Over the last few years, the Cherokee Scout has published multiple reports concerning local residents who felt they were being misled by their homeowners or property owners association. Some of the folks involved have given up and moved on, rather than deal with what they considered a dictatorship.
For the rest, help may finally be on the way. The Select House Committee on HOA Reform in the N.C. General Assembly has taken a substantial step toward improving HOA laws with a proposal for reforms, according to Citizens for HOA Reform.
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Under multiple reform initiatives on the agenda, for the first time, HOA complaints would be tracked by the N.C. Department of Justice and reported to the Legislature. Majority approval would be required to substantially raise HOA dues, and HOA boards could no longer opt out of member-initiated mediation. Limits would be set on a board’s ability to foreclose on a home, and installment plans for arrearages would be required.
A recent poll on behalf of the John Locke Foundation revealed that 61.3 percent of North Carolinians have an unfavorable opinion of HOAs, and three-fourths would like to see more recourse options outside of litigation to help resolve disputes. With 2.72 million homeowners living in more than 14,000 HOAs statewide – and 84 percent of new building being in an HOA – reforms cannot wait.
Homeowners associations play a pivotal role in maintaining the quality and cohesion of community living spaces across North Carolina, as cfhoar.org put it. Proper oversight ensures that HOAs operate transparently, fairly and effectively, enhancing the lives of residents and protecting property values.
– Publisher David Brown