Category Archives: Hidden Costs of HOAs

Ohio Condo owners face landslide nightmare

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By Deborah Goonan, Independent American Communities Thirty Cincinnati area condo owners fear they might lose their homes, due to a dangerous landslide within a few feet of their hillside homes. But if the condo association can figure out how save threatened homes, all members of the condo association will have to share the cost of stabilizing the hillside, plus repairing any structural damages to at least one condo building.   Heavy rainfall erodes hillside Drenching Continue ReadingOhio Condo owners face landslide nightmare→

Housing affordability crisis made worse by oversupply of expensive condo HOA homes

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By Deborah Goonan, Independent American Communities Can we make housing more affordable in U.S. cities simply by building more homes? Home builder lobbies and research think tanks, such as Urban Land Institute, say, yes. The only way to make housing more affordable, is to increase supply. But opponents of new development argue that decades of development planning has only created more density, less livable cities, and housing that’s more expensive than ever. Who’s right? Who’s Continue ReadingHousing affordability crisis made worse by oversupply of expensive condo HOA homes→

The myth of affordable, attainable HOA housing

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By Deborah Goonan, Independent American Communities To follow up on yesterday’s post on ULI’s push for more HOA-governed common interest communities, let’s examine ULI’s standard myth that smaller, attached housing is more affordable or attainable than a detached home that is not HOA-governed.   Purchase prices of new homes There’s no question that townhouses, in general, have lower sale prices than detached single family homes. But the main reason for the lower sale price is Continue ReadingThe myth of affordable, attainable HOA housing→

California lawmakers block transit-oriented housing density bill

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By Deborah Goonan, Independent American Communities California’s controversial Senate Bill 50 has been tabled until 2020. The bill was killed when Sen. Anthony Portantino (D), chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced that it would not be discussed in committee this legislative session session. Portantino reportedly opposed SB 50, because its policies would override local government zoning rules. Many neighborhoods in California zone entire neighborhoods for single family homes only. For analysis of the pros and Continue ReadingCalifornia lawmakers block transit-oriented housing density bill→