Category Archives: Hidden Costs of HOAs

My View: HOA-industry makes housing less affordable

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By Deborah Goonan, Independent American Communities In case you haven’t noticed, in just about every city and town in the U.S., housing costs are going through the roof. (Pun intended) Here in my home state of Pennsylvania, I’m starting to see reports of piecemeal government programs designed to increase the supply of affordable housing. For example, WBRE reports that four Monroe County organizations have received $300,000 in state grants to tackle the problem. Pocono Mountains Continue ReadingMy View: HOA-industry makes housing less affordable→

With no active HOA, who should pay for bridge repair on private road?

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Road bridge iron railing

By Deborah Goonan, Independent American Communities debgoonan@icloud.com What will it take to rebuild safe access to a private 9-home community with no active homeowners’ association? It’s a neighborhood problem that has been brewing for at least 15 years. The issue: for decades, nine secluded properties on the northern end of East River Road were served by a private road crossed by Baker’s Creek Bridge. But 4 years ago, when it developed gaping holes, the city Continue ReadingWith no active HOA, who should pay for bridge repair on private road?→

Building your Dream HOA — a Checklist

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hands-team-together-community

By Deborah Goonan, Independent American Communities debgoonan@icloud.com Does your HOA have what it takes to work well for residents? The industry that builds, sells, and serves homeowners’ associations (HOAs) promotes a wildly unrealistic premise — that unit owners and shareholders will forever engage in fair and friendly cooperation with their association leaders and their neighbors. Unfortunately, in the real world, HOAs aren’t always fair or friendly. In the U.S., reports of HOAs from Hell are Continue ReadingBuilding your Dream HOA — a Checklist→

Storm water flooding, erosion threaten Fort Worth homes

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By Deborah Goonan, Independent American Communities Each time it rains, a torrential river of storm water threatens to wash away the fenced-in back yard of a North Texas homeowner. Steven Owens shows CBS DFW a video recording of rushing storm waters, which flood the grassy area that divides several back yards of homes in the Villages of Woodland Springs, Fort Worth. When the sun is shining, the area behind Owens’ home is a peaceful babbling Continue ReadingStorm water flooding, erosion threaten Fort Worth homes→