Dear HOA Reformers, 
Thank you for signing the petition calling for homeowner association reforms in Maryland. More than 400 have signed. I can see that half of the signers are from states other than Maryland! That's okay. I hope you are all following news at www.IndependentAmericanCommunities.com, edited by Deborah Goonan, who gathers news from all over the country. The most recent article there is "How can homeowners solve HOA disputes?"

Just today I suggested to a neighbor that they always communicate with their HOA board, property management, and or collection agency by email, so there is a written record of the exchange. On your messages, cc elected officials such as county and state legislators, if a conflict is not resolved quickly and fairly. Look to see if you have a county commission or oversight agency for CAs and HOAs, and cc them. Give a deadline to your HOA or CA: "If I receive no reply from your office by October 25, 2025, I will consider the matter closed." Be polite to a fault. Avoid using the names of specific board members, property managers, or even the property management company. My suggestions of course are always informal, and I am not a lawyer. 

Most important, reach out to your neighbors and social justice groups in your area to discover who your allies are. You will need them as you strive to claw back your civil rights from you common community association, if it is dysfunctional. 

There is not (yet) a social media space for our concern–a place for Marylanders to post their complaints, ask questions, and report on events in their neighborhoods. To communicate with each other. Thank you for your patience. We are working on it. 

Be well, and ask your friends (in Maryland) to read and sign the petition. Let's hit 500.
Steve Lapham