Category Archives: Development Districts / Special Tax Districts

Don’t confuse Development Districts with Special Tax Districts

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By Deborah Goonan, Independent American Communities For more than four decades, planned communities in the U.S. have funded local neighborhood services through homeowners association (HOA) fees. But in more recent years, state and local governments have turned to various types of tax districts to pay for infrastructure and services in common interest communities. This article illustrates, by example, the major differences between Community Development Districts (CDDs) and other types of Special Districts in the state Continue ReadingDon’t confuse Development Districts with Special Tax Districts→

Notable HOA Lawsuits (Summer 2019)

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By Deborah Goonan, Independent American Communities New and former board members fight over access to records, a condo owner sues HOA over denial of radon mitigation, a CDD declares bankruptcy, and more. Former HOA board members sue their own HOA According to a FoxNews report from West Houston, there’s trouble brewing in Clayton Woods subdivision. Last year, some new board members took over, only to learn that their HOA was deep in debt with almost Continue ReadingNotable HOA Lawsuits (Summer 2019)→

HOA, homeowners object to $1M tax district to pay for new road

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By Deborah Goonan, Independent American Communities Sander’s Pond (MI) homeowners recently found out they might have to pay for construction of a $975,000 road, and they’re not happy about it. The developer of Sander’s pond, RBF Construction, has been discussing the addition of a second road leading into Sander’s Pond from Linden Road. Members of the Sander’s Pond Homeowners Association objected to the project at a hearing in Mundy Township earlier this month. As proposed, Continue ReadingHOA, homeowners object to $1M tax district to pay for new road→

Dissolving an HOA – is it possible?

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  By Deborah Goonan, Independent American Communities What happens when a homeowners’ association no longer serves its intended purpose? Can it still collect annual assessments? Homeowners of Inwood Forest Village, located in Acres Homes subdivision outside of Houston, recently discovered that their homeowners’ association has been “administratively dissolved” as of 2007. But what does that mean? Apparently, the HOA allowed its corporate registration to expire. According to homeowners interviewed by KHOU,  the last HOA meeting Continue ReadingDissolving an HOA – is it possible?→