Category Archives: Horror Stories

Fireworks in Carson City, Nevada

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This is shameful.

No state in the union has suffered more from HOA abuse than homeowners in Nevada. No homeowners have been financially stripped and laid bare more than people in Nevada. Organized crime in so entrenched in Homeowners Associations in that state that many people in HOAs have lost up to 90 per in value in their homes. But when Organized Crime sees a chance to put OPM (other peoples money) into their pockets, there’s not much that will hold them back.

But ripped-off homeowners in that state were finally able to convince the U.S. Attorney and the FBI to do an investigation, and 39 people including police officials, attorneys, businessmen, political figures, a well-known TV star were indicted and now face felony trials for theft and official corruption. Well, I’ll modify that, a bit. In typical Nevada fashion, certain key suspects began killing themselves in strangely concocted ‘suicides’, and others began to rat out the bigwigs, eight or nine of whom still face trial for their crimes.

Nevada citizens were even able to get a couple of homeowners advocates placed in key positions on the eminently corrupt Nevada Real Estate Division. These homeowners rights advocates tried to get NRED to respect such Constitutional ‘novelties’ as Due Process, a well-recognized Constitutional Right which protects all the people from government abuse.

Tomorrow and Thursday day is when well-reimbursed stooges on the Division of Real Estate tries to crush that right forever. It’s happening in Carson City. And the largest CAI vultures ever spotted by bird watchers are flying the skies over the state capitol right now making sure their paid minions succeed at stifling any sort of free speech or respect for law and order. Nevada is well known for its deep layers of official corruption. By the end of this week you’ll know whether it’ll be business as usual, or whether those struggling under the weight of oppression can reserve for the people a tiny hope for fairness.

 

The Case of the Disappearing Water View

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guest blog by Deborah Goonan

Now you see it now you don’t

One of my pet peeves about HOA master planned communities is the sales promotion of retention ponds as “lakes” with adjacent properties sold at a premium price for “water view” lots.

These “lakes” are man made bodies of water excavated during original construction, with the purpose of creating a catchment area for ground water and storm runoff. Most of them have little recreation value (there are a few exceptions with man made lakes large enough for boating and fishing) although they do tend to attract birds and wildlife if the ponds are maintained in healthy condition.

But these ponds are expensive to maintain. Storm water runoff contains all sorts of impurities and contaminants, from automotive fluids and pet feces to lawn fertilizers and pesticides. In fact, the pond serves as a place for impurities to settle or naturally dissipate before flowing downstream to interconnected ponds, streams and rivers, and sensitive wetlands. That’s why your HOA probably prohibits swimming in the water, and fishing is limited to catch and release. Trust me, you do not want to eat those fish.

All of these impurities are bound to throw off the chemical balance of the pond, so “Lake Maintenance” companies are hired to remove floating debris, and treat the water with chemicals in an attempt to keep the water clean and fresh. Periodically, a properly maintained pond needs to be dredged to remove built up muck from the bottom, and regular shoreline repair is needed to prevent erosion of the bank side into the pond. It costs thousands of dollars per year to properly maintain each pond.

Drive around any HOA community in Florida that is more than a decade old, and you will notice that some of these ponds look better than others. When not properly maintained, the water turns foul smelling and cloudy, algae blooms become prevalent (some of it toxic), the fish stocks die off, and water levels begin to fluctuate. What was once a pleasant vista evolves into an eyesore and a public nuisance. Even the birds and animals don’t come around anymore.

But homeowners in Woodland Villages, Ocala, have an even bigger problem: recurring sinkholes have drained their 5-acre pond 3 times in the past year, (five times since 1996) leaving behind a giant mud hole. It seems the ducks knew something was awry, because they started using the community pool instead of the “lake” about a month before two sinkholes opened up in June. The insurance company was contacted, and the pond was repaired, but in late July, the same two sinkholes opened up, larger than ever, and swallowed up the pond once again!

Makes you wonder whether you really want one of those pricey “water view” lots.

Article on sinkholes opening up and draining the pond in July

http://www.ocala.com/article/20140730/ARTICLES/140739971/?p=1HYPERLINK

Article on sinkholes draining the pond in June plus prior history

http://www.ocala.com/article/20140626/ARTICLES/140629775?tc=ar

Article on removal of ducks from the pool a month before the sinkholes

http://www.ocala.com/article/20130510/ARTICLES/130519983?p=1HYPERLINK

 

 

CAI Video

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Hoo, boy! In the interests of covering both sides, here’s a link to CAI’s recent promotional video. As you watch this, keep in mind that this 501c3 ‘non-profit’ organization is all about referrals, referring the personal savings of homeowners into the pockets of lawyers, property managers and others who pay dues to the CAI. There are massive profits being made through referrals from this ‘non-profit.’ I also note the connection with Associa, owned by the ethics-challenged state senator from Texas. It’s stomach-turning.

CAI is all about neighborhood governance without our historic Constitutional protections. Your home is your castle? Not when your castle is actually governed by a profit-motivated private corporation.

(link to CAI video)

 

Peculiar, Peculiar

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Well, other headline writers got to it first so I just have to settle once again for being a copycat.

But in the town of Peculiar, Missouri there’s a really bizarre thing happening. Actually, it’s quite scary if you consider all the implications.

A homeowner is trying to get a permit for an above ground swimming pool. City officials say such a pool would violate the rules of her Homeowners Association so they won’t grant such a permit. The crazy thing is that there ISN’T a Homeowners Association there.

One was planned by the original developer, but he went bankrupt before an HOA ever came about. So here is a government institution enforcing a ‘rule’ that was never actually imposed by a non-governmental non-existing institution.

Reason finally prevailed once the homeowner hired a lawyer. But it’s hard to find any reasonableness in the city officials quoted in the story linked below.

(A city tries to enforce a non-existent corporation’s proposed rules)

 

HOA Hall Of Shame Targets Forest Hills

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Homeowners in Las Vegas are some of the fortunate few in the country who can monitor the behavior of their HOA boards. But it wouldn’t happen without Darcy Spears, creator of the HOA Hall of Shame report. There’s never a lack of misbehavior among Nevada Homeowners Associations to report on.

The latest is in the Forest Hills Homeowners Association where homeowners have often found their water shut off because of collapsed water pipes. Complain to a board member and they refer you to the management company, H&L Realty, which either refers you back to the board or hangs up on you. If you want that morning shower you have to find a contractor and pay for all the damage yourself. Of course, you have to keep paying those high HOA dues which theoretically are supposed to pay for basic maintenance.

It’s just another in a long, long list of reasons to discard the current HOA system.

(link to Darcy Spears and KTNV’s Hall Of Shame)