Ward Lucas is a longtime investigative journalist and television news anchor. He has won more than 70 national and regional awards for Excellence in Journalism, Creative Writing and community involvement. His new book, "Neighbors At War: the Creepy Case Against Your Homeowners Association," is now available for purchase. In it, he discusses the American homeowners association movement, from its racist origins, to its transformation into a lucrative money machine for the nation's legal industry. From scams to outright violence to foreclosures and neighborhood collapses across the country, the reader will find this book enormously compelling and a necessary read for every homeowner. Knowledge is self-defense. No homeowner contemplating life in an HOA should neglect reading this book. No HOA board officer should overlook this examination of the pitfalls in HOA management. And no lawyer representing either side in an HOA dispute should gloss over what homeowners are saying or believing about the lawsuit industry.
Money Magazine once named Naperville, Illinois the second-best place to live in the United States. All that stands in the way of that reputation now is a militant HOA that wants to shut down one family’s Halloween decorations.
Each year the family puts up an amazing display of ghosts and goblins and a synchronized light show. Each Halloween an estimated 8000 drive by the famous house.
The HOA has enacted new regulations that would effectively stop this family from showing their creative side. An 11 year old girl from outside the Association who loves the Halloween display had a creative way to try to persuade the HOA to back down from its decision to close down the over-the-top decorations. She went to the Internet to solicit help. And the HOA, which normally doesn’t allow outsiders to attend its meetings, actually allowed this little girl to put on her presentation. There’s no way to know what this HOA will decide. But this youngster has a wonderful future ahead of her, now that she knows why HOA life should be avoided at all costs.
Yes, that’s a weird question to ask. But a Saudi prince was arrested for assaulting several women at a party in his gated community home in Los Angeles. There’s lots of evidence against him and three women who claim they were victimized have filed a civil suit. But L.A. officials have decided there’s not enough evidence to charge him.
This prince and his family are worth billions. They’ll be able to pay off the women for sums of money that would seem grand to most of us. But it’s a pittance for those in the Saudi oil business.
On the other hand, the HOA might fine the prince for letting his lawn get too brown. But in the Beverly Hills Homeowners Association…life will go on as usual.
OK. Here’s a confession. I’ve spent a lifetime going on vice raids with local, state, and federal cops. I’ve ridden in a DEA helicopter as it used an infrared camera to spot pot plants growing in the middle of corn fields. I was the first reporter on the scene of a plane crash where drug smugglers dumped their DC-3 on top of a mesa in Southeast Colorado. I’ve probably seen more marijuana in my lifetime than all the readers of this blog combined. But… here comes the big confession… I’ve never even had so much as a single puff. I guess that would disqualify me for running for the White House, right?
As the owner of a few rental homes in Colorado I’m pretty much aware that I probably don’t have the right to stop renters from either smoking or growing the stuff. After all, if I banned it from my properties I’d be banning a legal activity.
All that being said, there’s an amusing story out of Nederland, Colorado about city officials who want to prevent a renter from growing maryjane for commercial purposes. What’s really funny about this is that the proposal is coming from Nederland. I love Nederland. It’s one of the greatest towns in the whole state. What’s fun about Nederland is that everyone who lives there is stoned! This is the town where a local yokel glued himself to a Home Depot toilet seat and then sued for damages. It’s the town that featured a famous recording studio where every rock star in the world recorded albums. It’s the town that holds the Frozen Dead Guy Days festival each summer. Yes, indeedy. A member of the town honored his grandfather’s wishes to keep his granddaddy’s body in a Tuff Shed covered with dry ice until such time as he could be brought back to life. Now there’s a festival in his honor.
Writing this blog is beginning to give me hives. I guess I’m just allergic to stupid people.
The self-proclaimed dictator of the Chestnut Place Homeowners Association in Murray, Utah, says she’s tired of looking at American flags and she’s beginning to fine homeowners who display them.
You think I’m making this stuff up? Come on, guys! You know I’m not.
HOA president Lyn Steinbergen says the flag is only a holiday decoration and needs to come down after the ‘holiday.’ Mz. Steinbergen, you’re obviously an ignoramus when it comes to knowledge about the American flag and whether or not the display of the flag is covered under multiple state and Supreme Court decisions. Yes, I’m prejudiced against your mindless stance because I have a number of family members who gave their lives for that flag. They also gave their lives to protect your right to be an idiot. If you honestly think it’s merely a holiday decoration then I brand you a brainless neighborhood ditz who deserves to be recalled as soon as enough signatures are collected.
The whole idea behind Homeowners Associations is to address neighborhood problems caused by bird-brained homeowners. As we all know, in actual practice many HOAs cause more problems than they actually solve. When one neighbor is pitted against another, pride gets in the way and stupid things start happening.
But stupid neighbor fights happen in non-HOA neighborhoods, too. An ongoing case in Seattle has now led to a $200,000 lawsuit.
Several years ago, a young girl began feeding the crows in her backyard. The crows began bringing trinkets to the youngster, and a YouTube video of the feeding ritual went viral.
Well, 51 of her neighbors signed a petition to encourage the family to end the bird feeding operation. They say it has become a major health problem because too many birds are gathering. One of those homeowners has filed a public nuisance lawsuit against the girl’s family to try to get the bird feeding stopped.
