Tag Archives: Massachusetts

States enact new laws regulating short-term vacation rentals (AZ, MA, WA – 2019)

Posted on by

By Deborah Goonan, Independent American Communities City and town governments have been regulating short-term and vacation rentals for several years, especially with the growing popularity of online rental platforms such as Airbnb, HomeAway, VRBO, and others. The battle over short-term rentals is controversial, often pitting neighborhood residents against owners and investors who earn substantial profit sharing their home. Local regulation typically results in inconsistent, piecemeal regulations from town to town. Not wanting to miss out Continue ReadingStates enact new laws regulating short-term vacation rentals (AZ, MA, WA – 2019)→

CT condo homeowners plead for help with their crumbling foundations

Posted on by
Crumbling foundation repair Lakeview Condo CT

By Deborah Goonan, Independent American Communities   For the past three years, I’ve been following the crisis of crumbling concrete foundations in Connecticut and Massachusetts. Debra MacCoy of Vernon, CT, and several other condo owners recently contacted me, and shared important details about the dilemmas and special challenges they face, as owners of condos and homes in common interest communities. The problem — defective concrete leads to crumbling foundations Dozens of towns in Connecticut and Continue ReadingCT condo homeowners plead for help with their crumbling foundations→

You pay your condo HOA fees. Shouldn’t your home be safe?

Posted on by
safety-first-sign

By Deborah Goonan, Independent American Communities Most residents of common interest developments and community associations expect their HOAs to faithfully provide important services they were promised when they moved into their home. But I’ve lost count of the number of homeowners and residents that reach out to me in frustration. They often tell me that their homeowners, condo, or co-op association is not keeping up with routine maintenance, and, even worse, their association is not Continue ReadingYou pay your condo HOA fees. Shouldn’t your home be safe?→