Thursday, November 07, 2013

Levy Court considers taking over responsibility for Homeowners Association fees - News - Dover Post - Dover, DE

Levy Court considers taking over responsibility for Homeowners Association fees - News - Dover Post - Dover, DE: Ideas floated included sending collection letters from the county or putting the fee as a line item on property tax bills. In either case, the funds received then would be disbursed back to the HOA.

The idea is similar to a system used in New Castle County, but legislation from the state General Assembly would be required to enable the county to start collecting the fees. The HARP committee already has set Nov. 12 as a date to sit down with local legislators, to include Sen. Brian Bushweller, (D-Dover) and Rep. Trey Paradee, (D-Dover) to discuss such legislation.

Both men were at the Levy Court session in support of examining the idea.

Commissioner Eric Buckson said afterward he is sympathetic to problems faced by the HOAs, although he normally does not favor increasing government intervention in non-governmental issues.

"I don't think Levy Court wants to be involved, but I think we have to be involved," he said. "As a county, though we don't require HOAs, we enable them and rely on them. If they don't function properly, eventually it will fall back into our laps. That's my greatest fear.
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Fiscal distress continues in Privatopia five years after the economic downturn as local governments fear the consequences.

3 comments:

IC_deLight said...

"...we enable them and rely on them. If they don't function properly, eventually it will fall back into our laps. That's my greatest fear."

Outrageous.
Local government representatives "fear" local government being held accountable to provide the services they've been taxing these residents for since the inception of the HOA. Local government should appreciate being relieved of the responsibility to-date instead of continuing to enable and rely upon HOAs to treat HOA-property owners as third class citizenss.

Fred Fischer said...

….Commissioner Eric Buckson said afterward he is sympathetic to problems faced by the HOAs, although he normally does not favor increasing government intervention in non-governmental issues….

The commissioner seems to be misinformed, confused, ignorant or in denial. So when did Delaware’s Uniform Common Interest Ownership Act Chapter 81 and local municipal ordinances that typically support and mandate the creation of HOAs cease to be a governmental issue ???? Could someone please educate the Commissioner what the fourth layer of governance is, why it’s not voluntary, Democratic or a social club. In addition how HOAs imposes privatized justice while eliminating constitutional rights and protections and why his non-governmental issue is in fact very much a governmental issue?

Fred Fischer said...

….Commissioner Eric Buckson said afterward he is sympathetic to problems faced by the HOAs, although he normally does not favor increasing government intervention in non-governmental issues….

The commissioner seems to be misinformed, confused, ignorant or in denial. So when did Delaware’s Uniform Common Interest Ownership Act Chapter 81 and local municipal ordinances that typically support and mandate the creation of HOAs cease to be a governmental issue ???? Could someone please educate the Commissioner what the fourth layer of governance is, why it’s not voluntary, Democratic or a social club. In addition how HOAs imposes privatized justice while eliminating constitutional rights and protections and why his non-governmental issue is in fact very much a governmental issue?