Article Courtesy of  The Ledger

An Opinion By Rudy Sullivan

Published December 5, 2018

Community homeowners’ associations are unconstitutional.

Those who own homes in HOAs pay the same taxes as those who live in the city but with very few of the benefits. They must also pay the assessment required by the association for services such as road maintenance, street lighting, pool and tennis courts upkeep, thus the double taxation. The city does not provide any of these services, but the HOA resident pays twice for the same service and with an incompetent board gets neither service.
 

The logical assumption is that HOA directors are competent managers of assessment funds. Nothing could be further from reality. Incompetent board members have very little managerial experience and must engage attorneys to make decisions. As a consequence of incompetent management and no action or support from the city, the roads and street lighting do not get repaired and owners endure the hardship. The HOA board members contract with vendors, without a background check, who have numerous criminal, legal and ethical violations including management sexual harassment, lawsuits, multiple DUIs, military desertion, theft and other criminal records. Not only do HOA members endure double taxation but incompetent decisions by their board of directors as well.