Let’s admit it:
Obtaining compliance with community regulations may takes months,
depending on the disposition of the homeowner.
When Association rules parallel local ordinances, let the government do
the heavy lifting. This frees up
community resources that can be devoted to other challenges, and often produces
results far more quickly.
Besides the obvious government entities (code enforcement,
animal control, fire department) there are other agencies that you can uncover via
the Internet. Consider the situation
where there is an abandoned and/or foreclosed home: HOAs may lack leverage for neglected
maintenance, and some properties sit unsold for years.
The Internet is a wonderful tool. With a search engine keyword of your city/county,
along with the phrase ‘foreclosure registry,’ you’ll discover laws enacted in
response to the Great Recession. Many
governments in the Atlanta metro area now impose fines of up to $1,000 per day
if the current owner (including a bank) of a home fails to register it with the
municipality within 30, 60 or 90 days of vacancy. Registration usually run $100 a year, and
requires that a local property agent be listed.
Fines are a revenue generator, motivating the government to
use its considerable resources to track down the person that fails to register. This eliminates the legal expense the
Association would incur locating the owner, allowing you to quickly identify a
payee for delinquent assessments, or find someone to address maintenance
problems.
The community’s goal is not to feed "Big Brother," but to
provide an attractive neighborhood for prospective buyers, driving up home
values. A neglected home on a nearby lot
will make anyone seriously reconsider buying into your Association. Neighborhoods must protect themselves so that
one bad home doesn't multiply.
What government-related resources have you come across to
address community challenges? Drop us a
line and let us know!
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