HOA Reform Coalition

HAWAII – Condominium residents receive $3.87 million jury award against condo association

Beanie — Mon, 28 May 2012 23:43:35 +0000

The Molokai News: Ke Nani Kai residents receive $3.87 million jury award against condo association

Posted on March 27, 2012 by molokainews

A pattern of harassment and intimidation against the owners at Ke Nani Kai Condominium on the West End has led to an award for residents Jim and Nancy Bevill of $3.87 million from a Maui jury last Wednesday.

The $3.87 million award is a record judgment in this type of case, according to the Bevills attorney Terry Revere. He described the case as the “the West Molokai version of Lord of the Flies or the equivalent of a John Ford Western where an isolated town is run by a villain and his collection of thugs.” Revere said the intimidation lasted for at least six years and continued even after the lawsuit was filed.

The jury found the condominium association’s board of directors, and its employees and agents violated state condominium laws. They were also found to be engaged in a variety of illegal acts including racketeering, civil conspiracy, gross negligence, malicious prosecution, breach of contract, and both negligent and intentional infliction of emotional distress. Read more:

http://themolokainews.com/2012/03/27/ke-nani-kai-residents-receive-3-87-million-jury-award-against-condo-association/

NEVADA – HOA conspiracy pleas set for this week

Beanie — Mon, 28 May 2012 17:45:32 +0000

Las Vegas Review-Journal: HOA conspiracy pleas set for this week

By Jeff German LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL

Posted: May 28, 2012 | 1:59 a.m.

Justice Department lawyers spearheading the investigation into the takeover of Las Vegas Valley homeowners associations expect to be busy in federal court this week.

On Tuesday, retired Las Vegas police Lt. Benjamin Kim is to plead guilty before U.S. District Judge James Mahan to one count of misprision of felony in a related bank fraud scheme involving the Courthouse Cafe, once a popular restaurant at the Regional Justice Center. Read more:

http://www.lvrj.com/news/hoa-conspiracy-pleas-set-for-this-week-154984395.html

FLORIDA – Foreclosed over $250: A local family’s nightmare

Beanie — Sat, 26 May 2012 09:53:29 +0000

mytvjax.com - Foreclosed over $250: A local family’s nightmare

Published: 5/21/2012 6:12 pm

TV Channel 47

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The Rodriquez family is about to lose their American Dream, over $250 dollars.
“I was re-financing my home and I was at closing and they said there’s a lien that showed up for three thousand dollars in legal fees and I said no, where did you get that?”
Noemi and her husband Juan were thrown into a world of legal bills, unreturned phone calls and sleepless nights.
Their homeowners association says the couple missed their annual payment, and the late fines and legal fees began adding up, to the tune of more than 3,000 dollars. Read more:

http://www.mytvjax.com/content/topstories/story/Foreclosed-over-250-A-local-familys-nightmare/ChOjuEJmFUK2tRKgkp2ASw.cspx

NEVADA – Ex-police captain to plead guilty in homeowners association probe

Beanie — Thu, 24 May 2012 17:02:45 +0000

Las Vegas Review-Journal: Ex-police captain to plead guilty in homeowners association probe

By Jeff German LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL

Posted: May 23, 2012 | 11:59 a.m.

Retired Las Vegas police Capt. Frank Sutton has struck a deal to plead guilty in the high-profile federal investigation of Las Vegas Valley homeowners associations.

The investigation has focused on a massive fraud scheme to stack associations with board members who would steer legal, community management and construction defect contracts to favored firms. Read more:

http://www.lvrj.com/news/ex-police-captain-to-plead-guilty-in-homeowners-association-probe-153201385.html

ARIZONA – HOA forecloses on Mesa homeowner

Beanie — Wed, 23 May 2012 22:01:08 +0000

azfamily.com: HOA forecloses on Mesa homeowner

by Meredith Yeomans

Posted on May 22, 2012 at 10:00 PM

MESA, Ariz. — Since Pamela Brummer moved into her home back in the 1980s, she says a lot has changed in her community and it hasn’t been for the best.
“Trees being cut. People coming onto the property. Damage to the property and the HOA was not paying attention,” she explained.
To protect her property, Brummer built a wall around her backyard. Read more:

http://www.azfamily.com/news/consumer/HOA-forecloses-on-homeowner-152739185.html

TEXAS – Residents question HOA accountability

Beanie — Wed, 23 May 2012 15:58:15 +0000

KXAN.com: Residents question HOA accountability

Police looking into possible theft, fraud

Updated: Wednesday, 23 May 2012, 7:17 AM CDT

Published : Tuesday, 22 May 2012, 6:04 PM CDT

Chris Willis, Lead Investigative Reporter

AUSTIN (KXAN) – A dispute over what could be more than $1 million in unaccounted-for spending by an Austin homeowners association has sparked a police inquiry into possible fraud and theft, a KXAN investigation has confirmed.

The investigation originated after several dues-paying members of the Sunchase Condominiums Homeowners Association complained that they were being required to pay a “special assessment” of several hundred dollars on top of their monthly dues because the organization was out of money. Read more:

http://www.kxan.com/dpp/news/investigations/residents-question-hoa-accountability

VIRGINIA – Van T. Barfoot, Va. Medal of Honor recipient who won battle to fly flag in front yard, dies at 92

Beanie — Tue, 22 May 2012 19:24:12 +0000

The Washington Post: Van T. Barfoot, Va. Medal of Honor recipient who won battle to fly flag in front yard, dies at 92

By T. Rees Shapiro,

Published: March 5 The Washington Post

Retired Army Col. Van T. Barfoot, who received the Medal of Honor during World War II and decades later drew national attention when he fought successfully against his homeowners association to keep a flagpole flying the Stars and Stripes in his front yard, died March 2 at a hospital in Richmond. He was 92. Read more:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/van-t-barfoot-va-medal-of-honor-recipient-who-won-fight-to-fly-flag-in-front-yard-dies-at-92/2012/03/05/gIQARDTdtR_story.html

CALIFORNIA – Lucasfilm Retreats in Battle With Wealthy Neighbors

Beanie — Tue, 22 May 2012 14:49:52 +0000

The New York Times: Lucasfilm Retreats in Battle With Wealthy Neighbors

Lucas Valley Estates HOA could be neighbor to affordable housing at Grady Ranch

By NORIMITSU ONISHI

Published: May 21, 2012

SAN RAFAEL, Calif. — In 1978, a year after “Star Wars” was released, George Lucas began building his movie production company far from Hollywood, in the quiet hills and valley of Marin County here just north of San Francisco. Starting with Skywalker Ranch, the various pieces of Lucasfilm came together over the decades behind the large trees on his 6,100-acre property, invisible from the single two-lane road that snakes through the area. Read more:

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/22/us/george-lucas-retreats-from-battle-with-neighbors.html?nl=todaysheadlines&emc=edit_th_20120522

FLORIDA – High-end Sunrise condos plagued by leaky roof, other problems, owners say

Beanie — Sat, 19 May 2012 15:40:26 +0000

The Sun Sentinel: High-end Sunrise condos plagued by leaky roof, other problems, owners say

Developer blames some of the issues on condo leaders failing to maintain buildings

May 07, 2012

By Susannah Bryan, Sun Sentinel

SUNRISE — Condo owners at Artesia thought they’d done everything right. Their Mediterranean-style luxury condos were newly built by a well-respected developer. Priced from $300,000 to $600,000, they should have been perfect. Read more:

http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2012-05-07/news/fl-artesia-construction-woes-20120506_1_condo-owners-condo-buildings-condo-associations

FLORIDA – Condo property manager sent to prison for theft

Beanie — Sat, 19 May 2012 14:36:33 +0000

The Sun Sentinel: Condo property manager sent to prison for theft

May 11, 2012

Daniel Vasquez, Sun Sentinel

South Florida

Steal from a condominium association, go to prison: That’s the message sent by a judge who sentenced a former South Florida property manager to nearly two years in prison for theft of about $500,000 from bank accounts of the community she was supposed to be protecting. Read more:

http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2012-05-11/business/fl-condo-prison-theft-0512-20120511_1_condo-employee-property-manager-condo-owners