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…………………
Disabled Veteran Wants A Porch (FL)
One of Ruben’s simple pleasures, besides his service dog, is looking at the pond in his backyard, but the multiple sclerosis makes it risky for him to go outside for more than a couple of minutes. Lois Sepulveda: “Heat does terrible things to people with multiple sclerosis. It can make him so sick so quickly. […]
Tampered standpipes caused flooding in Downtown condo building, Madison Fire says (WI)
Standpipes that had been tampered with caused flooding in a Downtown condo building in Madison Saturday morning, with nobody displaced or hurt in the incident. It happened at about 7:30 a.m. Saturday at the 100 Wisconsin Avenue condos, the Madison Fire Department said. Read the article………………..
Ask the HOA Expert: Hiring an HOA Member to Do HOA Work and Public Delinquencies
Question: Our current landscape committee chair has offered to take over the landscape contractor’s job and save the HOA money. He has run his own business in the past but has never been in the landscaping business. Would it be prudent for us to enter into such a contract with a owner? Read the […]
Laredo residents’ lawsuit could trigger legislation (TX)
On Tuesday evening at the Fasken Community Center, around 40 La Bota Ranch homeowners sat in rows, taking notes and simply listening as a fellow homeowner recounted the troubles that have befallen their community. But this was not a homeowners association meeting. And that’s the problem. It’s been over 20 years since La Bota Ranch was […]
Black Residents at South Beach Condo Say Racist Board Members Made Their Lives Hell (FL)
At least nine former and current residents and employees have now come forward with accusations of racial discrimination inside the Mirador 1000, an upscale condo building with its own hair salon and convenience mart where two-bedroom units are listed for up to $800,000. The majority of the allegations are against the two women who joined […]
Residents near 1 Arkansas lake warned of problems with dam; issue not uncommon in state
The Lake Sandy dam that provides homeowners with a beautiful lakeside view poses many safety problems, a letter from the state said. “The internal erosion and voids could cause the dam to collapse,” it read. “The many slides, slumps, erosion channels, large trees, rodent activity, and animal burrows on the upstream and downstream slope are […]
Neighbors Can Deal With Nuisances Directly (FL)
Q: I live on the second floor of a condominium building, where I own the unit. The unit above me is rented to a nice young couple, but they are “night owls” and have a lot of friends over to visit. Sometimes, things get quite noisy (loud music, doors slamming when friends leave, boisterous talk […]
Can someone paint home any color without HOA permission? (FL)
Q: My neighbor painted his house and did not ask my permission. It is now a bright yellow and clashes with everything. I am not sure he asked the HOA for approval either. What can I do? Read the Q&A…………….
Durham man moves political sign inside after $100 a day fine threat (NC)
John O’Brien and his wife had three political signs in their front yard, but moved one of the signs inside their house after the property management company hired by the homeowners association threatened him with a fine. “They sent us a letter threatening us with a hundred dollar a day fees if we didn’t take […]
Berryville: Neighborhood’s safety concerns being examined (VA)
Town officials, police and a homeowners association (HOA) are striving to make the Battletown development seem more safe as residents tend to not stay as long as they once did……..Battletown has a mix of single-family houses and town homes. McDonald said that while some of the town homes are owner-occupied, more than 50 percent are […]
HOA Homefront: Readers ask what if our annual meeting isn’t annual?
Q: Our HOA hasn’t had an annual meeting in years. We receive notice the “annual meeting” will be held on a given date to “count ballots.” For the last two years, when we arrived, we were informed it wasn’t a meeting but only to count or collect votes for board members. We were invited to […]
‘Failure Imminent’ At Prestonwood Lake Dam In Arlington, Texas
As all eyes are on the dam, exactly who’s responsible for maintaining it is unclear. While the city called the dam private, it was built by an HOA in 1978, residents in the neighborhood said it’s not their responsibility. “That is a good question,” said Robert Blake, a neighbor, when asked about who should be […]
Owners of Denver lakefront homes sue realtor over water rights (CO)
A Denver Realtor is in deep water with the buyers of multiple waterfront properties he listed. Plaintiffs Koren and Michael Vining, Nicholas Hodgdon and Rhidian Orr last week sued Steve Travers of The Kentwood Co. in Denver County District Court, alleging he misrepresented homeowners’ rights to Riviera Lake, a small body of water in southwest […]
Condo deck collapses, leaving owners in dilemma (KY)
Many people move to condominium so they won’t have the hassle and costs of owning a home. But what if the condo complex develops a major, expensive problem? That’s the trouble facing some Northern Kentucky condo owners, after their deck collapsed this past weekend. Read the article………………
Jury awards $75K to Hayden man over his Christmas light display (ID)
The battle over Christmas lights in Hayden, Idaho is finally over. A jury ruled in favor of Jeremy Morris, who said that his family was embarrassed and ostracized by the West Hayden Homeowners Association. Morris was awarded $60,000 in compensatory damages and $15,000 in punitive damages. Read the article……………….
Fla. woman decorates yard with Hitler-saluting Holocaust skeletons
In the yard is skeleton after skeleton, saluting Hitler with concentration camp identification numbers on their arms and a Star of David on their chests………So, what does the homeowner, Susan Lamerton, have to say about her Halloween decorations causing controversy in her New Port Richey neighborhood? We had a chance to ask her, and she […]
Millcreek condo owners forced to pay $40,000 fee (UT)
Nearly 100 homeowners at Millcreek Hollow are being forced to pay for roughly $4 million in repairs, due to alleged builder negligence. According to residents, the builders cut corners when they built the 96-unit property about 15 years ago, and now, the owners are paying the cost. The management company, FCS, said they tried to […]
Pinellas County homeowner fighting association to continue flying rainbow flag (FL)
A homeowner says he’s not backing down after his condo association put new rules in place that don’t allow his gay pride flag to fly. We learned the controversy isn’t just happening in Tampa Bay. “I put this up four years ago,” Richard Hughes said, pointing to his rainbow flag. “Because I’m not ashamed of […]
Owner of Bellevue affordable housing unit forced to sell after years of rule violations (WA)
The former owner of a Bellevue condo purchased it through a taxpayer-funded affordable housing program and then moved to California, violating the provisions of an agreement while she rented it out. Read the article…………….
Buildings Tighten Security in Wake of Mail Bombs (NY)
After pipe bombs arrived at the homes and offices of multiple critics of President Donald Trump, including former President Barack Obama and CNN’s Columbus Circle headquarters, New York City property owners and managers are ramping up security, the Real Deal reports. Read the article………………
Fence Repair Costs Rise, Neighborhood Blames Drivers With No Insurance (AR)
“It’s very frustrating because it’s gotten so expensive,” Power says. Power serves as president of the Bella View property owner’s association, which is responsible for maintaining the fence. She says replacing broken sections will cost about $28,000, according to estimates. It would be split among ten households. Read the article………….
Dozens of homeowners claim houses are falling apart, but major builder refuses to fix them (FL)
Dozens of buyers claim their new homes are falling apart, but a major builder refuses to fix defective stucco despite a multimillion-dollar state settlement. They sued KB Home. The homeowners claim new testing and internal documents show the new homes’ stucco coating failed building codes and the company knew it. Read the article……………
Spotsylvania sinkhole keeps growing (VA)
A depressing saga drags on for a Spotsylvania County family as a sinkhole continues to gobble up their front yard. Their driveway in its path, and a solution to the problem remains elusive. “I’ve talked to everyone I can talk to,” Doug Woods said this week. “My sinkhole’s still there, except it’s getting bigger.” […]
Aspen condo association wants out of Ritz-Carlton litigation (CO)
The Aspen Highlands Condominium Association is making a push to be removed from a class-action lawsuit brought on nearly three years ago by timeshare owners at the Ritz-Carlton Club. The condo association’s motion for summary judgment is the latest legal maneuver in a dispute over an affiliation the Ritz-Carlton Club established with Marriott Vacation Club […]
Shed at Gateway Center ensures property rights (MA)
High Rock Development has erected a building on the corner of Boston and Bridge streets, but it’s unlikely to fit all 117 condo units proposed for the site. It isn’t even four stories tall, and it sure as heck won’t fit a restaurant. In fact, it’s guaranteed to be taken down at some point. That’s […]
OKC to accept Lone Oak Farms land for park and trail development (OK)
The Oklahoma City Council voted Tuesday to accept 130 acres of the former Lone Oak Farms in far northwest Oklahoma City for park and trail development. Lone Oak LLC and Lone Oak Farms Homeowners Association are conveying the land to the city. Read the article…………………
Special Assessment Leftover Funds Must Be Returned or Credited To Account (FL)
Q: Our condominium association board levied a special assessment for Hurricane Irma damage. Our insurance claim settled for more than we expected, resulting in an excess of funds due to the special assessment. What happens to this leftover money? Read the Q&A…………………
Leilani Estates lawyers up: Association to sue county over access issues (HI)
An attorney for the Leilani Estates Community Association says the lava-ravaged subdivision will take Hawaii County to federal court over its response to the Kilauea eruption. Residents and board members have complained that they don’t have a seat at the table with county administrators and are concerned that they may be left to deal with […]
How can we better coordinate condo road and parking maintenance efforts? (FL)
Q: Our condominium association has a number of phases. Each phase is supposed to take care of its own road, but the result is a mixture of maintenance levels and attention. There are also a number of parking spaces that are being neglected and each phase is claiming the other is responsible for these spaces. […]
Steps to take for updating condominium documents (FL)
Q: Our condominium documents are older and need to be updated. How do we begin this process? Read the Q&A……………..
Is condominium association responsible for mice, pest control? (IL)
Q. For the last three years each autumn, mice get into our first-floor condominium unit through a hole between the foundation and brick above. Each year I have had to hire an exterminator at significant expense to rid my unit of mice. Each year I report the problem to the board, and they have not […]
Brighton Reserve: An exclusive Costello community under a cloud (NY)
When Ellen and Irwin Solomon moved into their condominium at the Reserve last winter, they thought their days of outdoor chores were behind them. The homeowners association would cut their grass, trim their hedges and plow their driveway. But a few months ago, Irwin Solomon went out and bought himself a new lawnmower. The homeowners […]
Local homeowners association files lawsuit (IN)
A local homeowners association has filed a lawsuit against two Brownstown residents who plan to construct a horse barn and the local government board that approved their project. The Lake and Forest Club filed a civil suit Oct. 4 against Teresa Thompson, Beulah Hamilton and the Jackson County Board of Zoning Appeals after the board […]
HOA Homefront: Readers ask how executive session can be misused
Q: Members of our board mention discussions in executive session when they are discussing agenda items at board meetings. For instance, at a recent meeting, the board tabled a matter relating to rules. The president said the matter would be discussed further in executive session. Also, three board members attend committee meetings. Two directors will […]
Condo Owners Organize in Protest of ‘Exclusive’ Water Discount Program (MA)
A new and irate constituency of condo owners has arisen in response to the Water Discount program championed by Councilor Giovanni Recupero and voted on by the City Council Sept. 24 – a proposal that excludes condo owners from the owner-occupied water bill discount. Read the article………………
Frum Jackson Resident Files Lawsuit Against HOA Over Religious Discrimination (NJ)
A wheelchair-bound frum Jackson, NJ, resident has filed a lawsuit against his Homeowner’s Association after the HOA refused his requests for them to accommodate his disabilities and religious rights. Rabbi Phillip Lefkowitz moved from Chicago to the Westlake adult community in Jackson in order to be near his daughter, who lived a short distance away. […]
Three new headaches for homeowner associations
What do drones, copyrights and mold have in common? According to USI Insurance Services, a national insurer with more than 50 offices throughout the country, these are some of the emerging trends that homeowner associations are — or will be — facing in the coming years. They all affect the financial well-being and the investments […]
Plainsboro condo complex bans smoking (NJ)
A condominium complex in the township is going entirely smoke free. Ravens Crest East at Princeton Meadows Condominium Association has banned smoking within the perimeters of the community, including on balconies and inside units. The ban takes effect on Jan. 1. Read the article………………
‘I’m afraid to let my grandkids play in the yard.’ More access gates approved in Jackson (MS)
The Jackson City Council approved the installation of two public access gates Tuesday night, capping off a multiyear push from some residents to make their neighborhoods more secure. The council voted 5 to 1 to allow the installation of gates in the Northpointe and Rollingwood neighborhoods, both adjacent to Old Canton Road in north Jackson. […]
Woodlands of Clemson clubhouse: passed inspections, up to code (SC)
A structural engineer said hundreds of factors will need to be considered as investigators try to figure out why Clemson apartment complex’s clubhouse collapsed early Sunday morning during a party. Ed Harris, a forensic engineer and the principal at Building Inspections & Engineering in Greenville, said the items that need to be analyzed in looking […]
‘Parkland Strong’ signs must come down, community association says (FL)
It is a community that experienced one of the worst school shootings in U.S. history, but Parkland’s strength rose above, with its residents coming together after 17 people were killed in February at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. In the weeks and months that followed, memorials grew outside of the high school and throughout nearby […]
Peter Hunt, Amherst condo company fined $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. The payments by Hunt and Fisher Homes will cover the cost of replacing the damaged pipes that remain and will […]
Previously undisclosed crack in SF’s Millennium Tower prompting new safety concerns (CA)
Another crack was found in San Francisco’s sinking Millennium Tower. The cracked glass spandrel panel is located between the ninth and tenth floors. Read the article………………