Posted by
Mike on Friday, December 09, 2011 2:25:48 PM
http://www.westernperspective.com/
Where I live, an HOA board took control of one "project" breaking off from a larger HOA several years ago. The board has spent HOA funds to cut down several large oak trees, a large palm tree, several junipers, and a pine tree, all without notice to the owners within the project and apparently for the financial gain of board members. I have contacted the city including the local police who say that it is a civil matter, and the Ventura County DA who so far has declined to conduct a fraud investigation.
Condo and other planned development homeowners have the right to quiet enjoyment of their property, and to not have their property depreciated in value and misused by unscrupulous board members. The cost of litigation is prohibitive for most homeowners, and the remedies are few, as damage awards would generally come out of HOA funds or property insurance bought from homeowners' own dues payments.
Homeowners must act in conjunction with other groups to stop greedy board members from stealing and misusing common homeowner funds, increasing monthly dues without justification, and destroying fixtures on the property including trees, so as to protect our local cities and towns from needless environmental harm.