North Carolina attempts AG protection of HOA members – HB 311

CORRECTION. This post was mistitled referring to new Hampshire but it is a North Carolina bill, HB 311.

NC State Representative Iler introduced HB 311 granting the AG with powers and authority to investigate HOA violations and to commence legal actions against the HOA if warranted.  It seeks direct state involvement in protecting a class of citizens being denied the equal protection of the laws by amending §§ 47C-3-123 and  47F-3-123.

It may come to a surprise to many who find no ills living in an HOA, but it’s well known that state Attorney General’s offices have shied away from investigating and bringing legal actions against HOA board violations of state laws and their contractual obligations. The general response from a number of AGs has been “no authority to act,” although they have general powers to investigate white collar crimes; “the law needs to be changed, go to the Legislature to change the law.”

Representative Iler can be your champion!  He needs your active support  against a legislature – as are all state legislatures —  that is hostile to HOA owner private property interests. NC citizen involvement is necessary for success!

CA bill AB 1410 – a step backwards for HOA homeowner rights

In 2018, California Civil Code §4515 was a major step in restoring fundamental protections for free speech by members with respect to HOA governing issues.

“(a) It is the intent of the Legislature to ensure that members and residents of common interest developments have the ability to exercise their rights under law to peacefully assemble and freely communicate with one another and with others with respect to common interest development living or for social, political, or educational purposes.”

AND JUSTICE FOR ALL

Now, AB 1410 seeks to restrict these rights under the guise, it seems, that the HOA website is private and therefore it can adopt restrictive rules legally. In a typical “what you see is not what you get” maneuver, the bill would grant the HOA the power to moderate message content in strict opposition to legal holdings — that content based free speech is protected and any editing must be unbiased.

The bill sections start with §4515,

“(b)  The governing documents, including bylaws and operating line 4 rules, shall not prohibit a member or resident of a common interest line 5 development from doing any of the following:”

But watch out, what is granted is now removed under (b)(6) subparagraphs (B) and (C), and especially (D). In a “flip-flop,” designed in my view to confuse the average homeowner, it then informs the homeowner that he is still protected because the HOA must follow the rules it is attempting to circumvent. (pp. 93-94).

What’s the point? To make  it difficult for homeowners to understand the legislation and their rights all well knowing that those in power will only cite the pro-HOA points and omit the pro-homeowner protections.

GOTCHA AGAIN! Don’t fall for it!

This attempt by Rep. Rodriquez feels like an anti-slapp move if it were in the courts — an action to stifle free speech. Marjorie Murray presents 2 instances of where an anti-slapp motion can and should be used against the HOA. Contact Murray (info@calhomelaw.org) for more information.

Center for California HOA Law opposes the bill and urges Californians to contact their representatives and Judiciary Chair by phone. The committee will hear this bill this week.

AZ GOV committee hears the voice of HOA members

The Arizona GOV committee meeting on HB 2158 yesterday heard the voice ot the HOA homeowners  — the HOA citizens — on the need for HOA regulation and control of rogue boards. The members heard the horror stories, and were made awareof lack of free political speech as enjoyed by non-HOA members.

The bill passed 7 – 0 with 131 owners submitting their support for the bill, using the RTS (Request to Speak) procedure, while just 3 RTS submissions were against the bill.  This procedure allows the public to submit a short statement for or against a bill, with the option of speaking at the meeting.  All submissions become part of the public record and are accessible by the public.

Here is a sample of the FOR submissions at both  the earlier House (195 FOR; 31 Against) and Senate hearings, by the owners themselves and not just board members:

• This bill is necessary to prevent the abuse of fundamental rights or free speech and assembly. Please support it.(WD)

• Homeowners should be able to use all the facilities of the HOA to express their concerns and ideas abou8t HOA business.  Please support this bill. (PF)

• Please protect homeowners rights to voice their opinions without fear of retribution (KHW)

• This bill seeks to protect homeowner’s ability to participate in the governance of their communities and to express their support or opposition for board candidates or community ballot measures in an attempt to influence the outcome. (D Legere)

• It is criminal how HOA Boards are allowed to infringe upon one’s right to assemble/speak and impose their beliefs. (LN)

• HB2158 will allow homeowners to engage each other over concerns for the betterment of their communities. (SP)

• Please vote to protect the homeowners right to show support or opposition to HOA Board candidates.  The suppressive measures that our board takes is board line criminal.   (RW)

• This bill will help empower homeowners to fight against overbearing board of directors. (KC)

• We need to pass this legislation to protect the right of assembly and to redress the government for those who live in HOAs.  Vote yes for this bill.  (JR)

• HOA’s should not be allowed to restrict a home owner’s freedom to assembly or free speech. Regardless of which side of the ballot the home owner votes on. (LS)

• Homeowners are handicapped from effective political participation in HOA governance and fair elections will make a difference. (yours truly)

• It prohibits HOAs from infringing on Constitutional rights of owners during HOA elections.  Two thumbs up!  (CS)

Yes, ’n’ how many times can a man turn his head Pretending he just doesn’t see?

The answer, my friend, is blowin’ in the wind The answer is blowin’ in the wind

protected speech concerning HOA governance

Last month I urged  all HOA members to support Arizona’s HB 2158,

“Many courts have referred to the Declaration of Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions (CC&Rs) as the HOA constitution.  Arizona’s HB 2158 is a second try (Arizona HB 2052 restores homeowner constitutional speech protections ) to prohibit restrictions on HOA members’ freedom of political speech with respect to HOA governance issues and matters.”

(Do you stand behind the US Constitution or your HOA ‘constitution’?)

The bill addresses the right of members to free political speech on matters affecting the governance of the HOA by specifying such rights and prohibiting HOA interference with these rights.  While the bill refers to “association-specific” signs, it is a giant step toward HOA democracy by creating a fair election and voting process, affecting procedures now dominated by the pro-HOA governing documents.

You can read the itemized “freedoms” here.  Just a few,

• Defines an association-specific political sign as a sign that supports or opposes a candidate for the board or the recall of a board member or a condominium or planned community ballot measure that requires a vote of the COA or HOA owners.
• Prohibits a COA or HOA from prohibiting or unreasonably restricting an owner’s ability to peacefully assemble and use common areas of the COA or HOA,
• [prohibits] making any other regulations regarding the content of an association-specific political sign,
• Allows an owner to invite one political candidate or guest to speak to an assembly of owners about matters related to the respective condominium or planned community.

The bill passed the House and will be heard all over again, as required by law, in the Senate this Monday, March 14^th.  The Senate has always been a “stopper” of HOA reform bils; your continued, loud and clear support is necessary.

Email the Senate Government committee members NOW! 

Sonny Borrelli	Vice-Chairman
Sally Ann Gonzales	Member
Theresa Hatathlie	Member
J.D. Mesnard	Member
Martin Quezada	Member
Wendy Rogers	Member
Kelly Townsend	Chairman

If familiar with the Legislature’s RTS procedure, sign on and make your voice via RTS, which is read by the committee members and made part of the record. Instructions on how to set up your RTS account can be found here.  It may look complicated but it simple, just fill in the boxes.  Your RTS can be used for any bill by just entering the bill number. 

Unfortunately, you must set up your account at a kiosk at the state capitol, after which youc can access your account from your home.

Support CO 22-1137 for HOA due process justice

Another HOA enlightenment bill has been proposed in Colorado, 22-1137, joining California’s and Arizona’s legislation to restore homeowner fundamental rights and freedoms.  Reading the bill as introduced, it addresses a number of issues designed to provide meaningful due process, to good extent, allowing for small claims adjudication and restrictions, limitations on the HOA’s right to fine, interest charges, late payments, work-out plan before foreclosure, and limits on the amount of collection to just 3 times amount owed (avoids unusual and cruel punishment charges). 

What more can a homeowner ask for to obtain justice and fairness within the HOA government? Go for the bill! Support it!  Get what you can before the evil empire strikes back and whittles the bill down!  Yet, to my disappointment, a homeowner advocacy group has found problems with this bill, all relating to how it would cost the HOA more money. 

What is needed, as I’ve repeatedly argued, is strong support for the sponsor, Rep. Naquetta Ricks, and an outpouring of emails to the legislators, especially to the committee members who will hear the bill.  If there is a Request To Speak option at the legislature, sign up and use it!

Related issues

In a broader view of HOAs as private, separate local governments keep in mind what has been ignored and bypassed by state legislatures across the country, including Colorado. Why are there private HOA governments when there are public home rule, charter governments?   

All the states have a version of home rule that varies in the degree of independence granted to a local governments and under what terms.   Given this existing legal mechanism for strong, independent  local control, why was there a need for the creation and approval of, and the support for, private government HOAs?

 (See America’s homeland: HOA law vs. Home rule law; Colorado Constitution, Art. XX, §6, Home rule for cities and towns).