All anybody on our network is talking about right now is the amazing series of stories in the Kansas City Star. Today’s paper featured an extensive story on the abuse and criminality going on in America’s Homeowners Associations. Well-researched, well-documented, and well-reported the Star again sets a national standard upon which all HOA stories should be based. This is not to diminish my respect for the Las Vegas Review-Journal which has long reported the organized criminal activities among Nevada HOAs and the corrupt public officials who oversee them. But reporter Judy Thomas has broken new ground with her story on the national HOA scam.
The industry’s reaction is predictable. They’re already accusing the paper of not being fair. They’re complaining that the paper didn’t seek out the other side, and that the investigative series was biased.
Next, the Community Associations Institute, that ethically challenged, dishonest multi-billion dollar outfit will put together a committee of famous people to descend on the management of the Kansas City Star demanding that reporter Judy Thomas be fired. And Judy will be called into her boss’s office to listen to the harangue.
How do I know? Because it’s pro-forma. The same thing happened to me. More than twenty years ago I did an extensive investigative series on mid-west meat packing plants and the kind of filth that’s sold to American consumers every day. My sources? None other than a number of FDA inspectors and managers of several meat packing plants. The most prominent meat packer in Colorado took offense, and the day after my story aired he and a United States Congressman were in my boss’s office demanding that I be fired. After an hour of ranting at me and demanding I be immediately put out on the street my boss told me, “Geez, I’ve never had a U.S. Congressman demand that I fire an employee!”
That Congressman was later rewarded with re-election, then election as a U.S. Senator, and finally an appointment as president of the University of Colorado.
Get ready, Judy. Just keep a smile on your face. Your story is beyond amazing and it should win some prestigious journalism awards. It makes me very proud of the courage of the management of the Kansas City Star.
(link to HOAs From Hell, Kansas City Star)
Once again, Nevada is showing the country that it’s the most corrupt Homeowners Association state in America. Their Supreme Court Chief Justice tipped off her girlfriend, a top suspect in an FBI investigation, that she was about to get raided. That’s an old story.
Here’s a new one: Now a prominent Nevada State Legislator is trying to get a fistful of anti-homeowner bills enacted. Oh yes, she forgot to tell voters that she works for the Del Webb Corporation which sets up some of the most criminal Homeowners Associations in the country.
HOA problems are so rare, say the insiders. B.S. says every homeowner who’s personally experienced HOA abuse by the lawn Nazis.
(link to story about another ‘honest’, ‘ethical’ Nevada lawmaker)
guest blog by Nila Ridings
If you live in a townhouse or condo this story is a must read. It contains details you may not have thought of. It raises awareness of how board members are not qualified to hire contractors and oversee construction rebuilds.
What it does not mention, unless I missed it, is the fact while you are displaced from your HOA property you are still paying for the mortgage, taxes, insurance, and HOA dues. All while you are paying for a place to stay unless your insurance provides coverage for temporary housing. And do they consider a year or two temporary?
Some of our readers may recall I grew up in the construction industry. My father was a custom home-builder and developer so I spent a lot of time on construction sites and have a very clear understanding of the process from dirt to dishwashers. I’ve been the general contractor on several of the remodeling projects I’ve done on houses I’ve owned, including one where a fire destroyed the kitchen. Coordinating sub-contractors, negotiating pricing, and choosing materials is a full-time job that requires tremendous organizational skills and the ability to anticipate the next step in the process so the job can move forward toward completion.
I shudder to think about a disaster rebuild in my HOA or any HOA that would be coordinated by board members who do not know beadboard from chipboard or quarter round from crown moulding which would promise a full scale fail as the end result from day one. Imagine moving back to a nightmare like these folks in the article below! Put yourself in their shoes because it’s not all that unlikely you could be wearing them someday.
(link to story about disastrous rebuild attempt)
With all the tens of billions of dollars being embezzled from homeowners and Homeowners Associations across the country, you’d think sending a crook to prison wouldn’t be that unusual a news story. Sadly, stories like the one linked below are pretty rare.
An embezzler in Utah who operates in a number of states has been sentenced by a federal judge in Nevada to three years in prison. Oh yes, he has to make four million dollars in restitution. At least those are the terms of his plea bargain. What? He stole all those millions and has no way to pay it back? Then why isn’t he in prison for life?
(link to Salt Lake City Tribune story on tiny sentence for big fraud)
