Home Owner Coalition Serving Home Owners' Associations in Jefferson County, West Virginia Covenants & Bylaws of Local Associations Links for Jefferson County, WV Privacy & cutting down junk mail & calls WV Law on home owner associations Site supporting HOAs: Community Associations Inst. "Associa" Site opposing HOAs: Citizens against Private Government HOAs Most attorneys will give an hour or so free initial consultation. The yellow pages show which lawyers deal with real estate law. Ask some lawyers' offices if they'll give a free initial consultation, & ask if they've represented other HOAs on covenant enforcement. Lack of enforcement is a real problem, and lawsuits can cost a lot of money. Some associations have used fines instead of lawsuits, and then posted liens at the courthouse to enforce the fines. That's something to ask a lawyer how to set up. Ask your insurance agent to be sure your association has insurance against errors & omissions by directors & officers. Protect Trees from Construction Damage Fence circle 24 times diameter of tree (circle radius in feet=tree diameter in inches) Don't drive, dig, fill, drive, or store material in this circle. Use retaining walls if needed to keep level. Compacting soil is as big a problem as cutting roots Don't rinse concrete trucks near trees (alkalinity). No creosote timbers near trees (poison). Root damage may take years to show up. Water tree regularly. Wild animals in your neighborhood Helping hurt animals Speedboats can damage waterfront: BoatWakes.org Diseases carried by Ticks County requires house numbers on houses & long driveways Info on Road maintenance & construction State certifies home inspectors (87CSR5) Covenants for several subdivisions are posted here. If yours aren't here, please send us a link to where you have them posted, or email the covenants themselves, and we'll post them here. Collect Fees when Houses Sell When a house is sold in your subdivision, closing attorneys can send your Association any overdue fees on that property. They can only do this if they can call your Treasurer to see what fees are overdue. When your officers change, send an email to local real estate lawyers with the name and phone number(s) of the Treasurer, so lawyers can contact him or her. This is a normal real estate process, at no cost to Associations. (Lawyers: if you're not listed, tell us.) Newsletters July 1999, Forming coalition, Insurance, Zoning September 1999, Mediation of disputes November 1999, Meeting of coalition, Contacts for county boards January 2000, Getting info to new residents, Neighborhood emergency coordinators, National association March 2000, Candidates' forum, Coordination with planning & county government June 2000, Road maintenance August 2000, School bond, Road maintenance, 911 street addresses January 2001, Comments on county plan & subdivision ordinance All Associations |
