Neighborhood Wants County To Fix Roads
Ventura Heights homeowners did not have to pay extra for the jagged potholes near the entrance to their subdivision or the separation in the street, or the pavement crumbling away for curbs and sidewalks. "It's been bad for years," said homeowner Tamarand Darling. "It's been bad for years. I've already had to replace my tires several times." ...Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff agreed residents should not have to pay for the street repairs.  Beginning next week, a committee will begin looking at ways to fix the problem and not just in Ventura Heights. A county engineer estimates there are 77 miles of substandard streets put in by developers in many other Bexar County subdivisions.

No map yet to road-fix solution
The distraught homeowners of Ventura Heights, a middle-class subdivision in Northeast Bexar County, found a sympathetic ear Tuesday at Commissioners Court... Commissioners Paul Elizondo... said they were concerned about setting a precedent because so many other neighborhoods have similar problems.  If Bexar County started paying to fix roads in Ventura Heights, it would open a “Pandora's box” throughout the county, where there's 77 miles of streets in similar, though perhaps less drastic, condition, Elizondo said.

Ventura Heights families take to the streets for better pavement
The streets in their neighborhood are so bad, they don't even comply with county standards. Yet homeowners in Ventura Heights are being told if they want their streets fixed, they'll have to pay out of their own pockets.

Homeowner beats HOA lawyer in court
The News 4 WOAI Trouble Shooters' recent investigation into skyrocketing foreclosures by homeowner associations struck a nerve. Because of the spotlight we put on the problem, many homeowners are demanding lawmakers stop HOA's from taking homes because of unpaid dues. Most of these foreclosures are filed by one attorney, Tom Newton. He represents almost all the HOA's in San Antonio. If your home is on the auction block, there is a good chance he is the guy you'll have to deal with.

HOA forecloses on Burleson woman over fees
She lives in a $150,000 Burleson home that is paid for, but says she fell on hard times after losing her job and dealing with her husband's death.  "I woke up in the middle of the night and found my husband dead," she said. "That will mess you up real bad."  Mueller used insurance money to pay off the mortgage. She sold her jewelry and tapped her 401K account to help pay the bills while she wasn't working.  But she let the $300 annual HOA fees go unpaid for four years...She thought the Mistletoe Hill homeowners' association would just put a lien on her house — not sell it.

Don't stick taxpayers with subdivision costs
County officials say this is not an isolated case. County Engineer Renee Green told the Express-News there are more than 60 other developments outside the city limits with streets in disrepair that are not eligible for county maintenance because they never met Bexar specifications.

Developers Blamed For Bad Construction At Champions Manor
Bexar County residents have had to deal with sinkholes for years because developers have not been held accountable for fixing the bad roads they built. At Champions Manor, drivers have to dodge sinkholes that could tear the bottom out of their cars. The streets were built by the developer, but have not been maintained. "You live in a brand new subdivision and it looks like it's been here for 150 years," said homeowner Carolyn Brady.

Back from Iraq, Frisco soldier finds home sold by HOA
On dangerous missions in Iraq, Capt. Michael Clauer of Frisco was responsible for the lives of 130 soldiers. He had a lot on his mind. "You can't worry about what's going on at home," he said. "It's enough stress there the way it is." His wife, Mae Clauer, was under stress, too. She was alone and taking care of her family in a $300,000 home her parents had given her as a gift...Even after the HOA foreclosed and sold the home at auction, Mrs. Clauer didn't open the letters that said she had six months to get the home back, and that time lapsed, too.  By the time Capt. Clauer returned from the war, someone else owned their home after paying just $3,500.

Resident Sued By HOA Over $390
Hern said he was late on his association dues but objected to the added fees and decided to fight. Over the years, he said the attorney's fees kept adding up. "They were asking for a little over $25,000 in fees," he said. But a jury ruled in his favor, agreeing he should pay his HOA $900 and that the HOA attorney should get $700. The jury decided that the HOA engaged in unreasonable collection practices.

Homeowners on hook for roads
Ventura Heights' streets are among 77 miles of roadways located outside city limits that never have been accepted for maintenance by Bexar County.Developer Obra Homes neither built the streets in Ventura Heights to the county's specifications nor completed the needed fixes — steps required before Bexar County will take over maintenance.

Mortgages: Walking Away
It's estimated that one million Americans walked away from homes "underwater" or worth less than their mortgages even though they could afford the payments. Morley Safer reports on this trend, called strategic default, that threatens the economic recovery. West Foothill Drive has become a street of shattered dreams. "Amazingly, 16 out of the 44 houses on this street have foreclosed over the last year," Deaner told "60 Minutes" correspondent Morley Safer.

Homeowner association foreclosures skyrocketing
What’s worse is that Tony is not alone. The number of HOA's seizing homes for late payments is going through the roof. According to Bexar County foreclosure sales records, supplied by rexreport.com, the number of HOA foreclosures has jumped 78% in Bexar County, when you compare 2008 to 2009.  Lawyer Tom Newton is the man behind almost all of San Antonio's HOA foreclosures.  News 4 WOAI Trouble Shooter Brian Collister spoke with Newton back in 2007 when he foreclosed on a disabled couple’s home.

Bank ombud can’t help with complaints about building The Ombudsman for Banking Services (OBS) will not be able to help you with complaints against your bank about shoddy construction work when you build a home.  In 2005, complaints about mortgage bonds ranked highest on the list of files opened at the OBS (791 files or 19 percent of the total), Melville says.  So far this year, he says his office has opened 2,493 complaint files, of which 420 (or 17 percent) relate to mortgage bond finance.

CATO Institute: Downsizing The Federal Government - Department of Housing and Urban Development
The Department of Housing and Urban Development engages in a range of housing and community activities that used to be the responsibility of local governments and the private sector. Its public housing subsidies, rental aid, and housing finance activities have proven to be damaging to the economy. The department's poor management and misguided policies have also led to numerous scandals..."[The Department of] Housing and Urban Development has done an enormous amount of harm. My god, if you think of the way in which they have destroyed parts of cities under the rubric of eliminating slums . . . there have been many more dwelling units torn down in the name of public housing than have been built."  - Milton Friedman, Interview, Hoover Institution, February 10, 1999.  Read CATO Institute HUD Scandals,  Who Is Guarding The HUD Guards?      Read more...