Q: I am a board member of our condominium association and have been assigned the task of reviewing our rules for possible update. One of the rules states the underlayment for hard floor surfaces, like wood or ceramics, must meet standards established by the board. However, the board has never established any such standards. Should […]
Condo Q&A (FL)
Q: I am a board member in my homeowner’s association (HOA), and I have a question regarding the fining committee. There are some board members that believe that the fining committee should only serve at one fining committee hearing, similar to a jury. Read the Q&A……………………………….
Homeowner wants HOA to charge investors for tenant problems (NV)
Q: I live in an association where over 57 percent of the units are not owner occupied. Tenants are not complying with the homeowners association’s rules and regulations. Read the Q&A……………………………….
La Quinta residents fighting PGA West HOA to ‘Save the Swan’ (CA)
Residents and wildlife advocates are pleading with management and the HOA at PGA West to save a male swan they say has called the area home for almost a decade. “This swan is beloved by the neighborhood and none of the residents want this swan killed,” organization PS Wildlife Adovcates wrote. Read the entire article……………………………….
Neighbors voice concerns over high fines from speed camera tickets (NV)
Neighbors in a Spring Valley community have concerns over the use of cameras to crack down on speeding, and ticket fines they said are far too high. According to an HOA notice by email in the Park View community, the penalty for anyone speeding past 15 miles per hour is as follows: a first violation […]
SEVEN BRIDGES DRAMA: Board Member Threatens Former Member On Hot Mic (FL)
In the Delray Beach community of Seven Bridges, where there is more drama than a night on Broadway, a board member Wednesday night made a verbal threat to a former board member — all on a hot microphone. Read the entire article……………………………….
City funds come to the rescue of ‘troubled buildings (IL)
The vintage condo building on Crandon Avenue in South Shore is in frightful straits. It needs at least $1.5 million to repair a crumbling facade and upgrade pipes. The homeowners association doesn’t have enough cash reserves to fund needed repairs. And the residents, mostly seniors on fixed incomes, are behind in paying monthly assessments. The […]
Condo Column: A feral frenzy (NH)
I have spent the last few columns noting the proposed Legislative changes winding their way through this Legislative session, and I will let you know how it all turns out when the session ends on June 30. But I thought I would try for something a bit less heavy this column, and let you know […]
Major work being done at The 101 Condominium in Sarasota, formerly known as Dolphin Tower (TN)
There are much brighter days ahead for The 101 Condominium complex on the Sarasota Bayfront, formerly known as Dolphin Tower. The parking garage will be completely redone, including structural improvements where crews will strengthen the connection between the columns and decks. Painting and waterproofing of the entire building are also part of this $3 million […]
HOA, veteran-led group dispute over neighborhood memorial improvements (TN)
A veterans memorial in Hendersonville’s Durham Farms neighborhood has created a dispute between a group of veterans and the homeowner’s association. The memorial is called the Veterans Walk, which is located at the entrance of the neighborhood. In June, the group decided to raise money to improve the memorial’s lighting. Read the entire article……………………………….
Neighbors want Castaway Cove home condemned for code violations (FL)
A group of neighbors in the Wave VI neighborhood of Castaway Cove on South Beach are circulating a petition to have a house on Spanish Lace Lane condemned Read the entire article……………………………….
Beachwalker rejects city’s easement settlement (WA)
The city of Blaine and Beachwalker Villas Association are in an easement disagreement that have already cost both parties thousands in legal fees to determine whether the city can construct a trail in front of the condominium property. A beach pathway in front of Beachwalker already connects the Semiahmoo Spit trail loop, but the trail […]
Cornelius seeking remedy for HOA speed bumps near high school (CO)
Unwanted traffic related to Hough High School has led a nearby neighborhood homeowners association to construct speed bumps, but town leaders are seeking other alternatives. Read the entire article……………………………….
Florida property firm allegedly stole $8M from dozens of communities
Dozens of community associations are suing Naples-based American Property Management Services, saying the firm hijacked their bank accounts and took at least $8 million — some of which could have been saved if regulators had acted earlier (article subscription only)
Inspectors Report Structural Issues at Condo Building Where Ceiling Collapsed on Woman (MD)
Prince George’s County inspectors found structural problems at a condo building after News4 reported a woman’s ceiling collapsed and trapped her a few weeks ago. On the other side of the Treetop Condominiums property, Tina Dowdy-Nixon is trying to renovate and rent her condo. Read the entire article……………………………….
Dam jam: Wary town board again defers vote on Helderberg Lake tax district (NY)
About 30 minutes into Berne’s heated town board meeting last month, during which the board barraged Helderberg Lake Community Association officials with questions about the tax district they’ve requested to repair the high hazard Helderberg Dam, association lawyer Dave Brennan pushed back. Read the entire article……………………………….
Barnegat residents want housing developer to fix crumbling sidewalks, soggy yards (NJ)
Cracked and crumbling sidewalks. Muddy, useless backyards. Residents of Venue at Lighthouse Station, a new age-restricted neighborhood in Barnegat off Lighthouse Drive, say these are some of the widespread signs of poor community planning and shoddy workmanship that have plagued their neighborhood. Read the entire article……………………………….
What is Palm Beach County doing to prevent condo collapses? (FL)
“We have a lot of tall condo buildings, particularly near the ocean, and thus salt water, so we knew we needed to have something like that in place, so we moved very, very quickly to make sure that we did,” Boca Raton council member Andy Thomson said. Read the entire article……………………………….
Election Day in Rock Springs Ridge (FL)
Nine candidates running for four positions on the HOA Board that will determine the direction of golf course, gopher tortoise lands Read the entire article……………………………….
Power outage at Clarendon House Condos in Fayetteville left some in the dark for 6 days (AR)
Due to a blown breaker to one of the transformers in the building, half of the condominiums in the 72-unit building were without power, leaving several older residents, and those with health conditions, looking desperately for answers and a solution since March 26. Read the entire article……………………………….
Western Shores lawsuit against county on hold after judge’s order (KY)
The lawsuit against Calloway County and a subdivision developer filed by the Western Shores Property Owners Association is reportedly in a holding pattern as the plaintiffs attempt to contact other interested parties to join the suit. Read the entire article……………………………….
Warren County board hears subdivision request (VA)
The Shenandoah Farms property owners group wants to take back control of the sanitary district from Warren County. But other residents of the sprawling rural subdivision say the county does a better job managing the Shenandoah Farms Sanitary District, its finances and the roads. Read the entire article……………………………….
Monte Nido neighbors unite to crack down on speeders (CA)
When the sleepy neighborhood of Monte Nido, tucked right off Malibu Canyon, suddenly became a drag racing destination on the way to Malibu, residents sought to take action. Read the entire article……………………………….
Saving Kauai’s Kalihiwai Reservoir Is An Expensive Problem (HI)
When Kauai’s Kalihiwai Reservoir was built in 1920, its value was tied to sugar cane, the economic engine that propelled Hawaii into statehood before competition from cheap foreign labor forced the industry to flee the state. Read the entire article……………………………….
“Tip of the iceberg”: Green Valley Ranch foreclosures spotlight Colorado’s lack of HOA regulation
In March, a rash of foreclosures filed over the past 15 months by the Master Homeowners Association for Green Valley Ranch shocked residents and triggered swift condemnation from elected officials and Denver housing advocates. Those involved with Colorado’s housing industry say it’s the perfect storm: an aggressive association operating in a field with no regulation. […]
HOA dues add insult to injury for Marshall fire victims (CO)
Just days after Colorado’s most destructive wildfire left Sandy Quiller with nothing but a suitcase full of clothes, $362 in homeowners association dues was lifted from her bank account like clockwork. Read the entire article……………………………….
HOA Homefront: Readers ask about repairs and poor pool maintenance (CA)
Q: I’m in dispute with my association. The original doors facing the outside of my condo have extensive dry-rot. I’ve read the association’s matrix regarding the responsibility issue, and I believe it spells it out, but I’m getting denied my request for repairs. Is this the responsibility of the association to fix and/or maintain? Read the […]
Sienna community rallies behind neighbors who received a complaint about kids (TX)
An anonymous letter citing chaos over children playing outside and in the street is causing quite the stir in one Sienna neighborhood. Alexis Quisenberry said the letter was addressed to her family and dropped off several days ago. Read the entire article……………………………….
Baruch alum challenges state renters’ law for condo conversion Baruch alum challenges state renters’ law for condo conversion (NY)
New York City has always had a fraught and controversial relationship with its real estate, with the ownership and rentership of properties being a historically important source of wealth, status and power. While the players and dynamics have changed over the years, property ownership is still the most reliable flashpoint for conflicts over who the […]
Protesters gather outside Green Valley Ranch HOA office following foreclosures (CO)
A small group of protesters gathered outside the Green Valley Ranch Metropolitan District’s office on Friday afternoon to protest recent foreclosures initiated by the Master Homeowners Association of Green Valley Ranch. Read the entire article……………………………….
East Naples residents unite in objection to plan to convert Riviera Golf Club into homes (FL)
Although the actual proposal to convert Riviera Golf Estates’ 18-hole golf course in East Naples into a housing development may not reach the Collier County Commission agenda for a year and a half, hundreds of residents amassed at nearly six hours of meetings this week to voice their opposition. Read the entire article……………………………….
Engineering report lacks repair path for board (IL)
Q. An engineer inspected the balconies in our association, built in the 1980s. The engineer’s report was rather sparse. The report concludes there are construction defects with the spindles of the balconies that need to be corrected. Is there something we should be asking the engineer? Read the Q&A……………………………….
Rio Rancho veteran faces fines for flying flags in yard (NM)
Rio Rancho homeowner Michael Duty says he is fighting with his homeowner’s association over flags in his front yard. The Vietnam veteran believes he is being targeted because he decided to run for the HOA board in his neighborhood. Duty has lived in the neighborhood for nearly five years flying two flags outside his home, […]
Oconomowoc fatal condo fire; woman dead, smoke detectors not working (WI)
Officials say the fire was isolated to a single unit of the condo complex. The cause of the fire remains under investigation. A news release says smoke detectors in the condo were not in working order — and did not alert the residents to the fire. Read the entire article……………………………….
Neighbors sue over Whitefish vacation rental (MT)
A group of neighbors has filed a lawsuit in Flathead County District Court over a vacation rental they claim is operating illegally in their rural subdivision north of Whitefish. Read the entire article……………………………….
Neighbors Worried for Safety After Ceiling Collapses on Woman in Largo Condos (MD)
A tenant became trapped under debris when a condo ceiling collapsed at the Treetop condominiums in Largo, Maryland. The woman was rescued by neighbors. Merry Wiley, the owner of the condo, says she’s been complaining about the cracks and other issues she’s found to the board of directors for almost a year. Read the entire […]
More charges filed against condo property manager (MA)
New larceny charges involving a Lynn condominium complex have been filed against a Lynnfield property manager charged last year with embezzling more than $15,000 from a Danvers condo association. The development scuttled plans for a hearing Thursday where Frank Carucchio was expected to offer restitution to the Edmunds Cove Condominium Trust to settle the case. […]
Orangeburg taking over neighborhood’s sewer; DPU plans to improve system (SC)
Residents of Orangeburg’s Northwood Estates have long been concerned about the aging sewer system in the neighborhood. The help they were seeking finally came during a recent Orangeburg City Council meeting, when members agreed to take over the private system. Read the entire article……………………………….
GNV resident and tree safety vs HOA (FL)
After a Gainesville resident wanted her Homeowners Association (HOA) to assess if a tree around her home is a safety risk, now she wants the HOA to be held accountable. Read the entire article……………………………….
So many fire escapes in Boston haven’t been inspected, putting owners, occupants, and buyers at risk (MA)
On July 22, 1975, in Boston, 19-year-old Diana Bryant and her 2-year-old goddaughter Tiare Jones fled a blaze in a Marlborough Street building by climbing onto the fire escape. It collapsed before firefighters could reach them. Bryant died, but the child, who landed on her, survived. A photojournalist snapped chilling photos of the pair falling […]
Labor and Supply Chain Shortages, Insurance Increases Create Challenges for HOAs
For more than two years, community associations have navigated challenges from the COVID-19 pandemic including decisions on wearing face masks, requiring vaccines, reopening amenities, and social distancing. Now, labor and supply chain shortages, inflation, higher insurance premiums, and rising gas prices are creating new challenges for community association leaders. Read the entire article……………………………….
Spring Creek banning ‘offensive’ flags, signs (NV)
Many northeastern Nevadans are not happy with the outcome of the 2020 presidential election. In a county where Republican voters outnumber Democrats by three to one, Trump 2020 flags and signs were a common sight long after President Joe Biden took office. Read the entire article……………………………….
Fire department: Hydrants maintained by condo association didn’t have enough water to fight Forestville blaze (MD)
The nearest hydrant with enough water was a quarter mile away from a burning building at the Holly Hills condominiums in Forestville on Tuesday. Read the entire article……………………………….
Bonita Springs HOAs could merge into one city district (FL)
As the vote for a new district map in Bonita Springs will be made by city council on April 6, there is a battle for Bonita Bay and Pelican Landing, the city’s two major homeowners associations (HOAs), to stay in two different districts. Read the entire article……………………………….
Corporate landlords are gobbling up U.S. suburbs. These homeowners are fighting back
Using authority that lets them punish homeowners who fail to cut the grass, one predominantly Black neighborhood in North Carolina slows the pace of investor purchases Read the entire article……………………………….
Judge tells homeowner in Gov. Island case he could lose his house if he doesn’t comply (NH)
A superior court judge has issued a forceful ruling in the decade-long legal battle between the Governors Island Club and one of its property owners who could potentially lose his house if he fails to abide by the judge’s orders. Read the entire article……………………………….
Condo president is trying to drive me from my home, woman says in racial bias lawsuit (NJ)
A resident of a condominium complex in Gloucester County claims the condo association’s president is trying to force her and her family to move out of their leased home because they’re Black and he wants to buy their unit, according to a lawsuit. Read the entire article……………………………….
24 condos damaged or destroyed after fire rips through Prince George’s complex (MD)
The fire impacted 24 units at the Holly Hill condominium complex, according to Prince George’s County Fire and EMS. Shockingly, no one was injured. Read the entire article……………………………….
Pine Top residents promised help; multiple failures causing problems, city official say (SC)
Unlike most of the roads in the city, which are owned by the state, the city took over the roads in the subdivision shortly after it was developed in the 1990s. The only exception is the road over the dam, which is the responsibility of the subdivision’s homeowners association. Read the entire article……………………………….