Owners of the Rowes Wharf complex, an iconic part of Boston’s waterfront, have voted to oust former board president Jim Shane from its Board of Trustees. The vote came following a months-long battle over a proposed million-dollar Club Room project created by Shane, who asked residents to vote for the plan and promised to pay […]
Invasion Of Privacy? Police Catching More Criminals With Community License Plate Reader Cameras (CA)
Vacaville Police tracked down yet another stolen vehicle out of Stockton and made another arrest with the help of community cameras equipped with License Plate Recognition or LPR cameras. Read the article…………………………………
Columbia couple indicted on charges of stealing $100K from local HOA (TN)
Two Columbia residents have been indicted by a Maury County grand jury for stealing from their homeowners association while holding the two top positions in the group. Brenda Gracin, 64, and Mario Gracin, 66, have been indicted on charges of theft for allegedly stealing more than $100,000 from the Benton Town Hall Homeowners Association. Read […]
Proxy voting in HOA elections often neither secret nor private (FL)
Can you advise me on what a legal voting proxy should have on it when voting for new members of the board? Are we supposed to sign the proxies so that, when we look back on the vote, we know who voted for whom? Read the Q&A………………………………
Neighbors select new name for Denver’s Stapleton neighborhood (CO)
The votes are in, and the new name for Denver’s Stapleton neighborhood was revealed Saturday. Stapleton United Neighbors announced that Central Park was chosen as the neighborhood’s new name. The name garnered 63% of the final vote. Read the article…………………………….
Turmoil at The Villages as 4 HOA directors apparently rescind resignations (AZ)
The dissension is mounting in The Villages at Rancho El Dorado. “It’s getting really ugly right now,” a resident said this week. As of Friday, the community will be without an onsite management company after Associated Asset Management of Tempe turns out the lights at the clubhouse office. Read the article………………………………
They May Be Coming After Your Emotional Support Animal (FL)
On June 24, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed Senate Bill 1084 into law, prohibiting housing discrimination for people with a disability-related need for an emotional support animal (ESA). In the ongoing battle between CONDO Associations /HOAs and residents with emotional support animals(ESAs) and service animals, this new law should crank up a number of disputes and […]
REAL ESTATE MATTERS: Board member seeks approval for change in documentation
Q: I am on the board of a condo association and it was brought to our attention by a past owner who was selling his unit that a potential buyer noticed that the par value noted in the governing documents of our association did not match that in the multiple listing services in our local […]
HVAC units catch fire on top of condo building in Norfolk
Firefighters have put out a fire that broke out on the roof of a Norfolk condominium building on Thursday. Read the article……………………………
Club West course owners raise sale possibility (AZ)
The ongoing struggle over the future of Club West’s dead golf course took some surprise turns last week when the somewhat antagonistic parties began talking and the new owners indicated they’d listen to a solid plan for buying it from them and restore it to a sustainable championship playing field without houses. Read the article………………………………..
Marco Island condos fined $4K for sea turtle lighting code violations (FL)
Marco Island code enforcement magistrate Myrnabelle Roche issued $4,000 in fines Tuesday against several condos for violating lighting restrictions during sea turtle season. In general terms, buildings located on the beach must either turn off exterior lights visible from the beach after 9 p.m. from May 1 to Oct. 31 or replace them with low […]
LCSO investigating KKK letters left in Gateway community mailboxes (FL)
People in one Gateway neighborhood found letters from the KKK in their mailboxes, prompting the Lee County Sheriff’s Office to open an investigation. The letters are allegedly from the “Cypress Cay” branch of the KKK and are filled with racial slurs about members of the Cypress Cay community. Read the article…………………………….
Bay Area couple battling HOA over BLM, anti-Trump signs (CA)
Amid a community of townhouses in Danville, a yellow hummer sits prominently in the driveway of one of the homes with two signs on the windshield. One message supports the Black Lives Matter movement. The other says, “Trump Is A Donkeys Rear End.” But the residents recently received an email from their homeowners’ association, the […]
Seven Bridges Delray: Federal Lawsuit Seeks $7M, Alleges Harassment, Discrimination (FL)
A Federal lawsuit is seeking $7M from the Seven Bridges Homeowners Association — as well as a homeowner — as a family claims it was harassed, discriminated against, and told to move to a “Ku Klux Klan” community. Read the article……………………………
Homestead homeowners association sues Lennar, alleges shoddy construction (FL)
The homeowners association at a Lennar community in Homestead is suing the homebuilding giant, alleging shoddy construction work. The suit, filed two weeks ago in Miami-Dade Circuit Court, against Lennar Homes, further alleges that the company has ignored requests to fix the defects. Read the article…………………………….
Lynn Haven neighborhood works to resolve flooding issues (FL)
In one Lynn Haven neighborhood, the recent heavy rain is taking its toll; residents said it causes significant flooding every time there is a strong downpour, blocking access to parts of the neighborhood. Read the article…………………………………
HOA’s: Some advice after 12 years at the helm (NC)
When my wife Gloria and I moved from Long Island to the Townhomes at Harborside in 2004, two unanticipated things happened rather quickly: First, we made great friends. Whether they hailed from the Carolinas or other states, it’s been a blessing. Before you know it I became president of our homeowners association. I retired in […]
Residents say Heather Gardens $1 million pandemic PPP loan was inappropriate (CO)
Some Heather Gardens residents and a city lawmaker are criticizing their homeowner’s association after its board of directors received more than $1 million in pandemic crisis government loans intended for small businesses. Read the article………………………………
Association may enforce traffic laws on private streets and impose fines (IL)
Q: The streets in our detached single family home common interest community association are private. Some of the younger drivers, and even some older ones, drive at speeds that rival the interstate, despite the posted speed limit of 10 mph. Can the association issue speeding tickets to these offenders? Read the Q&A………………………….
Citizens Insurance reverses decision to drop past-due policies on Aug. 15 (FL)
Citizens Property Insurance Corp. has reversed its decision to resume canceling homeowner insurance policies of customers who haven’t been able to pay their bills because of COVID-19-related hardships. The company recently announced in a letter to agents and customers that it would resume canceling and nonrenewing policies with past-due accounts on Aug. 15. Read […]
Fire causes heavy damage, displaces dozens at Ridge View II Condominiums Sunday morning (MD)
Firefighters arrived to find heavy fire in the third floor and roof area of a three-story condominium building at 2507 Shelley Circle in Ridge View II Condominiums off Rocky Springs Road shortly before 5:00 a.m. Sunday morning. Arriving firefighters quickly called for a second alarm to battle the heavy fire. As many as 50 occupants […]
Palmetto Hall to keep “plantation” in name after vote (GA)
Palmetto Hall Plantation on Hilton Head Island will keep its name, after the idea of dropping “plantation” from its name did not receive enough support. After an online petition asking that the word “plantation” be dropped from the names of all housing developments received more than 5,000 signatures, Palmetto Hall sent a letter to its […]
Facilitating electronic voting (FL)
Q: Our community has an important vote coming up and we want to facilitate electronic voting so that owners do not need to attend a physical meeting due to the virus concerns. How do we accomplish this? Read the article…………………………………..
Condo living etiquette: Be a good neighbor (VA)
As a condo board member and a member of the Community Associations Institute, I follow an online forum of condo board members and managers around the country. There’s a topic that seems to come up quite often in communities of all types, and that is dealing with nuisance neighbors. Read the article……………………..
HOA Homefront: Can tenants speak at meetings? (CA)
Q: Our HOA board has consistently said they are having meetings to do emergency actions. I know that they talk on the telephone, decide what to say and never send out meeting minutes. They have decided to keep our gym closed. Can they close an amenity and keep it closed long past state and local […]
Fix for Settling Millennium Tower May Start This Fall (CA)
With the lengthy and complex permitting and approval process complete and almost all the other details worked out, construction could begin in mid-November on the estimated $100-million shoring fix for the 645-ft-tall Millennium Tower in San Francisco. The perimeter pile upgrade for the 58-story residential condominium building, which has settled more than 17 in. toward […]
Power outage leads to surprise discovery for Eastham neighborhood (MA)
The residents of Thoreau Drive found out the hard way that Eversource is not responsible for maintaining power lines on the private road. Power went out on the street early Wednesday. Twenty homes on the U-shaped road off Brackett Road lost electricity that powered their wells, refrigerators and air conditioners. Read the article………………………….
Lake Athens property owners present concerns (TX)
Representatives of the Lake Athens Property Owners Association brought information to the Athens Municipal Water Authority Board Friday concerning visiting fishing tournaments on the lake. Todd Garrett said the competitions have created some problems on the small 1,799 acre body of water. Read the article………………………….
Tips on how to exit your timeshare — without turning to a company out to scam
An Orlando resort that an elderly couple once loved was no longer practical for them. They wanted to stop using it, but were stuck in a timeshare contract with no exit clause. It’s a common problem, but experts say don’t give up hope. There are ways (besides death) to get rid of a timeshare. Read […]
Flames damage 6 condos at Oceanside complex; fire crews save cat (CA)
A battalion chief said the fire at Vista Way Village was initially thought to be under control within about 30 minutes, but hot spots flared up for the next few hours Read the article……………………………
Lawsuit: Rafaello Hotel owners breached duty to condo association members in ‘self-serving’ condo bulk sale deal (IL)
A group of owners within the Rafaello, Chicago’s only so-called “condo hotel,” have sued members of their condo association’s board, asserting they violated their duty to the association and enriched themselves by pushing through a “self-dealing sale” of the Rafaello for millions of dollars less than a competing offer. Read the article…………………………..
Oakmont golf club jilted a second time by same management company (CA)
Larry Galloway didn’t even yell “Fore!” Galloway is founder of Advance Golf Partners, the Florida-based management company that signed a 20-year lease in February to operate — and turn around — the money-losing golf club owned by Oakmont Village Association. That property includes a pair of restaurants, and the two 18-hole courses which wend their […]
Citizens Insurance will start dropping past-due policies on Aug. 15 (FL)
Florida’s state-run insurer of last resort says it’s time to pay up. Citizens Property Insurance Corp. customers who have been unable to make their homeowner insurance payments because of a COVID-19-related hardship will have to come up with a way to fulfill their obligations or face cancellation after Aug. 15, the company said in letters […]
Condo living: What can we do about noisy neighbors upstairs? (FL)
Q: We are having a very difficult problem with noise created by the condo unit located directly above us. We have proof that the above unit has not been outfitted with a sound-barrier layer beneath the tiled floor. This situation has already caused us two years of awful stress. The occupant is unfriendly and the […]
Large tree crashes through roof of Denver condo complex; residents say they had complained to HOA (CO)
A large tree crashed into a condo complex in Denver Tuesday afternoon and witnesses say it had nothing to do with the weather…..“This is something that I’ve been concerned about for many years because it’s been at a 45-degree angle and it was just a matter of time,” neighbor Augustus Johnston told FOX31 and Channel […]
Amick Acres flood diversion project nears completion (NE)
From devastating floods to months of recovery, residents in Amick Acres are excitedly waiting for a much needed flood diversion project to wrap up. The $240,000 project is a joint effort between Hall County, the NRD and Amick Acres Homeowners Associations. Read the article……………………………..
Osceola County commissioner accused of impersonating deputy at HOA meeting (FL)
An Osceola County commissioner is accused of impersonating as a law enforcement officer at a Homeowner’s Association meeting, according to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. Read the article……………………………..
West Houston condo owners sue their HOA claiming it won’t turn over insurance money for Harvey damage (TX)
“It hurts after this long to not be able to go home,” said condo owner Norman Hord. ” We just want to go home.” Hurricane Harvey wreaked havoc on Houston in August of 2017. “It’s now January 2020 and I still do not have a completed home in spite of having flood insurance,” Hord said. […]
Cape Cod sign disputes raise allegations of bias (MA)
Two disputes between local homeowners associations and residents ordered to take down Black Lives Matter signs have drawn different responses, but both have led to allegations of bias. Read the article…………………….
Layton HOA Mix-Up Leaves Homeowners With The Bill (UT)
Dozens of Layton homeowners are being welcomed into an HOA that they never agreed to join, and for some, it’s happening several years after they moved in. It appears to be a big mistake on the part of the developer and the homeowners will have to pay for maintenance that was never disclosed to them […]
Arapahoe County HOA puts tow notices on cars with expired plates during pandemic (CO)
At Windsong Condominiums in unincorporated Arapahoe County, Mike Meaux says he thought his homeowner association couldn’t get much worse. “They claimed the rocking chairs on my porch were ‘clearly indoor style’ and told me to remove them immediately,” he remembers. “I sent them the link to the Home Depot that showed they were outdoor patio […]
Some Residents Want ‘Plantation’ Removed From Charlotte’s Neighborhoods (NC)
Neighborhoods and other developments with the word “plantation” in their names are drawing enhanced scrutiny as the country reckons with racial injustice. A debate is brewing around one development in south Charlotte that includes a sprawling neighborhood and an adjacent strip mall. Read the article……………………………….
Resolving a condo dispute about percentage of ownership — and property taxes
Q: I am on the board of a condo association, and it was brought to our attention by a past owner who was selling his unit that a potential buyer noticed the par value noted in the governing documents of our association did not match that in the multiple listing services in our local tax […]
Lexington Farms residents upset with HOA’s vote to exterminate geese in neighborhood (IN)
Some Carmel residents in Lexington Farms are upset with a plan to exterminate geese in the neighborhood. Danyel Boersma, who lived in the neighborhood for 15 years and returns frequently to pet sit for some of the residents, said the homeowner’s association board voted 3-2 to exterminate the Canadian geese. She said a survey sent […]
‘Palm Beach Ken’ Calls Cops On Black Woman For For Riding Bike In Gated Community (FL)
A Ken from Palm Beach reportedly called the cops on a Haitian woman for riding her bike on a bike path in a gated community. According to video uploaded on Facebook by Roz Joseph, she was told by the white man, “This is the f***ing United States of America,” as he demanded to know why […]
Residents’ generator may disturb neighbors (IL)
Q: A resident in our detached single-family home homeowners’ association submitted a request to install a natural gas-powered generator on his lot. It would supply power to his home in the event of a power failure. The board is concerned about the loud noise it would generate during weekly, 10-minute or so automatic testing of […]
HOA needs help dealing with problem tenant (BC)
Q: Since our last correspondence, I have been elected to the board; fired our old management company; converted all the backyards to desert landscaping; and received rebates from the Las Vegas Water District, which exceeded the cost of the project! Everyone’s happy. Now I have a new question. Read the Q&A………………………………
Denver developer sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for condo arson (CO)
A Denver developer was sentenced Thursday to 10 years in federal prison for arson, torching condominiums on Grove Street. Michael Marte, 55 also was ordered to pay about $2.9 million restitution to the arson victims, according to a news release from the U.S. attorney’s office in Colorado. Marte also will serve three years of supervised […]
Homeowners in New Albany neighborhood asked by HOA to remove Black Lives Matter signs (OH)
Homeowners in a New Albany neighborhood are taking to social media after their homeowners’ association asked them to remove signs from their yards. On Wednesday, the Hampsted Village HOA posted to Facebook asking residents to remove their Black Lives Matter signs by July 26 at 9 p.m. citing sign policy. Read the article……………………………..
Road maintenance woes: Chesapeake Ranch Estates man talks of lingering issue (MD)
Lack of maintenance at a subdivision that was developed in southern Calvert County in the late 1980s and early 1990s has at least one resident upset. Dennis Burger said he purchased a house on Crazy Horse Trail in 2009 and although the Chesapeake Ranch Estates homeowners association was responsive initially, since 2017 it hasn’t been, […]