Dear Signers!
Today we see that 107 people have signed the petition! As the person who posted this petition, I get to see a list of names and cities, but not actual email addresses. I can see that 33 of these signers are from our local HOA community, but the others are from all over the United States.
Thank you all! Clearly, HOA abuse is a nationwide problem, as reported at IndependentAmericanCommunities.com. That's a great website for news and analysis. What we need now is a national organization (with an office in every one of the 50 states) that is organizing and advocating for HOA homeowners. Maybe that could be an organization that already exists, that would like to pick up this basketball and run with it.
I wonder how many billions (?) of dollars HOAs are grabbing from the pockets of HOA homeowners in unjust fines and fees across this nation. We also need research. I think the predatory system we are seeing could be called "the New Redlining," as ESL and other minority families especially struggle to fight the abuses.
I don't know how to create a national movement. I'm 68 years old. I guess I have the energy to help lead our local movement here in Quail Valley HOA, Montgomery County, Maryland, for a while. We have a court watch on August 7.
I'm reluctant to share my personal email with this readership of folks all across the nation. But I appreciate your efforts, and I hope you are working locally for economic justice. Find your allies in your neighborhood. Educate. Agitate. Organize.
Be well, and have a great day.
Steve Lapham
A 24-year resident of Quail Valley, not a lawyer, and author of the "Living on Cuckoo Court" blogs at tinyurl.com/CuckooCourt.
PHOTO of the front yard of a home that is being fined thousands of dollars by the HOA for "maintenance problems" like stains on the concrete driveway. This homeowner is a contractor, very busy, and he is improving this old home (e.g., the deck) one bit at a time as he has time. That's an excuse for the HOA to fine him. "Faster!" said the Red Queen. ** *** **