Conservative talk show host threatens to “torpedo a lawsuit” against his HOA

Mark Levin fed up, suggests national movement against Homeowner associations

By Deborah Goonan, Independent American Communities

A reader alerted me to the fact that conservative radio talk show host, Mark Levin, admitted on air that he’s fed up with his HOA.

Whether you agree with Mr. Levin’s partisan politics or not, you need to listen to what Mark has to says about HOAs, starting at the 56 minute mark of his December 7, 2017, radio podcast.

12/7/17-Mark Levin Audio Rewind
Dec 7, 9:32 PM

Levin reveals that he has lived in his current home for more than 15 years, faithfully paying what he refers to as “confiscatory” HOA fees.

Typical of most HOA residents, Levin says he never bothers with the HOA, its meetings, or its newsletters. But a few months ago, he requested approval to install a small fence in his back yard to protect his dog. Levin refers to his HOA’s 3-person architectural control committee as a “Soviet Politburo,” because the trio has been giving him the royal run around for months on this small issue.

The meat of Levin’s tirade against his HOA runs from 0:56 minute mark to 01:11.

Call-ins from frustrated HOA homeowners, including one board member and a manager, run from 01:29 – 01:39, and then pick up again at 1:48 until the end of the podcast.

A few highlights:

Shortly after the 1 hour mark, Levin says:

“…this is why people hate government, this is why people hate homeowner associations…”

At roughly 01:03 Levin  says he is giving the HOA “one last chance” to approve his request for a fence. If they keep delaying, Levin threatens to identify the name of his HOA and to “torpedo a lawsuit.” In no uncertain terms, Levin is determined to get the fence he wants.

By 01:09 Levin says he thinks that there needs to be a “national movement” against HOAs.

During one of the call-ins, at about 01:32, Levin states:

“I have more money than they do,” in reference to his HOA, followed by, “I’m not standing up for the little guy, but I’m not gonna take the crap from these people.”

At the end of the program, about 01:48, Levin again makes his case for leading a national movement against HOAs, citing their “arrogance,” “disrespect,” and “abuse of processes.”

A few personal reflections:

My readers happen to fall at both ends of the political spectrum and everywhere in between. I know that some of them that lean Liberal are convinced that Conservatives are the Devil of HOAs, because Conservatives are the ones who tend to be against installation of solar panels, front yard vegetable gardens, and drought tolerant landscapes.

Fair enough.

But, as I have been saying for years, American property rights and housing policies, particularly with regard to HOAs, are bipartisan issues. There’s something about association-governed, common interest communities for everyone to hate. No one is immune to the economic chaos, social dysfunction, bullying and power plays of an out-of-control HOA.

Let’s face it. It’s hard to find someone more politically conservative than Mark Levin. Yet, here is an influential conservative voice speaking out forcefully against HOA overreach and abuse of power. And given Levin’s values with regard to the U.S. Constitution, it’s only surprising that it has taken this long to hear from him on this issue.

Levin certainly has the financial means and media clout to get what he wants, despite his HOA’s attempts to jerk him around.

I’m a bit discouraged, however, that, in his own words, Levin is not particularly interested in “standing up for the little guy.”

Here’s the reason why legal and political battles against HOAs are slow to progress, expensive, and often ineffective. It’s because, as Americans, we are not uniting around a common cause for private property rights, and standing up for our more vulnerable neighbors who are being harassed and bullied.

The real estate industry powerhouses behind mass production of HOAs know this. The fundamental flaws of HOA governance work to the advantage of a few, at the expense of many.

I expect that the HOA industry will continue to exploit our lack of unity as long as there is power to be usurped and money to be made.

**Special thanks to Jennifer W. for making me aware of Mark Levin’s podcast.