Tag Archives: HOA Embezzlement

Homeowners Associations Could Learn From Baboons!

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guest blog by Nila Ridings
 
30 years of studying how baboons were able to change their culture could be the clue to what will change the culture of homeowners associations.  Wouldn’t the results be interesting if Dr. Robert Sapolsky spent three decades studying behaviors in HOAs?
 
Do we have to wait until the selfish, narcissistic, abusive, bullying, self-serving, and power-hungry board members die off?  Can we legislate these people to respectable conduct or do we have to sit back and watch them self-destruct?  Keeping in mind, they only self-destruct when they run out of our money.
 
We’ve learned a lot from animals.  Mostly, that they are more than companions.  They guide those without sight.  They alert those who cannot hear.  They comfort those who have been severely traumatized.  They assist soldiers and law enforcement in doing their jobs.  And now, we learn they know more about co-existing together than we do.
 
As I see it, Sir Michael Marmot is correct when he says, “The conditions in which people live and work are absolutely vital for their health.”  It is no wonder there are so many unhealthy and depressed people living in HOAs.

(click here for video on baboon study)

 

2013 Neighbors At War Website Numbers

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Other homeowners rights advocates are far ahead of this newcomer, and I envy and admire every one of them. I only publish my own numbers to give you increased hope that Americans are indeed waking up to the nationwide scam perpetrated by the Homeowners Association Movement.

Over the past 12 months nearly 50,000 unique visitors have logged onto this website. They’ve visited often enough that they’ve racked up more than 234,000 visits and have read nearly  2.3 million pages of material.

Our message is reaching Americans. Together, you and I are having an impact. So it’s worth the fight.

Also, please grab a copy of Neighbors At War! The Creepy Case Against Your Homeowners Association. For an autographed copy contact me here:  Ward@neighborsatwar.com

 

Seniors Squeezed in DC

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Many retirees and people about to retire in the nation’s capitol are learning that all the money they’d set aside for their golden years is at risk. What’s the conventional wisdom for people preparing to transition from a paycheck to a Social Security payment? Pay off your mortgage. Reduce your debts and expenses.

But when seniors buy a piece of managed housing, a condo, townhome or apartment unit their neighbors now have access to every dime those older folks own. Rising HOA or condo fees and special assessments aren’t things that homeowners can decide not to pay. And the elderly who get behind in their dues are promptly foreclosed upon, their property turned over to association lawyers and auctioned off to pay massive legal and collection costs. 

The story linked below is worth reading, understanding, and passing on to others. If you have equity in your home, and if you’re elderly you have a huge target on your back.

Believe it.

(link to story in Washington Post)

 

 

They Sure Wish They Could Shut Schutt’s Mouth

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guest blog by Nila Ridings
 
Bad actors in HOAs never want to be exposed.  They’re like termites, living in dark places, scurrying and hiding when light hits them.  The big difference is: Exterminators can get termites out of your life.  Board members and property managers…well, they’re not so easy.
 
With eighty-one years of life experiences, Jim Schutt feels he’s a pretty good judge of character.  And he has a keen sense of smell for all things rotten. When he openly expressed his concerns about his own HOA, the Fiddlers Creek Homeowners Association in Naples, Florida, he was hit with a SLAPP lawsuit. SLAPP stands for Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation. And some HOA officers are learning to use them against any homeowner who criticizes them.
 
Theoretically, Americans have the right of free expression and free speech. Yet, some HOAs and property managers use lawsuits to keep critics silent as if their mouths were wired shut and their tongues cut out.  Why not criticize your HOA, if your criticism is 100% true and provable in court? Being dragged through court should not cost you your life savings. 
 
81 year old Jim Schutt took that risk and got hit with a SLAPP lawsuit. So even if he wins the suit, he will lose. In Jim’s case, the HOA Developer is using neighborhood dues to shut Schutt up. 
 
If I were the judge and the law allowed me, I would level the playing field.  If Jim Schutt is found to be telling the truth I would reimburse him 100% of his legal fees plus double that amount for his pain and suffering.  And for his bravery.
 
And that my friends, could possibly put an end to HOA SLAPP lawsuits. Just one case with a ruling like that could set the precedent, at least in Florida. Maybe Jim Schutt’s case is the one?
 
 
 

HOA Humor From A Realtor

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guest blog by Nila Ridings

Rarely, do we find someone selling real estate who admits that HOAs are insane. Thankfully, this one broke the mold.
 
While these Top 10 items are true, it’s just a start.  I can think of at least 90 more.  How about you?
 
For those who say, “There’s nothing to laugh about in an HOA!”  I agree.  But looking for some humor in your HOA insanity is about the only way to stay sane.