Louisville Residents Break Ground On Rebuilding Of Wildflower Condominiums Complex
In a heartwarming celebration, residents of a condo complex in Louisville, Colorado, rejoiced as they marked the beginning of the rebuilding phase after approximately 1,100 individuals were displaced by a devastating fire in December 2021. The groundbreaking ceremony, a symbol of progress achieved through the collaboration of the association, city officials, and community partners, held immense significance for the community. Overcoming the initial challenges of debris removal, the community obtained the necessary permits to commence construction, which is projected to take 12 to 15 months, coinciding with the expiration of most homeowners' insurance coverage for alternative living expenses. As they gathered for the ceremony, attendees expressed heartfelt gratitude towards the resilient community members, dedicated individuals involved in the project, and the courageous firefighters who bravely responded on the day of the fire.
More Scrutiny Over HOA Insurance Issue
Due to the risk of wildfires and other factors, insurers are increasingly denying coverage to HOAs in California, leaving them with no choice but to turn to the state's "last resort" insurance option. The FAIR (Fair Access to Insurance Requirements) Plan, which offers "last resort" coverage for homes in wildfire-prone areas, has seen almost doubled participation in the last five years. “The plan was designed in statute as a life raft, intended to ferry folks back to the admitted market. It was not designed to be a cruise ship,” the President of the FAIR plan stressed. In an effort to address this issue, a State Assembly member and a state insurance representative recently met with a group of over 30 HOAs to discuss potential solutions and establish better lines of communication. However, it seems that finding effective solutions may take some time.
Sf's Millennium Tower Now Tilting More Than Ever To The West After Early Recovery
The Millennium Tower in San Francisco, infamous for its persistent sinking and leaning problems, is currently experiencing its most significant westward tilt to date. Despite attempts to stabilize the building through a $100 million repair plan and "freezing" measures, these efforts have proven unsuccessful, causing difficulties for residents and impacting the property's marketability. The tower's northwest corner, situated at Fremont and Mission streets, has witnessed a staggering tilt of over 29 inches, with much of the additional slant occurring during excavation work undertaken to reinforce the tower. Although initial progress was observed when the north side received support from six newly installed piles, recent rooftop-based monitoring data reveals that the tower is now tilting half an inch more towards the west compared to its pre-support state on the north side, contrasting its apparent stability on the Mission side.
Roswell Neighbors Fear Sinkholes, Stormwater Damage Will Lead To Roads Caving In
A Roswell, GA, community of only two streets where the residents have lived for more than 20 years asks their local government for help after rainwater causes a sinkhole, a road to collapse, and other flooding issues. Back in 2019, the quiet community of 30 homes had a one-acre greenspace at the center of the neighborhood that once served as a shared picnic area, until a 15-foot sinkhole that had been forming for two years prior caved in. Repairing a decades-old underground pipe could lessen the problems, but owners need help to afford the $300,000 cost. City officials are currently exploring ways to not only fund the pipe upgrade but how to tackle the stormwater problem that is common in private residential communities in Roswell. To read the full story, go to HOASolutionsToday.com.
How Often Does Our Board Need To Do A Reserve Study For Our Building?
Is having a reserve study really necessary? The answer is yes, if not more so. Since a reserve study provides critical information about the needed repairs and upgrades for HOAs, it should be important to conduct them every three to five years in order to stay up to date with the latest regulations. These studies are costly, not only because the work is thorough and gives an accurate reflection of the state of the building at that time, but also because they will require involving a mechanical engineer and other consultants or experts. In addition, tackling emergency repair jobs are always more costly than planned ones, so it makes sense for Fannie Mae, one of the government-backed loan buying organizations, to put buildings on its 'do not lend list' if they are not putting 10 percent of their operating budget toward a reserve fund each year as part of future planning efforts that can help prevent special assessments. Does your community have a reserve study? Let us know by leaving a comment at HOACommunityLeaders.com.
Waterfront North Bay Village Condo Building Targeted For Potential Buyout
A developer in South Florida expressed interest in buying out a nearly 60-year-old waterfront condo building in North Bay Village. The firm’s portfolio includes other older condos, which are becoming more common in South Florida. Now, developers are directing their buyout efforts towards older buildings located on land with favorable zoning. The process of condo buyouts and terminations can be lengthy. However, older properties are becoming increasingly expensive to maintain, leaving owners, including those on fixed incomes, struggling with the rising costs of insurance and construction, particularly when major upgrades are required. While the potential sale is still in its early stages, it remains uncertain if the majority of owners are willing to sell, especially given the high cost of real estate in the area and the reluctance of owners to do so.
Va. Program Helps HOAs with EV Charging Accessibility
Fairfax County, VA is looking to implement their “Charge up Fairfax” program, where the county would provide support to install electric vehicle (EV) charging stations. Under the proposed program, the county would work with HOAs, large multi-family apartment buildings, and condo associations to install EV charging stations in publicly available locations, such as parking garages and designated parking spots owned by an HOA. The county hopes that by 2030, 15% of all light-duty vehicle registrations in the county will be electric vehicles. Let us know if this is a program you would be interested in your HOA implementing by leaving a comment at HOASolutionsToday.com
Greensboro, NC Homeowners Have Dispute with HOA Regarding Flags in their Yard
A married couple in Greensboro, NC were able to keep their flags in the yard after a dispute with their HOA. The homeowners displayed eight small American flags and were told they had to be removed. It had been reported the HOA allowed the flags for a short period of time but eventually sent a letter asking them to be taken down because they do not allow “political” flags. The wife stated that American flags are not considered political and that she had them up in support of her dad, who served in the military. After taking a closer look at the HOA covenants & guidelines, the couple discovered flags could indeed be displayed in front of homes. To read the full story, go to HOASolutionsToday.com.
Homeowner Faces Artificial Turf War with HOA
WBGN reports a homeowner in Paradise Valley, AZ installed artificial grass to her front and back yards in an effort to cut down on her water bill. While Arizona is currently in a drought, the homeowner stated they were saving around $1,100 a month, in water bills, by having the artificial grass. The HOA reportedly said, “they are an elite community and do not want artificial turf,” and fined the homeowner. This battle caught the eye of many state lawmakers, including, House of Representative, John Kavanagh, who proposed a bill that would stop HOAs from banning artificial grass. The bill passed through the committee and is headed to the full House for a vote. Let us know your opinion on having artificial grass, by leaving a comment at HOASolutionsToday.com.
KPRC 2 Investigates Years-Long HOA Debate Over Security Guard Gate
A HOA in Houston, TX reportedly advertised in their brochure a community with two guard sheds and gates. This sold many of the first homeowners to build in the community. Now 13 years later, the community still only has one gate with a guard shed at the main entrance and a regular gate at the middle and back entrances. Homeowners are expressing their frustration on having to pay $200 extra in HOA fees all this time for luxury they have never had. The HOA claims they did not make these promises and have no plans or guarantees to build this structure in the future. Click on the link to read the full article.
Hoarding Nightmare Plagues Val Vista Lakes
Residents and HOA in Val Vista Lakes, FL have waged a two-year battle to have a homeowner rid her property of countless items she has been storing in her backyard, on her driveway and other areas in front of her home. A neighbor across the street from the homeowner reported the junk slowly crept in over 20 years until it began to resemble a landfill. The HOA’s suit stated the owner broke the covenants of the CC&Rs by not maintaining her property, calling it a nuisance and hoarder house. After she failed to respond to the suit, the court filed a default judgment giving the HOA the right to go onto her property, fix the violations and charge her for the cleanup costs. Let us know how long it would take before you took similar action by leaving a comment.
Scottsdale City Council Passes First Known State Code Amendment Regarding Overseeding
Scottsdale, AZ’s City Council approved a code amendment stating that HOAs cannot mandate homeowners to overseed their lawns. Overseeding occurs in fall and is the practice of planting seasonal grass over the dormant, warm season grass. This new code gives homeowners the ability to now choose to not overseed, which is an effective way to save thousands of gallons of water per property. The results and efforts to reduce Scottsdale water footprint has received extremely positive responses from both homeowners and HOAs. Let us know your thoughts on overseeding by leaving us a comment.
Increasing Events of Rainfall and Flooding Cause Headaches for HOAs and Homeowners
A homeowner in Union County, NC reported damage to his backyard due to heavy flooding, notably that had not occurred in the past. The plat maps revealed that a portion of his lot was located in a flood plain backing up to a stormwater drainage easement on an HOA-owned common area. The HOA had done nothing to redirect the water flow away from the homeowner’s property. Since a 1987 North Carolina Supreme Court case, North Carolina law states the HOA is not responsible for paying to fix the problem. Let us know at thoughts by leaving us a comment.
Man’s Comeback to HOA Fining Him Over His Truck Applauded: ‘Motivation’
Newsweek.com reports a homeowner being praised online after confessing to parking his truck outside his HOA’s president’s home and revving his engine daily to annoy the homeowner association after receiving a violation. The resident shared his plan and received over 12,000 votes in less than a day on a SubReddit section called “Malicious Compliance.” According to the homeowner, he received a letter regarding the fine, from his HOA stating that his brand-new work truck was in the driveway and had not moved in two days and therefore was considered “non-running” and in violation of their rules. Apparently, this was his third strike since he had previously been warned about his grass not being green enough. Despite his technique not being a favorite for the HOA, Reddit users were left applauding the unconventional response. The fine was dropped shortly after. Let us know your opinion by leaving us a comment.
Volusia County Residents Facing Damage to Homes from Flooding
Volusia County, FL residents were still dealing with flooding impacts days after Hurricane Ian. High water and power outage remained in a 55 and older community with almost 400 homes. It was estimated that more than half of the residents lost their homes due to historic rainfall from the hurricane. The HOA President expressed devastation for his community and stated many residents were kayaking to get around and were still evacuating residents with airboats from the Florida Wildlife people. It reportedly took 5 days for the water to go down. Click on the link to view the full story.
Discrimination Against Parents in the Workplace
Can employees be fired because their children are screaming in the background of a zoom conference? Employers better think twice about taking action against those with children versus those without children. You may recall in 2020 the husband who reportedly walked through his wife’s zoom conference naked. That must be more offensive to many people than children. At any rate, children are protected class under the US Discrimination laws. Employers cannot take action against employees based on them having children. Leave a comment, and tell us of the weirdest thing you’ve seen during a Zoom meeting.
Homeowner Associations Look to Box Out Investors from Buying in their Communities
Corporate and Wall Street landlords are snapping up properties in Community Associations across the country. Some associations are taking action to prevent corporate rentals causing some homeowners to protest that they should be able to sell their property for the highest amount to any willing buyer. Courts and state legislatures across the country are looking into this. Let us know your opinion by leaving a comment.
Virtual Meeting and Electronic Voting Survey Results
The Community Association Institute finds that nearly 80% of community members and managers prefer online meetings. Virtual meetings increase member participation and widen the pool of available directors. Many states are implementing laws that authorize online membership meetings.
New Legislation Protects Homeowner and Condo Associations Rights
Imagine associations no longer being able to collect assessments from property owners to pay for maintenance. CAI leaders in North Carolina were able to introduce legislation to prevent a very real threat to associations from cases related to the Marketable title act.