinished housing development in southeast Montgomery County, part of a joint plan with Harris County officials to redevelop the parcel to better protect nearby flood-prone homes. Read the article……………………………………
Fixing Ranchette roads not government job, commissioners say (FL)
Maybe it’s time to get out of Dodge, Charlotte County commissioners suggested at their latest workshop on fixing the roads in the Ranchettes. Public Works staff last week updated the commission on the status of fixing roads and drainage in the 2,226-acre dirt road subdivision just east of the Punta Gorda Airport. The workshop ended […]
Lake Dow homeowners get reimbursement (GA)
The Henry County Board of Commissioners voted to refund $35,000 to the Lake Dow Homeowners Association that was paid in connection with an application for a special service district to cover maintenance and repair on a dam in the community. Read the article…………………………
Lakefront owners group takes failed Midland dams from controversial owner in settlement (MI)
The controversial owner of four dams in Midland and Gladwin counties — including two that failed in May, causing catastrophic flooding — has agreed to give up ownership of the dams to a two-county group of lakefront owners. The Four Lakes Task Force, a property owners’ group established by the Midland and Gladwin county boards […]
Neighbors wait for washed out road to be fixed (VA)
A washed out road in Amherst County is causing stress for neighbors on the other side. Waking up Thursday morning, neighbors say they were shocked to see half their road in the creek. Read the article……………………
Lake Charlene residents flooded by Hurricane Sally seek to revive FEMA mitigation project (FL)
Last year, a tiny sliver of property in the Lake Charlene community became a political and ideological battleground. Last month, more than two dozen homes became casualties of that battle. Hurricane Sally caused severe flood damage to numerous homes in the Lake Charlene subdivision last month despite a fully-funded plan in place to improve flood […]
No plans for eroded section of Bluff Road (MI)
The half-mile section of the Peninsula Township road was closed nearly a year ago when erosion from high water threatened to collapse it. The Monday tour, done during a special meeting hosted at the site, was meant to open a dialogue between the commission and members of the Mission Hills Homeowners Association, who say closing […]
Prior Lake’s private street utility surcharge proposal is postponed until next year (MN)
The proposed $40 surcharge would have been included in residents’ bi-monthly utility bill and used to create a funding source to cover the cost of replacing private streets should the city need to replace the public utilities, such as sewer and water, which lie underneath them. While the city is responsible for the cost of […]