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Horribly mismanaged HOA

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Snowbird80

Junior Member
I bought a condo in RI a year and a half ago in what I've now realized is a horribly mismanaged HOA. The HOA is owner-managed. There are major maintenance items that are not getting taken care of, the most pressing of which is replacing the roof, which is well past its expected lifetime.

There have been no meetings since I moved here. The board is comprised of two individuals who basically elected themselves because none of the other owners have any desire to get involved at all. One of these is an owner occupant that is likely to be gone within the year, and the other is a landlord who is selling his unit and will likely be gone soon as well. At that point, the HOA will be completely inactive.

In conversation with these individuals regarding the deferred maintenance, lack of meetings, etc, I'm brushed off. "We can't afford to replace the roof and we can't raise rates because nobody can afford it." There's no plan at all but to let the place continue to deteriorate. When I pressed them about the roof issue, I was informed that there's no sense in worrying about something I can't control.

Unfortunately, most of the other owners are uneducated people who don't understand their rights and responsibilities as condo owners, and that's the reason things have been allowed to get to the point they have.

What are my options here? Should I contact the city? Or, should I just cut my losses and get out while I still can?
 


Zigner

Senior Member, Non-Attorney
Why not become a community activist and get yourself elected to the board so that you can provide what you feel the board is lacking?
 

Snowbird80

Junior Member
Why not become a community activist and get yourself elected to the board so that you can provide what you feel the board is lacking?
I've thought of that, but the other owners refuse to get involved and refuse to allow an assessment or an increase in dues. They violate rules regularly and refuse to stop when asked. I don't see how I can make a difference. There is one owner I've spoken with who is equally concerned as I, but she's been brushed off and ignored for 13 years.
 

zddoodah

Active Member
What are my options here?
Among other things, you could sell your condo and move. Maybe you can find a buyer who doesn't do his/her diligence before moving in, as you did.

Other options include reading the by-laws of the HOA and figuring out how to make things happen despite the recalcitrance of others and/or seeking to have the current board members voted out and new board members voted in. This may require you to try and get your fellow owners more interested in what's going on.


Should I contact the city?
I doubt the city would have any concern about whether a private property owner does or doesn't repair or replace its roof.
 
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Taxing Matters

Overtaxed Member
Or, should I just cut my losses and get out while I still can?
You probably should do that. You'd likely need at least a majority of owners to vote for the HOA assessments needed to do the maintenance. But it sounds like nearly all of them are simply not going to do that. That leaves you stuck with no way to get that work done.
 

LdiJ

Senior Member
I bought a condo in RI a year and a half ago in what I've now realized is a horribly mismanaged HOA. The HOA is owner-managed. There are major maintenance items that are not getting taken care of, the most pressing of which is replacing the roof, which is well past its expected lifetime.

There have been no meetings since I moved here. The board is comprised of two individuals who basically elected themselves because none of the other owners have any desire to get involved at all. One of these is an owner occupant that is likely to be gone within the year, and the other is a landlord who is selling his unit and will likely be gone soon as well. At that point, the HOA will be completely inactive.

In conversation with these individuals regarding the deferred maintenance, lack of meetings, etc, I'm brushed off. "We can't afford to replace the roof and we can't raise rates because nobody can afford it." There's no plan at all but to let the place continue to deteriorate. When I pressed them about the roof issue, I was informed that there's no sense in worrying about something I can't control.

Unfortunately, most of the other owners are uneducated people who don't understand their rights and responsibilities as condo owners, and that's the reason things have been allowed to get to the point they have.

What are my options here? Should I contact the city? Or, should I just cut my losses and get out while I still can?
Well, cutting your loses and getting out while you can is certainly an option. Taking over the HOA once the other two guys leave would also be an option.
 

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