Category Archives: Health and Safety issues

HOA members, including a deputy, school board member, accused of texting pornography

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By Deborah Goonan, Independent American Communities Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office is investigating criminal activity among residents of an upscale planned HOA community in Cumming, Georgia. The allegations include unlawful surveillance, computer theft, trespassing, invasion of privacy, terroristic threats and pornography. These are the shocking complaints filed against 8 residents of Pleasant Manor Estates Homeowners’ Association, Cumming, Georgia. One of suburban Altanta’s newest communities, Pleasant Manor Estates consists of stately homes priced roughly between $300,000 to Continue ReadingHOA members, including a deputy, school board member, accused of texting pornography→

Retired residents suffer under leadership of dysfunctional condo HOAs

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Woman with head in hands abuse

By Deborah Goonan, Independent American Communities Reports of HOA leaders making poor decisions just keep on coming. Today’s examples: a California board’s inaction leads to preventable accident; a Colorado HOA’s impulsive decision leaves residents in the cold; an Iowa condo board and its insurance contractors botch a post-fire reconstruction project.   California — HOA refused to remove dangerous tree. Then it destroyed the home of a retired Veteran and his wife. Beginning in 1996, Lela Continue ReadingRetired residents suffer under leadership of dysfunctional condo HOAs→

HOA’s ‘poor decisions’ lead to multimillion dollar jury verdict

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By Deborah Goonan, Independent American Communities Sometimes an HOA board’s poor decision leads to human tragedy. And that tragedy, in turn, opens up the Association to huge liabilities in personal injury or wrongful death lawsuits. The latest report comes to us from Florida, the result of a bicycle accident. In April 2016, James Schnurr was cycling behind his wife, Christine, when he crashed into a pole on the bicycle path of Jonathan’s Landing, in Jupiter, Continue ReadingHOA’s ‘poor decisions’ lead to multimillion dollar jury verdict→

3 HOAs need help managing their stormwater ponds

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Suburban pond lake sidewalk storm water woes

By Deborah Goonan, Independent American Communities It’s been 15 – 20 years since the construction boom of the early 21st century. And now that thousands of planned communities are reaching maturity, it’s time for homeowners associations to dredge retention ponds, clean out stormwater detention basins, and unclog drain pipes. Homeowners and residents complain about unattractive, foul-smelling, stormwater ponds, some of which periodically overflow and flood nearby property. But many HOA boards are discovering that stormwater Continue Reading3 HOAs need help managing their stormwater ponds→