Question: What is the difference between my individual condo insurance and the Association’s master insurance policy and do I need my own insurance? Read the Q&A……………………………….
Nearly $30K Vanished From the HOA’s Account. The State Can’t Investigate the Management Company.
Community association managers run most of Colorado’s 10,000 homeowners associations, but state regulators no longer have the authority to look into complaints about unexplained price hikes, shadowy elections or fraud. Homeowners pay the price. Read the article………………………..
His emotional support animal is an alligator. They sleep in the same bed (PA)
Joseph Henney’s emotional support animal WallyGator goes with him almost everywhere, from the grocery store to walks in the park. They hug each other and sleep in the same bed. WallyGator is an alligator. Read the article………………………..
We should go where the water is (AZ)
Arizona’s economy runs on growth. But as the state is forced to make cuts in its water usage, it will have to reconsider what the housing developments built to accommodate that growth look like and even how many more people it can realistically handle. Read the article………………………..
Settlement Reached In Preston Tower Dispute But Jury Trial Set For 2023 (TX)
For the eighth time in seven years, a resident of Preston Tower has sued the condominium’s homeowners association — and this time the plaintiff walked away with a $1.1 million settlement. Read the article………………………..
Tragedies Place Focus On Condominium Model’s Flaws
More than 14 months after the shocking Champlain Towers South condominium tower collapse in Surfside, Fla., many condominium owners lack clarity about the role of condominium associations and owners in preventing future such tragedies. Read the article………………………..
Davis land developer must build tunnel for toads to build senior housing (CA)
A land developer in Davis looking to build a senior housing community is being told he must first build a toad tunnel. Read the article………………………..“They have not been able to articulate the need. They simply say, ‘we want it because we think it’s a good idea,’ said Land Developer David Taormino.
Singh headed to court to challenge condo board election results (NJ)
Petulant perennial statewide candidate Hirsh Singh will challenge the results of a condo board race in Atlantic City even though he finished fifth in Sunday’s election and lost by a margin of more than 2-1. Read the article………………………..
Conway homeowners file complaint against HOA (SC)
The Alpharetta Farms development has filed a complaint against homeowner association company Wright Management after the homeowners said the HOA didn’t follow its bylaws. A meeting to address Wright Management and Alpharetta Farms Board’s failure to provide financial statements and hold annual meetings for the last five years was originally scheduled for Thursday, but was […]
Units condemned & hearing scheduled after action taken against Downtown West condo board members (MO)
St. Louis Police say the city attorney’s office gave Ely Walker’s five condominium board members, Anshul Sathyan, Poppy Cao, Bill Richmond, Kyle Hennessey, and Sid Chakraverty, a cease and desist order months ago. However, after residents called 911 for help more than 60 times in 60 days, board members now have a summons for failure […]
San Francisco OKs Revamped Settling Millennium Tower Fix (CA)
After more than six months of scrutiny, San Francisco’s Department of Building Inspection has issued a revised building permit for the revamped perimeter pile upgrade of the settling 645-ft-tall Millennium Tower, thanks to a determination from the planning department that the revised scheme would not have any negative environmental impacts. The upgrade now consists of […]
Community Law Q & A (FL)
Q: My condominium building has received a notice from the fire marshal that we must have the building tested for radio signal strength and if the building does not pass the test have a bi-directional amplification system installed by a certain date. Can you explain this law and the requirements?
Family fights to keep Green Valley Ranch home following HOA foreclosure (CO)
One family that went through foreclosure earlier this year is still living in their home. Now, they say the company that bought the foreclosure is willing to give the home back, only if the family pays $29,000. Read the article………………………..
HOA changes homes’ color schemes (NV)
Q: My reason for writing you is pertaining to my new HOA (board), which took over January 2021. It is demanding that all residents repaint their homes by March 31, 2023, using a new color scheme. Read the Q&A……………………………….
Stevenson Ranch residents seek one last appeal against wireless tower (CA)
A proposed new AT&T wireless communication facility in the Stevenson Ranch has caused an uproar among residents, who now have one more opportunity to appeal the project with the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors before Aug. 31. Read the article………………………..
HOA Homefront: Presidents are board members not bosses (CA)
If the HOA president’s role is misunderstood, the result can be very serious board dysfunction, as well as stress and risk for the president. First, it is critical to understand that the role and power of the HOA president are dramatically different than that of a for-profit corporate president. The typical for-profit president is hired […]
HOA sues Oswit Land Trust, others, seeks to stop development of nature preserve on golf course land (AZ)
Residents of condominiums surrounding the decaying Mesquite Golf and Country Club golf course have named its new owners – Oswit Land Trust (OLT) — in a lawsuit seeking to stop the development of a nature preserve on 180 acres OLT acquired in July. Read the article………………………..
Dozens of Families Temporarily Displaced After Prospect Heights Condo Complex Fire (IL)
At least 32 families in suburban Prospect Heights have been temporarily displaced after a fire broke out in a pair of condominiums on Thursday afternoon. Read the article………………………..
HOA safety concerns arise after deadly Midtown Atlanta shooting (GA)
People in Midtown are asking serious questions about safety in homeowners associations after a deadly shooting this week. Two people were killed and one person is still fighting for his life after a HOA dispute at a popular Midtown condo. Read the article………………………..
LYONS ROAD NIGHTMARE: Closed Road, Danger, Palm Beach County Doing Nothing For Months (FL)
Shawn Ellen, president of the homeowners association at “The Bridges,” said his community has had enough. He organized a town hall meeting that is set for Monday to discuss the issue. As of Friday morning, many of the Palm Beach County officials who have dodged BocaNewsNow.com’s calls are slated to appear. Read the article………………………..
Charlotte HOA denies homeowner installation of solar panels several times despite recent NC Supreme Court ruling
Greg Abbott wanted to install 23 solar panels on his home, which could have resulted in an 80 and 90% offset of power use. In February, he sent an application to his homeowner’s association. Abbott said, “All I’m trying to do is save a little money and use renewable energy and help the environment a […]
Monroe to receive $1 million in state funding for flood mitigation efforts for Rossmoor community (NJ)
Monroe Township will receive $1 million in state funding to address flood mitigation programs for the Rossmoor adult living community, which was devastated by Tropical Storm Henri in August 2021. Read the article………………………..
Condo Column: The dawn of new lawns? (NH)
If asked, most people would venture a guess that the most grown crop in the United States is corn or wheat. But far and way the most grown “crop” in America is grass. In fact, if you lumped the lawns together, a NASA-led study in 2005 estimated lawns would cover about 63,000 acres, i.e. about […]
Ask The HOA Expert: Can The Board Modify Architectural Design Policy?
Question: Our board wrestles with whether it has the authority to modify the formal architectural design policy. Read the Q&A……………………………….
Fire burns condo complex, vegetation next to Highway 680 in East San Jose (CA)
A fire burned at a condominium complex next to Interstate Highway 680 in East San Jose Wednesday afternoon and spread to nearby vegetation before firefighters knocked it down. Read the article………………………..
Lake Oswego condo residents at odds with luxury penthouse developer over severed pipes (OR)
Watching the HGTV show “Good Bones” with the keen interest in seeing abodes from his old stomping grounds in Indianapolis, Indiana, Harold Pakula felt not nostalgia but a tinge of rage as he was reminded of another real estate development going up a stone’s throw below his condo in Lake Oswego. Read the article………………………..
Shelby County woman sentenced for stealing from HOAs, employer (AL)
A Shelby County woman was sentenced for embezzling from her employer and the homeowners’ associations they managed, according to U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and FBI Special Agent in Charge Johnnie Sharp Jr. United States District Judge Karon O. Bowdre sentenced Aimee Louise Statham, 47, of Chelsea, to 40 months in prison for wire fraud. […]
Clearwater man sent threatening emails to attorneys representing HOA: affidavit (FL)
A Clearwater man involved in a civil dispute with his homeowner’s association was arrested after allegedly sending threatening messages to the firm representing the HOA. Read the article………………………..
Keeping It Blue: Rain gardens, buffer strips help filter pollutants out of Geneva Lake (WI)
Over the last three years, the Geneva Lake Conservancy has worked with 15 different property owners or homeowner’s associations around Geneva Lake to planted 30 rain gardens and buffer strips as part of the Healthy Lakes program. Read the article………………………..
Leaking water main at Worcester condo complex finally fixed, a month later (MA)
A water main on West Mountain Street that has been leaking for a month was fixed on Monday, the city confirmed. “The leak was fixed Aug. 22 by a contractor hired by the condominium association,” city spokesman Robert Burgess said in an email on Tuesday. “The condo association is paying the contractor for fixing the […]
Broken elevator forces older residents to the stairs (CO)
The Problem Solvers were contacted by multiple residents at the Bayberry Condominiums in Aurora because they say the elevator in the building has been broken for nearly six weeks. “Many of us are seniors. We don’t walk very well,” said Geoffrey Jones, who has owned his condo in the building for 15 years. Read the […]
Accused Midtown shooter had sued victims, was considered ‘irrational’ by condo management company (GA)
Police have not given a motive for why Raissa Kengne, 34, allegedly decided to shoot several people Monday afternoon. But the victims are tied to a lawsuit Kengne filed in May in Fulton County Superior Court that alleged, among other issues, her former employer and the property management company where she lived conspired to blacklist […]
Mooresville homeowners wrestle for control of HOA; Developer could control 17 more years (NC)
Townhome owners in a Mooresville community say they’re desperate to take control of their Homeowners Association after the person left in charge of the HOA is accused of threatening residents with a gun and harassing behavior. Read the article………………………..
T.R. Mayor Opposing Verizon Bid to Withdraw FiOS From Some Island Condo Complexes (NJ)
Toms River Mayor Maurice “Mo” Hill has penned a letter to the state Board of Public Utilities stating his opposition to a proposal from Verizon to withdraw or deny its FiOS service from some multifamily housing complexes in the township – including many on the barrier island along Route 35 and Bay Boulevard, including the […]
Southwest Columbia neighborhood in conflict over R/C planes (MO)
Remote-controlled planes have been filling the sky in the Longview neighborhood in southwest Columbia, causing some residents to take their noise complaints to city hall. Read the article………………………..
Small team of federal investigators still investigating tragic Florida condo collapse (FL)
The infamous collapse of the Champlain Towers condominium tower in Florida last year made millions nervous about their own buildings, and the case is not really over. Since the June 2021 tragedy, a team from the National Construction Safety Team at the National Institute of Standards and Technology has been on the case. Read the […]
Law says HOA president can be removed from office (NV)
Q: How many votes are needed in a 168-townhome community to remove the president? Read the Q&A……………………………….
For Ruby Ranch residents, years of advocacy and planning brings wildfire mitigation (CO)
For property owners of Ruby Ranch, years of advocating, planning and work have come to fruition as work crews complete fire mitigation in the wilderness near their homes to limit the risks of wildfire. Read the article………………………..
Reckoning may be in store for condo boards that ignore needed repairs
Q: In our 60-unit building, our association board is reluctant to have a reserve study done for two reasons. First, the board members feel that they may have liability if they have a reserve study done and then work does not get completed. Second, depending on what comes up in the study, they don’t want […]
How many condominiums have fully funded reserves in Florida?
To figure out how much money to set aside, condo boards are being asked to hire companies to do what is called a reserve study, which analyzes the association’s finances and potential repair costs. Read the article………………………..
Battle brewing between Native Hawaiians, Bay Area developer over $200 million luxury condos
Amid a dire housing crisis in Hawaii, a battle is brewing between Native Hawaiians and a luxury developer over a $200 million luxury condo development. Read the article………………………..
Assessments required to cover skyrocketing insurance premiums (FL)
Q: Read the Q&A……………………………….Recently I received a notice from my condominium association that there is a $500,000 shortfall in the budget related to our insurance premiums. Starting next month all unit owners will be charged a certain percentage to cover this shortfall.
How a neighbor’s fallen tree led to a criminal trespassing charge in Surprise (AZ)
How does a fallen tree lead to criminal trespassing? Sounds like something out of a movie. But that’s what happened to one family in Surprise after Friday’s storms. Read the article………………………..
Controversy on Middle Straits Lake (MI)
The letter requests that the board “inform itself about and take appropriate actions to resolve the controversy and allegations from the Township targeting the Westacres community. The controversy was created by a few lakefront property owners that want to reduce the overall number of boats on Middle Straits Lake for their personal benefit at the […]
Ask SAM: The fire hydrant in my neighborhood has been damaged. Who fixes it? (NC)
Q: In February, there was a car accident at the condominium community where I live, and a vehicle ended up on top of the fire hydrant. The hydrant has been leaning with caution tape on it since then. We are concerned that if there is a fire here at The Meadows, the broken hydrant will […]
OPD gains access to Grand Oaks (HOA) security camera data (MS)
The Board of Aldermen voted to approve an agreement between Oxford Police Department, and Flock Safety to share video footage captured in the Grand Oaks subdivision. Read the article………………………..
Are owners’ baked goods a liability concern? (IL)
Q: From time to time, owners in our building bake things like bread, cookies and cakes, and leave them on a table in our lobby for other residents to enjoy. The board is concerned about liability exposure for the association if we allow this. Should the board be concerned? Read the Q&A……………………………….
Condo owner unsettled by number of rentals, tenant turnover in building
Q: I live in a nine-unit self-managed condominium building. Over the years, the board members rented out their units. In one year, two units sold and a third unit is up for sale. I’m concerned about the direction we’re going in. The president still rents out his unit. I’m a long-time resident. What do you […]
Residents plea for help as potholes cause huge problems in Jefferson County subdivision (MO)
It’s no secret that potholes can cause huge problems for your car, but people in Jefferson County say they’re pitching in hundreds of dollars per year to fix their issue and getting no help from their HOA Read the article………………………..
Hawaii Condo Fees Are Among Nation’s Highest. And They’re Squeezing The Middle Class
Many of Hawaii’s high costs of living are painfully obvious, including the nation’s highest electricity rates, median single-family home prices that top $1 million on Oahu and milk prices that routinely exceed $6 a gallon. But there’s another less talked about cost that has earned Hawaii an equally dubious distinction: according to a recent study, […]