No one will say for sure, but the parents of Trayvon Martin have settled their lawsuit against the Retreat at Twin Lakes Homeowners Association, in Sanford, Florida, for more than a million dollars.
Martin was shot to death during a struggle with George Zimmerman who was serving as the neighborhood watch chairman.
It’s unclear whether this HOA was covered by insurance at the time of Martin’s death. It is clear, however, that the Retreat at Twin Lakes board quickly bought a Travelers Casualty insurance policy a few weeks after the incident. But Travelers Casualty has made it clear the insurance company was not a part of this settlement.
So, a big mystery: Was the Retreat at Twin Lakes insured when Trayvon Martin was shot? If so, why did the HOA do such a mad scramble to get insured after-the-fact. If not, then individual homeowners there are going to get hammered with a huge special assessment for legal fees, for the judgment, and for the inevitable hike in their insurance premiums.
Now, for those of you who think a Homeowners Association protects your property values, how do you think that’s working out for the folks who live in the Retreat at Twin Lakes? Home prices there are somewhere at the bottom of the outhouse.
This chart from Zillow.com is fascinating:
Will the last one leaving Sanford please turn out the lights?
This morning’s internet news is covered with the Trayvon Martin HOA settlement. On the site where I was, there are now over 12,000 comments posted by readers with various opinions about Zimmerman’s guilt or innocence. The one issue where everyone is stating the same thing pertains to why the HOA paid or was even responsible for any settlement. If I could give just one message to those 12,000 posters it would be: Read NEIGHBORS AT WAR! Not next year, not next month, no, order it to be shipped overnight if you have to, but READ IT. It will be the smallest price you will ever pay for greatest education you will ever get!
I’m so thankful Ward came out with his book before this big case in Sanford goes to court. This is a prime time to raise awareness nationwide but the HOA folks in Florida should have thrown their rose-colored glasses away by now. When the very guy that was volunteering to protect you has now cost you over one million dollars in a settlement and massive depreciation in your real estate values, it’s time to educate yourselves!
Thank you for telling me about the book! It’s a valuable resource when dealing with HOAs.
Marie, you are certainly welcome