The link below is from a homeowner in Minnesota who is outraged that her HOA has issued new rules against certain types of speech, like talking to your neighbor about the HOA board.
Can they really do that?
Well, yes they can. A private non-profit corporation can do just about anything it wants whether it seems constitutional or not.
A for-profit corporation can do the same. The Denver TV station where I worked for more than three decades had rules about private discussions between or among employees. Religion and politics were forbidden. Political correctness was mandated at all times.
But your home is your castle, isn’t it? Well, not in the modern Homeowners Association Movement. If your HOA board is as fascist as many of them are, even certain kinds of private conversation in your home are banned. And you can be fined. And liened. And your home confiscated and sold at auction, all because of a private dinnertime conversation you had with friends.
Until we can get the courts to recognize that Homeowners Associations are governments…we are doomed to hear an endless list of horrors.
(banning of speech in a Homeowners Association)
A note from Deborah Goonan and others:
With all the corruption, mismanagement and misdealing by the uncontrolled boards of many condo associations, how can the FHA even dream of easing up borrowing standards to get more condo owners into these federal loans?
In light of all the recent problems with theft, corruption, deferred maintenance, condo conversions to apartments, and landmark defect awards, this is lunacy and a federal government out-of-control.
Before putting billions more taxpayer dollars at risk, it’s time for the feds to start investigating and solving some of the fundamentals.
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m.heraldcourier.com
WASHINGTON — Could the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) finally be opening its doors again to financing more condominium units? If so, that could be excellent news for young, first-time buyers and for seniors who own condo units and need a reverse mortgage to supplement their post-retirement incomes.
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guest blog by Nila Ridings
Michael Crick of Bridal Trails HOA in Bellevue, Washington loves trees but not ones that are diseased or at risk for falling on his home and possibly killing his family. So, he obtained the proper permits and the city arborist determined the trees he marked for removal were correctly selected.
The cutting began and suddenly a dozen neighbors arrived, including the HOA president, Ray Reass. The number one tree hugger offered Mr. Crick the standard advice given in all HOAs. MOVE! That’s right, if you do not want to take the chance of a dead tree falling on your house and family just MOVE!!! And then she so politely says, “Good Day.”
I can relate to Crick and his tree issue. Next to my garage, on HOA common ground were two very old and very tall trees that started turning brown and dropping needles like rain drops. The HOA removed one tree, but I think it was done more for the purpose of the neighbors who video tape my every move. With that tree out of the way they had a much better shot of my bedroom window and driveway.
My requests to have the other tree removed fell on deaf ears and were ignored. I called an arborist who said it was diseased and a wind storm could blow it down. Being in the the direct line of west winds blowing, my garage, kitchen, and living room would be destroyed should that tree have fallen. I would have lost two vehicles, my entire kitchen, and everything in my living room. I decided to check with my insurance company about my coverage. I was instructed to write a letter to the property manager letting him know since he was being paid to manage the HOA and had been made aware of the dead tree if it fell on my house my insurance company would pay for the damage, minus my deductible, and then sue him for payment.
Shortly after writing the email to the property manager, I left town for three days. Guess what was gone when I arrived home?
(link to KOMO story about dead trees)
