Tag Archives: HOA Embezzlement

Red, White and Blue: Such Hideous Colors!

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What is it about the American flag that so disgusts the boards of Homeowners Associations? Why is it that patriotism across this grand country is dying? Our parents and grandparents fought fascism abroad a half dozen times over the past century. But the unregulated HOA movement is continuing to increase its dictatorial grip on the tens of millions of people who have come under its control. Our kids are growing up in schools that no longer teach the Pledge of Allegiance or duty to God and Country. They’re learning by our example that patriotism is just not PC.

The latest example comes to us, from of all places, El Paso, Texas which is essentially a military town. An HOA developer is demanding that an elementary school take down a red white and blue flag display from an exterior wall.

(link to flag controversy in El Paso)

 

 

Lawsuits, Drama, and political controversy surrounding Palm Beach, FL condominium association

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guest blog by Deborah Goonan

Here’s a condo story in Florida that might some day make the basis for a great TV movie script. It’s so bizarre. I can’t make this stuff up.

It involves Whitehall Condominium of the Villages, West Palm Beach, Florida.

First, I watched the WPBF news report of condo-owners breaking and entering the condo office to seize records, checks, and computer hard drives. It just so happens one of the homeowners involved was Katherine Waldron, a candidate for Palm Beach Commission.

Predictably, dirty politics is using this information to campaign against Waldron, and in favor of her competitor.

Waldron explains that in October 2014, FL Division of Professional and Business Regulation (DBPR) had authorized the removal of Condo President Vincent Rossi, and therefore the owners were justified in taking control of the Board and securing their assets and records.

Another video report from WPTV sheds additional light on the story. After a recent audit, owner Cary Collins and others became concerned about discrepancies in the financial records. There seemed to be money missing! Enter Vincent Rossi, former condo Board President. He admits to WPTV that he withdrew money from Association accounts to gamble in various casinos, but claims it was “his” money after all. Something to do with Rossi guaranteeing a past due water utility bill, he claims.

Whitehall owners have filed many other complaints with DBPR officials. But when the state fined the Association $5000, Whitehall Condo Association, led by Rossi, fought back unsuccessfully, at a cost of $130,000 to condo owners. Oh, and by the way, although he is no longer on the Board, Rossi is currently employed as the maintenance manager at Whitehall to the tune of $52,000 annually.

The owners have sued the Whitehall Condo Association and Mr. Rossi. The Association is now suing the owners for damages related to the break in.  WPTV reports an ongoing police investigation, which could result in criminal charges. Your tax dollars at work, Floridians, even if you are fortunate enough not to live in Whitehall or any other condo or HOA in the state.

It’s too early to tell how this battle will turn out, and we may never know the whole story if there is yet another round of out-of-court settlements with gag orders.

References:

(video of Palm Beach Commission candidate breaking into condo office)

(link to article about Palm Beach Commission race, Whitehall Condo)

(link to video interviews with upset condo owner, former condo president accused of wrongdoing)

(links to public record of court cases filed:)

(link to another court case)

Why Do HOAs Hate Renters?

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guest blog by Dave Russell
Most HOAs have long shunned those who rent properties within Homeowners Associations. I’ve heard every disparaging comment ever made, “renters are trashy, uncaring, and simply make for bad neighbors.”  Well I’m here to dispel those myths and misconceptions about renters.
 
Most renters are actually decent, hard working folks, who pay their bills, and follow the HOA rules more often than homeowners do. Let’s take a look at one of the renters in my own homeowners association. Stacey Barker, single mother of three, saw a Facebook post from co-worker, Romona, who she didn’t really know all that well.  Ramona posted a plea on Facebook for prayers, or for someone who would be willing to donate a kidney to save her dying husbands life.
 
Less than ten minutes after Ramona’s desperate Facebook post was published online, Stacey Barker – a woman Ramona hardly knew – replied. “I sent her two messages,” said Barker. “The first time I don’t think she took me seriously, and the second time I said, ‘No really, I will get tested and if I’m a match I will donate.” Stacy did get tested and was a perfect match! Such an uncaring renter, isn’t she?’
 
Stacy, the renter, took two months of unpaid leave from work and donated her kidney to a man she didn’t even really know. Aren’t these renters something else! Ramona’s husbands life was saved thanks to Stacy Barker. Pay close attention all of you HOA board members! Not every renter is a ‘bad neighbor.’

 

The Viciousness Knows No Bounds!

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What is it about the ‘control’ issues many HOA board members have? And why is it that brand new Ford F-150 pickups are so hated?

The board of the Kimry Moor Homeowners Association in Fayetteville, New York has decided that homeowners David and Arna Orlando are scofflaws because they park their pickup in the driveway instead of in the garage.

Never mind that people all over this HOA park their trucks in their driveways.
No, I strongly suspect the issue isn’t the truck. It’s that somebody on the board thinks the Orlando family are of the wrong race, the wrong income level or because their kid might have smart-mouthed a board member’s kid at school.

I hope the Orlando’s attorney looks at an almost identical case in Texas where the owner of the Ford F-150 got sued for his truck…and he actually won the case against his power-mongering HOA. It’s too bad that HOA homeowners have to pay special assessments to support this kind of insanity.

(link to latest HOA lawsuit against an F-150 owner)

(for the Orlando’s attorney, this might save you a couple minutes of research time)

And yet another!

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/07/28/florida-man-spends-k-right-park-driveway/

 

Whoa! Nevada HOA Mob ‘Boss’ to Plead Guilty? Say It Ain’t So, Joe!

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Rumors are that HOA mobster Leon Benzer is going to plead guilty in federal court Friday morning! Benzer headed up the massive scheme to take over and corrupt Homeowners Associations in and around Las Vegas. Benzer got phony board members ‘elected’ in dozens of HOAs. Millions of dollars in construction defect mitigation insurance was then diverted away from homeowners and into the pockets of lawyers, police officials, prominent politicians, businessmen. A federal judge has told homeowners they’ll never get back those stolen millions. And Benzer will be the 37th member of the gang to skate past federal organized crime and racketeering charges with just a pat on his corrupt and flabby back.

This case has been weird from the very beginning. Four of the most ‘inconvenient’ suspects committed suicide. It was one of the largest public corruption cases in the history of the FBI. So it’s really rather sad to see the feds knuckle in to knuckleheads. By accepting Benzer’s guilty plea the feds will be throwing away one of the most valuable corruption intimidation cases they’ve ever conducted.

Yay that the the ‘feebies’ got Sammy ‘the Bull’ and the Teflon Don thrown in jail for life. But Nevada and Las Vegas, which are famous as a retirement community for the world’s Mafioso, will never get to know the whole story about how corrupt the American Homeowners Association movement really is. And that means the movement will not only stay corrupt, it will get more corrupt. Steal a hundred million bucks and get 18 months in jail? A lot of folks would say, “Hey, I’d like that job!”

(link to ReviewJournal story on pending guilty plea)