Category Archives: Constitutional and Civil Rights and your HOA

Million-dollar HOA lawsuit grabs headlines in WSJ

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HOA conflict fight

  By Deborah Goonan, Independent American Communities This week the Wall Street Journal published a story about an insanely expensive lawsuit over petty homeowners’ association rules. Many WSJ readers don’t know that the story has been making headlines in the Kansas City Star since 2016. I’ve been following the story of Jim Hildenbrand and the HOA for Avignon Villa Homes for nearly three years, from the initial report, to Hildenbrand’s court “win” in 2017, to Continue ReadingMillion-dollar HOA lawsuit grabs headlines in WSJ→

Vietnam Vet wins 20-year flag pole battle with HOA

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American flag independence day

By Deborah Goonan, Independent American Communities The good news is that a Virginia delegate helped a Vietnam veteran convince his HOA to allow him to put up a flag pole for his American flag. The bad news: it took 20 years to resolve the dispute, and allow an American veteran to assert his rights and display his patriotism. Last Friday, WRIC Channel 8 News (Richmond) reported that Wyndham Homeowners Association finally told Richard Oulton that Continue ReadingVietnam Vet wins 20-year flag pole battle with HOA→

Laws alone won’t change hearts of your HOA neighbors

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Disability person in wheelchair

By Deborah Goonan, Independent American Communities . Sadly, once again, I’m seeing reports of homeowners associations denying disabled residents the right to safely enjoy their homes. The latest reports come to us from Tennessee, where residents from two HOA-governed communities have filed complaints with the Tennessee Fair Housing Council (TFHC). Veteran, amputee denied wheelchair ramps by his HOA News Channel 5 and The Tennessean report that the Meadows of Seven Points HOA (Hermitage) ordered William Continue ReadingLaws alone won’t change hearts of your HOA neighbors→

How HOAs pressure cities to create more HOAs

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Rules restrictions hand written

By Deborah Goonan, Independent American Communities Residents of an HOA-governed neighborhood, in a small town in Indiana, demand similar property values and restrictions for proposed new development. The Daily Journal reports that Windstar HOA is putting pressure on Franklin’s planning department to restrict a developer’s plans to build 478 homes that will connect to its subdivision. The name of the new development, The Bluffs at Youngs Creek, will occupy a 167 acre land parcel. The Continue ReadingHow HOAs pressure cities to create more HOAs→