The County of Santa Cruz took significant action Tuesday to reinstate public access at Rio Del Mar Beach in Aptos. County crews tore down a gated fence and a 6-foot wall along Beach Drive despite a lawsuit filed in November by the Rio Del Mar Beach Island Home Owners Association who have houses along Beach […]
‘Alternative Facts’ from LA: City Claims Trailhead Gate to Hollywood Sign It Permanently Closed is Really ‘Open’ (CA)
….Nearby resident associations – Los Feliz Improvement Association, The Oaks Homeowners Association, Beachwood Canyon Neighborhood Association, and Lake Hollywood Homeowners Association – representing thousands of households in adjacent communities — have all expressed their desire for the gate to be re-opened to pedestrian access and their support for the Alternate Access Plan. Read the […]
Cambridge to consider ways to let renters, condo owners run power cords to charge their electric vehicles at the curb (MA)
Cambridge city councilors say renters and condo owners who buy electric cars are increasingly running extension cords out their windows and across sidewalks to power up their vehicles. Read the article………………….
Can you smoke inside your own condo or apartment? (FL)
Do you have the right to smoke in your own condo or apartment? And do you have any rights if your neighbor is a smoker and you can smell the smoke in your home? It’s a question one woman has brought to Help Me Howard with Patrick Fraser. Sharon Karle is a smoker. Sharon Karle, […]
Communities working to gain fire safety designation in Converse (TX)
Converse Fire Department leaders are looking to help nearly 20 communities gain a Firewise designation, in an effort between communities and city and state leaders to promote fire safety in the areas where wild land and urban neighborhoods meet. Read the article………………….
Mueller resident starts petition to lift pit bull breed restriction (TX)
….Gu wanted to adopt a pit bull mix dog. “We found one dog that was very tolerant of our cats,” she said. “And got along really well with my mom and dad.” Gu said she couldn’t adopt the dog even though she explained to the Mueller Property Owners Association that the dog didn’t have behavioral […]
Buckeye HOA won’t allow man to park work truck in housing community (CA)
Timothy Anderson says the Verrado HOA claims his work truck violates the rules and told him he can’t park it anywhere within the Buckeye housing community. Watch the news report……………………..
County takes steps toward managing CSAs (CA)
The San Benito County Board of Supervisors announced Dec. 11 the hiring of a county service area (CSA) coordinator and approved street sweeping contracts in several neighborhoods as the county faces pressure to provide services it has failed to deliver in recent years. Read the article…………………..
Term Limits Continue to Cause Confusion (FL)
Q: The president of our condominium association has been a board member for over 10 years. He just put his name in to run again. Many people are content to let this person run things. I think changes need to be made. Is he allowed to run? Read the Q&A……………..
Marina City condo board tries to rein in colorful balcony lights (IL)
With 16 of them along the circumference of 44 floors of two towers, the balconies of Marina City may arguably be what attracts the most attention to the architectural icon, particularly over the holidays when many of the balconies are decorated with string lights. But less than two weeks before Christmas, the condo board at […]
Some answers to complicated association election questions (FL)
Q: Hi, I’m a property manager of a condominium association. I received a notice of intent to run and biography from one of the owners in our building, and the owner’s biography has lies about some of the current board members that he’s running against. Can I include something in the second notice that we […]
Beyond an HOA: How, and why, some Homeowners Associations became towns (NC)
When homeowners associations can’t do it all, sometimes, homeowners help their developments become actual towns. Homeowners associations can manage most of the same services local governments do. Through fees and fines, they maintain streets, provide amenities, and contract out services outside their purview. But what happens when homeowners associations give rise to actual governments? It’s […]
Crestfield residents meet with P&G officials over floodwater (WV)
Representatives of the Crestfield Homeowners Association met with Procter & Gamble and Berkeley County officials on this week to discuss how floodwater allegedly coming from P&G could be diverted away from the housing development. Crestfield residents in August complained to Berkeley County officials that floodwater from P&G runs into the development during heavy rain storms. […]
Can a director resign for any reason? (FL)
Q: My condominium association has one owner who is a malcontent. He is always objecting to everything the Board tries to do and his constant vocal complaining has caused the Board much stress. Two of the directors resigned as a result of this disgruntled owner. Is this a proper basis for directors to resign? Do […]
HOA Homefront: How do we give our board a (financial) break?
Q: We just received a set of amended bylaws and CC&Rs presented to us for a vote. One section concerns us, saying the board can vote itself a waiver of monthly assessments if the HOA is self-managed. The board states the documents have been approved by an attorney they hired to help them with updating […]
Sun Valley moves to fix Elkhorn Road drainage issues (ID)
After flooding hit portions of the Lane Ranch subdivision last winter, the city of Sun Valley is taking action to deal with a drainage problem along Elkhorn Road. Read the article……………………..
Should an owner who has not paid assessments be elected to the board? (IL)
Q. It’s time for the annual meeting for our condominium association, and a controversy has erupted over one of our rules. The association has a rule that states an owner who is delinquent in the payment of their assessments is not eligible to serve on the board. Is this a valid rule? Read the […]
Sonoma Condo residents happy 5-foot hole finally filled, patched (FL)
People living in a Southside Jacksonville community say a massive five-foot hole has finally been filled in by construction workers after it was left a hazard to residents for months. Greg Price lives in the Sonoma Condo community and said he’s glad it’s been taken care of. “I didn’t know how dangerous it was until […]
Wildfires may soon be uninsurable risks for homeowners
Homeowners in wildfire-prone areas of California and other Western states now have yet another worry: Insurers have issued an ominous warning that they could be facing a “wildfire deductible” in coming years or, even worse, the prospect of having their home insurance canceled altogether. Read the article………………..
Woodlake community wants brakes put on speeding problem (SC)
Following numerous pedestrian accidents here in the Midlands, one neighborhood is saying “no more!” Woodlake residents reached out to WACH FOX about an ongoing speed problem around their community and want the brakes put on it now. Read the article………………..
Harlem Homeowners Face Increasing Repairs As Lawsuit Drags On (NY)
It has been one-and-a-half years since owners of apartments at the PS 90 Condominium in Harlem filed a lawsuit claiming that building developers cut corners — leaving many first-time homeowners on the hook for costly repairs — but residents likely won’t see financial relief any time soon, lawyers said. Read the article………………..
Woman says unsecured umbrella at community pool inflicted head injury (TX)
A Katy woman alleges in a state district lawsuit that an unsecured object struck her at the grand opening for a community pool more than a year ago. Harris County District Court records show that Sandra Carrillo filed the suit against Planned Community Management, Inc. and Cane Island Community Association on Dec. 10. Read […]
StoneWood condo residents missing home for the holidays year after fire (CT)
For tenants of the StoneWood Condominiums in Norwalk, the passage of a year hasn’t brought them back to their homes in time for the holidays. A massive fire broke out inside the condos on Richard’s Avenue on Dec. 11, 2017. More than 50 condos were left vacant for months as the building underwent demolition and […]
Frustration grows along with sinkhole in Denver neighborhood (NC)
The sinkhole on Hickory Creek Dr. in Denver continues to get bigger, and as a result, the county removed a makeshift bridge that was out here before the snowstorm began. According to what the county told FOX 46 on Tuesday, it’s going to be left that way for a while. Read the article…………………
‘I pretty much knew they were killing the ducks.’ (FL)
Neighbors in a Palm Springs development recorded cellphone video of a man carrying what appears to be a long-barreled gun in a residential neighborhood in broad daylight. It’s a scene that would startle anyone. This happened in the Lakewood development. The man with the firearm works for a trapping company that’s been contracted to rid the […]
Amid annexation battle, Fulton County neighborhood split over identity (GA)
Jewel Johnson used to feel close to her south Fulton County neighbors. Over the three decades she’s lived in Loch Lomond Estates, she invited neighbors over for birthday lunches, tried to always say hello on the street and celebrated each year at the subdivision Christmas party. But those strong relationships frayed after she and a […]
More change at Wayne’s Brittany Chase, as three condo board members resign (NJ)
Faced with an ultimatum to resign or be forced from office, three members of the condominium board at Brittany Chase opted for the path of least resistance and stepped aside on Monday. Resignations of Marianne Baker, Max Krasnopolsky and Paul Walmers were demanded by an insurgent group of homeowners, who call themselves “Wake Up, Brittany […]
Does Your HOA Have To Plow Your Snow? (NC)
Some agreements include snow maintenance, road maintenance and landscaping, but the problem is, most HOA agreements aren’t very specific. Read the article………………….
Melbourne Beach condo damages spur lawsuit, code enforcement case since Hurricane Irma (FL)
A $10 million insurance dispute remains unresolved at the Versailles Sur La Mer condominium complex, which has sat vacant since shortly after Hurricane Irma’s rain bands struck in September 2017. Brevard County officials declared the 24-unit complex on State Road A1A unsafe for human habitation, citing “extreme structural support issues” that pose “an imminent danger” […]
Trump Tower is one of the city’s least energy-efficient buildings (NY)
As president, Donald Trump has pulled the U.S. out of an international emissions treaty that would fight global warming, pledged his support for carbon-belching fuel sources such as coal and rejected the scientific consensus that the climate is warming because of man-made causes, with effects that will be catastrophic to society and the environment. As […]
‘Worst living conditions ever’: Local condominiums under investigation for code violations (NV)
Joshua Stark, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Sergeant, says that in October he responded to Desert Garden Condominiums on Bonanza Road twice in a 24-hour period for a shooting and a murder. Stark says that’s when he discovered what he describes as the worst living conditions he’s ever seen. Read the article……………….
Heat, hot water shutting off at Ronkonkoma condo complex (NY)
Residents of the Nob Hill Condominium complex in Ronkonkoma will be going days without heat or hot water. Management says starting Tuesday morning, utilities in building No. 1 will be shut down for five days to replace a broken boiler. “Our boiler needs to be replaced, if we don’t replace it, we will have an […]
Outdoor Christmas decorations banned by North Phoenix HOA (AZ)
It’s not just package thefts that can kill the holiday spirit. Residents of a condo complex in North Phoenix said their HOA has banned outdoor Christmas decorations. The decision was announced in a notice, telling homeowners they are not allowed to put out any decorations on the outside of their homes. Read the article……………..
Eight Naples Homeowners Associations unite to protect city’s small-town feel (FL)
Eight Naples homeowners associations have banded together to preserve the small-town feel of Naples, which they fear is quickly disappearing due to the city’s penchant for granting deviations and variances from its own codes. “Deviations and variances should be the rare exception, not the rule,” the HOA conglomerate wrote in a letter to the city’s […]
Homeowner Association didn’t have quake insurance, residents of condemned Eagle River condos say (AK)
An Eagle River homeowner association was not carrying earthquake insurance when the 7.0 magnitude temblor struck on Nov 30., despite that insurance being a requirement of the homeowners’ agreement, residents say. The damage caused by the earthquake will potentially cost tens of thousands of dollars for each of the 42 condominium owners.River’s Edge Condos sits […]
Head of Delaware’s prison guard union tangled in homeowners association lawsuits
During the day, Geoffrey Klopp is the face of the Correctional Officers Association of Delaware, fighting for better work conditions in light of last year’s fatal uprising at a Delaware prison. But at Klopp’s Lewes-area home, he has waged a different battle with his neighbors. Read the article………………..
Board Can’t Prohibit Hurricane Shutters (FL)
Q: Our condominium did a major renovation project several years ago, included impact glass for all the windows and sliders. Recently, our board received a request from an owner to install hurricane shutters. The board thinks this is unnecessary since we are already protected, and that shutters will detract from the look of our buildings. […]
Some HOAs have broad authority to inspect private homes for violations (FL)
Question: Our HOA governing documents allow for annual inspections of private homes. However, the HOA-designated inspector apparently has an “inspection obsession” resulting in many inspections over a six-month period. The inspector spends more time exploring the exterior of my private property than I, the homeowner, do. Also, there appears to be no respect for privacy, […]
Dealing with disruption (HI)
Life in Leilani Estates may never be the same again after residents fled fissures that erupted underneath their homes and streets starting last May. But with the volcanic vents quiet for more than three months, and a checkpoint that controlled access now removed, what remains of the lower Puna subdivision appears to slowly be getting […]
Snap! The local HOA just captured your license plate number (CA)
They’ve tried building fences. Hiring private security guards. Installing closed-circuit cameras around their homes to spot every passing car or suspicious-looking person. And now, homeowners throughout the Bay Area and in other U.S. cities are turning to license plate readers as a next line of defense against property crime. The trend has helped generate a […]
Can condo owner see ledgers of those delinquent in assessment payments? (FL)
Q: I am an owner in a condominium. I have made a request to see the individual unit owner assessment ledgers for owners who are delinquent in the payment of assessments. The board has denied my request and they claim I am not allowed to see this information. Is this true? Read the Q&A……………….
Some luxury condo developers add landing pads for flying cars (FL)
As the development of personal transportation drones advances, landing pads are emerging as the latest must-have amenity at condominiums for the wealthiest buyers. For example, three luxury condos will feature flying-car landing pads in Miami, where the 1 percent would be able to travel by air while the other 99 percent are stuck in the […]
Should an owner who has not paid assessments be elected to the board? (IL)
Q. It’s time for the annual meeting for our condominium association, and a controversy has erupted over one of our rules. The association has a rule that states an owner who is delinquent in the payment of their assessments is not eligible to serve on the board. Is this a valid rule? Read the Q&A………………..
Election date can be required in bylaws, not statute (FL)
Q: Our condominium election is in December, which makes no sense to me because most of our community goes back north for the holiday season, and the election is scheduled right before Christmas. Is there a law requiring the association to conduct an election when everyone is here? Read the Q&A…………………
Maricopa County orders Phoenix condo complex to clean up sewage (AZ)
Maricopa County is ordering a Phoenix condominium complex to clean up raw sewage after residents complained the waste has been pooling outside their homes for weeks. On Friday an inspector notified management at Autumn Park Condominiums near Bell and Cave Creek roads they had 24 hours to fix the issue, according to Maricopa County Environmental […]
Inexperienced HOA board can cause damage (NV)
Q: We purchased a home in a community roughly seven years ago and were satisfied up until earlier this year. The association attorney is a friend or distant relative of a board member. In a recent decision he advised a few of them that in an emergency situation, a homeowner vote was not needed. Our […]
Double Horn residents vote to incorporate; now the real business begins (TX)
After a 75-65 vote Dec. 6, the Double Horn subdivision near Spicewood will now incorporate as a new Type B city in Burnet County. The votes will be canvassed Dec. 11 during the regular Burnet County Commissioners Court meeting before Double Horn officially becomes a city……….In the meantime, the homeowners association will continue providing for […]
HOA Homefront: Questions on removal of presidents, and the PUD myth (CA)
Q: The president of our HOA was recently removed as president (with no explanation and at an unposted meeting), but she is still on the board, referred to as director at large, with no duties. Someone said she is not eligible to vote in that capacity. Is that true? Read the Q&A…………….