Goodbye turf grass: HOA embraces native plants for their gnarly roots

When James McKee became president of his community’s homeowners association three years ago, he did it for the stormwater ponds.  The 13 ponds in Seaside Farms provide protection against flooding by storing excess stormwater, but McKee was surprised to learn that their main function is to clean the water.     Read the article…………………………….

Oakland HOAs are quietly installing surveillance cameras to watch public roads (CA)

Last October, the city of Oakland announced it would soon be installing 300 automated license plate readers—cameras that monitor public streets and instantly scan vehicle license plates, running them against “hot lists” for stolen cars or vehicles associated with crimes.  But the rollout of Oakland’s big new vehicle surveillance system has gotten bogged down as […]

Somers community says HOA refuses to fix massive sinkhole (NY)

A community in Somers says their homeowner’s association won’t fix a massive sinkhole, despite many calls about it.  “Ten years ago, we saw a sinkhole was developing so we notified the homeowners association. They told me there’s no imminent danger here, and I said ‘Well, let your grandchildren come play back here,”‘ he says.    […]

FIU interdisciplinary team supporting federal investigation into 2021 Surfside condo collapse

A team led by the federal government continues to investigate the 2021 partial collapse of Champlain Towers South, the 12-story beachfront condominium in Surfside, Florida, that resulted in 98 deaths and multiple injuries.  Now an interdisciplinary FIU team will contribute to the search for answers into what caused the disaster, its ramifications and precautions that […]

No threat to resident safety at Elkhorn Springs condos, new report says (ID)

Structural rot discovered last year in parts of the Elkhorn Springs condominiums in Sun Valley has not compromised residents’ safety, according to the latest investigation of the buildings.  The investigation, conducted by Seattle structural engineering firm AJP Engineering, is the latest in a series of reports on the buildings sparked by the late-2023 discovery of […]

Miami Beach looks to hire a condo ombudsman (FL)

A call to find city funds to hire a condominium ombudsperson has been referred to Miami Beach’s Finance and Economic Resiliency Committee.  “In order to properly implement the Condominium Assistance Charter Amendment,” the resolution that city commissioners referred says, “the city should create a position for a professional with relevant experience assisting condominium and/or co-op […]

What drove Jewfish Key residents to petition for de-annexation? (FL)

Off the coast of Longboat Key’s north end, Jewfish Key is home to about 38 acres and eight properties. The property owners question whether it makes sense to be a part of Longboat Key.  On Jan. 16, the Jewfish Key Preservation Association, Inc. submitted a petition for de-annexation, or contraction, to the town of Longboat […]

6 Gant condominiums uninhabitable after Tuesday morning fire (CO)

Six condominiums sustained damage and are currently uninhabitable after a structure fire early Tuesday morning, according to an Aspen Fire Protection District (AFPD) news release. No injuries were reported.  According to the release, AFPD was dispatched to a reported structure fire at 610 S West End Street in Aspen at The Gant at 5:14 a.m. […]

Urgent fix needed for South Florida condo owners as climate threatens structures

Florida condominium owners are getting buffeted from every direction and it’s starting to hurt. Flooding, hurricanes, soaring insurance premiums, and now a new state law designed to protect residents physically but which could kill them financially, are intensifying into a powerful storm of consequences of past inaction.   Read the article…………………………….

Employee accused of stealing over $200,000 from HOA in Anderson Co. (SC)

An employee is accused of stealing over $200,000 from a homeowners association in Anderson County.  According to the Anderson County Sheriff’s Office, detectives met with the Overlook Homeowners Association President after he noticed a large amount of money was missing from the association’s account.   Read the article…………………………….

Condo owner fears ‘best efforts’ language in law allows HOAs to scrimp on insurance protection (FL)

Question: I am troubled by your recent advice concerning condominium association insurance requirements. Your response stated that “the Condominium Act, at Section 718.111(11), provides that the association must secure ‘adequate’ property insurance, which insurance must be based on the replacement cost of the property …”    Read the Q&A………………………………..

EV charging in FL condos – can an Association prohibit owners from installing EV charging outlets in their assigned parking spaces?

EV charging in Florida condo buildings and communities is much more involved than having a charging outlet installed in the garage of your Single-Family Home.  Today we are doing an overview of Florida Condominium Owners Associations (COAs) allowing unit owners to install a dedicated charging outlet at their individual parking spaces, and/or the Association installing […]

Former Seminole County HOA manager accused of stealing $437K from HOA

Tammi Morrison, a former President of the Ashford Park Homeowners Association, was arrested by the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office after investigators say she stole $437,000 from the community association when her business managed the neighborhood.  Read the article…………………………….

Condo building burns up in fire in Bowie (MD)

Fire crews in Prince George’s County are working to put out a fire that burned through a condo building on Monday.  The fire department responded just after 1 p.m. to the multi-family dwelling which is a condo building. Flames were showing through the roof, and the fire has caused significant damage.    Read the article…………………………….

Town of Paradise Valley meets with HOAs Wednesday (AZ)

The Town of Paradise Valley is hosting a forum for local Home Owner Associations 3:30–5 p.m. Wednesday, March 27 at Town Hall, 6401 E. Lincoln Drive.  This will be an informal meeting and will include introductions to the town’s HOAs, as well as remarks from Town Manager Andrew Ching, Police Chief Freeman Carney and Beth […]

Crews respond to fire at Palm Harbor condo complex (FL)

Multiple units responded to a fire in the Cobbs Landing neighborhood of Palm Harbor Saturday afternoon.  A three-story condo complex, located at 3311 Haviland Court, sustained heavy damage, according to Palm Harbor Fire Rescue (PHFR).    Read the article…………………………….

Pickleball causes racket at Cape Shores (DE)

One of Lewes’ core values is busy days and quiet nights. But, it is noise happening during the day that has led to a lawsuit against the Cape Shores community.  Dr. Michael Katz and his wife Patricia are suing their homeowner’s association and President Janice Erich claiming the racket generated from pickleball on their neighborhood […]

California’s New Plans to Solve Home Insurance Crisis

California residents have seen several insurers end homeowner insurance policies as the state grapples with wildfires and natural disasters, but a new proposal seeks to solve the insurance crisis once and for all.  In March, Ricardo Lara, California’s insurance commissioner, unveiled his new plan to let insurance companies use specific models around future catastrophes to […]

Miami’s Villaggio Condo Residents Demand Tighter Security After Bold Daylight Mail Theft (FL)

Thieves have once again targeted the Villaggio in the Grove condominiums, striking in broad daylight and pillaging residents’ mail, according to surveillance footage from the Miami neighborhood. As 7News reports, on Wednesday, a masked man bypassed a supposedly secure call system entrance and proceeded to pry open multiple mailboxes before absconding with a bounty of […]

Sugarmill Woods man takes on the HOA machine

Disputes between residents and their homeowners associations (HOA) are commonplace and some can get downright nasty.  But the HOA that Jerry Carr belonged to – the Sugarmill Woods’ Cypress Village Property Owners Association – raised nastiness to another level entirely and led to a precedent-setting state intervention.  In fact, a state agency threw out the […]

Coconut Creek Leaders Consider Changes to Reduce Financial Strains on Homeowners Associations Due to Tree Rules (FL)

Coconut Creek homeowners association leaders recently came to the city asking for help.  Tree replacement in Coco Lakes is estimated to cost $200,000.   And there were more.  They were looking for assistance to replace dying trees and resolve other tree issues in their communities.  Those costs have fallen on homeowners through HOA assessments because of […]

Florida HOA Fees Jumping Higher In 2024

On top of the high cost of property insurance, condo and homeowners are complaining about their local HOA fees increasing by hundreds of dollars each year, if not monthly.  “It’s no longer the big metro areas in the state seeing higher homeowner fees, it’s also hitting the smaller rural counties as well,”    Read the article…………………………….

State Farm to pull out of 72,000 California insurance policies

State Farm General Insurance Company has announced that it will non-renew approximately 30,000 California homeowners, rental dwelling, and other property insurance policies.  If you recall, last May, the insurer halted new homeowners policies being issued in the state, citing exposure related issues and a challenging reinsurance market environment.   Read the article…………………………….  

Chandler’s spring HOA Academy returns in April (AZ)

If you live in a Chandler homeowners’ association community and want to learn more about how an HOA operates, next month is your chance, according to a news release.  The City of Chandler’s HOA Academy is back for a three-session spring series in April. The academy classes are taught by people from Mulcahy Law Firm, […]

‘It’s become us versus them’: Beaverton families face thousands in fines from HOA board, little recourse (OR)

A group of Beaverton homeowners, facing thousands of dollars in fines from their neighborhood’s HOA board, tried to remove their board president from his position — only for the board to change the neighborhood’s bylaws the very next day, making it ‘essentially impossible’ to be removed from power.     Read the article…………………………….

Oro Valley tests no streetlights along Rancho Vistoso Boulevard (AZ)

Monday, March 18, might live in lore as the night the lights went out along two sections of Rancho Vistoso Boulevard in Oro Valley.  The Vistoso Community Association turned off the 226 streetlights it owns and operates along the major roadway. It wants residents to express whether they’re fine with being in the dark, or […]

Video captures crook breaking into mailboxes inside Coconut Grove condo (FL)

Police are searching for two crooks who broke into community mailboxes in Miami’s Coconut Grove neighborhood; surveillance video captured the criminals in action.  It happened around noon on Wednesday at the Villagio in the Grove condominium building, at 2740 SW 28th Terrace.     Read the article…………………………….

House Speaker Saiki warns looming condo insurance crisis could snowball (HI)

Condo owners are facing soaring insurance premiums as companies across the country cancel coverage due to growing risks from climate change. That was the topic of a recent town hall meeting on O?ahu hosted by state lawmakers whose districts largely comprise condo dwellers.   Read the article…………………………….

Fire tears through roof of condo building in Beacon; no injuries reported (NY)

A fire ravaged through a condo building in Dutchess County Tuesday leaving several families without a home.  Several neighboring fire departments responded to the blaze, including from the City of Newburgh across the Hudson River. It took them more than an hour to put the fire out.     Read the article…………………………….

HOA asks city to take over street maintenance (MO)

Leaders of a Washington homeowners association called on the city to take over maintenance of private streets in their neighborhood and raised questions about how the current arrangement, under which the HOA is responsible for maintenance, came to be in the first place.   Read the article…………………………….

NE Miami-Dade condo community deemed unsafe after failing 50-year recertification (FL)

Residents at a northeast Miami-Dade condo community are concerned after the county’s Unsafe Structures Unit declared the buildings “unsafe” for failing its 50-year recertification.  Vanessa Ortiz, a single mother of two, says she is moving out of the Jade Winds community because the conditions are too much for her to handle.    Read the article…………………………….

Metairie Towers one step closer to being sold (LA)

A real estate investor is one step closer to purchasing Metairie Towers.  Darren Aschaffenburg confirmed to WDSU that an owner-seller vote is underway, and he will need two-thirds of a vote to ratify his bid.    Read the article…………………………….

New Kent board fails to guarantee funding for dam repairs in neighborhood (VA)

A Quinton community’s appeal for funding to repair an aging and at-risk dam that contains Kent Lake has failed to move New Kent County’s Board of Supervisors.  Woodhaven Shores residents packed the March 11 Board of Supervisors meeting to appeal for financial help to bolster a bid for grant funding. The community fronts onto Kent […]

Downtown Denver condo residents say bicycle lane poses safety concerns (CO)

Residents in a downtown Denver condominium say the installation of a bicycle lane is causing safety issues for the people living there.  This past August, the city installed a bicycle lane outside of Windsor Condominiums along Larimer Street.  But residents call it a hazard every time they step out their front doorstep.   Read the article…………………………….

Post-tension cable snaps at Emerald Bay – Village says no safety concern (FL)

Village officials said Friday night they are monitoring a failure of at least one post-tension cable that snapped at the Emerald Bay condominium Friday that sent chunks of concrete flying in the luxury condominium’s garage. More than a dozen parking spaces were closed off with yellow caution tape and holes could be seen in the […]

Scottsdale HOA says manager stole $1.6M (AZ)

Scottsdale House board members wish they had been more attentive a few years ago.  After failing to do a background check on a twice-sued manager who ran the HOA for years, the board started discovering money was disappearing from funds targeted for repairs and upgrades.  The deeper into the books they dug, board members found […]