One of the best and most powerful interviews I’ve heard by someone on the national HOA mess just aired on Shu Bartholomew’s internet radio show. Dr. Karin Huffer is from Colorado, but that’s not why I love her. In fact, I’ve never met her or spoken with her. But she is an articulate advocate for homeowners against HOA scams. If you haven’t heard her interview, it’s your loss.
Shu does a wonderful job interviewing anti-HOA experts. But Shu is a star for discovering Dr. Huffer’s work. Do yourself a favor and listen to Dr. Huffer. Nice to know that our movement is growing!
Houston’s Oak Forest Homeowners Association is discussing hiring off-duty sheriff’s deputies to patrol their neighborhood.
There’s an obvious and historic conflict-of-interest in hiring off-duty cops to perform the exact same duties in the exact same neighborhoods that they patrol during on-duty hours. And over the years there’ve been plenty of scandals involving off-duty police work.
Additionally, hiring police officers will not give the Oak Forest HOA immunity from any lawsuits in lawsuit-happy Texas. In fact, it may even be even more tempting for the litigious to sue for excessive force or other alleged ‘bad cop’ behavior. They get to sue the cop, AND the police department, AND city/county government, AND the HOA. Each entity has insurance to ‘buy off’ the lawsuit. Nice!
A bill that homeowners rights advocates say is one of the worst, most dangerous in the history of HOA law has just been approved by the California State Assembly by a 73 to 1 vote!
The bill, which is inevitably going to become law, has incredible implications for people living in smaller HOAs. It essentially wipes out the right of many California homeowners to vote on board officers, assessments, or changes in neighborhood covenants. Oh, they’ll get to vote. But the ballots won’t be secret. HOA elections won’t be overseen by any investigative office. Every vote will have to be cast in person. No longer do you have a say on your vacation home in the Golden State unless you fly there and personally cast your ballot. The vote totals can and will be manipulated at will by HOA board members because that’s what board members do when no one is looking.
There are so many people who embezzle from their Homeowners Associations, that you just can’t keep up. I could probably do ten stories a day on these horrific crimes and not cover them all. But I will occasionally cover some of them just to give a few of these creeps a little extra face time.
This couple stole $200,000 from the timeshare group they managed. At least they’re going to get some quiet time…behind bars. But do you think that’ll stop other embezzlers? Not in a million years will these cheap little jail sentences create any deterrence factor for others. As long as the current HOA structure exists, board members, presidents and treasurers will continue stealing what usually is easy money.
Former Playboy Bunny Holly Madison thought it would be a fun idea to build a doghouse perfectly designed to match her own home in Las Vegas. She even hired a contractor to make sure it was perfectly built.
Well, someone in the HOA was upset with the way something was built. And Holly is losing a Ben Franklin each month in HOA fines. Apparently, it wasn’t the doghouse that upset the local HOA. It was just the fact that it’s painted pink.
In any event, Holly is moving and taking her perfectly built doghouse with her. She may have trouble finding another home in Las Vegas, though. The only new housing there is under HOA control. And Las Vegas HOAs have a horrible reputation.
