Members of The Ranches at Blackbuck Ridge Homeowners Association in the northern part of Burnet County returned yet again to the Commissioners Court seeking redress for the state of their roads. At the Tuesday, April 26, meeting, Precinct 1 Commissioner Jim Luther and county Development Director Herb Darling agreed to meet with a group of […]
Panel to hear first appeal of $20,000 VHR fine (NV)
The home at 1262 Lincoln Circle was up for a Tier 3 permit, which would have allowed the owner to rent to a dozen people. Kvancz has had a permit since 2018. According to the county, it wasn’t until then they were notified that covenants, codes and restrictions in the Lakeridge neighborhood specifically exclude anyone […]
Thief in stolen U-Haul robs multiple cars inside parking garage of Sunny Isles Beach condo (FL)
Local 10 News has covered several stories of what is becoming a disturbing trend of late in which stolen rental vehicles are being used in burglaries across South Florida. Read the entire article……………………………….
Condo Insurers Flee Florida
Condo insurers are exiting Florida or hiking prices in the wake of the Surfside collapse, while state lawmakers have yet to address the issue. However, Gov. Ron DeSantis plans to call a May special legislative session to address problems in the property insurance system. Read the entire article……………………………….
Charbonneau resident disbands noise abatement organization, citing lack of board support (OR)
Charbonneau resident Peter Shikli, who recently started the Aurora Airport Noise Abatement Organization designed to find solutions to noise issues related to planes flying over the planned community in Wilsonville, announced that he is disbanding the organization due to a lack of support from the Charbonneau Country Club homeowners association. Read the entire article……………………………….
Dozens of residents at downtown lofts come forward blaming management and the building’s condo association for lack of safety (MO)
Ely Walker Lofts is one of the many condominium buildings that sits on downtown St. Louis’ main corridor, Washington Avenue. It’s also been the site of a murder, multiple car break-ins, and suspected illegal parties. Now, dozens of residents who have contacted News 4 want answers. Read the entire article……………………………….
More water restrictions are coming to Southern California. How to conserve (CA)
With the news that Southern California officials are imposing tough water-use restrictions on about 6 million people, many of us are looking for practical ways to conserve. We’ve all been through this drill so many times, as some of the obvious water-saving steps have become almost second nature. Less lawn-watering. Shorter showers. Fewer flushes. Read the […]
City of San Diego apologizes to Rancho Penasquitos residents over controversial bike lanes (CA)
he City of San Diego’s director of transportation apologized to Rancho Penasquitos residents during a Zoom meeting Tuesday morning. The focus of the meeting was recently installed bike lanes on Azuaga Street. Some residents are upset because they said the city did not communicate with them about the bike lanes, they just suddenly appeared. Read […]
Fed up with paying hundreds, Hampton community sues over high cable and internet (NC)
A local Hampton community is suing its developer over claims that homeowners are being overcharged for cable and internet services. The homeowners of H2O by Chesapeake Homes, near the Hampton Coliseum, say they are within their legal rights to terminate the existing communications agreement, which is forcing them to pay more than double. Read the […]
Condo insurers exit market and hike rates after lawmakers fail to pass safety reform (FL)
Insurers have become increasingly averse to issuing policies for aging condominiums in Florida following the state legislature’s failure to pass safety reforms, despite the deadly Surfside collapse last year. Read the entire article……………………………….
2 fires at abandoned Whitehall condos generates attention from police, fire departments (OH)
The Woodcliff condos are slated to be demolished soon. The city is hoping to secure the money needed for demolition in the next 30 to 45 days. Read the entire article……………………………….
HOA looks to shut down backyard pitching lessons in Ballwin neighborhood (MO)
A former college softball player says her backyard field of dreams has turned into an unexpected nightmare. Christie Boen Mirikitani gives pitching lessons in the backyard where she once played catch with her father. Read the entire article……………………………….
A long road: Homeowners celebrate dirt road’s paving (NC)
Steven Bryant was president of the Homeowners Association a couple of decades back when the effort to get the road paved began in earnest. Bryant said he was glad to see the project finally come to fruition. Read the entire article……………………………….
‘Like Lord of the Flies’: Road troubles continue in Pender neighborhood (NC)
In the neighborhood with more than 130 homes, the roads continue to get worse since the first ones were laid decades ago by a developer who allegedly made a promise the state would take over maintenance. That never happened. Read the entire article……………………………….
Beachgoers frequent a regional beach access in Walton County. An HOA wants to make it private (FL)
The Watercolor Community Association has filed a lawsuit that could result in a stranglehold being placed on the public’s ability to get to the beach via Walton County’s popular Van Ness Butler Regional Beach Access. Read the entire article……………………………….
Communities can get reputation for being difficult, unstable (NV)
Q: Ms. Holland, I am an avid follower of your Sunday column and value your viewpoints. Our homeowners association is in dire straits. We have combating factions trying to control every aspect within our community. We have recalls for every member (five) of our executive board. Our management firm has submitted its 60-day notice resignation. […]
Turkey Creek resident hopes for decisive action after attack by aggressive dogs (FL)
Bj Wiesen is frustrated at the slow pace of the responses from her neighborhood homeowners’ association and Alachua County Animal Resources & Care following a vicious attack on her neighbor’s dog in the White Oaks section of the Turkey Creek neighborhood in the City of Alachua last December. Read the entire article……………………………….
HOA board does not have duty to take enforcement action (NV)
Q: I would really appreciate a reply to the following issues as I feel I am out of options on what to do. I live in an HOA. We are seniors who have been constantly harassed by the HOA and the board — very nitpicky things. Read the Q&A……………………………….
Declaration can be revised to take advantage of new laws (FL)
Q: Our HOA wants to rewrite our declaration of restrictions. They want to do some minor things, like change the word “developer” to “association” throughout the document. They also want to change the fee schedule. They want to add restrictions for short-and-long term rental properties, and also restrictions on architectural/lawn elements. Read the Q&A……………………………….
New state law may allow artificial turf – finally – in Warner Ranch neighborhood, elsewhere (AZ)
A tiff over turf is about to be resolved in neighborhoods across the state, thanks in part to Warner Ranch residents, who for years have professed that, where grass is concerned, it is easy being green, even if not from nature. Read the entire article……………………………….
Community Law Q&A (FL)
Q: I participated in the “How to Run a Board Meeting Effectively” seminar several weeks ago, that you put on and I had a quick question. A statement was made that any time there is a quorum of the board, that the formalities of a board meeting must be adhered too. Read the Q&A……………………………….
Association documents must outline how to pay for window repairs (IL)
Q:?The windows in our condominium association are reaching the end of their useful life and need to be replaced. One of the board members contends the windows are limited common elements and that owners, not the association, are responsible for the replacement cost. Our declaration is completely silent on this. The board member claims this […]
HOA Homefront: Why selecting a management company based on price is a mistake (CA)
This column is the second in a two-part series on selecting HOA management. The previous column discussed the different types of association management services. After selecting the management service type and candidate firm, carefully consider the proposed management contract. Read the entire article……………………………….
Hunter’s Lake neighbors cry foul over geese removal proposal (TN)
When Hunter’s Lake homeowner Susan Carson saw the agenda item for the homeowner’s association March 22, the bird lover knew she didn’t want to miss the meeting. Along with mundane items like dog waste bin installation and “Darlene Francis’ Customary Spring Cleaning,” the new business agenda included “Consideration of Additional Goose Deterrence.” Read the entire […]
Raleigh family considering lawsuit after toddler drowns in community pool (NC)
The family of a 2-year-old Raleigh boy who drowned in a pool last week says the community in charge was negligent and that’s what led to the death. Read the entire article……………………………….
Game Trail earns designation as Firewise USA community (CO)
The Game Trail Homeowners Association northwest of Buena Vista received national recognition from Firewise USA this year. HOA members are pictured with new signs and Chaffee Chips service partners during a fire mitigation event April 11. Read the entire article……………………………….
Condo Column: The crypto mistake (NH)
There have been rumblings in Condo World about cryptocurrency, i.e. digital money with no physical presence like coins or bills. A lot of people have made a lot of money by investing in it and seeing it double, triple or more in worth in a very short period of time. Good for them. Read the […]
Ask the HOA Expert
Multiple questions and answers regarding HOA’s and condo associations Read the Q&A……………………………….
Oklahoma residents left without homes after condo complex fire
For several hours on Wednesday, firefighters were at the scene of a fire that left many residents without homes. One of those residents was a woman in a wheelchair who was able to escape on her own. Read the entire article……………………………….
Paradise Palms a Las Vegas gem, and Clark County moves to preserve it (NV)
It was the first master-planned community in Las Vegas, built between 1960 and 1965 with architecture that reflects its time: homes that ranged from 1,200 to 2,200 square feet (most were 1,800 or less) with “flat, folded plate, butterfly, pyramid and open gable rooflines, mixed with various decorative block accents.” Read the entire article……………………………….
Natural drainage area creates flooding concerns for Shelby County neighborhoods (AL)
An elderly Shelby County is concerned about drainage and water issues. It’s something they never suspected when they bought their home a few years ago. Now they question why the city of Alabaster won’t do more to offer relief for their property and the neighborhood. Read the entire article……………………………….
Condo questions: Can the board shut off elevators during emergency situations? (FL)
Q: My condominium’s Board of Directors recently started discussing hurricane preparations and steps the Association would take if a hurricane were to hit our area. The Board said they would shut down both the elevators and air conditioning 24 hours before the hurricane hits. Does the Board have the right to shut off the elevators […]
Strike by Building Service Employees Is Averted (NY)
With those four jubilant words on Tuesday afternoon, Kyle Bragg, president of Local 32BJ of the Service Employees International Union, caused more than a million New Yorkers to breathe a sigh of relief. Negotiators for the union and the Realty Advisory Board on Labor Relations (RAB), which represents building owners, including co-op and condo boards, […]
Waukesha Horizon West condo lawsuit, $17M sought after collapse threat (WI)
Waukesha Horizon West condo owners who had to be evacuated from their building after a threat of collapse are now suing the building’s insurer. The 27 homeowners have brought a $17 million lawsuit against Travelers Insurance for failing to pay claims. Read the entire article……………………………….
First responders stuck at gate as West Palm Beach pregnant wife goes into cardiac arrest (FL)
Many in South Florida enjoy living in a gated community for safety and security. However, a West Palm Beach couple whose desperate call to paramedics took a frightening turn when rescue crews were unable to open the neighborhood gate. Read the entire article……………………………….
Bayfield Marshal’s Office investigates possible theft of thousands of dollars from Clover Meadows HOA (CO)
The Bayfield Marshal’s Office is investigating an alleged theft of what could be thousands of dollars from an account for the Clover Meadows subdivision homeowners association. At an emergency HOA meeting Monday night, HOA members voted to remove all members of the board, replacing them with seven new members. Members approved opening a new bank […]
FGCU Water School promotes pond management through HOA project (FL)
When residents at Fairwinds, a small homeowner association (HOA) in Bonita Springs, noticed the only stormwater pond within the community starting to erode at the edges, there was concern for the safety of the houses built close to the water. Read the entire article……………………………….
‘Palmetto Bluff Hoax’? Homeowners Suing Over Crowded Amenities, Plan To ‘Flip’ Resort (SC)
Homeowners at one of the state’s most exclusive resorts say they are victims of a “hoax,” which has left them with overcrowded amenities, ever-rising and “illegally” assessed club fees and a broken agreement over short-term rentals. Read the entire article……………………………….
Pitt commissioners keep Lake Glenwood dam options on the table (NC)
The Pitt County Board of Commissioners voted 5-4 on Monday to keep open discussions about aiding a property owners association with repair of a defective dam. The motion to continue the discussions was a parliamentary procedure designed to block a proposal to end the county’s involvement with the Lake Glenwood dam, a structure that holds […]
Stonebridge County Club Sues Home Builder For More Than $100,000
The Stonebridge Golf and Country Club is suing a builder in the community for more than $100,000 because the builder is having a problem selling the house that it renovated. Read the entire article……………………………….
Developers Rush to Buy Out Owners in Aging Miami Buildings After Area Condo Collapse
Miami developers are scrambling to acquire aging waterfront condominium buildings, demolish them and build luxury residential towers in their place, a strategy that has been gaining attention since a 12-story building in Surfside partially collapsed last summer, killing 98 people. (Note: if you don’t have WSJ subscription you can listen to an audio version on […]
Condo deconversion offer for $96M shakes up Chicago Loop community (IL)
An unknown investor’s $95.8 million offer to purchase an entire condo building in Chicago’s Loop is rattling its residents, some of whom are resisting the attempt to turn their homes back into apartments. Read the entire article……………………………….
Beachgoers frequent a regional beach access in Walton County. An HOA wants to make it private. (FL)
The Watercolor Community Association has filed a lawsuit that could result in a stranglehold being placed on the public’s ability to get to the beach via Walton County’s popular Van Ness Butler Regional Beach Access. Read the entire article……………………………….
N4T Investigators: Misdemeanor charges filed against Tucson HOA President for missing political signs (AZ)
Disappearing political signs have led to misdemeanor criminal damage charges against a local attorney and Homeowner’s Association President. The Catalina Foothills Estates No. 9 HOA is part of a beautiful high-end neighborhood. However, a battle has been brewing between some homeowners and the HOA that has reached a boiling point; the News 4 Tucson Investigators […]
1 Firefighter Taken To Hospital From 3-Alarm Fire In Fair Oaks (VA)
Fairfax County fire crews were still hitting hot spots more than an hour after being called to the Cedar Lake Condominiums on Monday for the report of a fire, according to a 12:25 p.m. post on the department’s official Twitter account. Read the entire article……………………………….
Who’s responsible for the swales and culverts in Sebastian? (FL)
Almost two decades ago, the City Council spoke about the maintenance for homeowners to keep up with the culverts and swales. I remember it very well, and now it’s becoming a bigger problem due to growth. The same topic was heard again during last Wednesday’s City Council meeting when Councilman Chris Nunn emphasized the same […]
Fire damages west Nashville condominiums (TN)
Nine families were displaced after a fire at a condominium complex on Basswood Avenue in west Nashville early Sunday morning. One resident was rescued by first responders from Building R and was taken to Vanderbilt University Medical Center for treatment. Building R, which contains 10 units, was evacuated and no other injuries were reported. Read […]
HOA unsure how to deal with “Let’s go Brandon” sign (NV)
Q: I am the president of a very small homeowners association community (27 homes). We have a resident who has placed a “Let’s go Brandon” sign in their front window. This has been up since January 2022. Read the Q&A……………………………….
Owners allowed to videotape board meetings (FL)
Q: Our new president, at his first monthly meeting, decided to videotape the meeting (without consulting the rest of the board). What bothers us is that he posted the video on YouTube for the world to see. Is this legal? Read the Q&A……………………………….
Woman critical after E. Shreveport condo fire (LA)
Prior to the SFD’s arrival, condos on both sides of the smoke-filled condo were evacuated by neighbors, who were unable to force their way into the condo on fire. Read the entire article……………………………….