A WOMAN has admitted she regrets buying her property and blasted the service provided by her local homeowner’s association.
Trudy Allen, of Houston, pays monthly $350 fees but has been left frustrated.
2
2
She moved into the home in 2020 but has been plagued with issues since.
“I regret [the] purchase of this property,” Allen told the NBC affiliate KPRC-TV.
She has experienced problems linked to lawn maintenance and lighting.
She claimed she’s had problems with her lawn for six to eight months.
Allen hit out at Elite Association Management over what she reportedly described as problems with lighting.
“There’s no lighting on the buildings,” she claimed.
“So, when I come home and if it’s nighttime, it is so dark, you can’t see anything around you.”
Allen urged bosses at the homeowner’s association to rectify the situation.
She has also called for greater transparency.
“What’s going on?” a mystified Allen said.
“Something needs to be done around here.”
Allen raged that when she tries to call the management team, it ends up going to voicemail on most occasions.
“This place is going straight down the toilet,” she said.
Allen claimed a member of the board of directors told her the issues are linked to rising water and insurance costs.
The U.S. Sun has approached Elite Association Management for comment.
Lawyers have recommended a series of tips homeowners should follow if they have disputes with their association.
Experts at Calabrese Law Associates recommended disgruntled homeowners should try and arrange a meeting with the board of directors.
This provides an opportunity for a meeting where the air can be cleared and issues can be tackled.
What is an HOA?
One in five Americans live in an area with a Homeowners’ Association – or HOA. But what exactly is it that they do?
- An HOA is a homeowner’s association – an organization that aims to maintain a clean and cohesive place to live for its residents.
- Entire neighborhoods, subdivisions, condominiums, family homes, or townhouses within “a planned development” will often make up an HOA.
- They also act as a governing body for tenants, who run and fund the HOA through monthly fees.
- Their principal aims are to keep the community functioning and visually appealing and to maintain property values.
- They primarily focus on common areas of a neighborhood, such as roads, parks, and pools – but may also stipulate what residents can do with their properties, such as yards and driveways.
- Often these restrictions enforce uniformity on properties, for example, ensuring most houses look the same and all driveways are clear of weeds.
- An HOA rulebook of covenants, conditions, and restrictions (CC&R) is distributed to all residents, and an elected volunteer board of directors enforces these regulations.
- Breaking these rules can result in penalties such as fines and even litigation – as most HOAs are incorporated and subject to state law.
- HOAs are often the subject of controversy, with some members feeling that the rules are too punitive and restricting, or that the leadership has too much power.
- But others like that HOAs give communities the power of self-governance, and can ensure a degree of harmony between residents.
HOA officials might be able to outline a timeline for when maintenance work can be carried out, per experts at the UCLA School of Law.
But homeowners heading to a meeting involving their HOA must bring evidence to support their claims.
They could take photographs that prove areas have not been properly maintained.
Homeowners can take legal action against their association but lawyers have warned that this process comes with risks.
The process can be extremely costly and complicated.
Experts warn that homeowners should hire an attorney.
They also have to be organized and make sure they are building a file packed full of evidence.
Attorneys could recommend writing a letter that warns of potential legal consequences before a lawsuit is filed.
Credit Gist New Today News in Newspaper Nigeria Headlines
