Q: Like so many people, I have been working from my condominium unit during the COVID-19 pandemic. I have noticed a lot of owners in our association have dogs. During the workday, any number of different dogs may start barking for a few minutes. The barking of the dogs can be very distracting. I have […]
Use of electronic voting (FL)
Q: In response to COVID-19, our community wants to authorize the use of electronic voting to facilitate participation. Can the association use an online polling service, or do we need to engage a third party to implement the electronic voting system? Read the article…………………………………………..
HOA Homefront: Can a board ban tenants with a criminal past? (CA)
Q: My HOA made a change in the CC&Rs. Renters must be approved by the board, and nobody with a criminal record shall be approved. Can they make these demands for just rental units and not units being sold? Wouldn’t criminal records be just as important about potential buyers? Read the Q&A……………………………….
Dispute erupts in upscale Ooltewah neighborhood as golf course owner seeks to create more home lots (TN)
A dispute at an upscale Hamilton County neighborhood has emerged over efforts by its golf course owner to see more houses built near The Ooltewah Club. Course owner Rick Stern wants approval from county planners to create 10 additional home lots inside the Hampton Creek gated community off Snow Hill Road. Read the article……………………………………
HOA finds backyard fence in violation of rules (NV)
Q: I have enjoyed reading your column for several years along with the information that you get to share with the readers. I do have several questions that I am sure you will be able to share valuable information on. Read the Q&A…………………………
Tustin homeowners association: ‘Repaint that $23K garage door! (CA)
The fate of garage doors – any garage doors – does not exactly rate high on the list of world problems. But for Julie Good, her new garage doors are a triumph, a piece de resistance, a tour de force. Less hyperbolic, they improve her house’s curb appeal. Read the article………………………….
New Mexico homeowners told they can’t connect solar systems
New Mexico has been called a ‘national leader in clean energy,’ with legislation putting the state on a path to renewable energy. However, some homeowners who want to install solar are being told they can’t. Read the article…………………………………..
Two families displaced, one resident goes to hospital after Danbury condo fire (CT)
Two families were displaced Wednesday in a fire that damaged a condo complex. One person evacuated the condo and went to the hospital to be evaluated for burns before firefighters arrived, Danbury Fire Department said. Read the article………………………………
Is Westbury charging mandatory fees when it shouldn’t? (TX)
When real estate agent Charles Goforth was reviewing paperwork for a home under contract in Westbury, he noticed something that didn’t make sense to him. The title company said a $125 transfer fee — a mandatory fee sometimes charged by homeowners associations — was required for the sale to go through. Read the article……………………………………..
Real Estate Advice: What condo boards can and cannot do (MA)
Q: I am a member of the board of trustees of my condo association. It has been brought to our attention that one of the unit owners has a washer and dryer in his bathroom that drains into the tub. The bylaws prohibit washers and dryers in individual units. The unit owner who reported this […]
Condo World: Electronic condo association meetings now and in the future (NH)
One of the problems the pandemic has created is how to hold Association meetings, annual or special. A current question in a number of associations is how to hold them when (1) there are state orders against large gatherings, (2) some people who would otherwise attend a meeting won’t because of a fear of lack […]
People Are Turning Shipping Containers Into Tiny Homes. Here Are the Pros and Cons
To most people, a 2018 Ram ProMaster is just a vehicle. For Chelsey Hathman, it’s home. Chelsey Hathman, 29, renovated her van to live in full-time. Squeezed out of her Texas condo by the hidden costs of homeownership, such as maintenance and homeowners association fees, Hathman, 29, sold the place and moved into her 60-square-foot […]
‘Our money’s going in the toilet’: Amenities destroyed after homeowners file lawsuit over high fees (FL)
A group of Sumter County homeowners turned to 9 Investigates for help after the owner of their 55+ community destroyed amenities that have been the center of an ongoing court fight. Read the article…………………………………….
Stoneybrook West residents head to second vote on golf-course purchase (AZ)
Although Stoneybrook West residents recently shot down a proposal necessary to allow the homeowners association to purchase Stoneybrook West Golf & Country Club, another vote is on the horizon. Read the article…………………………………..
Fire leads to evacuation at large East Hartford condo complex (CT)
A pre-dawn fire in a large condo complex in East Hartford forced residents to flee their homes Wednesday morning. Read the article……………………………..
Some private residents will be able to enforce parking violations in South Walton (FL)
A newly written ordinance was voted on, which would deter visitors from parking on private properties at Tuesday’s commission meeting. After a back and forth discussion, the board passed an ordinance for private property owners to regulate unattended vehicles on their properties. This would allow for them to hire security companies to give parking fines. […]
Community Association Q&A: Access to Minutes, Violation Letters? (FL)
Q: There are numerous parking violations and pet violations occurring in my condominium community. I don’t believe the board and manager are taking proper enforcement actions. Are owners entitled to review board meeting minutes to see what, if anything, is being done to address these ongoing violations? Am I entitled to copies of any demand […]
Man Sues Arapahoe County HOA Over Pride Flag, BLM Sign (CO)
The controversy over metro Denver homeowners’ associations banning residents from displaying Black Lives Matter flags and other humanistic signage has been raging in recent weeks. And now, a lawsuit filed by the ACLU of Colorado takes the matter into a new realm: the federal judicial system. Read the article……………………………….
Thin Blue Line Flag Joins Littleton Black Lives Matter HOA Fight (CO)
Kara and Ben Wilkoff’s fight for the right to display a Black Lives Matter flag over the objections of the Kensington Ridge/Cobblestone Village homeowners association was headed for a February 27 virtual meeting with the HOA’s board of directors, at which they hoped to find a mutually satisfactory solution. Read the article………………………………..
Spring Branch residents are flushing toilets with river, pool water after 9 days without water (TX)
Without any water for nine days, people who live in a Spring Branch gated subdivision say they’re getting desperate. Some are using water from their pools and the Guadalupe River, to flush their toilets. What’s even worse, according to residents, is the lack of communication and support from the water company— though the company denies […]
Paying it forward: How families in Katy, Lafayette continue to help each other through disasters (TX)
Pine Mill Ranch communicates through the homeowner association’s Facebook page. Neighbors began creating lists for LeBas who hit up major home improvements stores and small hardware stores. Read the article…………………………….
Police blotter: Woman brandished firearm at HOA workers (CA)
A woman was arrested after brandishing a firearm at employees hired by the homeowners’ association to work on the residential property. Read the first article…………………………………..
HOA charged family $927 for leaving trash on curb too long (FL)
A family that mistakenly placed trash bags along the curb for collection on the wrong day received a $927 bill from their homeowner’s association, a fee the property owners considered unreasonable because they received no prior warning. Read the article…………………………..
State fines Fishhawk Lake Reserve after fish deaths (OR)
The state has fined Fishhawk Lake Reserve and Community $439,200 for draining a reservoir and allegedly killing more than 30,000 fish. The homeowners association plans to appeal the fine. Fishhawk Lake is a private community around a reservoir formed in the 1960s by an earthen dam. The homeowners association maintains the lake, processes water and […]
Ocean Pines board doesn’t act on allegations against leader, sparking community outrage (MD)
Community members in Ocean Pines are upset with the homeowners association’s Board of Directors after the body declined to act on allegations that the board president allegedly created a hostile work environment for employees. Read the article………………………………
Board vote may require majority of all directors, or majority participating in meeting (FL)
Our HOA is constituted as a five-member board with a quorum requirement of three voting members for any resolution. Recently one of the board members relocated, leaving four active members. We issued a request at our yearly meeting for new board members and the proper intent to serve forms were submitted by two residents. […]
Association likely must pay to restore garage (IL)
Q: I live in a condominium association. The roots of a tree located on the common elements of the association have damaged the concrete slab of the garage floor of my unit. Who is responsible for repairing the damage to the concrete slab? Read the Q&A……………………………………
HOA Homefront – Reader Questions on rental issues (CA)
Q: I have a home that I rent. Last week I received a traffic notice stating my HOA account was levied a fine of $100 for speeding, committed by my tenant’s caregiver. Is it lawful for a HOA to be able to fine an absentee owner for behavior of a guest not known to owner? […]
State law does not have HOA rule on height of flag pole (NV)
Q: I was hoping you could help me. I just joined the board of my HOA and we are having a hard time agreeing on a homeowner’s request to install a flagpole. I feel the homeowner should be able to install a 25-foot flagpole in their front yard, but a couple board members insist that […]
Frozen hydrant complicates Tulsa firefighters’ attempt to put out blaze (OK)
A frozen fire hydrant made it difficult for Tulsa firefighters to put out a midtown fire this morning. Investigators responded to a two-unit condo fire near East 51st Street South and South Fulton Avenue around 7:15 a.m. Read the article…………………………………
Bayside homeowners file suits against developer (DE)
Homeowners in the Bayside community near Selbyville have filed a pair of class-action lawsuits in Delaware Court of Chancery against developer Carl M. Freeman Communities alleging the developer withheld information that would have allowed the homeowners to control their own community association. Read the article……………………………………
Single dad says HOA refusing to renew lease over review (FL)
Michael Bucherich says these 100 words, posted nine months ago on Google, have left him in a pickle. “During a time of national crisis and all of the neighborhood children trapped at home with little to no relief this association has elected to fine its residents $25 per day for having small inflatable pools while […]
NYC Mom Throws Baby From 2nd Floor to Neighbor After Gas Blast; 6 Kids Among 10 Hurt (NY)
A gas explosion at a condo unit in the Bronx has left 10 people injured, six of whom are children, fire officials said. The report of an explosion on Paulding Avenue in the Bronx came in just before 3:30 p.m., the Fire Department of New York said. Two people in serious condition were taken to […]
Board Member Boot Camp Part 2: Compliance, ARC, And Pitfalls To Avoid (NC)
In a previous article, we discussed some of the topics board members must be familiar with in order to serve successful terms on their community’s board of directors. This second part of “boot camp” covers the enforcement of documents, rules, and covenants, ARC issues, and some things board members should always be sure to watch […]
Pet pig named Arnold Ziffel at center of dueling Springboro lawsuits (OH)
A Vietnamese pot-bellied pig named Arnold Ziffel is the focus of dueling lawsuits between a Springboro couple and their homeowners’ association. Read the article…………………………………..
The Madness of Trust and Betrayal in Reston (VA)
It’s a losing game in the long run for any condo association to postpone needed maintenance on their buildings or make band-aid fixes. It’s also not best practices for a condo association to dip into their coffers, funded by members, to pay for millions of billable gallons of Fairfax County water leaking into the ground. […]
Golf course polarizes Club West homeowners (AZ)
With a critical court ruling expected any day and an even more critical election two weeks away, Club West’s defunct golf course has polarized the community of 2,600 homeowners. Radically divergent views of the course’s future – and, more significantly, how to achieve it – have made the Foothills Club West Association board of directors […]
Stamford Condo Board Votes To Remove Trump’s Name From Building (CT)
A Stamford, Connecticut, high-rise condominium has removed former President Donald Trump’s name from its branding. The Trump Parc Stamford erased Trump’s name from its front facade this week after its condo board voted unanimously to change the name. Read the article…………………………….
Condo question: Who’s responsible for repairs when a hot water heater damages other tenants’ property? (FL)
Q: A hot water heater burst on an upper floor and many units sustained water damage and owners are demanding the association pay for everything. Is the owner of the hot water heater responsible? Read the Q&A……………………………………..
Continental Country Club’s HOA files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy (AZ)
In an email, the board president of the Continental Country Club HOA said the organization is facing several financial challenges, including the issue over Lake Elaine. Jon Held, the president of the association’s board of directors, said the filing will not impact day-to-day operations of the country club, including the public golf course and the […]
Overnight Condo Fire Leaves Families Displaced (NC)
Dozens of people are without a home after a fire destroyed a south Charlotte condominium. The Charlotte Fire Department says it happened in the 2000 block of Stoney Point Drive, just off of Sharon Lakes Road. When crews arrived, there were large flames and smoke coming from the two-story building. The department tweeted about the […]
Natomas Community Installs License Plate Readers In Hopes Of Deterring Crime (CA)
Fighting crime, one license plate at a time. A Natomas neighborhood fed up with law-breaking drivers has installed license plate readers throughout the community known as “The Hamptons.” “We’ve been out here for 15 years and there’s a lot of drive-by crime in the area,” said Amy Gidding-Mora. Read the article…………………………………
Authority of Board President Questioned (FL)
Q: An issue has come up in my condominium association regarding the role of the association president. Some members, including the current president, feel that the president of the association has the authority to take any action on behalf of the association without the consent of the rest of the board. Is this correct? Read […]
‘They put me through hell’: Homeowner battles HOA, gets thousands in settlement (FL)
A Central Florida couple claimed the homeowner’s association threatened to foreclose on their house for a debt they did not owe. Cindy Decker and her husband raised six children in the home they’ve lived in for 26 years. Their bitter, two-year battle with the homeowner’s association to save their house still seems unreal to them. […]
Access to minutes, violation letters (FL)
Q: There are numerous parking violations and pet violations occurring in my condominium community. I don’t believe the board and manager are taking proper enforcement actions. Are owners entitled to review board meeting minutes to see what, if anything, is being done to address these ongoing violations? Am I entitled to copies of any demand […]
Unstable connection: Internet company sues Marquis Miami condo association (FL)
The rooftop of a luxury condo high-rise marks the center of a vicious legal battle for cable and Internet supremacy in downtown Miami, according to a lawsuit recently filed in Broward County Circuit Court. Winter Haven, Florida-based ITCSAT Corp. is suing the Marquis Miami Condominium Association, a competitor cable and Internet provider named Broadwave, and […]
Indian Creek Property Owners Association schedules mitigation work March 20 (CO)
Indian Creek Property Owners Association will be conducting ITS 4th Fire Mitigation Workday of 2021 on Saturday, March 20. Their continuing momentum has more Indian Creek residents joining their “posse,” having fun, learning the benefits of fire mitigation, and little by little, making Indian Creek and Teller County safer. Read the article………………………………..
Century Village condo owner cited for walking on grass (FL)
People get slapped with violations and fines all the time in condo associations, but this is one Help Me Howard with Patrick Fraser had never heard before: a condo owner got cited because she walked across the grass. Is that legal? Let’s see. Find Gloria in her Century Village condo, and you will find a […]
Freedom Isn’t Free: An Indio Man Displayed a Social-Justice Flag Outside His Home for Months—and Then His Homeowners’ Association Got Involved (CA)
The right of all Americans to freely express their views has been at the forefront of our nation’s consciousness over the last turbulent year. However … while the government is not allowed to limit speech (with some exceptions), private entities are (with some exceptions)—and that’s been a tough lesson for Chris Wilson, who lives in […]