Category Archives: Handicap

Homeowners Associations Could Learn From Baboons!

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

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

 

A Lawmaker And Her Drone Incident

I’ve predicted for several years that Homeowners Associations would eventually start using drones to increase their ability to spy on the tiniest infractions by HOA members.

Because HOAs are generally unrestricted by laws or ethics they get away with some really crude privacy invasions. With incredibly inexpensive flying nightscope cameras that means no outdoor hot tub or upstairs window is off limits to them.

California Senator Diane Feinstein is concerned. She’s involved in hearings on privacy invasion and had a personal experience with a drone peeking into her window during a demonstration outside her home.

Feinstein thinks there have to be some federal regulations governing drone use. She might even be able to get a law passed. But until HOAs have to obey the kinds of laws that all other Americans have to obey, you’re going to see these kinds of privacy invasions skyrocket.

(link to Washington Times story on Feinstein’s drone)

 

HOAs and Marijuana

A friend of mine called about this week’s story in the Denver Post. Now that Colorado has legalized marijuana for recreational use, can Homeowners Associations ban the drug from being used in private homes?

While I disagree with some of the conclusions in the story linked below, my feeling after observing the extremes of HOA Amerika is that HOAs can pretty much do as they dang well please. Tens of thousands, even hundreds of thousands of times across the country, HOAs pass ‘laws’ and hand out blatantly illegal fines, liens and assessments. They get away with it, because it’s just too expensive for the average homeowner to challenge. I’d be stunned if HOAs would ever lose a marijuana ban.

(click here for Denver Post story)

 

Neighbor Complaints Lead To ‘Felony Egg/Drug Bust’ At Justin Beiber’s House

Justin Beiber apparently hasn’t been the most wonderful neighbor in his ritzy California Homeowners Association. Talk about a neighborhood war. His speeding and loud parties have attracted not only HOA attention, but after eggs were thrown from Beiber’s property onto the home of a next door neighbor police snagged a search warrant and used a battering ram to get through his front door.

Beiber wasn’t arrested, although cops are continuing to search through home security video. Since this is a felony assault charge Beiber could face some time behind bars.

During the raid, though, it appears that at least one of Beiber’s guests could face felony charges. Rapper Lil Za was arrested for possession of cocaine inside the singer’s home.

(click here for TMZ story on egg raid)