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Florida Homeowner's Association Sues Resident For Critical Blog Comments, Seeks Identity Of Other Commenters

from the but-of-course dept

Tue, Mar 26th 2013 3:40pm — Mike Masnick

I'm not sure what it is about "Homeowners Associations" (HOAs), but I can't recall ever coming across one which didn't involve all sorts of acrimony. A few years back, I lived in a house that was a part of a (mandatory) HOA. I was renting, so I didn't really care or pay much attention to any details. And then, one day I found a bright yellow document sitting on my front step, which had a long and rambling letter from a neighbor who apparently was challenging the HOA on something and the fight had escalated. He had placed the letter on the front steps of every single house in our neighborhood. While I don't even recall what the argument itself was about, I do recall him explicitly asking that the police be present at the next HOA meeting, and the phrase: "I fear my life will be taken; I fear my wife will become a widow; if this situation is not brought under control." The whole thing seemed so bizarre to me -- who would ever take an HOA so seriously? -- that I remember telling people about that phrase, and it's stuck with me.

And the thing is, every time I ever hear anything about HOAs, it always seems to involve some similar crazy story. A few months back, we wrote about an HOA president in Indiana going ballistic with bogus legal threats towards pretty much anyone who criticized him. And now, here's a story out of Naples, Florida, where an HOA for "Fiddler's Creek" is using homeowners' fees to sue one of their own homeowners, a resident named James Schutt, because he made some comments the HOA board members don't like on a blog about the community.

You can see the actual comments in the original lawsuit. I read them over and my first reaction was "they're suing over that?!" Basically, it sounds like a typical HOA fight. Schutt isn't thrilled with how the HOA is being run, and he accuses them of failing their fiduciary responsibility, and he feels that some of the things the HOA pays for -- such as management -- are excessive and possibly corrupt. You see these kinds of things all the time. Even if they're not exactly true, they're standard rhetorical hyperbole that happens online. Get over it and move on. Instead, the HOA sued.

It seems pretty clear that this is a SLAPP lawsuit, designed to shut up Schutt and potentially other critics. Schutt is being defended by Marc Randazza (a name many of you will hopefully recognize) who let us know that the HOA is seeking to depose the blogger and are trying to "out" other anonymous commenters on the blog (to clarify, Schutt is not the blog owner, but was merely a commenter). The fact that the HOA is now trying to out other anonymous commenters certainly adds weight to the idea that this is a SLAPP suit designed to shut up critics. The blogger is pushing back but the anonymous commenters themselves might want to find some legal representation to protect their own rights as well, and to make sure that their identities aren't disclosed due to baseless threats that seem designed solely to create a chilling effect on critics of the HOA.

Did I mention that I no longer live anywhere near an HOA... and I have fantastic neighbors who all seem to get along splendidly with each other?

001 Complaint and Opening Documents (PDF)001 Complaint and Opening Documents (Text)

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Filed Under: anonymity, anti-slapp, comments, fiddler's creek, florida, free speech, hoa, james schutt

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Trevor (profile), 26 Mar 2013 @ 3:54pm

HOAs
I just graduated law school, and it seemed like HOAs were the villian in most scenarios, and used in many examples of questionable actions. I had to write many a paper about the evil doings of HOAs, and many Bar prep materials dealt with HOAs.

I guess that was one area of law school that actually translates to the real world...
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- Ray, 28 Apr 2014 @ 8:37am
  
  Re: HOAs
  I have taken video of our Board. I would like to post the video on YouTube and then create a link to our resident website. Does anyone know if the HOA will have grounds to sue me? The images were recorded during HOA official Meetings. No comments are going to be made about any of individual recorded. We just want to show other concerned residents how some of our BOD are dealing with an issue many residents are concerned about and to expose their positions on the matter.
  Any comment will be appreciated.
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davebarnes (profile), 26 Mar 2013 @ 3:55pm

It is going to escalate
The fun is just getting started at http://fiddlerscreekhomeowners.blogspot.com/
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- PRMan, 26 Mar 2013 @ 4:24pm
  
  Re: It is going to escalate
  Just don't comment there, unless you have a good lawyer...
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Ryan, 26 Mar 2013 @ 3:57pm

Dealbreaker when buying a house...
It amazes me how prevalent HOAs have become, and how many people don't even realize what rights they're signing away when joining one.

"Huge master bath, Check."
"Beautiful view, Check."
"Close to shopping and services, Check."
"Busybody housewives with nothing better to do than badger me about how short to keep my lawn and what color drapes I can put in the upstairs window, Check."

When buying a house, an HOA should be a dealbreaker for anybody who wants to feel like they actually own their own property.
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- Tali, 26 Mar 2013 @ 4:12pm
  
  Re: Dealbreaker when buying a house...
  Unfortunately, it is getting harder and harder to find neighborhoods without HOAs, particularly in large metro areas and/or affluent areas.
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- Anonymous Coward, 26 Mar 2013 @ 5:40pm
  
  Re: Dealbreaker when buying a house...
  Its not just the rights you sign away in a lot of places the fees are astronomical. I was looking at buying a few places earlier this year and most HoAs were between $150 and $200+ a MONTH. That's a bloody car payment
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- Anonymous Coward, 26 Mar 2013 @ 7:35pm
  
  Re: Dealbreaker when buying a house...
  It was for me. Don't get me wrong, if i'm getting some reasonable service for the money, i'm fine with it. but most of them are just bullshit
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- Bergman (profile), 27 Mar 2013 @ 2:14am
  
  Re: Dealbreaker when buying a house...
  Unfortunately, some states have laws that all but require them for new developments.
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- JMiller, 28 Jan 2016 @ 4:03pm
  
  Re: Dealbreaker when buying a house...
  There are crazy homeowners in our small community who are not even on the board who are suing and making all kinds of problems. They have nothing better to do.
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out_of_the_blue, 26 Mar 2013 @ 4:02pm

Welcome to the future, Mike.
Where savages abound, attack even The Rich:

"Former Casualty star Clive Mantle has had the top of his ear savagely bitten off in a row at a hotel.

Clive, 55, was attacked at 4.30am yesterday after asking two rowdy men outside his room at a Travelodge to keep it quiet."

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/clive-mantle-ear-bitten-off-1784616

That's just randomly off Drudge, where I went looking for something similar.

Now, at some point, society has to get these savages under control. I do my part here in part protesting ad hom -- and firing it back when I damn well feel like it -- but it's a thankless task. You kids today don't even know what peace and quiet and civility are, let alone habituate to it.

For instance, just today I was accused VILELY by "Chosen Reject": "I see no reason why you shouldn't quote out_of_the_blue as saying that Hitler was a good guy."

http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130326/10400322463/senator-fido-wants-to-create-official-amba ssador-hollywoods-interests.shtml#c120

And now he's accusing me of ad hom and hypocrisy too.

So I totally believe that someone could fear for his life from those who've been raised without discipline; they don't recognize boundaries -- such as not pirating other people's work-products.
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- Donnicton, 26 Mar 2013 @ 4:09pm
  
  Re: Welcome to the future, Mike.
  Irrelevant.
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
- Jeffrey Nonken (profile), 26 Mar 2013 @ 4:15pm
  
  Re: Welcome to the future, Mike.
  WTF does this have to do with anything, and YTF would anybody care?
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
- S. T. Stone, 26 Mar 2013 @ 4:15pm
  
  Re: Welcome to the future, Mike.
  Thank you for your irrelevant opinion.
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
  - Anonymous Coward, 26 Mar 2013 @ 5:02pm
    
    Re: Re: Welcome to the future, Mike.
    And not only is it irrelevant, but from the same person who called my burger/phone anoly irrelevant.
    
    It's not even the pot calling the kettle black because my analogy did have some relevance to both his comment on running apps and my own arguement regarding such.
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- apauld (profile), 26 Mar 2013 @ 4:38pm
  
  Re: Welcome to the future, Mike.
  You really should stop putting off the MRI your brain so desperately needs.
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
- Anonymous Coward, 26 Mar 2013 @ 9:22pm
  
  Re: Welcome to the future, Mike.
  IP extremists are the ones that have no boundaries. Proof, copy protection lengths.
  
  Disagreeing with certain laws does not equate to not having boundaries. That you would even bring up this ridiculous argument shows that there is no boundaries to how dumb your logic is. So why should anyone take you seriously?
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
  - Anonymous Coward, 26 Mar 2013 @ 9:22pm
    
    Re: Re: Welcome to the future, Mike.
    there are no boundaries *
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- DeeP, 27 Mar 2013 @ 11:21am
  
  Re: Welcome to the future, Mike.
  Hmm. Does anyone know (I mean ACTUALLY know) what this lunatic is rambling on about, apart from the final few words - his favourite subject......piracy. Had to get that in there somewhere, didn't you, OOTB, even though it had nothing to do with the subject in hand! Get a life, why don't you.
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Zos (profile), 26 Mar 2013 @ 4:03pm

anyone else unable to not read HOA's in a sopranos voice as the jersey version of whores?
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Anonymous Coward, 26 Mar 2013 @ 4:11pm

HOAs
All the horrors of having a Condo Association, none of the perks!
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Jeffrey Nonken (profile), 26 Mar 2013 @ 4:12pm

So... the HOA is using homeowner's fees to fund a lawsuit over blog comments accusing them of misuing homeowner's fees?

Can't imagine what Schutt could possibly be thinking.
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- art guerrilla (profile), 28 Mar 2013 @ 11:23am
  
  Re:
  uh huh...
  as i went on at length a while back, our stupid fucking HOA (all of 15 properties) has been spending THOUSANDS on lawyers fees, liens, etc trying to extract a $200 fee...
  
  (protip: when you ask a lawyer (or barber) if you need more lawyering (or a haircut), what the fuck do you think they will say ? ? ? )
  
  literally ALL our fucking dues are going to harass this guy, which NO ONE in the neighborhood agrees with, EXCEPT they just don't want to mess with the NASTY bastards who run the HOA show...
  
  the poor fucker not only disagrees on principle (even though he is morally right, he is legally wrong), but he doesn't have the $200+ to pony up, much less the THOUSANDS in legal fees, etc it has ballooned to being...
  so now he has liens on the property which he will NEVER pay, and whoever eventually buys the property will have to pay...
  
  (which means the property becomes that much less attractive to buy, meaning the liens -and the HOA- will probably NEVER get that money back...)
  
  oh, did i mention that one of the leading scumbags heading this worthless effort is a guy who buys tax liens as legal extortion ? ? ? fucker, his head will be on a stick when the hard rain comes...
  
  art guerrilla
  aka ann archy
  eof
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Binko Barnes (profile), 26 Mar 2013 @ 4:13pm

A sadly large percentage of humanity enjoy absolutely nothing so much as attaining a small position of power and lording over other people by enforcing great webs of petty inane, rules. These control-freak authoritarians are my least favorite type of people.

And how exactly do you "out" anonymous blog commenters? For example, my real name is not Binko; in fact I strive to use my real name on the internet as little as possible. Do blogs typically store each commenter's IP Address along with their supposedly anonymous post? Even if so, it's hard to imagine that courts would grant the right to subpeona poster's true identity from their ISP for something that is so clearly an expression of personal opinion.
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That One Guy (profile), 26 Mar 2013 @ 4:15pm

So let's sum up:
1) Blogger complains about mismanagement of funds, and accuses HOA or corrupt practices.

2) HOA uses funds provided by those in HOA to sue blogger in an attempt to shut him up, as well as attempting to unmask other commentators, almost certainly so sue them as well.

I can only assume the people running the HOA didn't really think about what would happen after that point, but I imagine it will go something like this:

3) HOA's actions confirm to all and sundry that blogger was dead on the money with his accusations, causing their lawsuit to go, shall we say 'less than well' for HOA in court.
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- Tom (profile), 26 Mar 2013 @ 6:15pm
  
  Re: So let's sum up:
  This is EXACTLY what happened to a friend of mine. He managed to get the president of a local club removed based on allegations of embezzlement... which he can back up with bank statements and witnesses. (Basically, cash paid for dues never went to the bank.)
  
  And of course, the deposed ex-president is suing. The thing is, win or lose, the defendant has no assets... so what's the point?
  
  Anti SLAPP suits suck.
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  - That One Guy (profile), 26 Mar 2013 @ 6:51pm
    
    Re: Re: So let's sum up:
    No no, SLAPP suits are when someone tries to sue to shut someone up, so an anti-SLAPP suit would be one countering a SLAPP suit.
    
    And regarding your friend, as I assume the ex-president was suing on grounds of slander or something like that, I'd think all he'd need to do is present his evidence of embezzlement and the judge would probably throw the case out quick enough to give the lawyers whiplash.
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    - Anonymous Coward, 27 Mar 2013 @ 3:22am
      
      Re: Re: Re: So let's sum up:
      yup, truth is an 100% defense. For that matter, there are two defenses avilible in this case:
      1. that the statement was made in good faith and a reasonable belief that it is true
      2. Fair Comment in a matter of public interest- I think the homeowners have an interest in knowing if their HOA is corrupt.
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Michael, 26 Mar 2013 @ 4:17pm

2 reasons
There are only 2 reasons HOAs exist:

1) To give small, weak people a modicum of power.
2) To funnel money into illegitimate businesses.
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- Anonymous Coward, 27 Mar 2013 @ 9:46am
  
  Re: 2 reasons
  My neighborhood has a voluntary HOA-like thing, where people in the subdivision opt-in some small dues to get benefits like 'Banners for your kid's graduation' to put up on the house.... I know a little weird.
  
  Anway, a new woman in the neighborhood apparently has too much time and talked some of the members into trying to get homeowner support for making the HOA mandatory. She went around house-to-house floating the idea and begging for funds.
  
  When she came around to my house and described the HOA, we told her we don't have kids and already subsidize others' kids through taxes, so no thank you. She pressed saying "we could do more", and that it was really important for the community to have common goals.
  
  We told her we're unwilling to cede any decision-making authority over our property and that HOA's had a bad track record of enabling power hungry mini-tyrants wasting peoples' time and money.
  
  Poor dear. She was rambling in response about "why would people think that way, its so untrusting, anti-community", when we quietly closed the door on her.
  
  Haven't heard from them in two years, so I'm guessing ours was not the minority opinion.
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  - btr1701 (profile), 27 Mar 2013 @ 3:52pm
    
    Re: Re: 2 reasons
    > a new woman in the neighborhood apparently
    > has too much time and talked some of the
    > members into trying to get homeowner support
    > for making the HOA mandatory
    
    How can they make membership mandatory? A group of people can't just get together and vote away your private property rights out from under you. If you don't agree to it, there's no obligation on your part to participate, no matter how many of your neighbors want it.
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    - pixelpusher220 (profile), 1 Apr 2013 @ 7:56am
      
      Re: Re: Re: 2 reasons
      Yes they can. Just not retroactively. But all 'new' purchases in the community would be covered by it.
      
      HOAs aren't bad by design, just in execution as most people aren't willing to pony up and be part of the solution.
      
      That leaves the mini-tyrants as they only people who actually apply for positions and you get what you 'pay' for.
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Joe Pullen, 26 Mar 2013 @ 4:32pm

I can only say this. I hope Randazza sticks it to them good.
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mischab1, 26 Mar 2013 @ 4:47pm

You only hear about HOA's if they are doing bad stuff. If they are doing what they are supposed to, there is nothing to talk about. That said, unless it is allowed in the bylaws or they got a majority vote from all the homeowners, using HOA funds to go after someone who claims the HOA is misusing funds is just proving them right.
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derp, 26 Mar 2013 @ 5:13pm

freedom of assembly
I view HOAs the way I view unions that you have to join in order to get certain jobs. They force you to join a group in order to do something that is really only tangentially related to that group. I feel that being forced to join a club (especially one with dues) violates what I think is an inalienable right to free assembly. I think that *I* should be the only one to regulate my choice to assemble, or not assemble, with whomever I choose. If a group of neighbors wants to get together and start a club that self-regulates what height to which they cut their grass, and share their ideas freely with the community, that's great! Now, I know what you might be thinking, such an at-will system would be almost completely ineffective at actually enforcing any behavior. Well, maybe that's a good reflection on what people actually want: the freedom to treat their houses like what they are, their own property.
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- FarSide (profile), 26 Mar 2013 @ 8:46pm
  
  Re: freedom of assembly
  I hear what you are saying, but the problem with your argument is that no one is forcing you to buy or rent a house in an ares where there is an HOA.
  
  If you'd been living somewhere and then, later, someone was able to force you to join a group - then yes, I agree with you 100%. So far I've never heard of anything of the like, though.
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  - Chronno S. Trigger (profile), 26 Mar 2013 @ 10:12pm
    
    Re: Re: freedom of assembly
    " but the problem with your argument is that no one is forcing you to buy or rent a house in an ares where there is an HOA."
    
    Just like no one is forcing you to become an actor, or forcing you to become an electrician, or forcing you to become a hotel manager.
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  - Anonymous Coward, 27 Mar 2013 @ 12:29am
    
    Re: Re: freedom of assembly
    This argument is incredibly stupid and short sighted.
    
    No one is forcing you to be black and live in this area.
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  - Aquaria, 23 Sep 2013 @ 2:04am
    
    Re: Re: freedom of assembly
    :::If you'd been living somewhere and then, later, someone was able to force you to join a group - then yes, I agree with you 100%. So far I've never heard of anything of the like, though.:::
    
    I've been living in my neighborhood for 13 years now. My "voluntary" HOA has decided to go mandatory.
    
    I didn't sign up for a mandatory HOA, but it's being forced on me anyway. It's Texas, so I'm stuck with it, and I can't afford to move.
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Anonymous Coward, 26 Mar 2013 @ 5:43pm

Homeowner Associations
HOAs - Residential banana republics run by power-seeking narcissists.
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Ninja (profile), 26 Mar 2013 @ 5:46pm

When I read

is being defended by Marc Randazza

I automatically understand "case won". And I'm sure Randazza will manage to get 80k dollars out of thin air somewhere and tons of reputation.
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- Bob, 16 Jul 2016 @ 6:25am
  
  Re: Case Won?
  If the guy wins a settlement against the HOA the money is going to be paid with dues from the homeowners?
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Anonymous Coward, 26 Mar 2013 @ 5:48pm

There must be something to the blog comments.
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ShellMG, 26 Mar 2013 @ 6:33pm

When my in-laws finally could no longer care for their house in Florida and the family put it up for sale, we got an earful from the real estate agent.

HOA's are a nightmare for realtors; each HOA has their own regulations on how/where/when FOR SALE signs can be placed, as well as height, width, in the window only and what colors can be used.

I don't know about other states, but in Florida HOA communities are usually full of retirees who have nothing better to do than mind the business of their neighbors. Ratting each other out over small violations is a pastime.
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Anonymous Coward, 26 Mar 2013 @ 6:36pm

If your attorney is Marc Randazza you need to recheck your priorities because you're fucking up bad if your are using a scumbag like Marc Randazza.

Dear:
Marc Randazza

BLOW ME!

Sincerely,
VPN USER #6582569554
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- That One Guy (profile), 26 Mar 2013 @ 6:56pm
  
  Re:
  Even if you don't like the guy, he has done some good stuff, with the most recent being forcing the Righthaven puppetmasters to pay out the nose for the little sham they were running by having to 'buy' their own copyrights back.
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
Matthew (profile), 26 Mar 2013 @ 6:40pm

I've never...
I've never met an intelligent bigot and I've never heard a positive story about an HOA. I don't think these two things are related, but I also don't think they are coincidental.
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Suzanne Lainson (profile), 26 Mar 2013 @ 8:16pm

Why we'll never get rid of government
People always seem to form some sort of group with rules and regulations. So when people complain about government, I figure they just don't like the form they are dealing with at the moment.

Getting rid of all government is highly unlikely.
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- btr1701 (profile), 27 Mar 2013 @ 3:58pm
  
  Re: Why we'll never get rid of government
  > Getting rid of all government is highly
  > unlikely.
  
  Which is why I find myself becoming more and more misanthropic every year as I get older.
  
  I now wistfully wish for a remote mountain cabin where the nearest person is more than a mile away and where I can live in peace and quiet with my dog and write my manifesto in peace.
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Anonymous Coward, 26 Mar 2013 @ 8:58pm

I've never owned a place where I had to deal with a HOA. I think if that was a requirement, I would call it a deal breaker. I see no need of having to pay money to finance someone to enforce petty rules of any sort if it's my property.

I've no dealings with any sort of HOA and after reading a few incidents that have passed through here, I'm glad I never have. Maybe there are some that live up to their billing 100%. I just fail to see the need to belong in order to buy property. Having it as a requirement just means I will buy somewhere else.
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Anonymous Coward, 26 Mar 2013 @ 9:56pm

http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2013-03-17/news/os-lk-lauren-ritchie-homeowner-associations-2013 0317_1_homeowner-association-levy-fees-subdivision

Read this and then ponder the advisability of purchasing a home governed by deed restrictions administered by a "mandatory" HOA. In Florida, for example, HOAs invariably remain under a developer's control until +90% of the lots have been sold. The above article details what is easily the most egregious grab of power I have ever read concerning an HOA that remains under almost the exclusive control of a developer.
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John S, 27 Mar 2013 @ 12:52am

my hoa issues include township corruption
Http://public-corruption.com
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Shon Gale (profile), 27 Mar 2013 @ 4:25am

Anyone stupid enough to purchase a dwelling that has HOA deserves what they get. Idiots!
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Some Other AC (profile), 27 Mar 2013 @ 5:51am

Currently live in an HOA managed community
Many of the more recent neighborhoods in the large metropolitan areas of Texas(Dallas, Fort WOrth, Houston, Austion, etc..) have HOAs. And a goodly portion of them are relatively expensive in dues. Unfortunately, they also tend to be minor dictatorships as well. There was a case in Frisco where a homeowner purchased a new Ford F150(with extras like nicer wheels, upgraded exterior, etc..). His HOA fined him as their Rules prohibited vehicles below a certain class from being parked in front of the homes. In other words, because it was a pickup truck(most popular vehicle in most of Texas), it was prohibited. There were a few local articles and news pieces about it. Many highlighted that had he spent 15K more for a Lincoln Mark LT(essentially a fancy Ford F150) or a Cadillac Escalade EXT(Chevy Avalanche dressed up) he would have been within the "rules". I don't remember the outcome to this one, but it shows the petty BS that goes on with HOAs.
As a side note, my community has an HOA. Dues are less than $25/month and cover shared areas and two pools. For the most part it is pretty relaxed with only mild petty crap, so I consider myself lucky. There are even a few with much higher costs that include yard maintenance, water parks and other amenities with the dues. Not all are bad, but it definitely seems most are, and unfortunately, the State and Local laws protect them more than they protect the homeowners.
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Anonymous Coward, 27 Mar 2013 @ 6:49am

HOA : Huge Obvious Asshats
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Anonymous Coward, 27 Mar 2013 @ 7:11am

This suit sounds like something out of the super rich in Palm Beach instead of out of the moderately rich (100 million vs billions) of the Naples loonie bend.
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madasahatter (profile), 27 Mar 2013 @ 8:36am

HOA Meaning
HOA = Hitler Over All
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btr1701 (profile), 27 Mar 2013 @ 3:27pm

News Article
I don't have much to say about the HOA other than I despise HOAs with every fiber of my being.

However, I did want to comment on the linked article on the winknews.com site. That's quote possible the worst-written news article I've seen from any professional news reporting organization in my life. It was disorganized and non-sensical and grammatically challenged.

And they say bloggers aren't 'real' reporters. Well, if this is the sort of drivel we get from real reporters, we could use a few less of them and a few more bloggers.
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Iridis, 28 Mar 2013 @ 9:42am

This really doesn't suprise me.
I don't know, when things like this happen I find they don't suprise me anymore. The incentive for earning money by any means possible will break any system, no matter how balanced and fair it is designed to be. If things get worse over the years then we'll be back to having to go with our gut instincts over a product (which, if you know gut instincts, almost always tend to be wrong).
I mean I'm sure reviews must have existed in some form previously, but when they all start being introduced on the internet, suddenly they are no longer welcome, and they become a target for the unscrupulous.
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dcfl (profile), 14 May 2013 @ 9:48am

florida hoa's
How would you Love to Buy and Build over 10 years ago so that Your Values were Somewhat Protected after all that is the reason we Pay Dues so some people can Not put their cars or ? up on blocks or block your driveway so you cannot even get "in" your own driveway or let their Property go unattended to and unkept which EFFECTS Everyones Property Values and lete face it Property Values have been Already now Affected Drastically by FLIPPERS and Bad loans and Banks who put people in homes they would Not be able to afford once they the "banks" went UP on their Rates of course this was really all Orchestrated by Our Treasury along with the Banking and Finance..People...anyway we pay over $500 a year and have had a pretty much Defunct Board?? for Many years now our Neighborhood is going the way I've Personally seen Far TOO many because the BOARD or BOARDS that we Pay DUES to EVERY Year have Not been doing what the MAIN MASTER Board gets Paid to do the Sub associations have NO ONE who wants to Serve because they feel why other? If you cannot Enforce ANYTHING what's the POINT? I say then whats the POINT OF PAYING Dues at all?? Then...if they are Not going to TRY to Protect OUR Property Values by ATTEMPTING to Enforce Just the BASICS then we might as well MOVE...which is what WE are trying to do and then NO MORW HOA'S for us and this is over a 30 year "period" in Florida for us and now same old same old in this being the 5th HOA over the past 30 years and 5 homes. I will RUN in Opposite Directon.....and it IS true People who DO get ON A Board do so with a Personal Agenda whether it's to PASS something THEY want to DO on their OWN Property or a Friends or give a Friend some BUSINESS From the Board or like someone else said which is also true they have nothing better to do and feel a sense of Power..there are Those who do care but Very Few.
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Jack, 4 Feb 2014 @ 7:38am

HOA Information and Documents
Having a resource to help with HOA information and documents makes life easier for real estate agents. Recently, when selling a home in Ohio, Association Online provided me with all the HOA details for the listing, and then provided all the documents - by-laws, financial statements, covenants, etc. They made sure the package was complete, making my work easier. Their web site is well organized and very easy to use - www.associationonline.com . Call their team of experts � they are great to work with (970-226-1324).
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Jack, 18 Mar 2014 @ 7:20am

HOA Information and Documents
Having a resource to help with HOA information and documents makes life easier for real estate agents. Recently, when selling a home in Ohio, Association Online provided me with all the HOA details for the listing, and then provided all the documents - by-laws, financial statements, covenants, etc. They made sure the package was complete, making my work easier. Their web site is well organized and very easy to use - www.associationonline.com . Call their team of experts � they are great to work with (970-226-1324).
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john, 1 Apr 2015 @ 12:49am

Some residents say the leadership of their homeowners association have gotten a bit power-hungry and lawsuit-happy, and the HOA’s response to a local newspaper doesn’t do much to help out the association’s public image.
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Miami Brasil Realty, 12 Oct 2015 @ 7:27am

Property Management
Thanks for your marvelous posting! I actually enjoyed reading it, you are a great author.I will be sure to bookmark your blog and may come back someday.
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Rose, 16 Jan 2016 @ 8:01pm

Bad hoa need help
We live in Nazi Fl I mean Sunset Bay condos I have experienced this before a clique favoritism questionable funds being spent and dangerous horrible living environment. we don't live on the ocean but we have a million dollar condo hoa with a special assessment coming. We have had propane tanks below us gasoline canisters boats lol and a bathroom mirror in the walkway etc my husband is 79 and I have had two heart attacks yet we continue to do the majority of the wprk around our bldg I have even scrubbed the bldg adjacent to us because it had mold and algae on it I took the supplies for the full time handyman to finish cleaning and they said it was on there list of to do's in a year you spend 419.00 hoa it should be a given and so much more! I was assaulted by the neighbor two steps from my door and he is friends with others in the bldg we got screwed on this place and I need help my husband has dementia and we are open season to people here horrible community a few good souls but lost in the shuffle of politics and favoritism. We have the landscaping crew from hell that is so lazy all that do is cut down everything living we have spent over 600.00 putting in grass seed mulch, flowers plants and trees they wanted to cut down the beautiful ferns out front I said basically over my dead body after being left inside our condo without an entranceway on the second floor had to call the fire dept. they were held up with steel poles our condos for 8 months plus so many things my husband and others got stuck in the thick sealant they put down he literally climbed the railing to the second floor so condos and associations from hell I've got you covered and more
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Naples Florida For Rent, 11 Aug 2016 @ 9:11am

crazy HOA's in Florida
I know HOA's in Naples, Florida can be extremely bad. Discrimination, harassment, mismanagement of funds..etc. I am amazed how the state and local laws allow for these types of organizations to exist without more oversight. The problem is it can be difficult, costly, time consuming, etc... to fight these corrupt/biased entities. Especially, if the person fighting is an annual renter or vacation renter.
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Send blm, 11 Apr 2017 @ 8:26am

Send black lives matter to nazi hoas
They could sure use the airtime. Just direct them to the board members houses. Anyway, video tape and audio tape all interaction with then. Since it is in NaziDuh, make sure the qudio or video recording is done in a public place, as you cannot record the phone calls to them.
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H O A sucks, 19 Apr 2018 @ 6:42pm

Bad H O A
👮🏻 It's time for people to start standing together and fight these HOA. Some people love them but they know when they find out about then they will see MG management is one of the worst HOA's out there in South Florida
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