HOA Strategic

Seems this time of year not a day goes by without another holiday decor dilemma. ABC 13 Action News in a recent story describes a Nevada HOA as "a bunch of Grinches!" Complicating this particular decor dilemma, the HOA in the TV news story has a main association and a sub-association. According to 13 Action News, the main association seems to be okay with lights and decor in the front of one of the homes, but the sub-association, citing rules, points out that holiday decor can be displayed in -- but not outside -- the courtyard of homes..."because the sub-association is charged with maintaining the outsides of the homes and the yard, and the decorations interfere with that." So, on one hand, the resident has been displaying decorations outside the courtyard for a number of years, according to the TV story. That's half the dilemma. The other half involves rules and maintenance issues. This sort of thing occurs occasionally when rules that are necessary for

"Rising HOA fee angers northwest community." This is the headline for a Nevada ABC-TV news story . The story explains the impact of the fee increase on senior citizens residing in the HOA community. In the story, neighbors say the homeowner association "regularly increases its monthly HOA fee by $5 or $10." And the reason for higher fees...too many plants requiring water that's becoming more costly as water rates go up throughout the area. The HOA board initially "wanted to exchange some of the neighborhood's natural plant life with artificial alternatives," but "several homeowners didn't like the idea, arguing that real grass is important," according to the story. "The community manager says homeowners were given a chance to express their concern to the board, but not many came forward at all." Because of many circumstances, associations sometimes need to adjust fees. And sometimes HOAs can actually reduce fees, as