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BANK OWNED OR ABANDONED HOA PROPERTY FALLS INTO DISREPAIR - WHAT TO DO?

Because of the economy, the mortgage crisis, and other negative factors for HOAs today, HOA boards and neighbors are having to deal with more and more properties that are being foreclosed and abandoned (owners simply walking away). I am receiving many questions from HOAs and managers asking what to do when the lawn falls into disrepair or dries up and creates an eyesore in the neighborhood. Here is a recent email:

"I have a quick question. Can an HOA maintain/replace a front lawn that is dead or dying on an empty REO (bank owned property), put a lean [sic] on the property for the maint. fee, and collect the maint. fee when the foreclosed property is sold?"

Wish I had a "quick" answer. There are about 16 topics that would need to be discussed to answer this question. I plan to do my next free E-newsletter on this very subject so go to the website at http://www.californiacondoguru.com right away and sign up. If you prefer not to do that, watch the E-newsletter Archives after the end of July to see the newsletter.

What are all the questions that need to be considered to give an answer to the above "simple" question?

Is the Owner responsible for the lawn maintenance, or is the problem that the Owner was providing the irrigation and the water was turned off for lack of payment. This happens in many associations where the HOA maintains the front areas but the Owner is responsible for the irrigation, and when they abandon, the irrigation system breaks down, stops working, or the water is turned off.

What do the documents say about collecting money for something that is an owner obligation? Are there provisions for assessing a reimbursement assessment? Can it be done with, or without, a hearing (because of California law, in California a hearing will likely be required)? Is it necessary to seek a judgment to collect per the documents? Is the assessment subject to the lien (per the documents)? Or Not?

Does the HOA have the money to maintain lawns for abandoned or Bank Owned property in its coffers (these days, it could be expensive if there are several properties in the same boat).

How long would the HOA intend to maintain? Does it give potential purchasers a false sense of security to buy in the development without being aware there are bank owned or abandoned properties in the development? Is that actionable misrepresentation to hide the fact through maintaining the property for an absentee owner?

Do you know if the property is really bank owned or simply in the lien/foreclosure process (in which case it could be many months before the bank assumes any responsibility for the costs)?

As to the above question sent in by the website visitor, generally, HOA documents have some sort of recourse in them for the HOA to collect the costs of performing maintenance what the owner fails to maintain. So if a property is really bank owned, eventually the HOA may be able to recover the costs from the first day the bank took ownership, if the HOA follows the HOA document requirements to make the charges, and if the HOA can locate the right person at the bank to respond.

As for the rest of the questions and answers, watch for the upcoming "E-News" called "What's New In HOA Land" on the subject.

Full post as published by California Condo & HOA Law on July 10, 2008 (boomark / email).