Category Archives: Development Districts / Special Tax Districts

The Villages CDD could sue homeowners for delaying repair of sinkhole

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Sinkhole

By Deborah Goonan, Independent American Communities Imagine buying your retirement dream home, facing the nightmare of a huge sinkhole that could swallow it whole. What if you could be sued for that sinkhole? For Frank and Jan Neumann, that nightmare is real. According to reports in Villages-News, on February 15, 2018, a sinkhole suddenly opened up in their front yard, dangerously close to their home in The Village of Calumet Grove. Marion County officials deemed Continue ReadingThe Villages CDD could sue homeowners for delaying repair of sinkhole→

Reader seeks affordable solutions to pave HOA private roads (VA)

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Problems and solutions sign blackboard

By Deborah Goonan, Independent American Communities   QUESTION: I read your article about private roads and the need for out of the box solutions for the problem. I very much agree. We have a very small HOA, less than 50 homes, in northern Virginia. There are several private roads that provide access to about half of the lots. The other lots are on the main state road. The cost of paving our road in this Continue ReadingReader seeks affordable solutions to pave HOA private roads (VA)→

HOAs consider infrastructure tax districts

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Road bridge iron railing

By Deborah Goonan, Independent American Communities Across the U.S., homeowners  are considering tax districts to help them make essential repairs to their HOA infrastructure. Volunteer-led HOA boards face the difficult task of finding affordable solutions to deal with their busted dams, silt-filled lakes, crumbling roads and bridges, and obsolete wastewater systems. It’s an increasingly common problem in association-governed common interest communities, especially as infrastructure breaks down or wears out with age. Most HOAs are relatively Continue ReadingHOAs consider infrastructure tax districts→

City says no trash pick up unless owners create HOA

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Garbage trash recycling cans bins

By Deborah Goonan, Independent American Communities The purpose of the Urban Service District (USD) was to expand Metro Services,  that were available to residents of Nashville, but not outlying suburban neighborhoods. Those services include trash pick up, curbside recycling, street lights and the addition of liquor stores. In exchange for inclusion into the USD, homeowners would agree to pay higher property taxes for new public services. Two years ago, the representatives of 20 Districts in the Continue ReadingCity says no trash pick up unless owners create HOA→