Northeast Houston residents protest HOA management
“I'm entitled to know how they spent my money and they have not furnished the records to me,” said Kenneth Sugg, Jr., a former Pine Village North board member.  Robin Klar Lent will be talking about HOA abuses at a Saturday rally. It will be held at Bayland Community Center located at 6400 Bissonnet on Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon. “We need open records, open meetings, fair elections,” said Klar Lent, the Texas Homeowners for HOA Reform President. “We need to end unfair foreclosures.”

Houston HOA Reform Rally – Dec 4
If you or your neighbors have suffered HOA harassment, citations, liens, foreclosure threats, or other problems, come to learn your rights.   Join forces with other homeowners to determine an agenda for the coming 2011 Texas Legislature HOA reforms.  Come help develop a plan of action.  Become a part of this history making event!

HOA Meeting Melee Caught On Tape
All the board members were voted out and told to immediately turn over all records and any other property belonging to the Catalina Square Improvement Committee. "Our president came towards him to try to shut him down and told him he couldn't do that," homeowner Pat Martin said. Suddenly the meeting turns violent...Harris seems glad he's no longer in charge of the HOA, but probably not as glad as all of these homeowners. Both sides can probably agree on one thing, they were part of an HOA meeting no one will ever forget.

Coalition Presents Testimony to Interim IGR Committee
A Coalition of Homeowners and Homeowner Organizations for HOA Reform in Texas.  Senator West, Chair of InterGovermental Relations and committee members heard testimony on regulation of abusive HOA organizations.  Founding Members: Texas Homeowners for HOA Reform, Inc.    HomeOwners for Better Building and Texas Housing Justice League

Join HOA Reform Coalition and View Video of Interim Hearing

HOA Foreclosures; Necessary Tool or Extortion Racket?
It was no accident that the two examples of HOA foreclosures cited at the beginning of this article occurred in Texas.  Without a doubt, Texas has become the epicenter for HOA foreclosures.  Part of the reason is the tremendous population growth of the state since 1980, second only to Florida.  This surge in population led to enormous homebuilding and nearly all of these homes were in subdivisions with homeowner associations that all owners were compelled to join.  Today, there are roughly 30,000 HOAs in Texas. If Texas is the epicenter of the HOA foreclosure debacle, Houston and Harris County where it is located is ground zero.  A website founded by Beanie Adolph nearly ten years ago and whose database research is done by volunteers  has researched what has been occurring in the Houston metro area.  The following chart, posted on its website, reveals its findings.

Petition to end HOA foreclosures in Texas
Texas is one of the worst ranking states, with among the highest record for HOA foreclosures.  Texas is also one of the fastest foreclosure states with only a 180 day redemption period.

Not So Neighborly Associations Foreclosing On Homes
Capt. Mike Clauer was serving in Iraq last year as company commander of an Army National Guard plans. We thought we were so far ahead, and now it's like we're starting unit assigned to escort convoys. It was exceedingly dangerous work — explosive devices buried in the road were a constant threat to the lives of Clauer and his men... And in 33 states, an HOA does not need to go before a judge to collect on the liens. It's called nonjudicial foreclosure, and in practice it means a house can be sold on the courthouse steps with no judge or arbitrator involved. In Texas the process period is a mere 27 days — the shortest of any state. David Kahne, a Houston lawyer who advises homeowners, says that in Texas, the law is so weighted in favor of HOAs, he advises people that instead of hiring him, they should call their association and beg for mercy. In addition to representing Dallas, Carona owns the largest HOA management company in the country — Associa, which has more than 100 offices, 6,000 employees and 7,000 HOA clients in 30 states and Mexico. Carona defends the rights of HOAs to foreclose for delinquent dues, even for small amounts.

HOA that foreclosed on soldier gets death threats
An Army officer on active duty lost his house when his homeowners' association foreclosed for back dues. It's a story first reported by News 8, and it outraged people around the world. Now the HOA is breaking its silence, saying the board is getting death threats.

HOA Management Company: Leave a Message, Pay A Fee
Residents in the Weston Hills Subdivision in Orlando said when they called the management company after 5 p.m., a recorded message warned of a $25 fee for every non-emergency message left with the service...But when reporter Mike Holfeld listened to the recording, there was no indication that there was a line designated for emergency calls only. In fact, the beginning of the recording clearly states, "If this is an emergency call 911." Jan Bergman, a member of the state HOA task force under former Gov. Jeb Bush said the whole thing is "over the top."

Neighbors claim HOA ignoring snake and insect problem caused by neglected pond
There is a detention pond behind Baeza's home which is producing some scary health and safety hazards. "This is a haven for water moccasin and other snakes, which we're already found 4." There are more problems breeding in the standing water. "As you can see, we have a gazillion tadpoles, we've got frogs, we've got a lot of 10-fold spiders coming out." Baeza says the pond near his home is also attracting leeches, mosquitos and other insects.News 4 WOAI found out the pond is on private property which the Hills of Shaenfield Home Owners Association is responsible for maintaining. However, Baeza says the HOA has been giving him the run-around over cleaning up the area.  County Code Compliance is issuing a violation notice