Latest news with #communitydispute
Yahoo
06-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
How a single shed in a Florida backyard triggered a flurry of HOA lawsuits costing local homeowners thousands
Formerly friendly neighbors in Stonebriar, a quiet subdivision in northern Pinellas County, Florida, are at odds over an $82,000 special assessment the homeowner's association (HOA) has levied. It's a lot of money — $1,400 per household. I'm 49 years old and have nothing saved for retirement — what should I do? Don't panic. Here are 6 of the easiest ways you can catch up (and fast) Thanks to Jeff Bezos, you can now become a landlord for as little as $100 — and no, you don't have to deal with tenants or fix freezers. Here's how Want an extra $1,300,000 when you retire? Dave Ramsey says this 7-step plan 'works every single time' to kill debt, get rich in America — and that 'anyone' can do it 'It's insane to ask people to pay that,' resident Ken Christensen told ABC Action News. 'We have lives besides our mortgage payments. I personally have a son in hockey. There are people with kids in college.' Unlike regular HOA dues, special assessments are meant to be one-time fees designed to cover unexpected expenses. But this one follows another special assessment that the Stonebriar Improvement Association levied last year to the tune of $35,000, or $595 per household, The situation has caused anger to erupt in the once-peaceful East Lake community of 59 single-family homes. 'When we all got the letter that showed why this assessment was necessary, people really reacted,' resident Dorothy King said. What has residents at odds is the rationale. The board is raising the money to pay its legal fees in a long legal battle with one resident: John Siamas. As with so many battles, it started over something seemingly small. It all began in 2020 when Siamas installed what he describes as a small "plastic, snap-together shed" in his backyard. The HOA board said the structure violates a rule prohibiting outbuildings in Stonebriar, and is suing Siamas over the matter, demanding he take it down. 'He put up a shed and the covenants indicated no sheds — and the board nicely asked him to remove it. He said no,' resident John Papa said. 'One thing after another, now we've got a lawsuit on our hands.' Read more: No millions? No problem. With as little as $10, here's of diversified assets usually only available to major players For his part, Siamas says he told the Stonebriar Improvement Association board about his plan to install a shed, and the board never rejected it. Mind you, they didn't agree to it, either. Now Siamas has escalated an already tense situation with the board by attempting to trademark the HOA's name: Stonebriar Improvement Association, Inc. 'I think it's foolish,' Papa said. 'Why would he do it?' Many residents counter that the HOA's costly legal battles are foolish. The trademark case will cost an estimated $425 per hour over 141 hours through to November 2026. Former Stonebriar HOA president Stephen King says the trademark battle is unnecessary as the Stonebriar Improvement Association has served the community well for 33 years without having a trademarked name. Meanwhile, Siamas has filed federal complaints against HOA president Gayle Zelcs over the board's trademark challenge, saying she and the board are trying to ruin him financially and force him to 'sell his home' and move out of Stonebriar. For his part, Christensen agrees that the board and its president are causing unnecessary financial hardship in a battle he describes as 'nonsense.' He wants things to return to normal. 'It's a good family neighborhood,' he said. 'It used to be peaceful, no drama.' Living in an HOA-governed community comes with financial responsibilities that can go well beyond monthly dues. Special assessments for out-of-budget anomalies like legal fees, structural repairs or emergencies can cost homeowners thousands of dollars, often with little warning. Unlike traditional emergency expenses (like a car repair or medical bill), HOA assessments may be non-negotiable and time-sensitive, with tight payment deadlines and legal consequences for nonpayment. While you can't avoid them altogether, there are things you can do to ensure you're prepared: Budget for the unexpected. Plan for financial risks by building a designated HOA emergency reserve in addition to your general emergency fund. Many HOAs set aside 25 to 40% of their monthly dues for reserves to avoid sudden assessments. For individual homeowners planning, that translates to $2,000 to $5,000, ideally. To estimate what you'll need, review your HOA's budget, reserve studies (which outline anticipated expenditures) and minutes to understand upcoming projects and potential liabilities. If you see any red flags — lawsuits, aging buildings, vague expense reports — increase your reserve savings accordingly. Review governing documents early. If you're in the market for a condominium, understand the rules for special assessments before buying. For example, Florida law requires at least 14 days' notice before forming a special assessment meeting. Push for transparency. Attend meetings, demand clear breakdowns of fees and question exorbitant or unusual costs — like $82,000 in trademark legal expenses. Build community alliances. Get to know your neighbors and understand their concerns and questions. When you're in a unified front, it's easier to vote in new board members, renegotiate payment terms or challenge unfair assessments. Know your rights. Condominium boards can't always apply unlimited assessments without owner approval. HOAs may face similar constraints depending on the state law and bylaws they're subject to. If board actions seem suspect, seek legal counsel. This tiny hot Costco item has skyrocketed 74% in price in under 2 years — but now the retail giant is restricting purchases. 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Daily Mail
27-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Now it's the DIMBYs! Villages at war over 2,000 house housing estate they DO want to be built in their back yards
Two small communities are locked in an extraordinary dispute about who should have a massive housing development in their area – with both insisting it should be them. Discussions are underway about 2,000 homes being built at Robertson Barracks in Norfolk - a historic 400-acre military base where Churchill and Eisenhower once met during the Second World War. But this has sparked a feud as the land lies on the boundary between Swanton Morley and neighbouring Hoe and Worthing – both of which are laying claim to the development as it will generate significant council tax revenue. Much of the base, including where the barracks are located, is in Swanton Morley. But the area which once formed an RAF airfield – and where most of the new homes would go up – is in Hoe and Worthing. Swanton Morley, which has a population of 2,300, is now arguing it would make sense for the entire site to be administered by one parish, triggering accusations by its smaller neighbour, which has 300 residents, of a 'land grab'. The issue exploded at a recent general purposes meeting hosted by Breckland District Council, the planning authority for the area, where Roger Atterwill, the chairman of Swanton Morley Parish Council, put forward the proposal. But Celia Daniel, the chairman of Hoe and Worthing Parish Meeting, complained there had been 'no engagement' between the two areas about it. She said: 'This is deeply concerning. The proposal to enlarge Swanton Morley means reducing the Hoe and Worthing parish area. What they are asking for is morally wrong.' Michael Goff, who farms land by the airfield, added: 'Fundamentally, this is a land grab. 'This will reduce Hoe and Worthing to an utterly irrelevant, moon-shaped sliver of a parish. It might as well disappear at that point.' Ms Daniel declined to comment further when contacted by the Mail today, saying only that there had been 'various meetings since last year' about the proposed sustainable development. But Mr Atterwill, who is also leader of the Independent and Green group at the district council, insisted there was no 'land grab' - and claimed his parish was better suited to take on the responsibility of the new dwellings and more deserving of the funds. 'Between the two villages, Swanton Morley would have all the traffic and all the construction vehicles and everything that goes with that but the houses would be in Hoe and Worthing,' he said. 'Every local authority has to have a local development plan which is made up of the district council's local plan and a selection of parish councils that have done their own neighbourhood plans, so that they can have their own development policies. 'Hoe and Worthing is quite a small hamlet. They don't have a local development plan and they've got no intention of doing one. 'Hoe and Worthing is not a parish council. They're a parish meeting. They are only meeting once or twice a year. They get a total precept of around £1,800 and ours is £98,000, so there is a difference in resources… 'This is very important to Swanton Morley because we're one of the largest villages in the district of Breckland. 'We have a medical practice here, road infrastructure that needs to be improved and the village school grounds could be expanded. 'Hoe and Worthing doesn't really have assets. It's got a couple of dog bins and notice boards but no other assets. They don't have a village hall.' Mr Atterwill added having a local development plan meant his parish council would be able to lock in Section 106 agreements, under which developers must pay for local facilities in return for planning approval of lucrative sites. And he said Swanton Morley had ambitions to turn the Grade II listed air traffic control tower at the base into a museum due to its significance. On July 4, 1942, British prime minster Winston Churchill and General Dwight D Eisenhower, the Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force in Europe, watched American and British airmen take off from what was then RAF Swanton Morley on the first combined bombing raid of the war. The operation targeted German airfields in occupied Holland and involved six US crews from 15th Bombardment Squadron and six RAF crews from 226 Squadron, using Boston light bombers. Mr Atterwill added: 'There is no intention to land grab because we are not grabbing any land. We're not looking to grab any buildings. 'It's simply moving the boundary around the field. There's no homes or base within that field [at present].' Locals were bemused by the feud between the modestly-sized communities, noting they might normally be expected to fight expansion to preserve their way of life. One said: 'I wouldn't call it a David and Goliath situation, more David and David.' A Swanton Morley resident added: 'This is Dimbyism – definitely in my back yard.' The RAF handed the base over to the Army in 1995 and it was renamed after Sir William Robertson, head of the British Army during the First World War. It is currently home to 400 personnel of 1st The Queen's Dragoon Guards, with family accommodation and a pre-school on-site, but is scheduled to close in 2031. Troops will relocate to Wales and the site has been earmarked for development under the district council's local plan for the next 20 years as part of efforts to build 16,500 homes in total. Breckland District Council were contacted by the Mail for a comment. But speaking at the May 15 general purposes meeting, district councillors said Swanton Morley's proposal had been put forward 'prematurely'. Conservative member Mark Kiddle-Morris commented: 'Once there is a planning application, then it would be appropriate to consider this. But we are not quite there yet.'
BreakingNews.ie
17-05-2025
- General
- BreakingNews.ie
Blair Witch Project star at centre of woodland dispute
The star of the classic horror movie The Blair Witch Project has found herself in the middle of a dispute in her remote US community – thanks to her efforts in helping people lost in the forest. Heather Donahue starred in the low-budget 1999 film about three film students who disappear in the woods while making a documentary about a legendary figure known as the Blair Witch. Advertisement Now, 50-year-old Donahue – who left acting behind years ago – lives in the US state of Maine, in the town of Freedom, which has around 700 residents. In a twist of fate harkening back to her movie career, Donahue has been embroiled in a spat with locals that hinges on her marking trees with orange blazes to help people find their way in the dense forests. The dispute centres on public vs private land (AP) Donahue had been a member of the town's governing body, its select board, but lost a recall election recently after a controversy about whether a rural road that cuts through the woods is public or private property. The matter remains unresolved, with the town and abutting landowners fighting it out in court. Advertisement The route in question is Beaver Ridge Road, a narrow, partially hilly stretch flanked by wild plants and songbirds that goes from paved to gravel to dirt as it stretches deeper into the forest. Several people whose property abuts the road say the unimproved section is private, and to use it for activities such as all-terrain vehicle riding constitutes trespassing. Donahue, and the town itself, hold that the entire road is public. The former actress painted the orange blazes using historical maps to show what she holds is the centre of a public easement. Advertisement Abutting property owners were incensed and the first successful recall petition drive in the town's 212-year history followed. Donahue was removed in April and an election to pick her successor is planned for next month. Tyler Hadyniak, one of the abutting property owners, said the recall was not just about the orange blazes or the woodland trail. He said it addressed a pattern of behaviour by Donahue that chafed longer established residents in the year since she took office. Heather Donahue starred as one of the three film students who disappear in the woods (AP) 'I was relieved that the recall was successful. I thought Heather's demeanour and behaviour toward others was just unbecoming of a town official,' Mr Hadyniak said. Advertisement Donahue, who is originally from Pennsylvania and has spent long stretches of time living in California and travelling abroad, said she is aware of her status as what she called 'a lady from away'. She arrived in Maine after a winding journey in which she struggled with alcoholism, quit acting, became a medical marijuana farmer and wrote a memoir. Donahue said she came to the Pine Tree State eight years ago, overcame her addiction and bought land in Freedom in 2020. Recently, she has worked as a life coach and shared her passions for gardening and medicinal plants with anyone who will listen. Advertisement She is not especially interested in reliving the glory of starring in The Blair Witch Project, one of the most successful independent movies of all time. The 50-year-old left acting behind years ago and now lives in the small community of Freedom, Maine (AP) An extreme close-up of Donahue's character in distress close to the film's climax is one of its most memorable moments. The movie sparked a resurgence of interest in 'found footage' style horror movies, wowed critics and polarised audiences with its homespun take on terror. Becoming lost in the woods is a key component in its spooky charm. Unfortunately, The Blair Witch Project also led Donahue to years of legal wrangling over compensation and the right to her likeness. Donahue makes occasional tongue-in-cheek references to the movie in passing, but also said it struck her several years ago that her life was inseparable from the film in ways that were not entirely comfortable. She added: 'I had this really difficult moment of realising my obituary was written for me when I was 25.' Ordinarily, the hottest gossip in Freedom concerns the peskiness of the local blackflies or the quality of the fishing on Sandy Pond. Donahue has battled back from addiction (AP) But the row over the road has become the talk of the sleepy town some 30 miles north-east of the state capital of Augusta. Donahue has defenders in the town, including Bob Kanzler, who served on a local roads committee and agrees that the disputed path is public land. 'Heather has done a wonderful job in researching these discontinued roads in town,' Mr Kanzler said. 'I know the road is public.' Despite the ongoing battle over the road, Donahue said she has found peace in Maine – and she is not going anywhere. 'I mean, this is where humans flourish,' she said of the Freedom woods. 'I've figured out a way to do a lot with very little. That was all kind of centred around being able to walk in the woods.' And she says of her life in the woods: 'For me, reading fairy tales, I always wanted to live in the forest. 'It is absolutely as magical as it seemed in those storybooks.'
