Satellite Dishes, HOA Restrictions, and Your Home
By: Helsing Admin HOA restrictions on the placement of satellite dishes are a common concern for association members. In 1996 the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) adopted rules for Over-the-Air Reception Devices (“OTARD” Rules). These rules protect a property owner’s right to install, maintain or use an antenna to receive video programming from direct broadcast satellites […]
HOA Pest Control Responsibility
Experiencing pests and wondering what HOA pest control responsibility is? Keep reading… By: Helsing Admin It is that time of the year; things are heating up and the insects are showing up. In fact, in many cases, they are moving into your home with you. What do you do about them – what is your […]
HOA Responsibilities and Association Chat Rooms
By: Helsing Admin Question: (This is actually more of a statement – but worth a response). I’m writing to you about your opinion on community chat groups. We live in a litigious society but the irony is that you lecture your community members about chat groups but yet you have your own official “blog”. Not […]
Why Do I need HOA Insurance to Reserve the Clubhouse?
A reader writes: My Association requires that if we are going to reserve the clubhouse we need to provide a $1 million dollar HOA insurance liability policy with the association as a named insured! If we are going to have alcohol, it is another $1 million dollars! This is really unfair. We own the clubhouse […]
HOA Assessment for Damages: Am I Liable?
By: Helsing Admin A homeowner writes: My wife hit the side of our garage framing and caused some damage. Now my association has called me to a hearing for a “reimbursement HOA assessment”. How can they do that? They maintain the building and not me! Most association documents have provisions for the association to levy […]
Why Do I Have to Pay for HOA Records?
A reader writes: I want to see some association financial records because I think there is something funny going on with the landscaping expenses. The management company is telling me I can have them, but I need to pay for the HOA records! This is stupid, I already pay $230 a month to my association […]
Why Don’t HOA Maintenance Responsibilities Include This?
A reader writes: Every unit in our condominium association has a dryer vent. They all need to be cleaned from the outside, but half of them are on the second story. This is stupid. We have to get on a ladder, or pay someone to get on a ladder and go 10 feet in the […]
HOA Rule Against Washing My Car
By: Helsing Admin A reader writes: I would like to know why it is appropriate for homeowners to have plants on their decks and use water from their homes to water them (often leaving a stream of mess for others to view), but an HOA rule prevents homeowners from using water from their homes to […]
Why are HOA Collection Fees So High?
(and, why do they happen so quickly?) By: Helsing Admin Delinquent assessments are a serious problem for any homeowners association. Community Associations are typically not-for-profit corporations and the California Civil Code does not allow your Board of Directors to adopt budgets that include money that has no anticipated expenditure. The net result is that when […]
