The aerial inspection of a cracked window at San Francisco’s tilting Millennium Tower came to a crashing halt when the drone dropped from the sky, nearly missing pedestrians below. Building managers were conducting the aerial survey of the structure while KPIX 5 cameras were rolling. Read the article………………
How to determine the number of directors that should be on condominium board (FL)
Q: Our condominium board has five directors serving, but our bylaws state that the board is comprised of seven directors. The board is claiming that there are no vacancies, but we are asking the board to appoint two new directors. Who is right? Read the Q&A……………
Reedsville sues developer, homeowner’s association over storm water issue (WV)
The Town of Reedsville is suing a developer and a homeowner’s association, saying they are allowing large amounts of storm water to enter the town’s sanitary sewers. The suit against Ralph W. Zeigler, individually and as a member of EZ Development Co. LLC, and Preston Meadows Property Owners Association Inc., was filed last week in […]
HOA personnel records are generally confidential (NV)
Q: Why would the salary disclosure of any HOA employee to any third party (using any means) be less than a full legal activity? Read the Q&A……………
Evacuated Leilani Estates residents cleared to return home (HI)
More than two months after flowing lava and volcanic gas prompted county officials to evacuate Leilani Estates in Puna, residents of the subdivision will be able to return to their homes today. In addition, MacKenzie State Recreation Area and Malama Ki Forest Reserve, which have been closed since the advent of Kilauea’s most recent eruption […]
Community Association Q & A (IL)
Q. When I moved into my association, I submitted a written request to the association for approval to replace my front door, and I described the replacement door as white in color. The association approved my request to install a white front door at a board meeting, and a board member signed the form where […]
HOA Homefront: More questions on board elections answered (CA)
Q: We successfully recalled our homeowners association board, yet the next day after the vote the recalled directors held a special meeting and enacted lots of business. We believe that everything the board enacted after it was recalled can be reversed with a blanket resolution by the new board. What do you think? Read the […]
Properly established 55-plus community can impose restrictions (FL)
Q: Recently I needed to have my minor grandchild come live with me. Shortly after, I received a letter from the association informing me I was in violation of its age 55 and over guidelines. I investigated this and learned that while the community advertises as 55 and over, the amendment that sought to impose […]
One of three charged in time share scheme sentenced in Boulder District Court (CO)
One of two men accused of running a timeshare transfer scheme was sentenced in Boulder District Court on Friday to 10 years of probation. Timothy Hatcher will also have to serve 200 hours of community service, pay restitution jointly and be severally liable with his business partner, Kristopher Chavez. He faced up to six years […]
Trump Condo Board Asks Court to Intervene in Deadly Fire Case (NY)
A fire at Trump Tower last April that killed one resident and brought up the issue of retrofitting sprinklers in older buildings has entered into the legal arena. This past July, as reported by The Wall Street Journal, the Trump Tower condo board filed with Manhattan Surrogate’s Court to compel relatives of Todd Brassner, owner […]
Bus service for disabled child posed ‘threat’ to residents’ safety, homeowners group says (OR)
Lawyers for Oregon Sen. Jackie Winters and the Salem homeowners board on which she serves say that door-to-door school bus service for a girl with disabilities posed a “direct threat to the safety” of other residents, according to a new court filing. The girl’s family filed a federal lawsuit against the Golf Course Estates Homeowners […]
Homeowners angry after DHEC locks up community pools (SC)
Homeowners in Waterway Landing recently found themselves locked out of their community pool area with a letter saying the Department of Health and Environmental regulations require pools to have bathroom facilities. The property management company posted the letter on the locked gate to the pool and homeowners tell WMBF News they received the notice by […]
Thief hot-wires elevator, cars in San Diego condo garages (CA)
A car owner in Mission Hills is warning others about a thief who isn’t just hot-wiring the vehicles he targets, but also elevators standing in the way. Kevin Plautz lives at a condo complex on California St. On Friday morning, he got a surprise knock at his door. “Neighbors showed up at my door and […]
Pet goats in Makakilo are irking the neighbors — and raising questions about allowable pets (HI)
Makakilo resident Lyndon Williams says his neighbor’s pet goats have been causing trouble all around their subdivision. He says they escape out of their pen, which was built against the owner’s back wall several houses down, and run into the street and people’s yards. He’s even caught them in his garage, rummaging through his things. […]
Large depression in Pasco County neighborhood may be bigger than originally thought (FL)
Two New Port Richey homes are still marked unsafe after a depression opened up between them. Officials are calling the hole a depression and said it opened in a gated community between two homes on Dorian Ct. in New Port Richey; which is just west of River Ridge Middle School and High School. Read the […]
Is your homeowners association policy broken? (CA)
I was speaking with a friend the other day, and the topic of HOA insurance came up. Let me share some of my thoughts on our discussion. You love your condo. You love that all the “big things” are taken care of by the association. Things like lawn care, outside maintenance, roof repairs, and of […]
Large crack reportedly forms in window of San Francisco’s sinking Millennium Tower (CA)
A new defect in San Francisco’s sinking and tilting Millennium Tower has appeared. A large crack reportedly formed in a window on the 36th Floor of the building on Saturday, according to a resident. Department of Building Inspection spokesperson Bill Strawn says a correction notice was issued and building engineers have 72 hours to report […]
Valhalla Man Charged With Stealing From His Homeowners Association (NY)
A 43-year-old Valhalla man was arraigned on Tuesday for allegedly stealing nearly $94,000 from his homeowners’ association. John Pacor, an attorney and a former board member of the Pleasant Ridge Homeowners Association where he lives with his wife and children, deposited 51 checks totaling $93,955 from the association’s bank account into his own checking account […]
Here a New One: a Monthly Fee During Renovation Work (NY)
Without consulting shareholders, an Upper West Side co-op board has quietly implemented a $1,000 fee – to be charged once a month for the duration of every apartment renovation project. The board instituted the fee two years ago and mentioned it, in passing, at this year’s annual meeting with shareholders. When questioned about the board’s […]
Relief on the way for Cañon City neighborhood plagued by flooding (CO)
A neighborhood plagued by flash flooding due to poor stormwater drainage design is finally getting the promise of relief from city leaders and its homeowners association. Dawson Ranch, on Cañon City’s far southwest side, endured millions of dollars in property and infrastructure damage from a severe hail storm on July 23. “Mud, boulders, it was […]
The ‘Trump effect’: How a norm-scrambling presidency is changing the way one subdivision talks about race
SUMMERVILLE, S.C. • Before he heard from neighbors about the confrontation at his subdivision swimming pool, Jovan Hyman saw a shaky video of it on his phone, where it was quickly going viral. He clicked the link, which opened on turquoise water and a white woman walking quickly toward three black teenage boys, one of […]
What can be done about speeding vehicles in community? (FL)
Q: The speed limit in our community is 25 mph. We received numerous reports of speeding in excess of 50 mph. I personally witnessed a car almost hit a resident and her dog at a very high speed. The worst offenders appear to be vendors and high school kids. What can be done? Read the […]
Committees Not Required by Law (FL)
Q: I have served on my condominium association’s landscape committee for the past several years. The committee is responsible for reviewing the association’s landscaping, coordinating with our landscape contractor, and making suggestions to the board. At a recent board meeting, the new board, which was elected a few months ago, discussed the status of all […]
Clash between equestrians, Santa Fe homeowners association makes for unhappy trails (NM)
A Santa Fe woman and a local homeowners association are engaged in a prolonged and bitter battle over whether horse riders can be excluded from using the association’s network of trails. Carolyn Hansen said she started riding horseback on the outskirts of Aldea de Santa Fe 25 years ago — long before the housing development […]
Board can’t remove president without vote (IL)
Q. A majority of the members of the board of our condominium association met privately and have stated they removed the president, “John,” from the role of president at that gathering. These board members have advised various parties of this and directed them not to deal with “John.” These board members have also stated that […]
Assemblywoman Monique Limón’s Bill Jumps Into Fight Over Hollister Ranch Beach Access (CA)
Amid the high-stakes battle over access to the beach at Hollister Ranch, Assemblywoman Monique Limón, D-Santa Barbara, has proposed legislation that would make it easier for environmental activists to gain access to the beach through private land. The bill, AB 2534, would create the Hollister Ranch Subaccount, and would require up to $1 million received […]
Erosion issues still plague Pasco neighborhood (FL)
Since we went behind Jeff Cole’s home more than a year ago, he says things have only gotten worse. “I heard the house pop and crack. Typically it’s floor tiles, basically, you hear it at night and you don’t know what’s going on.” Cole says the foundation of his Land O’ Lakes home is in […]
HOA boards write rules to govern drones (NV)
Q: We are having some issues with drones. Can you provide any possible regulations for my homeowners association to consider? Read the Q&A……………
Trustees fire a fastball at former softball star over pitching practice in Ballwin backyard (MO)
On Aug. 6, the Country Creek Homeowners Association sent the Boens a letter saying the trustees had received complaints about “traffic congestion, noise, and balls thrown into neighboring properties …” Signed by association trustee Eric Olliff, the letter asks the Boens to shut down their daughter’s softball pitching clinics. “We’re just playing catch,” says Mirikitani. […]
HOA Homefront: When board shenanigans erupt around election time (CA)
Q: We cannot get people to volunteer to be on the board. I have been on the board and told the manager I didn’t want to run. She put my name on the ballot and said I had to stay on the board until someone took my place. What happens if you don’t have people […]
‘I smelled a rat’ bidder says of a Tampa Bay foreclosure auction. Others did too (FL)
While checking on August foreclosure auctions, Peter Filippello found a townhouse in Largo he liked. He did “a little digging” and discovered that the company foreclosing and the company being foreclosed were headed by the same person — Clearwater lawyer Roy C. Skelton. “I smelled a rat so I got out,” Filippello said. “The plaintiff […]
Brittany Chase owners in Wayne could be on the hook for $3M in repairs (NJ)
Brittany Chase, a sprawling complex of 395 condominiums and town houses off Berdan Avenue in Wayne, is meticulously landscaped and its streets are home to families and senior citizens alike. Beneath its polished exterior, however, a problem exists that could disrupt hundreds of lives: the foundations of two town houses on the eastern edge of […]
No fire response in Bernath Place due to a failed bridge inspection (FL)
The Avalon Fire Department informed the homeowners association by letter in the spring, that they cannot use the bridge that leads to the neighborhood, after it failed an inspection. Michael Farrow, President of the Bernath Place homeowner’s association says other emergency services have not been stopped. Read the article………………
Greenwood HOA board asks city to make overnight street parking illegal (IN)
A homeowners association board is asking the city of Greenwood to make overnight street parking illegal, but only in their subdivision. The president of the Tuscany Village HOA board presented a letter to the Greenwood City Council August 20. It asks the council to pass an ordinance that would reinforce existing Tuscany Village bylaws by […]
Ex-HOA president gets probation, fine after accusations of stealing money from association (TX)
The former president of the Cole’s Crossing Homeowner’s Association in Cypress was sentenced to probation Monday as part of a plea deal related to accusations that he stole money from the HOA. Court records showed Nathaniel Hurt pleaded guilty to theft greater than or equal to $750 but less than $2,500. In exchange, he was […]
Man Busted Stealing Nearly $100K From Homeowners Association (NY)
A Westchester attorney turned himself into police custody for allegedly stealing nearly $100,000 from his homeowner’s association while he was acting as a board member. Valhalla resident John Pacor was arraigned this week on charges claiming that he stole $93,955 from the Pleasant Ridge Homeowners Association, where he lives with his wife and children. Read […]
Ongoing lighting problems at condo complex frustrate neighbors (NV)
Neighbors in a condominium complex near Rainbow Boulevard and U.S. 95 say their homeowners’ association isn’t addressing continued problems with exterior lights. Lynda McKnight says the lighting in her complex has been a nuisance for months. Read the article………………
Neighbor in northwest-side threat: Videos are one-sided (IN)
The Indianapolis woman involved in a viral video where threatened her neighbors and pulled their yard signs out says the videos are “doctored.” Vicki New said she’s never seen the video of her pulling out the “No Trespassing” signs and throwing them at her neighbors. Read the article………………
Ask the HOA Expert: Qualifications To Run For The Board
Question: We have an unmarried resident couple and only the woman is a legal owner. Does her partner qualify to run for the board or serve on a committee? And if they are legally married but he is not an owner, does that change things? Read the Q&A……………
Half Moon Bay lawsuit pits marina against condos (CT)
A simmering dispute between the directors of the homeowners’ association of Half Moon Bay in Croton-on-Hudson and the marina dockmaster has spilled over in court. Steven Plotkin, dockmaster and co-owner of a condominium unit, launched a lawsuit against the association’s directors for $1 million this month in Westchester Supreme court, claiming he is not being […]
Life after Harvey leaves Bear Creek Village residents with a difficult decision (TX)
In the west Harris County neighborhood, where some houses saw upwards of six feet of water, homeowners are left to decide whether to stay and rebuild or move and start new. Read the article………………
Residents of Sago Bay community dealing with flooding aftermath (NC)
In Southeastern North Carolina, we have been enjoying mostly sunny skies with minimal rain the past few weeks, but some residents in New Hanover County are still dealing with the aftermath of heavy July rains. “While there is no water in our yard, it still is behind our fence and it has nowhere to go,” […]
You can’t live here: Why senior communities get to prohibit young people (AZ)
Al Morton spends his days working with veterans and volunteering at his Sun City Homeowners Association. His wife frequently attends a clay club, making pottery with fellow members. The Mortons, from Texas, were drawn to Sun City because other family members had already retired there. They followed suit in 2004 and are now among the […]
Woman may have to get rid of 3 dogs after HOA complaint (IN)
A Westfield woman may have to remove three dogs from her home after her homeowner’s association recently filed a complaint to the city. Julie Robertson lives with six greyhound dogs in her home. Read the article………………
‘No, you can’t,’ condo owner says to HOA after alleged age and race discrimination (AZ)
Ward Tyczka was renting his Phoenix condo to a family with two children when the property manager began raising concerns. The family eventually moved out when their lease was up, but the property manager informed him this spring that Sunrise Village Condominiums Association had changed its rules to prohibit kids under age 16. Read the […]
Emotional support animal debate comes to a boil at Racine’s lakeside condos (WI)
A lakefront condominium complex and its residents are grappling with seemingly conflicting federal and state laws regarding the hot-button debate surrounding assistance animals. Earlier this summer, John Miller, 49, and his girlfriend, Tia Cao, had two dogs living with them at Lakeshore Towers, 333 Lake Ave. The dogs, both Pomeranians weighing less than 10 pounds […]
Boat lift specifications changed, does homeowner have to comply?
Q: I live in a homeowners association located next to a waterway. In 2017 the Board of Directors adopted rules allowing boat lifts to be installed with canopies on the boat docks. The rules included certain detailed specifications regarding the height of the lift, how far out of the water the boat must be raised […]
What constitutes a board meeting? (FL)
Q: Every Monday, our board walks the condominium property and makes notes concerning maintenance and landscaping issues. The board eventually votes on these notes at a meeting. We believe these routine inspections are critical. Last week an owner yelled from her window that we were having an illegal meeting. Is this true and how should […]
Process server should be allowed on condo property (IL)
Q. Our association has a staffed gatehouse. The procedure in our association requires the gatehouse staff to phone a resident before permitting any guest or other person to go to the resident’s home. A process server wanted to enter the property to serve a resident, and strongly objected when the gate staff advised him of […]
Property dispute has homeowners association on edge (TX)
A property dispute on the Northwest Side has a neighborhood association getting the city involved. But the city said there’s nothing they can do. The homeowners group in Colonies North said this building is in violation of a neighborhood restrictive covenant. While it looks like a building, it is a home. Neighbors said it’s an […]