There’s still no water for a residential neighborhood near Cle Elum after the only bridge into the area collapsed under the weight of a large garbage truck Monday. Read the entire article……………………………….
Decatur Shores Community Association response to the Journal (WA)
This letter is in response to the San Juan Journal article, dated Tuesday Dec. 7, titled “Decatur residents upset over changes in mail delivery services”, written by Sienna Boucher. Read the entire article……………………………….
Decatur Island continues to search for solutions for mail obstruction (WA)
Some Decatur Island residents have been expressing concern over changes that have been made to their mail system put in place by the Decatur Shores Community Association. Read the entire article……………………………….
Decatur Island in a state of unrest after being cut off from mail delivery services (WA)
Decatur Island residents are up in arms over new ownership of its mail system. Items are no longer delivered to the island free of charge. Instead, an annual fee has been instituted. Otherwise, packages and letters are kept at the post office in Anacortes while USPS is locked out of the Decatur mail shed per […]
Fire at condos off Kitsap Way draws massive response (WA)
Firefighters from Bremerton Fire Department, Central Kitsap Fire and Rescue, South Kitsap Fire and Rescue and Navy Region Northwest responded to the blaze at the complex off Kitsap Way. Read the entire article……………………………….
Camas residents urge city, HOA to settle lawsuit, restore area near Lacamas Lake (WA)
The city and state charged the Lacamas Shores Homeowners Association (HOA) with maintaining the biofilter and preventing the housing development from negatively impacting the water quality of the nearby Lacamas Lake. Read the entire article……………………………….
Lacey City Council reviews proposal that would allow HOAs to remove trees (WA)
Dubbed as a “city of trees,” Lacey’s City Council reviewed a proposal to provide Home Owners Associations (HOA) with more flexibility to remove otherwise healthy trees within their property. Read the entire article……………………………….
Camas threatened with lawsuit over lake (WA)
City leaders say they have temporarily halted the committee’s activities after receiving notice last week that someone intends to sue the city, as well as the Lacamas Shores Homeowners Association over what he contends is a failure to maintain a biofilter on the shores of Lacamas Lake. Read the entire article……………………………….
Drought spurs interest in low-water landscaping (WA)
Demand for low-water landscaping has increased significantly during an exceptionally dry and hot Inland Northwest summer, experts here say. Last month, the U.S. Drought Monitor placed the Spokane area in the most extreme category for drought, called D4 or exceptional drought. As of mid-August, that showed no signs of easing. Read the entire article……………………………….
Fall City looks at ownership model for shared septic system (WA)
At the meeting, owners narrowed the ownership model down to two possibilities — a homeowners association (HOA) or a public utility district (PUD). “A homeowners association is fast and efficient, and allows more local control, flexibility and ease of use of forming it,” Donaldson said. “Whereas, a utility district requires an election process for commissioners […]
Camas and Lacamas Shores HOA receive notice of citizens intent to sue via federal Clean Water Act (WA)
Steve Bang’s patience has finally run out. After seven years of discussions with the Lacamas Shores Homeowners Association (LSHOA), city of Camas staff, council members, and state representatives and agencies, Bang’s attorneys at Plauché & Carr LLP sent a notice of intent to sue for violating federal clean water standards. Read the entire article……………………………….
HOA requests Pasco resident take down ‘unsightly’ community library (WA)
One Pasco woman’s attempt to bring the community together with books is now facing pushback from her neighborhood’s Homeowner’s Association. In February, KAPP/KVEW told you about Juanita de Luna, a Pasco resident lovingly dubbed by neighbor’s as the “Little Library Lady.” Read the entire article……………………………….
County Clears Dangerous Eyesore From Single Tree Estates (WA)
An abandoned home in Yelm’s Single Tree Estates was recently removed by Thurston County, concluding a project that was years in the making. The eyesore was collapsing in on itself and was located near a school bus stop. Community members said children were known to play within the walls of the dangerous structure. Read the […]
Neighbors frustrated after HOA sends letter to remove Pasco “neighborhood library” (WA)
At the start of the pandemic, a former teacher set up a free book stand in front of her home in Pasco while libraries were closed. The book stand was a hit and expanded, now known as the “neighborhood library”, but now she said she’s being forced to take it down. Read the entire article……………………………….
West Seattle beach pollution from condo sewer problems not over after all (WA)
Nine days after we first reported on warning signs south of Alki Point because of a sewer leak on private property, the problems aren’t over after all, Seattle Public Utilities confirms. Two days after that first report, SPU told us the leak had stopped, but bacteria levels were still high enough to keep nearby beaches […]
East Wenatchee man faces charges in condominium complex fire in Wenatchee (WA)
A 20-year-old East Wenatchee man faces first-degree arson charges after fireworks were allegedly thrown from his vehicle that then ignited an apartment fire in South Wenatchee late Sunday evening. Read the entire article……………………………….
A GROWING CONCERN: Cultivate fire safety in your neighborhood
As you have heard, drought and wildfires are at record levels again this year in the West and for those of us living here. Many enjoy the rural lifestyle. Fire officials say some of those homes, those on forests’ edges, are more susceptible to wildfire dangers. Here’s what you can do to protect your property […]
Ask the Builder: Condo collapse, rusty rebar and your home
Early reports indicate that the cause of the collapse may have been weakened concrete, as well as unstable soil under the structure. It’s going to take many months to complete a forensic study of this catastrophe, so keep in mind that much of what you see now in the news is speculation. Read the entire […]
Homestead suit now class-action of 100s of parcel owners (WA)
The Homestead homeowners’ lawsuit over common area fees has become a class-action case, and the suit presses the City of Lynden as well as golf course owner Morris Chen of Canada to have a part in solutions. Read the entire article……………………………….
Mother-in-law of City Council President M. Lorena González dies after West Seattle condo fire (WA)
A condo unit fire near Seattle City Council President, M. Lorena González’s home has claimed the life of her 79-year-old mother-in-law. The fire happened around 6 p.m. Friday at the complex near the 4400 block of 44th Ave. SW in West Seattle. González confirmed the fire happened in her mother-in-law, Mary Lou William’s condo unit, […]
Pierce County man loved on Instagram, hated by neighbors. What are limits of online speech? (WA)
Martin Cabello III is incredibly popular on Instagram. Almost 500,000 people follow him for diet advice and explanations of his religion, Cabelloism. He has another 25,800 followers on Twitter and 1.2 million on TikTok………The people who live in his Pierce County neighborhood, though, say he makes their lives a living hell. Read the entire […]
Monroe neighborhood’s attempt to solve speeding was blunted, but now city making uniform policy (WA)
Monroe Police last week set up a speed limit trailer on Rainier View Road, where neighbors want to see unsafe speeding halted. The neighborhood posted its own radar signs up for many months until being given a takedown notice saying the independent act posed liabilities for the city. The neighborhood is asking to work with […]
Fire damages multiple condo units in Redmond (WA)
Multiple condos were damaged by fire Friday night in Redmond, police said. Firefighters were told a 7-year-old woke up to smoke in her bedroom and started screaming and woke everyone up. Read the article……………………………………
Burlington neighborhood all aglow in holiday spirit (WA)
Think the Griswolds of the movie “Christmas Vacation” fame, but on a neighborhood-wide scale. That’s the festive spirit on display at the Homestead Place Holiday Wonderland, where home after home is aglow with twinkling and blinking lights. Read the article………………………………
Governor Allows Community Associations to Keep Meeting and Voting Electronically (WA)
A new COVID proclamation issued by Governor Inslee permits owners and directors in condominium and homeowners associations to continue to vote Read the article……………………………
Homestead homeowners bring lawsuit (WA)
Homeowners in north Lynden’s Homestead development have sued its golf course owners and managers claiming misappropriation of maintenance fees that have been collected over the years. The seven homeowner couples or individuals bringing the lawsuit say they want to regain control for parcel owners of how the maintenance fees are spent by establishing a homeowners […]
Swifty Creek drainage overflows made lakes (WA)
Residents of the Village at Snohomish condominiums along Ford Avenue, and surrounding homes, have dealt with the flooding of Swifty Creek for decades. In February, the parking lot was nicknamed “Lake Snohomish” by condo residents, according to Marcia Hogan, the president of the Village condominiums. Read the article……………………………….
Snoqualmie Ridge homeowner association tells family to take down Black Lives Matter, LGBTQ-positive signs (WA)
A family in Snoqualmie Ridge says their homeowner association has unfairly targeted their signs that promote equality. Watch the new report………………………………..
North Star Subdivision developer’s request to charge residents more than $200 (WA) a month for water, sewer services denied
A request from the developers of a subdivision near Helena to charge residents more than $200 each month for water and sewer services has been denied by the Montana Public Service Commission. According to a release from the Public Service Commission, the subdivision’s developers of the North Star Subdivision established North Star Water & Sewer, […]
Renton neighborhood closing in on long-awaited 20 mph speed limit
As a firefighter in early March, James Curtis saw the writing on the wall: Spring was not the time for a door-to-door campaign. “So we pushed it back thinking, OK, May or June. Now we’re in July/August, and our only option is to do online as best we can,” Curtis said. The campaign in question […]
Skanska and Seattle Condo Developer Seek To Resolve Costly Tangle Of Disputes (WA)
Skanska and a condominium developer in Seattle are trying to settle a multifaceted dispute over costs and payments that has simmered for a year and boiled over into a lien filed Jan. 31 by the contractor for $34 million, or about 20% of the contract value. The developer contested most of the lien in state […]
Washington Legislature Approves New Law Regarding Low-Water Landscaping
The Washington Legislature recently approved a new law regulating the ability of community associations and their governing documents to restrict low-water landscaping practices. The law first states that an association’s governing documents may not prohibit the installation of drought resistant landscaping or wildfire ignition resistant landscaping. Read the article…………………………….
Sheriff’s office, Surfside HOA negotiate for deputy (WA)
The Pacific County Sheriff’s Office and the Surfside Homeowners Association are negotiating details to allow the sheriff’s office to hire an additional officer to patrol the Surfside area. The negotiations come after reserve Deputy Travis Ostgaard — who had been patrolling Surfside — was hired for a non-law enforcement position with the county, and Sheriff […]
Alleged Clearwood Embezzler Arrested on Theft Charges (WA)
Dolanna K. Burnett, the former Clearwood Community Association bookkeeper who allegedly embezzled as much as $400,000 over four years starting in 2014, was booked into Thurston County jail on Monday, March 2, on a felony theft charge. Read the article…………………………
King County files lawsuit to finish East Lake Sammamish Trail (WA)
About 150 homeowners living along the East Lake Sammamish Trail were served with letters this week telling them to remove their installations, landscaping and docks from the trail’s right of way……Representatives for the Sammamish Homeowners Association could not be reached for immediate comment. Read the article……………………….
Clearwood President Resigns as HOA Lands on Steadier Financial Footing Through Special Election (WA)
Following a special election earlier this month during which measures to ratify the Clearwood Community Association’s 2020 budget and transfer funds to cover debt, among others, were passed by a large margin, President Aaron Lang announced his intent to resign…….While financial problems have been resolved, attention now turns to the litigation brought upon Dolanna K. […]
Seattle Fire battled ‘very difficult’ condo fire in Northgate on Sunday (WA)
The fire department said crews faced several obstacles, including cars parking too close to hydrants. Read the article……………………….
Clearwood Homeowners Association Will Ask Members to Repay for Embezzlement Losses, Transfer Capital Reserves (WA)
Following the embezzlement of between $300,000 and $400,000, the Clearwood Community Association plans on transferring about $198,000 from its capital reserve funds while instituting a new $2-per-month repayment fee for residents that would last for about a year. Read the article……………………..
Preliminary Audit Finds Clearwood Embezzlement Larger Than First Thought (WA)
A preliminary look at the Clearwood Community Association’s forensic audit shows that a former bookkeeper likely embezzled “above $300,000 but less than $400,000,” General Manager Mitch Waterman said Tuesday. Read the article…………………………
Clearwood Community Association Members to Vote on $300K Embezzlement Repayment (WA)
Members of the Clearwood Community Association could be footing the bill temporarily after it was discovered last year that a bookkeeper embezzled upward of $300,000. The Clearwood Community Association Board of Directors will discuss allowing members to vote on a one-time fee at their next meeting this Saturday. If there’s a consensus among the board, […]
Who controls campaign signs at the Ridge? (WA)
Political campaign signs at Snoqualmie Ridge have been getting extra focus lately. Several candidates for city council received emails from the Snoqualmie Ridge Residential Owners’ Association (ROA) stating their staked political signs were in violation of ROA policy and needed to be taken down or that the ROA would remove them. Read the article……………………..
Flagpole at condo complex dedicated to veterans (WA)
Retired Baptist pastor Howard Cooper speaks slowly, with a steady Texas drawl. At 91 years old he has kind eyes and a smile that lights up any room; he’s also responsible for spearheading the effort to get a flagpole installed at The Cedars condominium complex in Burlington. Read the article………………………..
Stampede! Goats suddenly hit the suburban streets of Issaquah (WA)
Our homeowner association hires the goats for clearing vegetation between houses and in buffer zones next to the forest. The goats were scheduled to depart the next morning and had eaten most of the plants in their enclosure. The fresh plants across the street must have been too tempting, and they broke through their fencing […]
Plague of frogs: Five Mile property owners say stormwater pond is ruining their neighborhood (WA)
…..Planning documents are clear about who’s responsible for maintaining the stormwater pond, and its partner a little farther north, at the intersection of Palm Place and Strong Road. A declaration signed by the city and Hayden Enterprises, the developing firm in charge of constructing the subdivision in 2004, indicates the Panorama Place Homeowners Association will […]
Fix still in the works for Riverfront townhomes in Everett (WA)
Trains are still causing delays for residents of the Riverfront townhomes. A recent blockage left some stranded for more than 1½ hours. The only access for residents of the new development — between I-5 and the Snohomish River — is from Pacific Avenue. In between Pacific and the entrance to the neighborhood is a rail […]
This new Seattle high-rise condo tower will come with Teslas that residents can rent (WA)
A high-rise condo complex under construction near Seattle’s Pike Place Market will come with an interesting perk for residents: On-demand Tesla vehicles. Developers of The Emerald are partnering with Envoy Technologies, a Culver City, Calif. company that sets up on-demand vehicle pools for office buildings, hotels and housing complexes. Through Envoy’s app, residents of The […]
Gunshot Forces Evacuation Of Bellevue Condo Complex (WA)
A woman fired a single shot inside a downtown-area condo, setting off a chain reaction involving a fire sprinkler. Read the article…………………
Cars smash into apartment (condo) building on SR 99 repeatedly (WA)
The speed limit on State Route 99 between the new tunnel and the Aurora Bridge is 40 mph, but drivers go a lot faster than that, according to nearby resident Brian Nakayama. “I live up here and I can see the accidents,” Nakayama said, pointing to his upstairs apartment overlooking a slight bend in the […]
Clearwood Association Alleges Former Bookkeeper Embezzled Nearly $300K (WA)
The Clearwood Community Association filed a civil complaint in Thurston County Superior Court Nov. 30 alleging its former bookkeeper embezzled nearly $300,000 and that the amount could in fact be more. The lawsuit against Dolanna K Burnett, her husband and their businesses, claims the bookkeeper wrote multiple checks to herself and covered it up in […]
Feds zero in on Surfside asbestos mess (WA)
North Beach Water District is under scrutiny from state authorities and the federal Environmental Protection Agency for improperly handling and storing asbestos cement pipes while working under contract for the Surfside Homeowners Association. An estimated seven to nine current and former workers were exposed to asbestos. The asbestos imbroglio is already costing the association and […]