Some pretty crazy ‘stuff’ happens in Texas Homeowners Associations. One family in Frisco is now learning how dangerous it is to live near an HOA common area. Brian and Natalie Woodward thought buying a home next to a pond would be fun. Now that the water drainage is threatening to destroy their property, the HOA and the developer are pointing fingers at each other but nobody is planning any changes. Meanwhile, the Woodward’s property is ‘slip slippin’ away.’
Aspen has always been known as a far-left city. There’s probably not a registered Republican within 25 miles of the town limits. And this isn’t meant as a slam against either my far-left friends or my far-right friends. I’ve got plenty on both sides and I respect them all. But there has to be some kind of law against this.
We hear it all too often on this website: How come HOAs don’t have to follow the law like all other debt collection agencies?
The only answer I have is that legislators are either crooked, or stupid, flat-out don’t care or a combination of any of the three. Believe me, your message is getting through to a handful of them. They occasionally contact me. But overall, lawmakers are feigning ignorance of this growing national scandal.
Eventually, all of us in this fight for homeowners rights get discouraged. The goal of educating other homeowners is frustrating. Often it seems impossible. We wonder how we can make even a little dent in the massive corruption that infests and characterizes the Homeowners Association movement.
But don’t ever doubt your power as a individual human being to change the world.
Back in 2009, Dave Carroll, a musician from Nova Scotia, was frustrated when his expensive Taylor guitar was severely damaged through the negligence of United Airlines. He was even more frustrated by the callous handling of his damage claim. He couldn’t fight back. But as a musician, he could write a song.
It shows the growing impact of HOA fees on different types of neighborhoods. In recent years, more and more people have been moving away from private family homes into life in a condo. The decrease of available land, the mandate by many large businesses that employees should live closer to the city core, and the relatively lower cost of condo living are among the reasons for the demographic shift.
