Texas Public Radio: The Source: Fighting Your Home Owner’s Association I Big Changes At The MPO

Evan McKenzie: “You can’t sell a hotdog on the street without having a license, but you can manage these associations and millions of dollars in people’s assets with nothing more than a business card”.

By Paul Flahive — October 2, 2013

It seems these days everyone has a story about their Home Owners Association (HOA), a hair-pulling, eye-rolling, exasperated story. According to the Community Association Institute, an HOA/Community Association advocacy group, more than 63 million Americans live in communities managed by HOAs, which includes 3.4 million Texans.

HOAs can provide security, ensure people maintain their landscapes, and keep up shared spaces. They are mandatory depending on where a person lives and they levy fees and penalties on homeowners. Where HOAs across the country have run into controversy is in the leveling of fines and raising of fees. The industry in Texas and beyond is largely unregulated and with no state oversight in most places allegations of abuse are rampant.  Read more: