Category Archives: pets
Neighborhood Bird Brains
The whole idea behind Homeowners Associations is to address neighborhood problems caused by bird-brained homeowners. As we all know, in actual practice many HOAs cause more problems than they actually solve. When one neighbor is pitted against another, pride gets in the way and stupid things start happening.
But stupid neighbor fights happen in non-HOA neighborhoods, too. An ongoing case in Seattle has now led to a $200,000 lawsuit.
Several years ago, a young girl began feeding the crows in her backyard. The crows began bringing trinkets to the youngster, and a YouTube video of the feeding ritual went viral.
Well, 51 of her neighbors signed a petition to encourage the family to end the bird feeding operation. They say it has become a major health problem because too many birds are gathering. One of those homeowners has filed a public nuisance lawsuit against the girl’s family to try to get the bird feeding stopped.
(link to story on bird lawsuit)
Service Dogs and some Nasty Lawsuits
guest blog by Deborah Goonan
Not a week goes by that we don’t learn of yet another Fair Housing lawsuit, usually involving discrimination on the basis of disability. This time, the Condo Association will have to answer to two lawsuits, one filed by the owner of a condo unit, and the other by his former tenant.
The latest report comes from Aspen View Condominiums in Colorado. Natasha MacArthur leased one of the 18 units from condo owner Alvara Arnal, beginning in November 2013. MacArthur has a golden retriever, and claims her dog, Stevie Nicks, helps her cope with a seizure disorder.
The condo association forbids dogs, but MacArthur claims her pet is a service animal, and that the association is obligated under Fair Housing law to provide reasonable accommodation to allow Stevie Nicks to reside with her.
According to a report in the Aspen Times, MacArthur provided documentation of her disability from a physician, as well as documentation from the organization that trained the dog as a service animal. The former (now deceased) president of the association interviewed MacArthur in her home for 45 minutes. But the association was still not satisfied that the information provided was sufficient to allow the dog to remain.
Aspen View COA then began fining owner Arnal $50 per day in January 2014. MacArthur moved out of the unit in March 2014, prior to the end of her lease.
Arnal was hit with $1435 in fines, plus $4234 in attorney fees in June. A lien was placed on his unit in July 2014.
In addition to MacArthur’s Fair Housing complaint, Arnal has filed suit against the association and its management company, alleging discrimination, retaliation, and interference with a contract.
The remaining 17 owners of Aspen View better open up their wallets. These two lawsuits will probably cost them a great deal of money in legal expenses and the eventual settlements.
For readers interested in learning more about service animals for people with seizure disorders, I have provided some additional links.
(Aspen HOA denies wrongdoing in service-dog flap)
CHPPI, www.chppi.org
What’s The Cause?
guest blog by Nila Ridings
We’re back in Saint Louis, Missouri where homeowners are in the midst of a very heated battle.
Some are saying it’s over skin color. Others say it’s the barking dogs. A few think it’s the criminal history. Whatever it is, it’s heating up.
These folks live in an HOA. Personally, I do not see where the HOA should even think of getting involved in this battle.
The black lesbian lady with the four barking dogs has the NAACP and experienced Ferguson protesters backing her up. She has served time in prison for a murder-for-hire on her ex-husband. And that plan failed because her cousin was the hired killer and he ratted her out to the police. Somewhere along the way she acquired the barking dogs that are keeping the neighbor awake at night. She is also being accused of punching the neighbor lady in the face and leaving her with a swollen lip and bloody nose.
I see HOA involvement as nothing more than a promise to destroy the bank accounts of the homeowners. Others think they should enforce the CC&Rs of no more than two dogs per household. I still say stay away from this battle.
And for the lady who can’t get any sleep, I suggest a white noise machine with earplugs. You’ll never hear the barking dogs but be sure you have a number of smoke alarms in your house so you would hear them if there’s an emergency.
As the battle rages on, I will be watching from the sidelines.
(link to story in the St. Louis Post Dispatch)
Youtube video of barking dogs:
How To Survive When They Take Your Home!
Ah yes, an untold number of people have lost their homes to bully Homeowners Association boards. But there ingenious ways to survive without money. Witness what you can do with an abandoned Walmart cart. With this you can lounge in comfort under a bridge.
