Residents in a new condominium tower at Ward Village in Kakaako have sued the project’s developer over alleged maintenance expense low-balling, building code violations and construction defects. Read the article………………………
Are St. Pete’s permitting policies causing a spate of defective condos? (FL)
With another 40-something unit condo on the way in downtown St. Petersburg, there are storm clouds gathering for the industry in St Petersburg. According to informed sources, it was the cloud of an oncoming potential hurricane last summer that first tipped off the potential impact of the city’s system of permitting and inspecting these ever […]
Lakeland family being sued to force them to repaint trim on their house (TN)
Imagine being sued over the color of the trim on tour house. That is what one Lakeland family says is happening to them but they believe it may also be because of their race. They live in the Cool Springs subdivision, and this dispute has ended up in court. The neighborhood association is suing them […]
HOA Can’t Prohibit Water-Efficiency Measures (CA)
In California, a Homeowner Association (HOA) cannot prohibit individual owners from replacing their existing landscaping with low-water-using plants. That limitation on an association’s rules or actions is a result of legislation (AB 2104, Gonzalez) passed last year and that was initiated in response to the state of (drought) emergency declared by Governor Brown. Read the […]
‘Trump 2020’ sign staying up despite order to take it down, says Dublin woman (OH)
After receiving repeated directions to remove a “TRUMP 2020” sign from her yard, Ingrid Grass says the sign is staying right where it is, no matter the consequence. Last week, the homeowner’s association in Dublin’s Park Place neighborhood sent Grass a letter informing her that a yard sign was in violation of the HOA bylaws […]
Three-Alarm Condo Fire Breaks Out, Closing Several Roads In Stamford (CT)
Several area roadways are closed as firefighters are on the scene of a three-alarm fire at a large condominium complex. Read the article……………………….
Kingwood residents take lobbying for flood mitigation into their own hands (TX)
Three flooding events in three years — Hurricane Harvey, the May floods and Tropical Storm Imelda — have some Lake Houston area residents feeling like flooding is all but inevitable. But Harvey wasn’t the first time the Lake Houston area was threatened and it likely won’t be the last. Several residents have sprang into action […]
Palos Verdes Homes Association squabbles over elections once again (CA)
The Palos Verdes Homes Association is once again fighting over election results to fill its board of directors, two years after a Superior Court Judge ordered it to tally ballots even though the group considered the election invalid. At issue is the inability of the association — which represents Palos Verdes Estates homeowners — to […]
Sea Gate cop pulls gun on NYPD officer more than a mile from the seaside community: suit (NY)
A gung-ho private cop for a gated Brooklyn neighborhood was way out of line when he pulled a gun on an off-duty, veteran NYPD officer in a gas station mini-mart more than a mile outside the seaside development, a lawsuit claims. Read the article……………………………
Two-alarm fire forces temporary evacuation of Claymont condo complex (DE)
Most residents of the Towers of Valley Run condos in Claymont are back in their units now after a two-alarm fire Sunday morning. Claymont firefighters were dispatched to the 27 thousand block of Valley Run Drive around 12:30 a.m. on March 1, 2020, and found fire and smoke coming from the third floor of a […]
Housing for older persons may allow residents below age 55 (FL)
Q: I live in a 55 and over community. I am told by the board president that people under 55 can be in residence because they inherited the condo. Is that true? I am concerned that, before long, our 55 and over community will no longer be 55 and over. Read the Q&A…………………………….
Windermere subdivision using goats to destroy invasive plants (FL)
People who live in a Windermere subdivision said invasive plants is destroying the neighborhood’s beautiful landscape, but they’ve got an interesting way of dealing with it. Channel 9?s Q McCray found out the problem is so bad, the neighborhood decided a run-of-the-mill landscaper wouldn’t do, so it hired goats to do the job instead. Read […]
Request for dog run is not binding (IL)
Q: The board of our association was presented a petition signed by a majority of the owners that requests the board to install a dog run on the property. Is the board required to act on this request of the owners? Read the Q&A…………………………..
How can we remove condo board of directors? (MI)
Q: We are trying to remove the present board of directors, but the board members have refused to give us any recognition. They come up with excuses as to why they don’t have to call a special meeting. What do we do? Read the Q&A……………………………..
Neighbors battling over who should pay $20,000 to fix private road (ME)
A road to a housing development in Woolwich that residents said was never built properly has sparked a feud among neighbors. The argument centers on who is responsible for paying $20,000 to fix Norway Drive. Read the article…………………………..
HOAs struggle with making parking regulations fair (NV)
Q: I am a board member of a 124-condo complex in Las Vegas. We have carports, of which each condo gets one assigned space to park. We have many guest parking spaces. Over time, some residents have as many as three to four cars, meaning these are parked in guest parking. We have no storage […]
Most associations should have 5 directors (FL)
We see a few Condominium or Homeowners’ Associations with only three directors serving a one year term and some larger Associations with seven or nine directors. There is a benefit to larger Master Homeowners’ Associations, with many neighborhoods and condominiums, to have many directors so that each of the various sub-communities have a representative on […]
Starwood, homeowner settle differences out of court (CO)
A court fight over fines associated with a 12-year home-building project in the exclusive Starwood neighborhood outside of Aspen won’t be headed to trial. Parties have reached a confidential settlement, according to a case file in Pitkin County District Court, where the owner of the home in question and the Starwood Homeowners Association had been […]
Suit settled, buildings fixed, Tagalong is ‘ better than ever’ (WI)
All the many years I was working too many hours as a newspaper editor in the Twin Cities, I dreamed of a lake home when retirement came. So when the days of no more 10-hour days drew close, Ann and I began to look for a place on water. Quite by accident, while driving around […]
Homeowners may have to fork over $800K for new dam (GA)
A big dam is becoming a big headache for some homeowners in Fayette County. Mandates and zoning changes are forcing residents of a community lake to possibly fork over hundreds of thousands of dollars. The reason is the Georgia Safe Dams Program which, according to its website develops and maintains “inventory of dams, classifying dams, […]
Firefighters Battle Wind, Flames as Blaze Guts Jersey Shore Condos
Flames whipped by strong winds tore through a Jersey Shore condominium Thursday morning forcing firefighters to call on reinforcements to keep the blaze from spreading to neighboring homes. The fire began just before 5 a.m. at the complex on 12th Street at the bay in Brigantine, Atlantic County. Fire Department Chief Tiger Platt explained what […]
Conserve water. Remove useless grass in the community (NV)
Local neighborhoods and homeowners associations have hundreds of acres of unused grass that are ideal to convert to drip-irrigated plants and shrubs. This is grass that homeowners do not use, as it is found in small patches along the roadways, between sidewalks and curbs, or in medians, roundabouts and other locations where it never gets […]
Neighborhoods installing license plate reader cameras (NC)
More and more neighborhoods in and around Charlotte are now using the same kind of high-tech cameras police rely on to track down criminals. Flock Safety said more than a dozen neighborhoods, over half of them outside the Charlotte city limits, are investing in license plate reader cameras. Read the article………………………
Lake dam could fail; up to 20 homes in Bartholomew County threatened (IN)
Almost two dozen homes are under a flash flood watch through Saturday. A dam about 15 minutes from Columbus is at risk of failing. The homeowners association is taking action and pumping water to take some stress off the dam. The lake association at Lamberson/Staller Lake refused to talk to News 8. In fact, when […]
State agency rules against LI couple who let son play outside (NY)
The state Division of Human Rights has ruled against a Long Island family who said they were singled out and threatened by their condo association for letting their 4-year-old son play outside. State Human Rights Director William LaMot determined that South Shore Villas in West Babylon did not discriminate against Robert and Angelica Parker last […]
Baca Grande POA recognized (CO)
The Baca Grande Property Owners Association has received an official designation as a Firewise USA® site after completing the criteria required by the national Firewise USA® Recognition Program. The Baca Grande community initially was a pilot Firewise USA® site in 2002. It gained recognition on Jan. 30 under the leadership of the newly formed Baca […]
Silver Woods HOA turns to goatscaping (FL)
The south entrance to the Silver Woods community was looking unkempt, with about eight different invasive species threatening to take over the area’s ground cover and the trees. The neighborhood is located west of Apopka-Vineland Road and near the chain of lakes, so the homeowners’ association was against spraying chemicals to kill the weeds. Bringing […]
Ask the attorney: Are proxy votes limited to only certain things? (FL)
Q: I live in a condominium building and our board of directors tells us that proxies can only be used to vote on certain things but they won’t tell me what those things are. Can you please educate me? Read the Q&A………………………….
One dead after fire at Gulfport condominium (MS)
One person has died after being pulled from a burning condo Wednesday morning in Gulfport, said Fire Chief Mike Beyerstedt. The fire happened around 6 a.m. at the Racquet Club Condominiums on Courthouse Road Read the article……………………….
Club West group challenges HOA board (AZ)
The failed attempt by four investors to begin an approval process for 162 houses on the Club West Golf Course has given birth of a nonprofit group of homeowners that is challenging the HOA board’s handling of the beleaguered site. Read the article…………………………..
Powhatan Couple says homeowners association changed rules on solar panels after request (VA)
A Powhatan County couple is hoping that a new law might help them be able to install solar panels on their home after push back from their housing association Read the article………………………
How to handle hoarders in a condo or homeowners association
We live in a society where erratic, awful behavior can be purposefully glamorized, particularly through reality TV. Consider the homeowner who throws nothing away, lives in filth and squalor and ends up the star of a TV show about clutter. Welcome to the horror of the hoarder. Read the article……………………………..
Fort Myers man found guilty of felony grand theft; stole funds from homeowners group (FL)
A Fort Myers man has been found guilty of stealing money from a homeowners association. Jonathan Mariotti, 42, was found guilty of first degree felony grand theft, following a trial in Lee County. Evidence showed the defendant stole more than $185,000 while he was the treasurer of a homeowners association. The jury deliberated for less […]
Reston Association Letters Threatening Legal Action Rile Boat Owners (VA)
Local boat owners are protesting Reston Association’s enforcement of boat-related rules after the homeowner’s association sent out a batch of letters threatening legal action earlier this month. While the letters are intended to enforce RA’s boat rules regarding sizes, some boat owners say they’re being unjustly threatened to comply with rules that RA has not […]
Fox Chase neighbors tackle apartment unit expansions, zoning issues (NJ)
First, Homeowners Association president George Bezanis read a proposal for a new bylaw for the association: The association will oppose any expansion or reconfiguration of existing multi-family and mixed-use properties that would allow for additional units. The proposal was in response to multiple apartment units trying to expand in the area in recent years. Neighbors […]
Vestavia Lake residents want city to help clean up lake (AL)
People who live around Vestavia Lake want the city of Vestavia Hills to clean up some of the silt and debris that’s built up in the lake. However, city officials argue that it’s not the city’s responsibility because it’s a private lake. Watch the news report…………………………
Faulty ceiling light likely caused fire at Madison condo complex, firefighters say (WI)
The Madison Fire Department believes a faulty ceiling light likely caused a fire inside a condo building. When firefighters arrived, they had trouble find where the smoke was coming from, the release said. The crew eventually found a small fire in a hallway leading to multiple garages. Read the article……………………….
Homeowners’ association voices concerns to Upper Saucon supervisors (PA)
The full complement of officers from the Traditions of America (TOA) at Saucon Valley Homeowners’ Association voiced their concerns to the Upper Saucon Board of Supervisors on Monday night. They asked the board not to approve the release of a portion of the developer’s security deposit held by the township until all conditions, details, and […]
Legal bulletin informs neighborhood residents of their rights after HOA tries to trespass homeowners from facilities (FL)
The Osceola County Sheriff’s Office has now issued a legal bulletin to inform their deputies and people living in the Turnberry Reserve community in Kissimmee about their rights to access HOA common areas. It comes after HOA property management staff were caught on camera twice asking law enforcement to kick some residents out of the […]
Tenants Can Claim Support Animal Rights (FL)
Q: Our condominium documents do not permit renters to have pets. A new short-term renter in my building has a dog. When I asked the management company, I was shown a certificate for an “emotional support animal” that can be purchased online. It is my understanding that “emotional support animals” can only break a “no […]
Woman finds herself in parking loophole after buying condo near DU (CO)
A woman says she is frustrated with the parking situation in the University of Denver area where she recently purchased a condominium. Carrie Daniels bought a unit at the Observatory Flats off South University Boulevard, knowing it didn’t come with an assigned spot. But after a back-and-forth exchange with the city, thinking she could get […]
Worker dies after fall from Destin condo (FL)
A man working on the roof of a sixteen story condominium in Destin died after falling off the top of the structure Saturday afternoon. The 38-year old victim was part of a roofing crew working on top of Silver Shells Condominiums at 15300 Emerald Coast Parkway. Read the article………………………
Sewer Line Deal Reached With Property Owners (MO)
The Meadowlake Farm subdivision could soon join the city limits of Washington. The subdivision, located off Pottery Road, is just outside the boundaries of the city. In years past, the city has expressed interest about in annexing the property. Read the article………………………
Landscaping purchase may be exempt from bidding (FL)
Q: Our board is purchasing landscaping materials each month and we feel the board could be getting a better deal elsewhere. When we ask for the bids, they ignore our question. Are they required to bid this and get the best deal? Read the Q&A……………………………
Condo or HOA board should approve settlement of lawsuit at open meeting (FL)
I am an LCAM (licensed community association manager), and one of my associations has a legal action that is coming to a conclusion. At last night’s regular meeting, the board indicated that, by the regular February board meeting, they would announce that this action has been settled amicably. Four of five board members and the […]
Board has a right to restrict marijuana odors (IL)
Q: Our condominium association is already dealing with issues and complaints associated with the smoking of lawful recreational marijuana in units. Due to a lot of apathy, the board isn’t confident it can muster the required owner support to amend the declaration to prohibit smoking of marijuana in units. Is there another approach the board […]
HOA says trash cans have to be out of sight (NV)
Q: I am currently a resident in a gated community and have a question regarding refuse container storage. I understand the law that outlines my right to store my refuse container outside of my house; however, what if I do not have any side yard access to store behind a wall or cannot build one […]
Sea wall collapses near Hallandale Beach condominium (FL)
A sea wall collapsed Thursday in Hallandale Beach and some vehicles were parked dangerously close to the edge. David Weeks told Local 10 News he was woken up after 11 p.m. Thursday and was told that his car was hanging over the edge of his condo’s sea wall that was washing away. Read the article………………………….
HOA Homefront: When the HOA is not handling common areas (CA)
Q: Our deck, which is the HOA’s responsibility, has been rotted and deemed dangerous to walk on for over two years. The association claims they are fixing the decks one by one as they get the money. We are finding it hard to rent the unit because of the unavailability of the deck. Does the […]
Home Heartbreak: Widow faces financial, emotional stress after fire at Sunny Isles Beach condo (FL)
An 89-year-old South Florida man says he is now facing extreme financial and emotional stress and blames it all on his condo association. For more than two years, he hasn’t lived in his condo and is losing hope he’ll ever move back. 7’s Kevin Ozebek has our special report: Home Heartbreak. Read the article……………………………