Tag Archives: HOA Nightmare Stories

HOA Child Abuse In Clearwater Ended by Judge

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One of the most tragic child abuse cases in the country has been ended by a judge in Clearwater, Florida.

When Kimberly Broffman was just six months old, her grandparents took her into their home becase the infant’s mom was a drug abuser. The problem was that her grandparents, Jimmy and Judie Stottler, lived in the Lakes Homeowners Association which was restricted to residents aged 55 and older. The Lakes HOA wouldn’t give in. They wanted the kid gone.

But the massive recession hit, and the Stottlers couldn’t sell their home. They discovered, to their horror, that there’s no institution on earth as hateful and as unforgiving as and HOA scorned.

In 2007, the HOA filed a lawsuit against the elderly couple and the little girl. The only saving grace was that Florida attorney, Robert Eckard, took on the case for free (proving that there really are angels in Heaven), and after five years and $200,000 in pro bono work, the family won. The Pinellas-Pasco Circuit Judge ordered the Lakes Homeowners Association to back off. No, they would not be allowed to send over the sheriff and throw the child out onto the street.

There’s really not much good news in the nation’s HOA movement these days. But when good happens, you’ll read it here.

Star War’s Revenge!

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Movie producer George Lucas must have incredible patience. But even the most patient man in the world burns out sometime.

Lucas has owned a large ranch in Marin County for the past forty years. His dream was to create a 300,000 square foot movie studio that would have brought 300 million dollars worth of new economic activity to that part of California. Despite the fact that his studio would not have been visible to his rich neighbors, the adjacent Homeowners Association has spent two and a half decades fighting him every step of the way.

Lucas is well-known for his previous environmentally sensitive projects. He has planted thousands of trees on his properties and spent millions making sure his movie developments were low key. He has also built many miles of hiking trails for his neighbors.

But George Lucas has finally given up. A press release from his office says, “The level of bitterness and anger expressed by the homeowners in Lucas Valley has convinced us that, even if we were to spend more time and acquire the necessary approvals, we would not be able to maintain a constructive relationship with our neighbors.”

But then comes the zinger that’ll be talked about by Lucas fans for many years. He agrees that Marin County is a bedroom community. So he’s now going to use his ranch to build housing for low income families. It’s a perfect movie plot ending, as his foul-mouthed millionaire neighbors watch all those “po’ folk” move into their new double-wides. This blogger seriously doubts Lucas will plant trees to screen off the view.

Lucas’s press release is linked here:

http://gradyranch.com/pdf/Grady_Ranch_4_10.pdf

And it’s priceless.

And if you know george lucas, Please tell him we’d love to talk to him!  He’s our hero. We’d love to complete the circle! There’s not much time to interview him for our blog! God loves those who take a public stand! Help us if you can.

Watch Out for Young Black Males? Oh, My!

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I have not investigated this incident personally, so I can only pass on the link to another blogger’s website. But I have seen rampant racism in a number of other HOAs across the country. In my upcoming book, Neighbors At War: The Creepy Case Against Your Homeowner Assocation, I trace a number of similar cases that should be of intense concern to anyone who respects the civil rights of all people.

If this story in Houston is even halfway accurate, then all men and women should read and weep:

http://blogs.houstonpress.com/hairballs/2012/05/walnut_bend_black_males_e-mail.php

Ward Lucas
Author of
Neighbors At War: The Creepy Case Against Your Homeowners Association

Kansas City Embezzler

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Here’s an HOA embezzler who made a pretty good score for himself. 53 year old Dale Palmer was in a position of trust with dozens of Homeowners Associations in Missouri.  He operated a firm called “Homeowner Association Services (HOAS), and his take was $750,000. Nice work if you can get it.

Palmer has been preparing false business statements for his 3 member homeowner associations for the past couple of years.  His excuse to police was that he was very poor at managing money for HOAs, and he just could keep all that cash straight.

I imagine if you’re swimming in a backyard swimming poll filled with $750,000 cash, it would be kind of hard to keep track of things, too.

Swim on, Slime Bag.  You hurt a whole lot of elderly homeowners who trusted you!

Ward Lucas
Author of
Neighbors At War: The Creepy Case Against Your Homeowners Association

One More Korean Veteran Tossed on the Trash Heap

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Sherman McCray fought for his country in the Korean War.  He worked ever since as a long-haul trucker. He uses a wheelchair to get around.

Somehow, Sherman got about $338 dollars behind on his dues at the Vistas subdivision.  By the time he collected the money and went to pay, the Vistas in Lake County, Florida had a little surprise for him.  No longer was it $338 bucks.  No, once the lawyers, the debt collectors and the HOA late fines and fees kicked in, the amount was raised to $4272.42 and going higher ever day.

McCray can’t believe his neighbors could do that to them.  With his heart attack, his gall bladder removal, and various other charges, McCray thought he could argue the case himself in court.  The Vistas HOA doesn’t mess around when it sees a homeowner drowning.  No, they school up like sharks and slam that house into foreclosure quicker than you blink your eye.

Mary Goldin, president of the Vistas Homeowner Association, didn’t respond to a request to explain.  They never do. They never ever do.

Ward Lucas
Author of
Neighbors At War: The Creepy Case Against Your Homeowners Association