Tis the season for holiday lights and decorations. Right after Thanksgiving, the huge blow-up Santas and snowmen start showing up in yards and twinkly lights begin adorning homes. But many metro Phoenix homeowners live in homeowners associations, with rules for just how festive they can make their home exteriors and yards. Homeowners who don’t follow […]
Proposed budgets must be submitted in advance (IL)
Q. I thought the proposed budget had to be mailed to the owners 25 days prior to the board’s adoption of the budget, for all types of owners’ associations in Illinois. Is that correct? Read the Q&A……………………
A radon headache in Venice (FL)
Tony and Judy Turlenko were mortified when their condo tenant showed them that a radon test of the unit was positive. Radon is naturally occurring gas that can cause cancer. The Turlenkos were a bit perplexed their renters had taken it upon themselves to order the test, but they didn’t hesitate to put them up […]
With HOA costs surpassing their mortgage payments, owners of affordable housing appeal to City of Boulder (CO)
When Adam Perry got home one afternoon in August, he had a notice on the door from his homeowners’ association (HOA) announcing the roofs around the Iris Hollow condominium complex were in dire need of repair. The notice said, “there’s a special assessment coming and it’s going to substantially increase your dues,” Perry recalls. “I […]
Peter Hunt, Amherst condo company pay $104,000 over leaky pipes (NY)
Hunt Real Estate Corp. CEO Peter F. Hunt and an Amherst condominium development he sponsored have agreed to pay $104,300 to the development’s condo association for failing to disclose pipe leaks and corrosion to homebuyers. Read the article…………………..
“People are pissed”: Residents of Aurora’s Heather Gardens demand answers after deadly gas explosion (CO)
Angry residents overflowed the Heather Gardens clubhouse in Aurora Tuesday to demand answers about a gas-leak explosion Friday night that killed an 82-year-old resident and leveled multiple homes. They left even angrier after receiving precious little information from Aurora Fire Rescue and their own community leaders. Read the article………………….
Mayor Caldwell vetoes bill giving condo owners more time to comply with fire safety law (HI)
Mayor Kirk Caldwell today vetoed a bill that would have given condo owners an extra two years to comply with requirements of a fire-safety law enacted in the wake of the fatal Marco Polo fire in 2017. The City Council last week by an 8-0 vote passed Bill 72, which gave condo owners an extra […]
Regalia’s condo association alleges flawed design, building code violations: lawsuit (FL)
Regalia’s condo association is suing the developer, contractor, architect and a laundry list of subcontractors for alleged design and construction defects and damage to the 47-story luxury condo tower in Sunny Isles Beach. Read the article………………
Western Wyandotte County neighborhood hopes crosswalk forces drivers off gas (KS)
A neighborhood in Kansas City, Kansas is working to get drivers to slow down in a new way. At first glance, drivers coming up on a crosswalk in western Wyandotte County might think there’s something in the road and slow down. And that’s the point. Read the article……………
Homeowners’ Issues Can and Frequently Influence How Boards Work
Homeowners’ Q&A: I own a small condominium in a mid-sized building in Chicago. I pay around $500 per month in assessments, and the building has more than $600,000 in reserves. The association hired a consultant to deliver a reserve study to the board, but it has not been posted to the condo building website. Read the […]
Suit Claims Massive Mismanagement at Acropolis Gardens (NY)
Here are a few of the fruits of mismanagement. Leaky ceilings. No hot water. Asbestos exposure. Ballooning debt. Rising monthly maintenance. Misappropriated funds. And the maraschino on the sundae: foreclosure. These problems have led Michael Leifer, a shareholder at 618-unit Acropolis Gardens in Astoria, Queens, to bring a derivative shareholder suit against the co-op board […]
Neighborhood uses high tech to fight back against crime (TN)
Every car from its color to its tag gets photographed, saved, and sent to a database that Ron Carlson and other homeowners in the Stockett Creek community can look up if there’s ever a crime. “If there was an incident, we can open it up for a homeowner,” said Ron Carlson, a volunteer with the […]
Demver neighbors frustrated by massive sinkhole, lack of options (NC)
Flyers will be posted in a Denver neighborhood on Tuesday asking neighbors to park their cars on the opposite side of their street because of a massive sinkhole. Emergency crews say they aren’t sure if the emergency bridge and what’s underneath can withstand coming rain. Read the article……………….
Stafford leaders tighten rules on septic fields (VA)
Stafford County residents have experienced problems when using community septic systems which are located in common open space such as a neighborhood. They are usually maintained by a homeowners association. Many of these failed systems were developed decades ago. Read the article……………..
Neighbors claim cars being towed from driveways in Greenacres (FL)
Neighbors in one Greenacres neighborhood claim they are having a very hard time to simply park their car around their own homes. They say the problem lies with HOA parking rules that they believe are just too strict. Now, those neighbors have had enough. Over the weekend, a petition was started at Joggers Run Townhomes […]
The Latest Trends in Home Security (NYT)
New technology lets you use your cellphone to buzz people into your building or turn off the stove. You can even get a robot to patrol your apartment complex. Read the article…………………
Board election dividing Wayne condo (NJ)
Unit owners at Brittany Chase have launched a mutiny to unseat two of their neighbors from the condo association’s board of trustees, which they say is to blame for the community’s financial woes. The 395-unit complex of condominiums and town houses has endured months of turmoil, breeding suspicions among a dissident group of owners that […]
There’s a new plan to stop Millennium Tower sinking — and settle lawsuits (CA)
All sides in the Millennium Tower debacle appear to be nearing an agreement on a $100 million-plus fix to stop the 58-story high-rise from sinking further — but at least part of the building’s tilt will probably remain. “We’re very encouraged by the recent progress that has been made,” said P.J. Johnston, spokesman for Millennium […]
Directors Usually Permitted To Hold More Than One Office (FL)
Q: Can the president of a condominium association also serve as the treasurer? None of the other board members would accept the treasurer’s position, and our president now has a dual role. Read the Q&A……………….
Can a board member be removed for breaching fiduciary duties? (FL)
Q: Is a board member who fails to obey the terms of certain provisions of the statute breaching his fiduciary duties and will he automatically be removed from the board if he is? Read the Q&A…………………
Procedure to convert to pooled reserves (FL)
Q: Can a condominium association board vote to convert from straight-line reserves to pooled reserves without a membership vote? Read the Q&A……………
Owner changes mind about who will vote
Q. I gave my proxy to another owner to vote on my behalf in the upcoming election at our association. It now appears that I will be able to attend the annual meeting in person. If I attend the annual meeting, can I vote or do I have to permit the person to whom I […]
Bayou Pointe Condo Owners Claim Crews Gutted and Removed Property without Permission (FL)
You’ve no doubt heard a few horror stories about people, forced to leave their homes due to damage from Hurricane Michael. Now there’s one that has also turned into a mystery. Residents at Bayou Pointe Villas in Millville, claim a restoration company has taken their property without their permission. Read the article………………..
Sheriff: Deputizing Lakes of Four Seasons security too much of a liability pending state police probe (IN)
Lake County Sheriff Oscar Martinez said it would be too much of a liability to expand Lakes of the Four Seasons security’s police powers at this time and will instead wait for state police to conclude their probe of possible misuse of authority. Martinez said deputizing members of the private security team — which would […]
Local man says Heritage condominium problems pile up every time it pours (VA)
When it rains it pours. One local man, Mike Johnson, said the problems in his home pour down every time it rains. He said it’s a blame game over who should be fixing it. Johnson has spent thousands of dollars of his own money trying to fix the leak. He is trying to install new […]
Trying Again (Community Improvement Districts) (MS)
N’siders want ability to pay for neighborhood improvements Northsiders are again asking the state for the ability to tax themselves to improve the quality of life in their neighborhoods. And again, they’re gearing up for a battle with the lieutenant governor, who for years has refused to let them do it. Read the article……………..
Homeowner reports rat infestation in her west Las Vegas home (NV)
A valley woman is dealing with a giant rat problem and she claims her emails to First Service Residential (HOA) have gone unanswered for too long. Creepy crawlers have been playing house in Anna De Chirico’s home for at least six months. Read the article……………….
Rotting From Within: How water intrusion in new homes turns American dreams to rot (PA)
…The Goldsteins are among hundreds of families in Southeastern Pennsylvania who bought new homes since the start of the 2000s housing boom, only to learn, years later, that shoddy construction overseen by at least 27 different builders has turned their asset — for nearly all, the most valuable they have — into a liability, an […]
Twin Lakes to fix failed dam (VA)
It’s been almost six years since the dam on Twin Lakes’ Lake Shenandoah failed and the water had to be drained for the safety of the neighborhood. It may have been a long, and sometimes difficult to navigate, road but construction to repair the neighborhood’s third lake is about to get under way. Read the […]
Appraiser admits role in condo-flipping scheme after six years in Ireland fighting extradition (MA)
Patrick Lee, 45, admitted in federal court on Wednesday that he and relatives defrauded lenders of $1.5 million in a mortgage-fraude scheme in 2005 and 2006, involving properties in Dorchester, South Boston and Randolph. The US Attorney’s office in Boston reports that Lee faces up to 30 years in prison at his Feb. 28 sentencing […]
Residents living at own risk after inspection finds corrosion at condo complex (FL)
People living at a condo complex in Celebration remain at their own risk after an inspection found severe corrosion there, officials said. County officials said an inspector has concluded the balconies are unsafe and could possibly collapse. Read the article………………..
Police upping patrols to curb chronic speeding in Fishers neighborhood (IN)
Neighbors in one Fishers subdivision are blowing the whistle on reckless drivers speeding through their neighborhood and ignoring school bus stop signs, and police are stepping up to help. “The city is taking it very seriously,” said Nick Metheny. “We know there’s a concern.” Read the article……………..
Town sues Carolina Shores POA for liens on lots (NC)
The town of Carolina Shores has filed a lawsuit against the Carolina Shores Property Owners Association claiming the POA illegally placed liens on two town-owned lots. The action filed Oct. 16 in Brunswick County Superior Court states a lien in the amount of $395 plus costs was placed July 5 for an unpaid 2018 assessment […]
Widow at odds with Katy neighborhood HOA over bright blue door (TX)
Recently, Janice decided to make a change to the home that had so many memories. “I don’t like walking into a recessed entry that’s dark. I painted the front of the door blue. It’s light and bright and airy and happy,” said Lawson. The colorful door makes Lawson smile, but at first, the door was […]
Mold mess: Woman missing part of brain asks for compassion from condo association (FL)
A 72-year-old Orlando woman is begging for compassion from her condominium association and code enforcement after a leak from the unit above hers made her home unlivable. That leak knocked out power to half her unit and created a dangerous mold problem. Investigative Reporter Karla Ray saw the problems firsthand and found out the woman […]
Allen Residents Served ‘No Parking’ Signs for Thanksgiving (TX)
Imagine hosting Thanksgiving at your house, but suddenly your guests have nowhere to park. It’s a reality for some people in an Allen neighborhood who say they’re being punished because of Black Friday shoppers. The holiday mall madness has been maddening to StarCreek residents over the years. “People were just parking all up and down […]
LOFS security let alleged drunken driver go 9 years ago; 2 years later, suspect killed a jailer (IN)
The Indiana State Police raid on Lakes of the Four Seasons security last week isn’t the first time the gated community’s handling of drunken driving cases has come into question. The Lake County Sheriff’s Office expressed frustration with Four Seasons security after failing to report a 2010 apparent drunken driving case involving a resident who […]
City officials conduct one of the largest Airbnb raids at Far West Side condo building (NY)
The city’s Airbnb enforcement officials raided the Far West Side Atelier condominium last month, handing out nearly two dozen violations to owners who allegedly rented out apartments on the home-sharing site. And the crackdown — one of the largest yet on short-term rentals — could be a sign of what’s to come as the city […]
Homeowner’s pro-Trump sign causes stir in Plantation (FL)
A Plantation homeowners association cut down two palm trees to remove a provocative pro-Donald Trump campaign sign Monday morning after a homeowner refused to take it down. After the sign was removed and the trees were cut down, Karl Payne, who lives in the 800 block of Northwest 10th Court, responded by hanging additional signs […]
North Tahoe homeowners nationally recognized for fire safety (NV)
Carnelian Woods Townhouse Association on Lake Tahoe’s north shore as been nationally recognized for its efforts to reduce the vulnerability of its homes and landscapes to wildfires; with the Firewise USA designation. It’s now the first Firewise USA designation community in the Lake Tahoe Basin. Read the article……………….
Unanimous Approval Likely Not Required For Amendments (FL)
Q: My association levied a special assessment to fund a repair project to our clubhouse. The project is now complete and there is money left over from the special assessment. The board has been discussing what it should do with this money and has not yet come to an agreement. Isn’t the association obligated to […]
Can a condominium association set up a reserve fund to handle disasters? (FL)
Q: How can a condominium association set up a fund to handle hurricanes or floods etc.? Currently according to our lawyer, we as an association, cannot set up a reserve fund for such an item. Read the Q&A……………………
Hell’s Kitchen condo residents are rebelling against its ‘creepy’ boss (NY)
Enraged residents of a Hell’s Kitchen condo are rebelling against the flashy building boss who they claim has turned the luxe tower into an illegal, short-term rental “gulag.” Daniel Neiditch’s firm, River to River Realty, is not just the exclusive Realtor for the Atelier, located 635 W. 42nd St., he is also the building’s manager […]
Review previous documents to enforce changes in new covenants (FL)
Q: All of our directors are recently elected and we are not sure how to handle basketball hoops. Our covenants were updated just a few years ago and prohibit permanent basketball hoops, but a number of owners seem to have permanent basketball hoops. How do we handle future requests? Read the Q&A…………………
Arvada HOA approves backyard bees, then backs off its decision (CO)
Coloradans love nature, right? One Arvada family says they thought that was true when their Homeowners Association approved their backyard beekeeping, but now the HOA is doing an about-face. Read the article……………..
State police raid Four Seasons security; drunken driving, traffic offenses allegedly mishandled (IN)
Indiana State Police raided the Lakes of the Four Seasons security office Friday morning as part of an investigation into controlled substances, impersonation of public servants, criminal confinement and other potential criminal offenses related to traffic stops. Police said the investigation involves multiple allegations, but said no further details would be released Friday. Read the article………………….
HOA Hall of Shame: Neighbors upset that their cars are being towed from in front of their homes (NV)
Cold. Heartless. Inhumane. That’s how neighbors are describing their homeowners’ association after their cars parked in front of their own homes were towed. This may be the HOA hall of shame’s most shameful story yet. Read the article…………………
Judge’s tentative ruling would void approval of Escondido Country Club project (CA)
A Superior Court judge on Thursday tentatively ruled that an environmental report for a controversial housing project on a shuttered golf course in Escondido was inadequate and needs to be revised……Frazier could also take the matter under consideration Friday and issue a final ruling later after hearing arguments from attorneys for the homeowners group that […]
Kass: 5 steps new condo associations should take
Q. I live in a condominium complex with a large number of units. Recently, the developer notified each owner it will turn over control of the association to us, and a meeting has been scheduled for early next month. I have talked with a number of owners, and none of us have any idea what […]
St. Andrews homeowners fed up over potential plans to build on golf course (MS)
St. Andrews homeowners said they are fed up over potential plans to build on their community golf course. Now, they are preparing to take legal action to stop development in their neighborhood. Read the article…………………