One of the biggest HOA scandals in Colorado is that voters wanted an HOA ombudsman’s office created. The Legislature did so. But this office in DORA (Department of Regulatory Agencies) is worse than worthless. When my book, Neighbors At War, first came out I attended a seminar put on by the newly created Colorado HOA office. I was encouraged that such an office had been proposed. But halfway through the talk by the head of the State office the Southeast Denver Marriot Hotel, I found myself standing up and confronting the head of this state office with his total ignorance of HOA controversies. He’s a state board member, and dumber than a box of rocks.
With all the taxpayer money being poured into this ombudsman’s office, he pontificated about all the hard work he does on behalf of homeowners. He tabulates the number of telephone complaints. He tracks whether the callers are male or female. He tabulates their average age. He tabulates the size of the HOAs involved. He tabulates where the complaints come from. He tabulates the length of the telephone conversation. With a little bit of work he might have been to to tabulate how many of us were circumcised or uncircumcised.
And for all the millions of dollars being poured into this wasteful office all he thinks his job is, is reporting those stupid numbers to the Colorado State Legislature. Colorado has a colorful history of lynching bad, bad people for crimes they committed. This appointed bloodsucker should be lynched. He’s a leech on Colorado taxpayers. He does not have the guts to report to the Legislature the vast number of financial crimes and criminal conspiracies perpetrated against innocent Colorado homeowners. He doesn’t have the guts to admit that he mediates NO controversies, he doesn’t even listen to the factual evidence homeowners try to present.`
I personally have had to testify several times in front of the Colorado Legislature, mostly on issues related to journalism. and I’m familiar with the decorum and respect that’s required of a witness. And I admit that several state lawmen physically threw me out of this meeting for asking the wrong kinds of questions.
But as it’s constructed now, this office is nothing more than a con game, another wool blanket pulled over the eyes of a worried segment of our communities who are begging for relief against wildly out-of-control HOA BOARDS, while this phony state executive slips a few hundred thousand bucks into his pocket.
Shame on you. Shame on your fundamental dishonestly. Shame on you for not having the guts to tell Colorado homeowners that they do have Constitutional Rights, and that those rights are often superior to the rights of illegally or improperly constructed HOA BOARDS which they attempt to assert.
Shame, shame on you!!!
https://outlook.live.com/owa/?realm=msn.com&path=/mail/inbox/rpstf
Thank God for people like you. I speak up at our meetings and am victimized because of it. I have pointed out fraud and collusion but instead of thanks the board defends the management company! I am at my wits end. I have just purchased your book…..I pray every night that things will change and the abuses will stop but until all homeowners join forces I feel I am spinning my wheels.
Well, I believe in God and talk to Him constantly. Skeptics may laugh but I find comfort there. But the HOA system is demonic, and I have a moral obligation to warn as many people as possible. Wish I could say I was the brightest and smartest, but I fall far short of the genius of George Staropoli, Dr. Evan McKanzie, Nila Ridings, Shu Bartholomew, Donie Vanitzian, Robin Huhn, Gary Solomon, Stan Hrincevich and a hundred others who I’m too much of slacker to remember to recognize. But I do believe the U.S. Constitution was God-inspired and I do believe our nation was founded by people who had faith in a higher power. Don’t want to get preachy here, but if you’ll grab your Bibles and turn to the Jewish side of the Bible, take a look at 2 Chronicles 7:14, it contains an amazing message for all of us in this fight. Be pure, be honest and be brave and we’ll eventually win.
These ombudsman in all states are essentially “bean counters” set up to supposedly analyze HOA issues by collecting data. The implication is that this analysis of the “beans” would be forwarded to some legislative committee prepared to act on the findings, which don’t exist. It’s a “make believe” because, as Ward points out, nothing is done. The office is setup to pacify homeowners that something is being done to help them.
Why aren’t these HOAs being regulated as any other private-public agency with penalty power against HOA violations of the law and governing documents? Surely, this would be more effective. I mean HOAs have been granted penalty powers, why not a state regulatory agency?
“And for all the millions of dollars being poured into this wasteful office all he thinks his job is, is reporting those stupid numbers to the Colorado State Legislature.”
That is all he is authorized to do — collect information. The H.O.A. Information Office is not authorized by law to investigate complaints nor enforce any type of rule.
I agree that the office is worthless. But that was state Senator Morgan Carroll’s intent.
“I found myself standing up and confronting the head of this state office with his total ignorance of HOA controversies. He’s a state board member, and dumber than a box of rocks.” … “And I admit that several state lawmen physically threw me out of this meeting for asking the wrong kinds of questions.”
Is there video? I’d love to see that!