The following letter was sent to the County Agency that reviewed and approved a Board's proposed changes to an HOA's governing documents. The names of the parties involved have been removed. I am non-resident owner of a vacant lot located in an HOA; and I paid for the protections provided by the HOA's original governing documents for infrastructure that included roads, a functional storm water drainage system and the preserved trees on sloped terrain above my lot that maint

Homeowners' Associations (HOAs) can be marvelous ways for members to benefit from shared common expenses. They were designed for this purpose. But, in order to function for the benefit of every member, the governing documents must be strictly enforced on both the members and the member-elected Board of Directors. No one really thinks about the fact that the Board can usurp its powers for self-serving reasons; and this rarely happens if the terms of office on the Board are st

Dealing with an HOA's Board is not always easy if the Board is convinced that its decisions should not be for the benefit the members common interests. Usually, an HOA's Boards represent the best interests of the majority of the members who elect the Board's directors. However, when members purchase lots or homes in an HOA, a contract exists in the form of the governing documents that does not indicate that the HOA's purpose is to improve the value of properties owned by