guest blog by Sara Benson
So far, we have several hundred responses yet we still need your help!
We need one final push. Please take the survey and promote the survey on all of your social media networks.
Here is the link to the survey: http://bit.ly/1K11ovs
You can remain anonymous if you wish.
Responders with email addresses will receive the final results of the survey.
Many thanks for your help and support on this most important issue involving 80% of all new construction in America.
I am indebted to you all.
Sara –
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Dear Mr. Lucas:
Your survey and comments above certainly “hit home” with me, as a Hawaii condo owner. I’ve been saying often, to my fellow condo coalition owners that the legal involvement in our affairs, whether on the association side, or on the owners’ side amounts to racketeering, since our state’s real estate commission regularly steers owners to hiring attorneys, instead of assisting them itself with our grievances. The insistence by state agencies that our condos are self governing is indicative of their burying their heads in the sand, as regards problems in more than a few “bad projects.” Benefitting the most from condo management abuse towards owners are attorneys, regardless of the whether they’re on the associations’ or the owners’ side.
Please, please continue your efforts to shine lights on this huge problem, and get reform at the Federal level.
Thanks.
Hi Marco! Welcome to the forum. First of all, I have no connection to the survey that’s being done. Because of my position as an author and blogsite owner I will not take the survey myself just as a way of staying neutral. I will post it, however, once it’s done. Second, you are absolutely right in using the word ‘racketeering.’ The 42 federal organized crime convictions in Las Vegas are just the tip of the iceberg. The HOA Mafia now controls 20% of all housing in America and these crimes are everywhere. The people making the most money from this national scandal are the lawyers. And many of those convicted in Las Vegas WERE lawyers. It’s horrifying.
I totally agree. I am “bewildered” as to how most attorneys in the State of Florida are corrupt and get away with it in regards to the Foreclosure and HOA nightmares. Yes this needs to be resolved at a much higher level. I have lost everything due to the HOA’s sticking their nose into my personal and legal affairs via their attorney and personally themselves. Including almost losing my life!
With even a past board President making statements that he was aware of the illegal and discrimination dealings/Tactics happening. He hoped I got the Justice deserved. But the Courts denied me, even though my documentation was there. It appears I even was blacklisted in the hiring of an attorney and more. I must of aroused to much, and stepped on the wrong toe. I need an attorney like yesterday who will stand up for me. Please feel free to refer any to me. YES these HOA’s are totally inappropriate.
want to learn more about HOA’s
Hi Mario. Thanks for joining us. I guarantee you that the nation’s experts are gathered here on this website and you’ll learn a lot from these people.
I agree that more needs to be done to regulate HOAs, especially for condo owners. It seems the only way owners can affect change or force their HOA to do something (or not do something) is to try to get on the board yourself or hire a lawyer. However, I’ve known a few ex-board members who served a term or two and were unable to do anything because the other board members were in unison. In my complex alone many reformer board members have quit before their term is up. Because few if any run for the board, those awful board members are able to stay on unopposed. They don’t communicate with us and they don’t maintain the buildings or the landscaping. I’ve given up hope that I will ever be able to sell my condo for anything but a loss.
Great read!
As a former resident of a neighborhood in which the ‘self-managed’ HOA governed based on their personal vendettas (started out with singling out certain neighbors for one thing but not another neighbor for the exact same issue), I fully support any and all efforts to dismantle HOA organizations across the country. The HOA offenses progressed from minor verbal complaints about brown grass to full on harassment, property damage, theft and threats of bodily harm by one HOA board member. This went on for 9 months, for several hours a day at times. The board essentialy looked the other way when we contacted them. Therefore, he essentially was given permission to do anything he desired. (The other HOA board members were afraid of him, as he is volatile and mentally unstable.). After hiring an attorney demanding the HOA harassment be stopped, involving the authorities to defend ourselves, we decided to move in an effort to preserve peace and a happy life. We had a clear cut case per the attorney and police (everything he did was on security camera footage), but decided it was no longer worth fighting in our home. Loss of personal safety in one’s own home is life damaging and -no joke! There was no going back.
Silver lining:
We landed on our feet, selling high (highly desired neighborhood) and ended up in a much nicer home, better neighborhood with wonderful neighbors and NO HOA! There is life after HOA.
The grand finale of this ordeal:
The offending HOA board member was permanently removed from his position and his HOA colleagues stepped down from their positions as a result of our efforts (attorney letters helped). The offending ex-board member and his family now live in shame and have no choice but keep to themselves (camera doesn’t lie)!
Our actions, while sacrificing our former home in exchange for peace, helped make a change. Peace is restored in that HOA.
However! we will NEVER live in an HOA again.
(I left off part of my email 2001). Reposting with corrected email.
Great read!
As a former resident of a neighborhood in which the ‘self-managed’ HOA governed based on their personal vendettas (started out with singling out certain neighbors for one thing but not another neighbor for the exact same issue), I fully support any and all efforts to dismantle HOA organizations across the country. The HOA offenses progressed from minor verbal complaints about brown grass to full on harassment, property damage, theft and threats of bodily harm by one HOA board member. This went on for 9 months, for several hours a day at times. The board essentialy looked the other way when we contacted them. Therefore, he essentially was given permission to do anything he desired. (The other HOA board members were afraid of him, as he is volatile and mentally unstable.). After hiring an attorney demanding the HOA harassment be stopped, involving the authorities to defend ourselves, we decided to move in an effort to preserve peace and a happy life. We had a clear cut case per the attorney and police (everything he did was on security camera footage), but decided it was no longer worth fighting in our home. Loss of personal safety in one’s own home is life damaging and -no joke! There was no going back.
Silver lining:
We landed on our feet, selling high (highly desired neighborhood) and ended up in a much nicer home, better neighborhood with wonderful neighbors and NO HOA! There is life after HOA.
The grand finale of this ordeal:
The offending HOA board member was permanently removed from his position and his HOA colleagues stepped down from their positions as a result of our efforts (attorney letters helped). The offending ex-board member and his family now live in shame and have no choice but keep to themselves (camera doesn’t lie)!
Our actions, while sacrificing our former home in exchange for peace, helped make a change. Peace is restored in that HOA.
However! we will NEVER live in an HOA again.