Las Vegas – U.S. Magistrate Judge George Foley Jr. on Tuesday ordered federal authorities to get outside medical treatment for a jailed key defendant in the homeowners association corruption case. Prosecutors regard Ricky Anderson, 50, an “enforcer” in the massive Las Vegas Valley HOA takeover scheme, as one of their big cooperating witnesses in an upcoming trial. His guilty plea was put off briefly in May after he showed signs of a heart attack.
Last week, his lawyer, Travis Shetler, said in court papers that Anderson was diagnosed with a serious kidney condition and stress-related mental health problems. Anderson’s claims of being a ranking kung fu grandmaster led the FBI to name the long-running investigation into the HOA scheme Operation GrandMaster. Read more:
Mesa, AZ – We’ve been following the legal battle between Superstition Lakes Condominium Association and its former leadership. We met with former resident Kathleen Daurio last year . As she dug through board records and said she found nearly $40,000 used for items and meals that she said didn’t benefit homeowners. “I mean, they bought laundry detergent and almonds and vodka and baby wipes and just about every time they bought air fresheners,” said Daurio. Another resident, Jan Stuart, sued that former board last year. It ended in a settlement agreement that allowed a vote resulting in three members being recalled, and a new board put in place. Residents say that isn’t enough for them. Read more:
Home ownership was not supposed to be like this. Instead of buying a haven, five Norristown condominium owners say they wound up with a horror.
The residents are left fighting for their credit ratings and some sort of compensation.
It’s a years-long saga – one yet to end – that spurred changes in the way the seat of Montgomery County monitors construction projects. But that offers little help to the people caught in a financial and legal tangle not of their own making.
“You buy a house and it’s supposed to be your home,” Schofield said, “and then it becomes your worst nightmare. Read more:
As of July 1, the bill would also keep associations from fining a homeowner if they are making a good-faith effort to solve the problem with the association.
Patrick Burry, a treasurer for the Falling Brooke II subdivision, says his neighborhood doesn’t work that way and doesn’t have issues where the association has to be “evil” to a homeowner. Read more:
Question: We have a townhouse that is part of a homeowner association. We’re on a very limited fixed income and can barely afford paying our monthly dues. We’ve just heard that the law is changing to make owners pay for their own maintenance for exclusive use areas. What is that legislation and how will it affect us? Is there something homeowners can do?
Answer: Town home, condominium, detached or attached homes — it matters not. Making its way through California’s Legislature is Assembly Bill 968, which could open the flood gates for expanding the responsibilities and monetary obligations of owners for their own units as well as any “exclusive use common area.”
The bill seeks to rewrite Civil Code section 4775, which directs who pays to maintain, repair and replace in various areas at residential developments governed by homeowner associations. Read more:
The two Wild Acres Community Association board members accused of tampering with ballots for a community election are headed to the Pike County Court of Common Pleas.
Wild Acres board Chairman Dmitry Kuperschmidt and board secretary Myron Cowher were involved in a scheme to obtain ballots of property owners who generally don’t vote, and cast ballots in the way that they wanted the election to go, state police said. Read more:
associations in the unincorporated area of West Boca to limit who might move in.Some of the 125 master homeowner associations have either banned or are considering a ban on a certain kind of renter — those who pay with the help of Section 8 government housing assistance.
Earlier this year, Boca Winds outlawed Section 8 housing in its community of 800 homes. Boca Falls residents are currently voting on the issue, and a subdivision of the mammoth Logger’s Run, Winding Lakes Estates, considered whether to ask residents to vote on a ban.
Section 8 is shorthand for what is officially known as the Housing Choice Voucher Program, which helps pay the rent of families who fall in a certain income bracket.
For a recipient of this aid to move in, the homeowner must have a dwelling that meets certain standards and agree to take part in the program. But those nearby often dislike Section 8 housing because of its association with poor people.
Few board members will actually say what’s fueling the drive to exclude Section 8 housing. So why the push? Boca Winds Board President Paul Pontrelli said he doesn’t know of any Section 8 homes in his community, but has heard stories: Some homeowners turn to Section 8 to avoid foreclosure. Read more:
NEVADA COUNTY (CBS13) — A war veteran who builds furniture in his garage and gives it to military families in need could be forced to shut down the saws. A homeowners association is telling Dennis Kocher he needs to close up shop after years of doing business, or he could be fined between $100 and $1,000. “I may not paint, sand, cut wood or screw on the property at anytime,” he said.
The new mandate cuts deep, as he’s been building cabinets and dressers for a decade, donating most to military families. “Everyone who received my furniture or responsible for dispersing it gave me this gift and it’s something I’ll treasure forever,” he said holding a photo. He builds to help make a better life for families who have very little.
“I don’t make a profit. The money I spend is my own money, my own time and talents and I build it to give to the Beale [Air Force Base],” he said. Read more:
State legislators are being urged to toughen a law governing condominium boards so condo owners will have better access to basic financial information. Current rules require condo associations to make insurance policies, balance sheets, and other documents available to homeowners, but there are no penalties for failing to comply. Condo owners often need their associations’ financial information to refinance or put their homes up for sale. Before approving a refinancing, a lender generally wants to know how many units are vacant and how many are rented, along with other details, said Bruce Spitzer, spokesman for the Massachusetts Bankers Association.
A bill that has already passed in the Senate would require associations to pay legal expenses if a condo owner has to go to court to obtain documents. But with a little over a week remaining until the end of the legislative session, the measure is stalled in a House committee. Read more:
HOA Reform Coalition 