"Has your homeowner association fined you for painting your house purple? Have you ignored requests to pay annual maintenance fees for your condo’s clubhouse and swimming pool? Has your association refused to let you see its financial documents These are the types of conflicts that frequently erupt between residents and homeowner or condo associations. Some can get quite heated – or downright nasty. A small, but growing number of states are trying to tackle the problem by creating ombudsman or homeowner information offices to handle the deluge of complaints that often land at state and local agencies. The goal is to educate residents and association board members about their rights and responsibilities under the law and help settle disputes before they wind up in court."
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More state oversight of HOAs and especially condo associations is necessary, but it isn't clear what form it should take. I think ombudsperson offices are a good start, but not everybody agrees with that approach.
http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/news/business/real-estate-news/article41217018.html
