Three December storms resulted in severe flooding at Davis Island properties and a resident is now looking for help. John Allen requested Feb. 20 Edgecomb selectmen assist their homeowner’s association with submitting a Maine Emergency Management Agency application for natural disaster funding. Read the article…………………………….
A battle in the Highlands may mean the end for Kentucky’s last manual elevator
Walking into the Commodore condominiums is like taking a step back in time. The furniture in the dark Spanish-style lobby is the same furniture that was there the day it opened in 1929. While some of the original brass chandeliers have gone missing, the replacements look every bit as old and as the originals. Read […]
Homeowners fight to keep rain garden in flood-prone James Island yard; can HOA be stopped? (SC)
Whenever it rained, Craig and Jamie Bussard knew their yard would flood. It became saturated every time the skies opened up ever since they moved into their home on Ocean Neighbors Boulevard in 2015. Over time, the Bussards just accepted it as their reality. But then they saw a way out: plant a rain garden, […]
Boise-area HOA sued couple over their home businesses. They say it’s discrimination (ID)
An Eagle family says they’ve been discriminated against after being sued by their homeowners’ association over the businesses they run from home. The HOA has asked the court to stop the couple from operating their businesses at home and pay several thousand dollars in fines. Read the article…………………………….
Term Limit Law Still 2 Years Away (FL)
Q: My condominium association will be having its annual meeting soon, which will include an election for members to the board of directors. Some of our board members have served for numerous years, and I understood that there are now term limits on the number of years a board member could serve. What is the […]
‘We are homeless’: With rebuilding yet to begin, future unclear for some Timber Creek condo owners displaced by fire (IN)
Many residents of the Timber Creek condos have been neighbors for a long time, so it’s no surprise that they meet frequently for coffee or a meal. Except, it’s been nearly a year since many of them have lived in close proximity to each other, as a fire in April 2023 made 36 condos uninhabitable. […]
Florida’s Condo Prices Are Falling As Cost of Insurance and HOA Fees Skyrocket
Prices of condos in major Florida metros are dropping year over year, and sales are declining. New condo listings are soaring as sellers try to offload their properties. That differs from the U.S. as a whole, where condo prices are rising, sales are holding steady and new listings are increasing at a much slower rate. Read […]
Manchester Community Center suing Harbor’s Point Association (MA)
The nonprofit Manchester Community Center is suing its landlord, Harbor’s Point Condominium Association, claiming the association engaged in unfair and deceptive trade practices. The lawsuit, filed Feb. 20 in Essex Superior Court in Lawrence, seeks damages amounting to $1.3 million. In the suit, the Community Center alleges Harbor’s Point forced the center to sign leases […]
Homeowners Association Manager Embezzled Nearly $25K: Pinellas Sheriff (FL)
A former homeowners association manager faces charges after embezzling nearly $25,000 from the association, according to a Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office news release. Read the article…………………………….
HOA potlucks can be so complicated (NV)
Q: Are there any requirements for a potluck that would be held at the community clubhouse? I received three conflicting opinions. One individual stated that no homemade food is permitted in the clubhouse. Another individual said that a food handler’s license is required. A third indicated that a stove is required in the clubhouse. I’m […]
For some residents of East Garrison, their dream home has become a nightmare. (CA)
The overarching story they all tell is that over the course of the last year-plus, leadership changes in the HOA – which has a board of four residents and one seat for a representative from a developer – combined with a new company managing the HOA, …… have turned what was once a peaceful, neighborly […]
Why should my HOA pay to clean a private pond that borders only a handful of homes? (FL)
Question: We are a condominium association. We have a common element pond that is maintained with association funds. There is another pond that we do not own but that backs up to three or four homes in our community. For over 25 years, no community funds were used to clear or clean this pond. However, […]
Illegal construction forces DC residents out of condos
Residents of a condo in D.C.’s Adams Morgan neighborhood need to find a new place to stay because of illegal construction work at an empty building next door. Video news report……………………..
Lake Monticello residents ready to take fight over water rates to Richmond (VA)
The water may be placid but the water rates are rising fast at Lake Monticello. Aqua Virginia, a utilities company which provides water and waste management to 36 localities across Virginia, has proposed an overall rate increase of 29.4% for its customers residing in the Fluvanna County gated community surrounding the manmade lake. Read the […]
Suspects in Arlington condo graffiti incident have agreed to turn themselves in, pay for damages (FL)
In an act of taking responsibility, three individuals who were videotaped vandalizing condominiums in Arlington have agreed to turn themselves in and pay for the damage they caused. Action News Jax has been following this story since Saturday when surveillance video reportedly captured several people vandalizing homes at Teakwood Villas. Read the article…………………………….
Going green in multi-family buildings (IL)
In Forest Park, a condominium development is proving that it’s possible to live green in a multi-family building. The board and residents are working together to back new sustainability measures that they think can be applied to other buildings in the area. Read the article…………………………….
Justice Dept. seeks forfeiture of Russian businessman’s Bal Harbour condos (FL)
Authorities announced Thursday that a civil forfeiture complaint was filed against the condos owned by sanctioned Russian businessman Viktor Perevalov, the co-owner of a Russia-based construction company that was sanctioned for building a highway in Crimea, a Ukrainian peninsula that Russia seized in 2014 Read the article…………………………….
Arlington vandalism suspects have until Friday to avoid charges, condo’s HOA said (FL)
Several suspects accused of vandalizing Arlington condos have until Friday to avoid charges. That’s according to the complex’s HOA. Neighbors and the HOA were ready to make some improvements to the property this week. But they found explicit pictures and swear words on walls and stairs that might change those plans. Read the article…………………………….
Ketchum buys a condo in Warm Springs for deed restriction (ID)
A unit in the Parkside neighborhood of Ketchum is being sold to the city at a discounted rate in order to be preserved as community housing. To qualify as Category Local, a household must have at least one nondependent member who works full-time for an organization in Blaine County. Read the article…………………………….
Magnolia Point residents challenge amenity fees imposed by Community Association (FL)
Magnolia Point Golf and Country Club is quietly nestled behind guarded gates, surrounded by a matrix of moss-draped oaks and magnolia trees. The community is a sanctuary of solitude and affluence, where a semi-private golf course ambles throughout the 1,000-acre development. But hidden in seemingly picture-perfect seclusion is chaos. The stylish, if not privileged, setting […]
HOA insurance premiums skyrocket across Colorado, driving up condo dues
To say Rosalie Hayes was stunned when she opened the letter describing a dues increase at her Arvada condo complex this year would be an understatement. “When I opened this letter, it was just like you could have knocked me over with a feather,” she said. “It was a shock.” Read the article…………………………….
Portsmouth homeowners association working to get ‘back to normal’ after leadership dispute (VA)
Newly elected homeowners association leaders of a middle class community in Portsmouth are working to get things back on track after fighting with a board residents say had been hijacked by some politically-connected individuals. Read the article…………………………….
Miami Herald Column on Addressing the Presence of Crocodiles in Community (FL)
he article, which is titled “Crocodile in Community Generates Effective Response Chronicled in TV Newscasts,” focuses on a couple of recent news reports on 7 News Miami (www.wsvn.com) that illustrated how potentially dangerous wildlife incursions can impact local communities. It reads: . . . The first report chronicled how residents at the Bay Colony Club […]
2 people displaced after massive condo fire in Raleigh, officials say (NC)
Two people lost their homes after a fire broke out at a condo building in Raleigh on Wednesday evening, fire officials said. Read the article…………………………….
Demolition Underway at Deteriorating Condo Building in Coral Springs (FL)
Demolition is underway of a decrepit condominium in Coral Springs, despite a request from a potential investor to save the building. In 2021, the city declared the former Villa Bianca condominium at 3990 Woodside Drive to be unsafe, leading to the relocation of residents in 15 of the 16 units. Read the article…………………………….
Castle Key (Allstate) Defends 53.5% Condo Rate Hike, Blames Reinsurance, Ian, Rapid Growth (FL)
When Allstate’s Florida unit, Castle Key Indemnity Co., entered the surging condominium insurance market in 2020, it looked like it had made a smart bet: Within two years, the carrier had added no fewer than 123,000 policies. Then came reinsurance price increases and $56 million in hurricane losses. Read the article…………………………….
Westchase residents frustrated with ongoing water main break: ‘It’s got to be thousands of gallons’ (TX)
For about a month, water has been pouring out of the ground in the Westchase area, and nothing has been done to stop it, according to nearby residents. It has become frustrating for those who live at the Westchase Forest Townhomes on Pagewood Lane near Gessner. Read the article…………………………….
5 displaced in Marietta multi-family condo fire, officials say (GA)
Five people were displaced after a fire damaged a multi-family condominium in Marietta on Tuesday morning, according to Cobb County Fire and Emergency Services. Read the article…………………………….
In the face of $4.8 million fine, Rio Del Mar HOA doubles down and erects a new coastal fence (CA)
What’s in a fence? For a Rio Del Mar homeowners association, state regulators and local residents, a brand-new barrier blocking the public from a beachside walkway represents the latest turn in a winding, yearslong battle around public access and private property rights. Read the article…………………………….
North Miami Beach condo residents still not allowed in their homes, association won’t answer questions about delay (FL)
It’s been nearly three years since residents of a North Miami Beach condo building were forced out of their homes because it was deemed unsafe. Those residents are still not allowed to go back home. Read the article…………………………….
Association ‘Sunshine Laws’ Questioned (FL)
Q: I was recently elected to the board of my condominium association. I thought we had to follow Florida’s sunshine laws, but our long-time president said this is not true. She claims we can meet whenever we want as long as no votes are taken, or assessments are not going to be made. Is this […]
A CT dam disagreement emerges as climate change impacts state. ‘It’s for our safety… our family’
The lake is remote, nestled in the woods in eastern Connecticut, with just an appliance store and an auto exhaust servicer nearby. Ashford Lake’s 53 acres are surrounded by residences, members of the Ashford Lake Property Owners’ Association, who enjoy kayaking in the summer and ice fishing in the winter. Read the article…………………………….
If there’s no homeowner association, who enforces the neighborhood’s CC&Rs?
Question: In our East Valley subdivision, we have never had a homeowner association. The result is that our covenants, conditions and restrictions requiring homeowner association approval of sports courts have never been enforced, especially in relation to the recent construction of three pickleball courts. One pickleball court is next to our primary bedroom. Who is […]
Homeowner gets bid but does not follow proper procedure (NV)
Q: One of the residents knows a company who provides barrier arm installation and requested we ask the company for a bid, which is totally fine in my opinion. However, the problem stems from the resident bypassing the board and our management firm and directly contacting the company and not having it send the sealed […]
‘Heartbeat of this HOA:’ Ocoee woman helps make neighborhood a community (FL)
Here at News 6, we get a lot of emails about neighborhood homeowners associations. Most are complaints that go to our investigative or consumer units. But residents of one Ocoee neighborhood felt so strongly about someone on their board, they nominated her for the News 6 Getting Results award. Read the article…………………………….
Bolton Says He Won’t Accept Benefits From Tamarac’s Shaker Village Deal (FL)
Tamarac city commissioners on Wednesday voted to keep the controversial deal to buy Shaker Village’s clubhouse alive through at least December 31 while a lawsuit challenging the land sale plays out. Read the article…………………………….
Columbia Association board on track to select a new leader by late April (MD)
A year after Columbia Association’s president and CEO resigned amid tensions with the board, board members say they are “on track” to pick a new leader by the end of April. Columbia Association, a massive homeowners group that in many ways functions like a city government, has been without a full-time president and CEO since […]
In New York, the Trump Brand Is Costing Some Condo Owners (NY)
When Donald J. Trump became president, condominiums in buildings emblazoned with his name began selling for less, according to an analysis. In the world of real estate, Donald J. Trump’s name has long been synonymous with luxury. Read the article…………………………….
Condo owner wonders about enforcement regarding flags, posters of support hanging in windows (FL)
Question: I live in a community governed by an HOA, and I have a question regarding flags and posters in windows. As a result of the Hamas attack on Israel on Oct. 7, many of our residents put American and Israeli flags on their homes as a show of support. Many of them also put […]
New security cameras now operating in Spyglass Hill as part of pilot program (CA)
As part of a pilot program approved last June by the Newport Beach City Council, private security cameras are now up and running in the public right-of-way at the entrances to the Spyglass Hill neighborhood. Eight cameras were deployed on Monday and Tuesday, with two at each of the four main thoroughfares to Spy Glass […]
Woman stole over $200K from Clearwater condominium complex, police say (FL)
A St. Petersburg woman was arrested Friday after police say she stole over $216,000 from a Clearwater condominium complex while she worked there as a property manager. Read the article…………………………….
Point Ruston’s legal battles grow as condo groups seek neutral party to govern site (WA)
Point Ruston’s lawsuits and financial woes now include legal action from condominium associations representing residents at the site. On Jan. 25, five condominium associations representing building residents at Point Ruston filed a petition in Pierce County Superior Court against the Point Ruston Owners Association. Read the article…………………………….
HOA Homefront: Reader wants to know, ‘Is my dog allowed?’ (CA)
Q: I am hoping you could help me with my HOA that’s trying to remove my daughter’s support dog because of its weight and breed. They are threatening to come and have her removed because she got too big. Can they do this? It would devastate my daughter if they took her dog Read the Q&A………………………………..
Mother-daughter-boyfriend trio accused of defrauding West Kendall HOA; 2 arrested (FL)
Thirty-eight-year-old Yasnely Pedroso had once been fired from the Westwind Lakes Garden Homes Condominium Association, Inc. for destroying records, among other things, according to police. Enter her mother, Idoris Pedroso. According to Miami-Dade police, when the 63-year-old became board president, she rehired her daughter as an assistant. Read the article…………………………….
Condo Column: The package problem (NH)
Something seemingly simple has become a problem. Package delivery. Since the pandemic hit, and Amazon took over the world, package delivery has become a booming business leading to some problems at condominium association. This, of course, has led to an increase in the actions of criminal entrepreneurs, aka Porch Pirates, those who steal packages off […]
Associations should be careful when moving funds (IL)
Q. Our townhouse association is a common interest community association governed by the Illinois Common Interest Community Association Act. Can funds be moved back and forth between operational and reserve accounts? For example, if money is moved to the reserve account because that account is paying the best interest, can funds be moved back to […]
Army veteran whose condo insurance jumped 563% last year takes crusade to Tallahassee (FL)
Thomas Baker, the Daytona Beach Shores condo owner who complained about his building’s property insurance rate rocketing up 563% last year, took his concerns to Tallahassee this week.\ Unlike the lobbyists in their business suits, the 80-year-old Vietnam veteran and U.S. Army retiree wore his uniform to stand out in the Florida Capitol halls. Read […]
Erosion causes concern for beachfront condominiums in Palm Beach (FL)
Concerned residents of Palm Beach oceanfront condominiums told the Town Council this week that erosion is a growing concern — and Palm Beach staff say help is on the way, though not before hurricane season. Representatives from two condominiums spoke to the council during Tuesday’s meeting, saying properties on the town’s South End were hit […]
Housing Matters: Capital reserves study for HOAs on the horizon (CO)
During the recent Jan. 17 Aspen-Pitkin County Housing Authority board meeting, the APCHA board approved spending $170,000 to fund capital reserve studies for up to 40 APCHA homeowner’s associations. Read the article…………………………….
Fire Damages Condo Complex In Venice (CA)
A fire damaged a condo in Venice Wednesday, but firefighters were able to stop it from spreading to nearby units. Read the article…………………………….