SC: Residents want to limit homeowner association authority  In South Carolina, homeowner associations are still evolving, unlike states such as Florida and California, which have more laws governing how homeowner associations should act, Cromer said....

NY: Condo owners told to remove religious statues  The community's homeowner's association board approved the rule this year banning religious statues and bird feeders and birdbaths from all common areas. The gardens are considered common areas, as they are owned collectively,...

OH: Problems persist at Whitehall complex, residents say  Across from the rolling hills of the Columbus Country Club stands a Whitehall condominium complex where raw sewage has gushed up into basements and mold has spread across walls....

FL: Self-insurance may need more than lower premiums to gain popular support    Joining a self-insurance trust could save condo and homeowner associations up to 30 percent in property insurance premiums. But officials and consumer advocates are urging boards to take a hard look at this new program because savings in the short term may me...

MA: Condo owners get loan to cap tainted well
The Woodvale Condominiums complex in Acton has received a low-interest loan from the state that will allow the association to cap its contaminated well and connect to the town's water system....

IL: Boards shouldn't skimp on insurance  Since our office serves as the Registered Agent for most of our clients, we have the opportunity to review most of the lawsuits filed against our association clients. Most common in frequency are simple personal injury actions, i.e. slip and falls...

Canada: Service standards set for condo managers   The first 20 companies have been certified under a new set of standards for condominium managers in Ontario....

HUD Ends Effort To Collect Condo & HOA Fees
...in the face of public comments HUD has decided that it will not require condo or HOA owners to escrow fees. The technical jargon is below:...

NC: Neighbors angry over Homeowners Association dues   Some homeowners contacted us hot under the caller. They say after living in their houses for four years, they've unexpectedly been told they have to start paying for a Homeowner's Association that they don't want....

VA: Justice, IRS Enter Koger Investigation  The United States Attorney is "overseeing" an investigation of the Koger Management Group by several federal and local law enforcement agencies, according to a letter received by homeowners associations that used the services of the embattled real estate manag... 

FL: Homeowners associations: Tallahassee tuning in    Over the past five years, the state legislature has spent more time than ever on homeowners and condominium association issues while, during a time of explosive suburban growth, residents have taken a greater interest in how these issues affect their communiti...

CA: Homeowners' policies don't cover landslides
Homeowners who suffer damage from landslides and erosion will find little solace in their insurance policies. Earth movement simply is not covered....

Lawsuits Filed Against CertainTeed Corporation
Lawsuits have been filed against CertainTeed Corporation, alleging the company manufactured and sold defective roofing shingles. The lawsuits allege CertainTeed is guilty of breach of warranty, negligence, breach of contract and negligent misrepresentation bec...

Farmers Insurance learns hard lesson in homeowner lawsuit  Several months after the accident, Wasson made a claim against the HOA, which reported it to Farmers. Claims adjustor John Hughes investigated. His report concluded "liability questionable." He noted Walker had no personal liability insurance...

FL: More owners in condo and homeowner associations are recalling boards  Owners in condo and homeowner association communities are doing more than just complaining about their directors. They are making the effort to dump them...

Homeowners warming up to wind power   Some like to watch their electric meters run backward. Others plot their savings using sophisticated software programs on a home computer. Still others consider how many pounds of coal or cubic yards of natural gas they didn't consume last month....

VA: Spotsylvania man loses battle to display flag  The Salem Fields HOA property manager, who asked not to be identified, says Stack can attach the flag to his house or garage, and in the notice, she cites the section that prohibits the pole. "It's not the flag; it's the pole," she says....

MA: Condo owners want town trash collection
Swampscott should collect the trash from condominium developments in town, a group of about 40 condo owners told the Board of Selectmen...

FL: Official wants to help residents catch crooked condo officers   Condo owners who have evidence their directors are stealing association money soon will get more cooperation from law enforcement agencies in Florida, a state representative says...

Are you prepared to be ruled by a homeowners association?   Often, home buyers don't fully realize the tradeoff they're making when they move into communities that involve becoming association members, experts say. More than 57 million people live in associations governing everything from large and small condominium de...

FL: The Right Time for Disaster Planning is Now
Just a few days ago disaster struck in north central Florida, killing 20, injuring many, destroying hundreds of homes and damaging thousands. Tornadoes ripped through two Florida counties in the dark of night catching thousands unaware....

WA: Off-color fence dispute leaves $85,000 stain  People often get "way too emotional" in cases of this kind, said Seattle real-estate lawyer Jim Strichartz, who works on disputes between homeowners associations and their members but was not involved in this one.... 

OH: House closes loophole  The U.S. House of Representatives agreed Thursday to close a federal loophole that had made many home insurance flooding policies worthless for former residents of the Gristmill and Millstone condominiums in Painesville....

Discrimination complaints: Many run into problems   The 79-year-old polio victim has spent five years trying to get the board at his condo development to install a curb cut and a ramp near his unit, which he says is difficult for him to negotiate with his crutches....

NJ: Twp. to help out condos on plumbing emergency   Breaks in the water supply system in the Hidden Lake development are tapping into the condominium association's capital reserve fund, making it difficult for homeowners to fund the repairs and replacements themselves....

IL: Mom Told: Use Service Elevator  Moms pushing baby carriages have grown accustomed to juggling purses, bottles and diaper bags and navigating elevators and revolving doors. But what about being forced to use the service elevator at your own high-rise building?...

Happy Autumn   And that is what my HOA Permaculture is all about. Imagine if I hit my goal of 2000#. Imagine if my entire subdivision of 50 homes did the same (100,000#). Then take that out to my little village of 1200 with its 500 homes and you get darn near 1,000,000 pound...

CA: Second-hand smoke target of new lawsuit
On the heels of a Belmont ban on smoking in certain areas in the city, a lawsuit filed this week in San Mateo County Small Claims Court could eventually lead one of the Peninsula's largest condominium complexes in San Carlos to take strong actions against smo...

IL: Trend Points to Neighborhood Privatization
While a complete change in the structure of local government is unlikely in the near future, the trend toward private neighborhood ownership is becoming increasingly evident....

GA: Homeowner associations: Friend or foe?
My husband was skeptical about moving into a covenant community. I was too, based on similar past experiences. We previously lived in a condominium. Although we paid a mortgage and maintenance fees, we only felt like homeowners when repairs needed to be made a...

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