Category Archives: HOA CID governance

HOA Alternative? Single family homes for rent — pros and cons for housing consumers

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By Deborah Goonan, Independent American Communities Have you noticed the new real estate trend? U.S. homebuilders are creating new communities of detached single family homes for rent, not for sale. The new rental home communities provide an alternative to traditional apartment buildings or HOA-governed townhouse neighborhoods.   Why is this happening? Well, according to BSB, an architectural design firm with a 50-year history, built-to-rent single family detached homes provide a lucrative revenue source for American Continue ReadingHOA Alternative? Single family homes for rent — pros and cons for housing consumers→

Why won’t Libertarian advocacy groups speak out against HOA abuse?

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An Opinion By Deborah Goonan, Independent American Communities Last month, IAC published a post comparing cities and HOAs that rely heavily on fining their residents to generate cash for their communities. Today’s post follows up with an important question. Why do Libertarian-leaning think tanks express contempt and outrage about local government’s Eighth Amendment violations against its residents, yet completely ignore the same behavior committed by HOAs against its residents?   City fines homeowner $30K, files Continue ReadingWhy won’t Libertarian advocacy groups speak out against HOA abuse?→

Why can’t City help homeowners in developer controlled HOA?

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Homeowners in the Pine Grove subdivision in Stockbridge, Georgia are so fed up with their developer-controlled HOA, they lined up to complain to their City Council at a June meeting. By Deborah Goonan, Independent American Communities debgoonan@icloud.com.      Construction began in the Pine Grove subdivision a few years before the 2008 recession, when the original developer, Knight Builders, declared bankruptcy. According to a report in the Henry Herald, several different real estate investment groups Continue ReadingWhy can’t City help homeowners in developer controlled HOA?→

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→