Catch up with the StarNews' coverage of Wilmington-area HOAs with these 7 stories
What started as a few residents of a Brunswick community meeting with legislators in Raleigh has turned into momentum to address issues with residents and their homeowners associations, or HOAs.
While some legislation has stalled, bills by representatives in other parts of North Carolina could still make an impact by the end of the year.
Here are seven stories from people in the Wilmington area about their experiences with HOAs.
The 'Cadillac' of Brunswick
Fifteen years ago, lots in this Brunswick community were being sold at $250,000 or more. Then came a flurry of problems: The housing market collapse, years of inaction, and no relief from increasing homeowners' association fees.
Now many of those same lots remain empty and are worth just a fraction of original purchase prices.
Click here to read more -- The 'Cadillac' of Brunswick: After promises of grand homes, owners left with huge losses
Progress on the 'Cadillac'
While many property owners in the Jaguar’s Lair section of Ocean Ridge Plantation remain unable to build homes on the lots they purchased more than a decade ago, slow progress is being made in the village.
A report on where things stand was recently given to Sunset Beach.
Click here to read more -- 5 things you need to know about what's happening in Jaguar's Lair
Fight to change laws
When some residents at Ocean Ridge Plantation noticed sharp increases in HOA dues, more recently in part to a decision to build a multimillion-dollar amenity center, they pulled together and made calls and trips to Raleigh to talk to representatives on solutions.
It led to the first of a few bills being introduced to provide HOA oversight.
Read more here -- Facing massive HOA dues, some Brunswick residents fight to change state laws
Pushing back
Not everyone is in favor of government intervention of HOAs.
One supporter from Ocean Ridge Plantation said every day is like a Saturday.
“Some people have said, ‘Well, my HOA is perfect,’ and I said, ‘Well, yours might be the one that’s perfect, but there are 14,000 others out there that are not,” recalled state representative Frank Iler.
Questions of transparency
To some HOA supporters, some of the proposed bills are a knee-jerk response to local situations and the majority of people are happy with their community association.
Others simply want more transparency in the process. One of the bills proposed has that in mind.
A roadblock
An effort to provide oversight for homeowners’ associations at the state level has hit a snag.
But while Iler's proposal won't go to vote this session, it still has the chance to make an impact along with other bills proposed.
Insurance squabble
When insurance fees took a steep hike alongside HOA dues, some residents at a Leland development decided to shop around for a cheaper carrier.
But there was a problem: the community's master owners association required they stay on the commercial policy.
This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: The latest on HOAs in Brunswick County NC and Wilmington
