Tag Archives: Federal investigators

Freakin’ Flag Fury

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Yet another Homeowners Association is taking aim at a homeowner who’s flying a patriotic flag. Floridians who fly the American flag have been taken to the cleaners over the years by their HOA for flying Old Glory. Then, Governor Jeb Bush stepped in and signed a bill forcing HOAs to allow flag flying. Reluctantly, the HOAs gave in.

But keep in mind that an HOA management company isn’t making money unless it’s fining homeowners, towing away their cars, liening and suing them for one minor violation or another. Trust me, when HOA management companies have their morning meetings, employees are told, “Now GET out there and write some tickets!!! FIND me some violations!!!

So it’s no surprise when Tom Bagnoli of Palm Coast, Florida started getting fined because right under Old Glory he flies a Wounded Warriors flag. In fact, he’s being fined a hundred bucks a day! Keep in mind that there are flags and flagpoles all over the Grand Haven Homeowners Association. POW/MIA flags, flags representing each of the armed forces, and even some flags for sports teams.

But this HOA is definitely going to do its best to reduce Bagnoli’s net worth.

(link to WFTV story)

A Call To Action

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I rarely object to re-posting calls to action from our network around the country, especially if I know the person or group asking for the post.

Our friends in North Carolina are doing excellent work in dealing with legislators and trying to get new laws passed. Thus, I refer to you their latest request.

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info@nchoalaws.org (info@nchoalaws.org)

Please pass this info along to everyone you know who lives in an HOA community. Ask them to contact the North Carolina Legislature through Thom Tillis, Speaker of the House, and ask for changes to HOA laws that seem to allow and even encourage abuse of Homeowners and our Property Rights, not to mention our abilities to live and contribute positively to our Communities.

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Actually, I would go one step further than the above call to action. The vast majority of our legislators are clueless about what’s going on in HOA Amerika. The campaign donations they get is almost exclusively from the ‘industry’, and by ‘industry’ I mean those law firms, management companies and organizations which make fifty billion dollars by maintaining, nurturing and sucking at the teat of homeowners who are chained to ‘planned communities’. These are the people who are being bled dry from lawsuits, special assessments, fines, liens and foreclosures. As long as they have retirement savings and equity in their homes they have targets on their backs.

Your Legislators don’t know any of this! Get a copy of my book, Neighbors At War! And demand that your lawmaker read it!

Here We Go Again! HOA Lawyers Siphoning Off Your Money!

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Yes, it’s the old American Flag dispute again. Across the country homeowners have been winning disputes when the HOA lawyers decide flags are illegal. But states have begun passing laws to keep the HOA lawn Nazis from hassling patriotic homeowners.

The dispute in Forrest Lake Townhouse Association in Texas flag involved veteran Billy Martin. He complained to the board the community flag was looking tattered. They did nothing to improve things so he put up his own flag to display Old Glory.

The HOA began fining him two hundred bucks a day. Two years earlier, after another HOA ordered a homeowner to rip down his flag, the Texas legislature passed a law saying flying the American flag was a right, even in Homeowners Associations.

THE LAW IS ALREADY ON THE BOOKS! So why is this new Homeowners Association challenging the law?

In the story linked below you’ll see a completely frivolous lawsuit and the lengths the lawyers are going to stretch out their case and build up their billable hours.

Disgusting.

(click here for Chronicle article)

Crap Flies Sky High Over Virginia Capitol

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It’s extraordinarily rare for a homeowner to win a lawsuit against a Homeowners Association. The most memorable victory last year was by a couple in Olde Belhaven Town Owners Association in Northern Virginia. As you may recall, the couple put up an Obama for President sign in their front yard. Their HOA ordered it taken down because it was four inches too wide.

After the dust settled from the lawsuits, the couple won when the judge ruled that an HOA board couldn’t create resolutions to assess fines unless the covenants contemplated such actions.

This HOA, by the way, declared bankruptcy to try to keep the couple from collecting a dime.

In any event, the Virginia Legislature, ever anxious to protect the cash flow to lawyers, is now contemplating a new state law which would permit Virginia Homeowners Associations to assess fines against residents without having to change their covenants.

As always, there are greasy fingers all over this legislation. The Community Associations Institute (CAI) is out in force lobbying for this awful law. CAI rakes in billions of dollars each year on behalf of lawyers and management companies who kick back dues to the CAI.

As I’ve continued to say on this blog, you don’t have to be a Republican, Democrat, Tea Partier or Libertarian to be repulsed by this kind of anti-homeowner legislation. It’s all wrong.

But as long as you have cash in your pocket and equity in your home, someone is trying to take it.

(click here for text to proposed Virginia legislation, HB791 – LeMunyon)

After reading this bill, consider contacting your Representative or State Legislator.

Massachusetts Condo Boards Out Of Control

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I’m always happy to pass along a link to a blog where HOA members are discovering the tyrannies that are coming to dominate the controlled neighborhood scene.

Some folks in Massachusetts are beginning to realize the horrors of living in a community where hidden personal agendas are par-for-the-course among board members and property managers.

Home ownership is an incredibly personal and private thing, just as a marriage relationship is private and relationships with children are personal and private.

Yes, government can intervene when laws are broken. But to have your neighbors pry into your private affairs is universally disgusting and revolting. Official retaliation against a homeowner in an effort to force him or her out of the neighborhood is as nauseating as the racism and sexism that dominated housing trends over the past century.

With that in mind, here comes another blogger who deserves to be followed as Massachusetts HOA boards are put under the microscope:

(link to Massachusetts blog)

http://20140125.commentary-by-ms-condo-board-reform.condoboardreform.tel/

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