gregaperry
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Posts posted by gregaperry
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Wow, the more I dig, the worst this company looks. Here is a story that ran on Channel 2 last week about this company. It looks like this is business as usual for them: http://www.wsbtv.com/news/19387799/detail.html
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I'm a bit confused. So the developer is still in charge of the H.O.A., correct?
and they are paying a management company $10,000 a year? You need to be in contact with the management company. They are the ones who do the billing and hire the contractors to take take of maintance and pool issues. The Developer needs to also give over the information from previous years collected fees.
As far as draining the pool, I would consider that an improvement over a misquito infested swamp.
Finally, it sounds like you are in transistion from a developer run HOA to an actual HO operation.
We were told that until a certain amount of HO actually moved in and occupied homes that the developer did not have to open the pool.
We didn't know the builder was still calling the shots until this morning. Evidently, the mystery board takes their orders from the builder. We were told exactly what you were just told, that they do not have to open the pool. I'm pretty sure the builder's egotistical assumption does not trump the law. You can't actively advertise a neighborhood as having a pool, then remove the pool after folks buy. At least I hope not. We'll find out.
A neighbor and friend of mine sent this article to me this morning. This is the same builder and same management company. Looks like this is business as usual for them. http://www.times-herald.com/Local/Homeowne...menities-736708
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An update to this thread.
Our HOA is now telling us that the builder is telling them to drain the pool.
What constitute's "bait and switch" advertising? The sign at the front of our neighborhood advertises this as a pool/tennis community. Their online and newspaper ads say the same thing as of this morning.
We chose this neighborhood over 2 others because of the pool. Do I have a gripe with the Governor's Office of Consumer Affairs? This seems like classic "bait and switch" to me, but I'm real close to this issue and need some 3rd party perspective.
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Novella, I wasn't ignoring you, I just stepped out.
We go to all the meetings and have looked at their books. There is a legitimate problem with collecting dues which they have admitted they have not addressed. They have not started any type of collections proceedings and have not hired an attorney. This is a 2 year old problem that they still have not addressed. This is what makes me feel that they are not doing their duties from their end, as well as the bums in my hood.
Their meetings are simply a 20 minute gathering of angry homeowners who want to know what's being done with their money, then their lady stands in front of everyone and says "hey, we're broke".
Also, we found many things in their budget for which they were overpaying. We offered to find them better deals on insurance, landscaping (even offered to do this for them since we are all in this together) and gave them better ideas on how to manage the pool. Right now, they send a code out to the paying homeowners. By the end of the first weekend, everyone in the neighborhood plus every teenager in Paulding county know the code. We suggested that they switch over to a key lock system (like most neighborhood pools) and only send keys to the paying homeowners. This would certainly shame a few folks into paying their dues when they show up and ask someone to let them in. All of our ideas were ignored. Our association is still in the hands of the developer, we have no voting rights whatsoever.
To the genteman who stated that he would never live in a neighborhood with an association. I coudn't agree more. This was my first and last. It's SO much worse than I feared it would be.
Finally, the line item that stood out in their books the most was their $10,000 "management fee". Now I know that they need to make money, but it seems that they really should pay themselves last after they have completed their jobs. Maybe that just me.
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All good advice, thank you all.
One thing I didn't disclose was that this is a 3 year old neighborhood that is only about 1/3 finished. Occupancy rates and long term repairs should not be an issue as of yet.
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would a similar question be can i sue my insurance company to get the money back if i never filed a claim?
but seriously.......... it takes alot of money to open an outdoor pool that is only going to be used for basically 3 months a year. at the very least, the liability insurance coverage costs more than the maintenance and chemicals, etc.
most people that are not happy with their h.o.a. either sue them or run for president to try to make some changes. just remember if you decide to sue them, the lawyer fees to represent the h.o.a. are going to be paid by you and the rest of the homeowners
No, a similar question would be that if you paid for your insurance, then when you needed them to provide the service for which they collected fees and they said, "we can't because too many other policy holders didn't pay", can I sue, that would be similar.
To me, it seems like business and law 101. You ask for a fee in exchange for a service, you pay the fee, you should receive the service. If they can't provide the service, then return the fee.
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And is the cost of the suit, worthwhile against what you can collect ?
This cost is only $60. Even if I lost, I think it would be worth it just to force one of the executives to come all the way out here and answer some questions.
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I am seriously considering paying the $60 to take my HOA to small claims court.
They raised our fees this year to help offset costs. We just got a letter last week telling us that, due to low collections, they would not be opening the pool. This is just the latest addition to the list of services that they are no longer providing:
1. Landscaping the entrance (old, dead plants, old pine straw)
2. No longer providing neighborhood drive thrus.
3. Potentially not opening and maintaining the pool.
My question is, can they collect fees for a service, then not provide the service? I know that if I suspended services to my paying clients due to my non-paying clients, I would be out of business in a week. Is this not a breach of contract on their part? I read they by-laws with a fine tooth comb. They lay out in detail their collections procedures, but nowhere does it state that they have the right to suspend services to those who have paid. If they quit providing service, should they not refund the money they collected?
Also, what about deceptive selling practices? Our neighborhood is marketed as a pool/clubhouse community and was one of the main selling points in our decision to buy here. Are they not liable to back up what they are promising in their marketing material? According to my research, the value of a home increases 10% if you live in a pool/clubhouse community. If I decide to take them to court, can I also sue for the dimished value of my home for them not doing their job (protecting my home value)?
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I noticed the new Ace has a big propane tank in New Hope.
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AJ, my advice is coming from someone who is happily married now, but went through a horrible divorce. I am passing along things that I learned that I wish someone had told me years ago:
1. Never, ever, ever under any circumstance air out your dirty laundry to the in-laws. After you and he have long forgiven each other, your mother, dad, sister and everyone else will still remember what he did to you, and vice versa. Remember, after you are married, he is your primary family and you are his, the rest of the family is now secondary.
2. Remove the word "divorce" from your vocabulary and from your home. Once it is out there, then it is "on the table". Enforce this rule with your family and friends. Divorce is not something to be celebrated or discussed in your home, because you never want it to exist in your family.
3. Build a mental moat around your home and be very selective as to whom you let in. This may mean you or he has to let go of a single "party" friend, or a friend or relative that is constantly having marriage issues, etc. These are all viruses that can easily infect your marriage. Try to surround yourselves with positive people who will be a positive influence on your marriage. Bad people very rarely are brought up to the level of good people, but good people are always being brought down to the level of bad people.
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Let me know and you can come get some from here.
Wow, this guy is awesome. I just called him, and he said "let me load up my truck and I'll be there in a few minutes".
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dude...it is NOT funny.....and it is really not funny if you are in the car. Road trips are not the time to see who can stick it up the worst
I would swear that you were my wife if it weren't for the fact that I know she is not in the slumber party business.
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Yep, we quit maturing at about the age of 15. I dread the day when flatulance isn't funny anymore.
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Seasoned Firewood
1/2 cord $80 Paulding County
Been in business for YEARS
770-445-7914
Is this the delivered price?
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Didn't she also start out as a news person on a tv station? so she would have had to do some kind of journalism
I remember her anchoring the news when I lived in Nashville. If she was refusing to interview Palin on a news program, that would be an issue. I was not arguring that she is not an "actual journalist", only that she does not present the Oprah Winfrey Show as a hard news program.
OK, I feel dirty after defending Oprah. I need to go eat some red meat, drink a beer and ogle a woman to set things straight in the world.
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While I can see where you're coming from, Oprah, outside of her talk show, also has "O" Magazine. Is that "serious" journalism? Not in my opinion. But she does editorials and such for the magazine, does she not?
I dunno if that qualifies as "journalism" or not. A lot of what some people consider "serious" journalism isn't.
"Journalism is the profession of writing or communicating, formally employed by publications and broadcasters, for the benefit of a particular community of people. The writer or journalist is expected to use facts to describe events, ideas, or issues that are relevant to the public. Journalists (also known as news analysts, reporters, and correspondents) gather information, and broadcast it so we remain informed about local, state, national, and international events. They can also present their points of view on current issues and report on the actions of the government, public officials, corporate executives, interest groups, media houses, and those who hold social power or authority."
So, I think it IS journalism--both her show and her magazine, in the broadest sense of the word.
Good points Tabby. Maybe I am using "journalism" and "news" synonymously and shouldn't be.
I took journalism classes in college. There was plenty of time spent on the differences between editorials and hard news. My point was that Oprah does not produce a hard news show, and it not under any obligation to have balance. I completely forgot about her magazine.
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And another thing -- who in the world would want to LIVE BELOW SEA LEVEL?????
Thank you! Like I said, this is my homestate, but for the life of me I cannot figure out why we are spending billions of our tax dollars to rebuild neighborhoods that are below sea level. The only answer I can come up with to your question is...fish.
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I'm a big Palin fan, but find myself, oddly, in Oprah's court on this one.
It's her show, she can do whatever she wants with it. We can choose to watch it or not.
I have never heard Oprah describe herself as a journalist, so I don't believe she is under any obligation to have balance on her show. When she interviewed the people from ASPCA, she didn't have people on who own puppy mills to balance out the conversation.
/ potential hijack alert / the assumption that she is a journalist is the same line of thinking that makes folks think that Fox News and/or CNN is biased to one side vs. the other. Someone will watch one of their commentary shows, then say "Hannity is biased" or whomever. These people do not claim to be journalists, but commentators. The hard news shows are the ones that must be balanced, not commentary shows, talk shows or Springer. / end potential hijack /
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So since they say the politicians and police are corrupt in Chicago...and they might be allowing "da hood terrorists" so you have to occupy the city, re-establish leadership...elect new leaders... train new police...how do you know if these new police are loyal to the old regime? HMMMMMMM?
AND....if Chicago is under such a state of terrorism....do we really even allow a candidate from there...Chicago's Son... to run for the presidency.... the highest position of power in the world....I'm aghast... that would be like putting Uday and Qusay back in charge of Iraq...if they were not dead that is?
Wow, this thread has added about 100 different layers of thought and debate since it began. Very interesting analogies.
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Thanks sand!
But, what is it about the common sense of the issue (logic), regarding protection against violence (terrorism) for the American people, that it difficult to follow?
And, why do you think I have such a "narrow view" of the World we live in?
I noodled on this over lunch, and I'm just having a hard time getting upset at the thought of our NG being used to reclaim our streets and border. I know that probably goes against my political leanings, but I am seeing your point on there really not being that big of a difference between terrorists in the streets of Baghdad and the terrorists that have claimed the streets of Detroit and our border.
I only disagree that we should pull our troops out of Iraq for this.
Great thought provoking post WT.
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Send in the troops! Forget Posse Comitatus! Make them behave!
Help me out here Brandon, doesn't Posse Comitatus simply limit the military to government owned property? Would not the streets be government owned property?
I haven't thought this through enough to develop a stance yet, just want some clarification on Posse Comitatus. Isn't the government property exception the reason we see the National Guard controlling looters in the streets, enforcing curfews after disasters, etc?
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You are not alone, NiNH!
Our government representatives have had the same problem, for the last 8 years or so. They don't even see how securing our borders is important to keeping terrorists from evading this country. Just because people who cross our borders illegally look like Mexican’s doesn’t mean they are not terrorist’s.
Our military used to come into towns, across the country, to control violence. But, now they go to Iraq to control violence instead. If we control violence in the streets of this country, is seems to me, we go a long way in controlling terrorism against the people of this country.
How is it that you do not see the relationship between violence on the street, and violence in the air, against the American people?
I see your point more clearly now.
I see the relationship, and quite frankly I would not have a problem with a very hard nosed approach to controlling street violence, and it appears you don't either. If your point is to take the troops from Iraq and send them to the streets of Chicago, New Orleans, the border, or (insert crime ridden city here), then I think that is a very interesting argument that I would love to see debated. I need to ponder this for a few.
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If 125 people were shot dead in Chicago, over the summer, what was our military doing in Iraq during the same time period?
Are they more interested in protecting Iraqi’s than American citizens?
It seems to me that killing a bunch people in Chicago is much the same as killing a bunch of people in Iraq.
If protecting the country against terrorism is the issue; how then is terrorism in Iraq more important than terrorism in Chicago?
Hi WT, hope all is well.
Curious as to where you are going with this. How would withdrawing from Iraq do anything for the thugs in Chicago? I can't imagine that you are advocating having our military in the streets on the south side of Chicago. I'm having a hard time seeing how these are related.
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I lived in Chicago for 6 years, married a Chicago gal who now proudly calls Georgia home.
Part of the problem there is the sheer corruption of their police department.
Their police are only concerned about raising revenue for the city. Crime is a distant thought of theirs, as solving crime does not fill the coffers:
True story: I was at my then girlfriend's apartment in Lincoln Square, visiting her and her sister who was also there. While eating dinner, her sister's car was stolen. When we called the police, they said that they don't send a cop out over car thefts, as there were just too many of them to keep up with. All they do is take a report over the phone and hope that they stumble across the car somehow.
As an experiment to prove my theory above, I called the same police and told them that someone was illegally parking on our street. There was a cop there within minutes, looking for the car I described. I just happened to be walking on the sidewalk and asked the cops if I could help, they asked if I had seen a car like the one I described in my call that was illegally parked. I was just floored.
Can you sue your homeowner's association?
in Internet Cafe
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You know, I thought of that. However, signs in our yards are prohibited under the by-laws. We are thinking of just intercepting prospective homebuyers as we see them looking at houses. Also, signs on my car are not prohibited. I may just spend my Saturdays and Sundays driving around the neighborhood with a sign on my car telling prospective homebuyers to ask for the "Legacy Bait and Switch".