More and more homeowner rights advocates are realizing that bad media coverage is hurting property values. They are demanding their legislature to stop the abusive, rogue boards that are giving HOAs a bad image. The HOA Enlightenment Movement, the surging awareness that HOA regimes have serious legal problems, is the long delayed confrontation with reality that is a “wakeup call” for the legislatures.
This “no negatives about HOAs” unspoken alliance that has served the industry’s special interests by keeping things under wrap, and not letting the sunlight expose these legal issues that include violations of constitutional law, is collapsing. The legislatures can no longer stand by with impunity and support the HOA industry through their cooperation, coercion, close nexus in HOA operations, and denials of the equal applications of the laws of the land. Only just and fair laws will stop the negative exposure of HOA regime un-American conduct.
In Florida, Cyber Citizens for Justice, Jan Bergemann, President, calls the legislature’s attention the following issues:
1. Florida’s economy hinges on a healthy real estate market. Many new retirees, snowbirds and investors are needed to create a healthy real estate market.
2. The nightmare of living in an HOA is hurting our state’s image of retirees moving to Florida to live a hassle free life style.
3. Reforms should create more consumer protection, making Florida again attractive for potential buyers of homes and condos.
In North Carolina, the National Coalition for Homeowner Association Reform group, Jim Lane, Founder, wrote to the legislature,
“Our homes and neighborhoods are at stake — as of now 50% of Homeowners who don’t want an HOA begin to ‘bail out’ of their HOA homes and Buyers go elsewhere, while Property Values go down.”
And in Nevada, newly appointed member of the HOA Ombudsman commission, Bob Frank, is asking the legislature for constitutional protections:
Attached is a BDR intended to help improve HOA property values in Nevada by solving HOA management problems. . . . It is proposed to be labeled the ‘HOA Property Values Enhancement Bill.’ . . . The future speed and depth of recovery of our HOA property markets may depend on this initiative. I believe that most people in this state will be very grateful if you can get HOA contracts bound to our US and NV Constitutions.
Investigative reporter Ward Lucas also echoes this concern for subjecting HOAs to the constitution as is required of all government entities. In his new book, Neighbors At War!, which is not a book to laugh at but a serious expose of HOA life and what can happen to naive homeowners, he writes,
Your constitutional rights are being secretly shredded . . . A tiny but growing band . . . is at last beginning to say, ‘Enough!. They can no longer stomach the kind of meaness that can destroy the reputation of an entire neighborhood. The World Wide Web is giving them a forum they didn’t have before.
It’s only through the challenging, confrontation, and exposure by The Enlightenment Movement followed with the demand for just and fair laws can change be achieved. Advocates must continue to enlighten state legislators and demand change.
Additional reading on why homeowners are apathetic, aside from the fear of affecting property values, and allow the oppression and injustice to control their lives, see Hign Noon in HOA-Land: members who permit lawless boards to function.