City Approves Deals With Meadowlake – If Annexation Moves Forward (MO)

The city of Washington approved three pre-annexation agreements to prepare for the Meadowlake Farm subdivision to join the city.   The subdivision, located off Pottery Road and south of Highway 100, is just outside the city limits. All 61 lots have applied for voluntary annexation after years of discussion with the city.   Read the article…………………………….

Home Owners Encourage Healthy Purple Martin Colony (VA)

Billy Stone served as the HOA’s first president and was apparently a great avian enthusiast. During his tenure on the HOA Board, Billy solicited a group of other homeowners to help set-up bird houses for a colony of Purple Martins. The volunteers would periodically check them for competitor nests in spring and then in the […]

One person injured in early-morning condo fire in Burnsville (MN)

One person was seriously hurt in an early-morning condominium fire Saturday in Burnsville.  According to the Burnsville Fire Department, firefighters responded to Ridgeview Condominums in the 2900 block of Nicollet Avenue South shortly after midnight on the report of a smoke alarm sounding in the building.  Read the article……………………….

HOA board sued over Club West course (AZ)

A newly formed nonprofit filed suit Monday against the Club West Community Association board, asking Superior Court to nullify its revision of land-use regulations governing the golf course.  The dramatic legal move by the Club West Conservancy – made up of several dozen Club West homeowners – came as four investors prepared to unveil a […]

Coronavirus impacts HOAs and condominium boards (FL)

Q: Our residents are very concerned about the coronavirus. Some owners want the gym open and others are insisting that the board close the gym. Some owners want the association to deny entry to anyone with a fever. We also have our annual meeting next week and want to avoid hundreds of people but also […]

Answers to Frequently Asked Questions on Coronavirus (NY)

The coronavirus pandemic is forcing co-op and condo boards to navigate uncharted waters. No one has dealt with this kind of challenge before. In an effort to cut through the conflicting information that seems to multiply daily, we’ve put together a list of Frequently Asked Questions and posed them to players in the co-op and […]

Crews battling fire at Brown Suburban Condominiums on Bardstown Road (KY)

Fire crews are on scene of the Brown Suburban Condominiums on Bardstown Road Sunday afternoon after reports of a structure fire.  According to Metrosafe, calls came in around 12:38 p.m. to a structure fire on the 3300 block of Bardstown Road.  Extra fire crews were requested on scene to help extinguish the fire.    Read the […]

Plan to convert Sharpstown association to HOA ‘causing a lot of division’ (TX)

Brenda Harris couldn’t believe her eyes.  She had heard that the civic association in Sharpstown, the west Houston neighborhood where she had grown up and now owns home, was thinking of updating its subdivision rules, but she hadn’t given the matter much thought. Then a neighbor began posting the proposed updates, paragraph by paragraph, on […]

Forcing removal of security light comes down to waiver and selective enforcement

I had a security spotlight installed 20 years ago on my garage to light my driveway. It was installed for safety reasons. There is nothing in our documents disallowing it and several other homeowners have spotlights also.  Can I now be forced to remove it after passing inspections for 20 years?    Read the Q&A……………………………..

Who pays for damage done to your condo? (WI)

One of the most common complaints that we get from condo owners is that damage took place at their unit, and now they are on the hook for repairs.  For many, this does not seem fair. Many are especially upset if the damage was by something within the building or from another unit.    Read the […]

When are closed board meetings allowed? (FL)

Q: As president of my condominium association, I believe it is time to fire our in-house manager and hire a new one. I obviously need the approval of the board to fire the manager. At the upcoming board meeting can the board go into “executive session” to authorize firing the manager?   Read the Q&A………………………………….

Scottsdale HOA bans short-term rentals (AZ)

While Arizona legislators debate whether or not to hand regulatory powers back to cities to rein in short-term rentals, some Scottsdale home owners associations are taking matters into their own hands.  Read the article…………………………….

HOA boards need good social media policies (NV)

If you have not had the opportunity of taking a class concerning social media, I would highly recommend that you take the next one that is offered. I personally do not recommend my association managers or boards of directors to partake in the various social media sites, be it as a formal board member or […]

HOAs Slow to Accept Native Plant Landscaping (TX)

San Antonio Water System (SAWS) has long offered incentives to homeowners to replace non-native grass lawns with drought-resistant native plants. But the city’s many homeowner associations (HOAs) continue to favor water-thirsty, non-native turf grasses and resist residents who want native plant landscaping.   Read the article………………………

No More Black Garbage Bags in Front of Co-ops and Condos? (NY)

Those ubiquitous and picturesque mountains of black garbage bags may soon vanish from the sidewalks in front of the city’s larger co-ops and condominiums. The Department of Sanitation (DOS) has announced two major initiatives to get filthy bags of seeping garbage out of the way of pedestrians and into on-street containers — the result of […]

Office at 55 and over community in Pinellas Park ‘exposed’ to coronavirus (FL)

When the sign saying “Office exposed to coronavirus, enter at your own risk,” showed up on the Mainlands homeowners association office, some residents were scratching their heads.  Maggie Herring was one of them. She believes residents should have been notified.  “I don’t fault them for it. But that would cover them, you know and that […]

Does HOA board have to provide detailed financial records at monthly meeting? (FL)

Q: The board of directors in my homeowners association meets every month and provides a cursory financial report with little detail. We have requested the treasurer and board provide more information but the board responds that we can get the detail at the property management office. Does Florida law provide any redress?     Read the […]

Sun City relaxes solar panel regulations (GA)

The Sun City board of directors recently announced a change to the Community Association’s governing policies that will introduce relaxed regulations for the placement of solar panels on homes inside the community.   Read the article………………………..

Sheriff’s office, Surfside HOA negotiate for deputy (WA)

The Pacific County Sheriff’s Office and the Surfside Homeowners Association are negotiating details to allow the sheriff’s office to hire an additional officer to patrol the Surfside area.  The negotiations come after reserve Deputy Travis Ostgaard — who had been patrolling Surfside — was hired for a non-law enforcement position with the county, and Sheriff […]

HOA Can Penalize Speeding (FL)

Q: Can a homeowners’ association set speed limits that are below county limits? If so, how can they enforce these regulations? Read the Q&A……………………………

A Novel Way to Prepare Buildings for Coronavirus (NY)

As cases of novel coronavirus continue to spread in the New York metropolitan area, co-op and condo boards are struggling to take smart steps to protect their residents without sowing panic. Here’s one piece of level-headed advice: prepare for coronavirus the same way you prepare for a doormen’s strike.    Read the article…………………………..

Police find 5 pipe bombs in DeKalb condo community; suspect in custody (GA)

Investigators made the discovery in a home at the Clairmont Terrace community on Northeast Expressway, police spokeswoman Michaela Vincent said. Officers told Channel 2 Action News at the scene that one of the devices was found near the complex’s courtyard, prompting the search. Read the article…………………………..

Is that Alligator an Emotional Support Animal? (FL)

Well, the reason why we asked you here today is because recently, HUD came out with some new guidelines for emotional support animals and service animals. And that is a very hot topic in not only condominium in HOAs, but also in multifamily and residential properties with landlords.  And, it’s been, kind of like the […]

Summit County identifies condo in Keystone where coronavirus patient stayed (CO)

Summit County Public Health Officials announced Friday morning that the Slopeside Condominiums complex is where Colorado’s first confirmed coronavirus patient stayed.  According to a release from Summit County officials, the unit has not been occupied by any guests since the infected person’s departure.   Read the article………………………

Condo board can restrict drones on property (IL)

Q: Drones seem to be everywhere these days. However, our association has only recently had to deal with a resident who flies one at the association, often close to people and units. This has resulted in numerous complaints from other residents. Can the board restrict these drones on our property?   Read the Q&A………………………….

Legality of 50/50 raffles (FL)

Q: Our association frequently holds social events where there is a 50/50 raffle. The winner gets 50 percent of the money collected and the social committee retains the rest. Is this legal?   Read the Q&A…………………………

Law says HOA must keep 10 years of records (NV)

Q: How long does a homeowners association have to keep old records and files? We have files going all the way back to 2005. I was told by one of our HOA management staff that we should keep at least 10 years of records and files. So, if we want to get rid of older […]

Keystone condo complex where coronavirus patient stayed has been identified (CO)

The Summit County visitor who tested positive for the new coronavirus stayed at the Slopeside Condominiums complex in Keystone during his recent trip, Summit County public health officials announced Friday morning.  The unit has not been occupied since the man, his fiancee and his two friends left Summit County earlier this week, according to a […]

Fire damages condo complex for second time this year (GA)

Firefighters spent several hours battling a fire at the Camelot Condominium complex on Old National Highway in the City of South Fulton Thursday night……This is the same complex where a large fire displaced dozens of residents in late January      Read the article…………………………

Bulkhead, framing may be replaced on exterior of Pipes Cove condominium (NY)

The Pipes Cove condominium boat basin at the end of Sixth Street may see changes in coming months.  Greenport Village trustees approved a conditional wetlands permit application last Thursday that was submitted by Robert Hermann of En-Consultants on behalf of the property’s Pipes Cove Management Association. The application calls for replacement of bulkhead and framing […]

Accusations Fly Between Rocky Point Neighborhood, Local Government (AZ)

The Las Conchas community in Rocky Point counts many affluent Arizonans among its roughly 2,000 residents. Tensions between the neighborhood and city government over development plans and other issues had been simmering for some time.  Then last May, the local government tore down the Las Conchas guard house. The HOA saw that as an act […]

Laws differ under homeowners association and condominium statutes (FL)

Q: Our condominium recently painted our buildings and the cost was much more than the board anticipated. The owners voted to allow the board to use other reserves to fund the shortfall but the board is not adjusting the budget to catch these depleted reserve accounts up. Can the board underfund the reserves now indefinitely?  […]

Alleged Clearwood Embezzler Arrested on Theft Charges (WA)

Dolanna K. Burnett, the former Clearwood Community Association bookkeeper who allegedly embezzled as much as $400,000 over four years starting in 2014, was booked into Thurston County jail on Monday, March 2, on a felony theft charge.   Read the article…………………………