In fairness, shouldn’t I once in a while run a post involving someone who’s all in favor of HOAs? Don’t hate me, but here it is. I imagine a number of readers of Neighbors At War can pick this one apart feather by feather and nut by nut!
(link to Hignell HOA Management Company)
guest blog by Nila Ridings
Lately, I’ve learned quite a lot about self-storage. It’s an interesting business where investors own steel structures with no plumbing, limited wiring, concrete slab flooring, and no overnight tenants. Generally speaking the square footage rents for far more than apartment rentals and the maintenance is amazingly less. The laws that protect those who rent these spaces are far more extensive and protective of the tenant than it is for the homeowner that buys into an HOA or COA. The process to cut the lock on a tenant’s unit and sell their contents to the highest bidder is closely adhered to. In addition, when it comes to taking bids for buy-outs the employees better closely adhere to the laws or find themselves in BIG TROUBLE for bid-rigging. (See below)
Much to my displeasure, I recently discovered this new concept called, ‘Garage Condos’ where you buy in and avoid paying monthly for self-storage. Yes, you pay monthly condo fees! There is a volunteer board of directors. They can foreclose for non-payment of dues. And once again, owners are clueless as to the risks. They see the fancy clubhouse, opportunity to customize their garage space, the scheduled social events, and never think twice about signing on the dotted line.
Just when we thought the condo world could not get any worse! Here’s just another way for buyers to take more risks for losing their life’s savings. I could write a list of all the ways I see this concept failing but I’ll let time expose the truth.
The sales representative I spoke with was very enthusiastic and excited to tell me these were already being built in California and Arizona. I’m so sorry they made their way to Kansas!
On the subject of bid-rigging…can somebody explain to me why the FTC has not been riding the backs of property managers, condo takeover investors, and HOA board members? Or have I missed something?
http://kansascity.craigslist.org/prk/4845475986.html
Let’s all meet down at the fire pit. You know the one in between the busy streets. The one where kids will be crossing in the darkness and might forget to check for traffic. Or somebody driving drunk might jump the curb and wipe out the crowd.
Prairie Village, Kansas is an upscale area developed by Jesse Clyde Nichols (you’ve read about him in Evan McKenzie’s book, Privatopia). It’s commonly referred to as “Perfect Village.”
Some HOA board members authorized a landscaper to build a fire pit as a community gathering place between busy city streets and on city property. The city planners have put their foot down against this HOA. And I applaud them for doing so! HOA boards never cease to amaze me. I don’t know if it’s their pompous attitudes, ignorance, or endless need to control others. But it was a delight to see this story on the news tonight.
Although, I’m sorry for the landscaper with good intentions who got caught in the crossfire. His heart was in the right place. He just had a blind faith and trust in the HOA board…just like millions of other Americans do!
So, don’t meet me at the fire pit. By the time you’d get here, it will be gone!
(link to KMBC story on the fire pit)
Homeowners are beleaguered enough with abusive HOA boards and managers. Many of these HOAs require homeowners to only use the approved cable company to get cable TV and Internet services.
But telephone and TV providers have unparalleled records, themselves, when dealing with people trying to get changes in their service. I experienced the near impossibility of getting a change in my Century Link and Verizon phone service in Colorado last fall so I knows it goes on.
The story from Spokane, Washington linked below is beyond belief. When Ricardo Brown and his wife insisted in cancelling his cable, Comcast began sending bills to his home addressed to “Asshole Brown.”
Incredible!
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/01/29/comcast-asshole-brown_n_6568238.html
