Q: Is there a formula for the reserve funds that are necessary, or at least advisable, for a HOA? Also, can an assessment be collected from each homeowner and put in reserve and then returned to them after a reasonable time if it’s not needed? Read the article………………………..
Sun City Palm Desert raises money to help laid-off staff (CA)
Following the “stay in place” order by Gov. Gavin Newsom in mid-March, Sun City’s Association was forced to terminate approximately 145 employees, which represented 60% of its workforce. Even though said employees’ health benefits were covered through the end of May, many were forced to rely on unemployment benefits and food banks to pay their […]
Faith Over Fear Crosses: A local homeowner’s association is telling residents to take them down, and some are not too happy (GA)
“Faith Over Fear Crosses” are supposed to bring people joy during this pandemic. One Columbia County HOA is making residents take them down. “We don’t feel that anybody has the right, whether its a covenant or anything else to tell us we don’t have constitutional rights to have freedom of religion,” said Ken Johnson. Read […]
Riverchase Country Club sues homeowners association (AL)
Part of the golf cart path on the 13th hole of the Riverchase Country Club golf course has eroded away. Country club officials say the hazard was caused by problems with the stormwater drainage system for the Riverchase community, and the club is suing the Riverchase Residential Association, which the club says is responsible for […]
Heath condo residents seek cause of flooding, solution to future flooding (NJ)
Residents of the recently flooded Glenwood condominiums and apartments in Heath are working to determine the cause of extreme flooding, as well as a solution to prevent future floods in the area. Read the article…………………………
Killen residents want to know who’s responsible for fixing badly damaged road (AL)
Many of you likely use the public boat dock at Lock 6 in Killen. If you’ve driven that stretch lately, you know it’s rutted with pot holes. Homeowners there say they’ve been asking for years to have the stretch of road resurfaced. The problem is they say they can’t find a road department responsible for […]
Round Lake Beach woman says Fairfield Village HOA made her remove signs celebrating son’s graduation (IL)
A woman in Round Lake Beach said she was forced to remove signs from her window and yard celebrating her son’s graduation and her church. Shara Wright said her son Aidan had recently graduated from 8th grade with top honors. “He has accomplished so much this year,” she said. “He was one of the top […]
Use Rights Suspended for Virus Protocol Violations (FL)
Q: My homeowners’ association recently posted new rules concerning the use of our community pool in response to the coronavirus pandemic. The board stated that if the rules are violated, the association has the right to suspend the owner’s right to use the pool. Because the pool is a community pool owned by all the […]
Council votes to accept seven private roads as public ways (MA)
A years-long process to turn seven city streets from private ways to public roads is almost complete after a first reading by the City Council on May 21……Onyski said the Devon Manor Homeowners Association and neighbors on Hillcrest Circle all did a lot of the work. “It was a great team effort,” he added.Read the […]
Firefighters battle Liberty Grove blaze (WI)
Investigators were at the scene of a Liberty Grove condominium Sunday morning after a fire damaged one of the unit’s deck and roof. Crews from several Door County fire departments including Sister Bay-Liberty Grove responded to the Liberty Park Waterfront Condominiums just north of downtown Sister Bay after 9 p.m. Saturday. What was originally a […]
La Cienega fire under investigation (NM)
Armijo said the county fire department contacted the Las Lagunitas homeowners’ association two weeks ago for an assessment of the small bosque, which was found to be crowded with juniper. “They recognized the danger and were in the first steps to prevent fire, and then this happened,” Armijo said. Read the article……………………………
No residents injured in South Nashville condo fire (TN)
Nashville fire crews say no residents were injured when a two-alarm blaze broke out at a South Nashville condo complex. One firefighter had to be taken to an area hospital for evaluation. Read the article…………………………….
Laws prevent owners from viewing correspondence (FL)
Q: Are condo owners entitled to see correspondence between the board president and the association’s attorney? Are the owners the client or is the board the client especially if association monies are used to pay the legal fees? Our board is stalling the annual meeting and election and refuses to hold it via teleconference where […]
Michigan dam disaster an example of what could happen in many other communities
When the dam broke, the geography here was almost instantly redrawn. Houses that once sat lakeside with private docks now stare out over mud flats pocked with pleasure boats heaving awkwardly on their sides. Below, where all the water went, businesses and homes look churned and strafed, the roof of a car dealership has collapsed, […]
HOA Homefront: Why it’s important to wait for the board to act (CA)
In community associations, corporate formalities seem to interfere with efficiency. Some argue that if someone is making good decisions, why wait for board meetings and motions that might delay the action? Although most clients view corporate procedures as a bother to be avoided as much as possible, the process is an important protection for volunteers. […]
Three weeks after breach, preparations underway for Wilkinson County Dam repairs (GA)
After the Wilkinson County Dam breached and was left for three weeks without water, Memorial Day on Lake Tchukolako is going to look different this year. Richard Brantley, President of the Holiday Hills Homeowner’s Association which owns the dam, says they are working as hard as they can to bring the water back up. Read […]
Gulfpoint prepares for rebuild after massive fire (TX)
Gulfpoint Condominiums will rebuild its “B” building after a massive fire engulfed the 27-unit property this past Saturday. The rebuild will take anywhere from 24 to 30 months, according to Carlos Chacon, owner of Chacon Realty, the entity who manages Gulfpoint Condominiums, said. Read the article…………………………….
Club West Conservancy counters HOA board’s suit dismissal request (AZ)
A group of Club West homeowners who want the beleaguered golf course to be restored or turned into a preserve recently fired back at their HOA board’s effort to dismiss their lawsuit over what they call an illegal attempt to control the site’s future. The Club West Conservancy has sued the Foothills Club West Community […]
Mission Viejo Grads Replace Yard Signs, Buoyed By Support (CA)
Patch reached out to the Mirasol Homeowners Association, and to the Total Property Management Company that oversees them. On Thursday, the Executive Director of Total Property Management Company responded to Patch, saying that the yard signs had been returned, or were available to residents who identified and requested them. Read the article…………………………
Feds revoked failed Edenville dam’s license in 2018 over inability to handle big floods (MI)
The Free Press asked EGLE officials whether it’s prudent to raise the lake levels by 3 to 8 feet in early spring, at times of record-high water across Michigan and amid several years in a row of unusually strong spring rains. They hadn’t responded as of Wednesday afternoon. In its statement Wednesday, Boyce said the […]
Hidden Harbor Condo Fire Deemed Suspicious (MI)
A large fire at the Hidden Harbor condominium complex in the City of Brighton is being investigated as suspicious. Upon arrival, crews found two units on the third floor on fire spreading into the attic and were able to safely get four people out of the structure – one via a ladder, two who were carried […]
Gold Star family fighting to honor fallen son this Memorial Day (AZ)
As Memorial Day approaches, one Gilbert family is in a battle with their Home Owner’s Association because of their attempt to honor their fallen son. Craig and Alma Smith lost their son, Donald Smith, in a military exercise in 2006. Donald Smith received full military honors and was laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery. […]
Delivery truck driver involved in tense confrontation returns to neighborhood with police (OK)
More than a week ago, Travis Miller went to a northeast Oklahoma City neighborhood to make a delivery when a man claiming to be with the homeowner’s association blocked him from leaving. Read the article…………………………
Condo column: Executive committees and board meetings; what you need to know (FL)
Q: I am a new director and our association has an executive committee made up of the four officers and the C.O.O. of our club. I personally see this meeting as a way to get around Sunshine Laws and to conduct a board meeting where board discussion takes place. At the regular board meetings, there […]
A group of Ottawa County condos are surrounded by standing water (MI)
A group of condos in Spring Lake sit right next to the Grand River and after recent rainfall they are dealing with more than a foot of standing water overtaking the parking lot and approaching front doors of first level homes. Read the article……………………………..
North Olmsted man chokes HOA president over flooding issue, police say (OH)
When North Olmsted police arrived at the victim’s home at 6357 Stafford Dr., the alleged assailant had already left the scene. Multiple witnesses, and the unnamed victim, reportedly told police that Dean Kohler had come to the victim’s home and began to yell obscenities, saying the victim, who is the housing development’s homeowner’s association president, […]
Association “Sunshine Laws” Explained (FL)
Q: We have a five-member board and the board has said that they are only required to post notice of a meeting when three or more board members are together. However, we have learned that often, two board members will meet and discuss the association or that there will be phone calls between two board […]
Condo Workers Strike at 75 Wall Street (NY)
According to a press release from the Service Employees International Union Local 32BJ, over a dozen residential workers at a luxury condo in Manhattan’s Financial District have gone on strike as of 7a.m. Monday, May 18 to protest what they claim are unfair labor practices at 75 Wall Street. Read the article………………………..
Deathtrap NYC condo killed 28 birds in one day: advocates
Migratory birds are flying thousands of miles to the Big Apple — only to smack into a glassy Upper West Side condo and fall dead, according to bird advocates who tallied 28 fatalities in a single day thanks to the Central Park-adjacent building. Read the article…………………………….
Lawsuit accuses Biscayne Beach developer and construction firms of shoddy work (FL)
Three years after completing the Miami luxury condo tower Biscayne Beach, the developer and firms involved in its construction created a stinky situation for buyers, a recently filed lawsuit alleges. Read the article…………………………….
Ask SAM: How do HOAs enforce covenants? (NC)
Q: I live in a neighborhood that has a homeowners association that is supposed to comply with a declaration of covenants. However, some people in the association believe it is not necessary to comply with the covenants because they believe they are not legally enforceable. An issue that has come up pertains to satellite dishes, […]
Rules on tree trimming by owner (FL)
Q: I am a new owner of a home located within a deed restricted community. Many of the lots, including mine, have large oak trees located between the rear of the residence and the community property line. The oak trees are never trimmed by the association. One oak tree in particular is located on common […]
‘This is absolutely horrific’: Large fire reported on South Padre Island (TX)
Flames are ripping through a condominium complex on South Padre Island Saturday morning. Firefighters are working to contain the fire that broke out at Gulf Point Condominiums, near the Sapphire building, the Brownsville Herald reports. Read the article………………………….
Private sessions of the board allowed in specific instances (IL)
Q: Our board has received conflicting information about what matters it can discuss in private in an “executive session.” Can you explain what matters can be addressed in an “executive session?” Read the Q&A……………………
HOA Homefront: 9 tips to reduce HOA conflict (CA)
Handling conflict is a regular part of governing, managing, or advising HOAs, which are corporations but also neighborhoods. Unlike clubs or churches, when things get unpleasant, a member cannot simply resign, because it is one’s home. Read the article……………………………
Huge utility poles installed in Estates; residents furious (NY)
Village of Garden City residents in the Estates Property Owners’ Association section are outraged at the series of massive utility poles installed for PSEG Long Island power transmission along the LIRR Third Track project, which they believe has forever altered their neighborhood and potentially their property values. Read the article……………………………
Access spat divides South Jackson (WY)
Across from the gate is the under-development Pine Glades neighborhood, a mix of upscale and affordable townhomes. The no-trespassing signs, marking that the road is private, have fed malcontent from neighbors who’d grown accustomed to a cohesive neighborhood and being able to pass through the property on walkabouts to access Snow King and its trail […]
Video shows tense confrontation when local man blocked truck driver trying to make delivery (OK)
Many people have shared a video on social media showing a local delivery truck driver blocked during a tense confrontation for nearly 30 minutes in the Oklahoma City metro. Travis Miller told KOCO 5 that he and a co-worker recently were making a delivery to a home in a neighborhood near Northeast 131st Street and […]
Goats escape, take over California neighborhood (CA)
For a few minutes today, it looked like goats were invading one northern California neighborhood. A local homeowners association in San Jose brings in goats now and then to eat dead grass on the hillside, but today the goats managed to knock over an electric fence and take a leisurely stroll through the streets. Read […]
HOA Homefront: Can the pandemic push up my monthly dues 10%? (CA)
Q: I received a letter from my HOA notifying me of a large (more than 10%) increase in my monthly dues. This is an outrage to subject people to this type of nonsense during the health and financial crisis in the world. I was unable to find anything in current legislation covering HOA payment increases […]
HOA Homefront – Board contacts, discussions and elections (CA)
Q: Is the HOA required to supply the state a current list of the board members? Is the list available for public view? I am not a member of the HOA. Read the Q&A………………………………
Parkland’s Pine Tree Estates Sues the City Over Ownership, Maintenance of Streets (FL)
A legal battle is brewing among residents of Pine Tree Estates against the City of Parkland, and it’s not getting resolved for a while. Hundreds of homeowners have put together a grassroots campaign to fight the city’s efforts to take part of their land as well as the allure of their Parkland community. Read the […]
Are condo owners entitled to see correspondence between the board president and the association’s attorney? (FL)
Q: Are condo owners entitled to see correspondence between the board president and the association’s attorney? Are owners the client or is the board the client especially if association monies are used to pay the legal fees? Our board is stalling the annual meeting and election and refuses to hold either via teleconference where owners […]
Escambia County to review how it became responsible for Innerarity Island’s sewer system (FL)
Escambia County will be re-examining how it became responsible for building a new sewer system on Innerarity Island, after a revelation from the county attorney that the county did not have to take over the project. The Escambia County Commission discussed the project Thursday after the Innerarity Island homeowner association board of directors passed a […]
Car crashes into San Jose condominium complex, setting it on fire (CA)
A car crashed into a condominium complex Friday night in San Jose, hitting a gas main and setting the entire building on fire, according to a San Jose Police Department official. Read the article………………………….
REAL ESTATE MATTERS: Interpretation of condo board rule goes up in smoke
Q: I live in a condo with four smokers living below me. They continually blow smoke out the windows and it rises and enters my unit. Our revised rules and regulations state that no smoke is allowed to migrate to another unit. What can I do when the president of the board advises me that […]
Venice homeowners association fines resident $2,500 over legally-protected clothesline (FL)
The location of the clothesline — the perfect, sunny spot in Wuetcher’s backyard — is visible from the road, which the HOA does not like. “In February of 2019, I got a violation letter saying, ‘You didn’t do what you were supposed to do. We can see it from the street. You have to move […]
Woman killed by alligator in SC was doing homeowner’s nails
The woman attacked and killed by an alligator in a gated community along the South Carolina coast was visiting the homeowner to do her nails and was trying to touch the animal when it grabbed her, authorities said. Read the article………………………………..