Obviously,
no one in their right mind would write a blog about HOAs, but I have never
claimed to be in my right mind all the time. Sometime I get a little tired of
the “Resident Obstructionists” who get so vocal about their “plight in life” of
living in a Homeowners’ Association. The discontent in my mind started when a person testifying to the legislature
before me, lied!
His testimony was,
he as an investor owns homes in a number of associations and NOT ONE of the HOAs
would work with him on his delinquencies. Also all collection efforts were
flawed and full of gouging marauders who were lining their pockets on the backs
of the little man .
As he walked pass
me, sheepishly averting his eyes, I smiled and said, “Good to see you
again!” He knew he had the upper hand, because as a professional HOA manager, I
am prohibited by law of telling anyone about his account. However, He was in my office
the day before the legislature hearing.
After purchasing a
home at a bank foreclosure sale, Mr. Investor had not paid his assessments for
some period of time that caused us as standard practice, to send a late letter, a 30 day late letter
and a 60 day late letter and a certified 90 day late letter, followed by the
100 day - it is now going to collections on "x" day letter, and then at over
110 days delinquent to send the account to a professional debt collector.
When he came in the
office, he indignantly complained, “I never got any notice you were sending me
to collections!”
I showed him copies of the letters and the
certified letter receipt which he had signed two weeks before – that ended the
discussion.
“Well I refuse to
pay a professional collection service! You didn’t have to send me there.” he
drew the line in the sand.
I explained, “Under
the law, HOA managers can’t provide a service for which we are not licensed, I
am sorry I am not a licensed debt collector. But let me call the service and
see what we can do because it was only sent over this week.”
He agreed to pay
what he owed the association. ( EDITORIAL COMMENT: Really it isn't the
association he owed - he owed all of the other neighbors in the community who
were paying their assessments and therefore carrying the weight of the burden
of his debt.) We called the professional collection service and cancelled the account
no charges for collections services.
Back at the
legislative hearings, as he stride by me - The wild and
wacky right side of my brain was acting like a five year old screaming inside
my head, “Liar, Liar, pants on fire!” and wished that his britches would burst
into flames right then and there... Five year olds seldom get their wishes….
The logical left
side of my brain was disappointed and pondered how you make a difference, when
you are under the law not to share details about any of your clients. How do
you start a dialogue that entertains, educates and shares a slice of life in
homeowner associations that the media doesn’t cover when their ratings are
tingling with “HOA Horror Stories” - we all know the television mantra -
"If it bleeds, it leads."
You do it
anonymously. You don’t give enough details to identify any association. You
protect the identity of both the guilty and innocent. You tell the stories that
many of your friends in the industry share with you. You tell the stories
tongue in cheek for entertainment value. But you stay true to the concept that
one post at a time, you can promote ideas that will help people understand at
least one concept about living in an HOA. It is a place where we can all get
along….. If we work at it.
I will work at
this, and share it with those trusted individuals whose opinion I value and
after I come up with at least a dozen posts with principles that will help you
in your life as a volunteer Board member, a resident in a HOA, or a manager of
a HOA. Then with my friends comments, guidance and assurance of confidentiality
- It will be released publically.
P.S. My apologies
to my high school English teacher and published authors and their editors who
use proper grammar.
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