Homeowner Associations: A Nightmare or a Dream Come True?

Author: Joni Greenwalt, Harriett Graves, Shannon Keegan, Ryan Shacklett
List Price: $24.95
Our Price: Click to see the latest and low price
ISBN: 096591660X
Publisher: Cassie Publications, Inc. (February, 1998)
Sales Rank: 130,772
Average Customer Rating: 4.46 out of 5

Customer Reviews

Rating: 5 out of 5
Attn: homeowners, buyers, and all others involved with HOAs
Finally we have a book about homeowners associations viewed from the inside - how homeowners experience living in common-interest communities. A major theme of the author is that a widespread feature of this form of housing, which is founded on binding covenants, is rigid and intrusive regulation of homeowners' use of their property - for which she provides abundant and lively case material. In equal measure, she offers both broad principles and specific methods which association boards of directors can apply to foster civility and fairness in these communities. A natural audience for this book are the people who live in or plan to buy homes in homeowners associations; but the practitioners who provide services to associations would do well to read this book to learn about association life from the vantage point of homeowners who live in them.

Samuel Pratt, Ph.D and Lois Pratt, Ph.D; President of Common-Interest Homeowners Coalition of New Jersey

Rating: 5 out of 5
Required Reading
Did you ever wonder if you're alone in your feeling toward the Homeowners Association? Did you ever wonder what kind of people LOVE to run one? Did you ever wonder what you could do to make it better? One answer BUY THE BOOK. I live in an HOA that is run by people who have absolutely no regard for their neighbor's rights.
This book lets you know what CAN and HAS happen with an HOA. Some of the stories in the book are exactly what is happening in ours now. You should read this book while sitting down, this way you won't have to far to fall when you hit the floor. This is what happens when your neighbors nose doesn't end at their fence. The most freighting part is HOA's are getting bigger,stronger and growing fast. Lawyers and management companies love HOA's and the author tells you why. The author understands what many people don't, the HOA is a mini-government.
To see what CAN happen to YOU and HAS happened to OTHERS I think this book isn't a purchase, it's an investment.

Rating: 3 out of 5
Bandaid fixes??
Replacing the board is a good idea and can be helpful in some cases, however, in many cases and particularly with a well entrenched board and its allied management company, it is only a bandaid fix for the deep wounds of CID living.

In addition to reading this book, it would be good to follow up with, Villa Appalling! Destroying the Myth of Affordable Community Living, written by Donie Vanitzian and Stephen Glassman.

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