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Tag: HOA

  • Parents of Volusia boy killed by dogs file lawsuit against HOA, management company

    The parents of Michael Millett III, the Volusia County boy who was mauled by two dogs and later died on Jan. 13, filed a lawsuit Wednesday.The wrongful death lawsuit is against the homeowners association and the property management company where the incident happened.The suit claims the HOA was negligent in its failure to maintain the front gate in a proper working condition despite knowledge that it was broken and inoperable for an extended period of time. The suit also says the management company knew the inoperable condition of the front gate and the presence of dangerous dogs entering the community. According to the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office, two dogs attacked the 8-year-old boy just before 5 p.m. in an area off County Road 15A, north of DeLand.The VCSO said witnesses called 911 and attempted CPR on the boy, but he died from his injuries.The owners of the two dogs that mauled the 8-year-old to death in January in Volusia County are facing felony charges.In a news conference, Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood called the boy’s injuries horrific and said dogs had been “terrorizing” the neighborhood for weeks. He said the boy was riding his bike with a friend when he stopped to pet one of the dogs. That is when the attack happened. Chitwood said he sustained 12 bites and had some broken bones. He believes it was not long before he died.Chitwood said the boy’s mom dove on top of the boy.”Here we have a mother who’s fighting evil and trying to revive her son,” said Chitwood.The dogs were on the loose before being chased by deputies and caught by Volusia County Animal Services. The dogs are being held in quarantine. One dog is described as a pit bull and the other as a mixed breed.”Unfortunately, the owner has not signed over permission for humane euthanasia at this point, but that may be coming in the near future,” said Angela Miedema, the Volusia County Animal Services director. WESH 2 News has reached out to the management company. The lawsuit is seeking at least $50,000 in damages.

    VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. —

    The parents of Michael Millett III, the Volusia County boy who was mauled by two dogs and later died on Jan. 13, filed a lawsuit Wednesday.

    The wrongful death lawsuit is against the homeowners association and the property management company where the incident happened.

    The suit claims the HOA was negligent in its failure to maintain the front gate in a proper working condition despite knowledge that it was broken and inoperable for an extended period of time.

    The suit also says the management company knew the inoperable condition of the front gate and the presence of dangerous dogs entering the community.

    According to the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office, two dogs attacked the 8-year-old boy just before 5 p.m. in an area off County Road 15A, north of DeLand.

    The VCSO said witnesses called 911 and attempted CPR on the boy, but he died from his injuries.

    The owners of the two dogs that mauled the 8-year-old to death in January in Volusia County are facing felony charges.

    In a news conference, Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood called the boy’s injuries horrific and said dogs had been “terrorizing” the neighborhood for weeks.

    He said the boy was riding his bike with a friend when he stopped to pet one of the dogs. That is when the attack happened. Chitwood said he sustained 12 bites and had some broken bones. He believes it was not long before he died.

    Chitwood said the boy’s mom dove on top of the boy.

    “Here we have a mother who’s fighting evil and trying to revive her son,” said Chitwood.

    The dogs were on the loose before being chased by deputies and caught by Volusia County Animal Services. The dogs are being held in quarantine. One dog is described as a pit bull and the other as a mixed breed.

    “Unfortunately, the owner has not signed over permission for humane euthanasia at this point, but that may be coming in the near future,” said Angela Miedema, the Volusia County Animal Services director.

    WESH 2 News has reached out to the management company. The lawsuit is seeking at least $50,000 in damages.

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  • Neighbors of Elati Village want community relocated after RV fire destroyed vehicle

    Residents near Elati Village in Denver’s Golden Triangle say the city ignored repeated calls regarding unauthorized vehicle encampments before an RV fire early Sept. 11.

    “For weeks, we received no response from these reports. Neighbors cited smoking, drugs, human waste, and other foul smells around these encampments. Neighbors have also reported witnessing Elati Village participants interacting with vehicle encampment residents and delivering items to them, leading up to the fire,” according to a statement issued by the Triangle 22 on Elati Homeowners Association, which represents 22 townhomes from 1323 to 1335 Elati St.

    Aldo Svaldi

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  • Houston homeowners told remove utility box or pay fine

    Houston homeowners told remove utility box or pay fine

    HOUSTON – A grandmother worried about paying daily HOA fines calls KPRC 2 to help resolve issues with a utility box in front of her home.

    The box is a utility hub for several condominiums around her. Because of this, Bernadette Stinson said it’s filled to the brim.

    “The lines are pushing the box up,” Stinson said. “They’re not staying inside.”

    Stinson had Comcast Xfinity come out once a month to clean the wires and put them back in the box. However, not soon after they left, the grandmother said the wires slowly pop out again.

    The Glenbrook Patio Homes HOA told Stinson and other neighbors with the utility box in front of their homes: if they don’t get rid of it, they’ll face fines.

    “I’m trying to get ahead of this before the fees kick in,” Stinson said. “I can’t afford to pay the fees that are going to start accruing because this is here.”

    A spokesperson for Comcast tells KPRC 2′s Rilwan Balogun, the equipment in front of Stinson’s home has been there for years and is necessary.

    “The telecommunications equipment, or pedestal, outside of Ms. Stinson’s home is long-standing, existing infrastructure that serves multiple residents in her community,” the spokesperson said. “Our Xfinity technicians have been responsive to Ms. Stinson’s requests, including today when our technician performed minor maintenance work.”

    As Balogun was speaking with Stinson, a technician from Xfinity arrived at her home. He met with Stinson then went to clean the wires around the hub.

    Items like the utility box are allowed on homeowner’s property due to easement.

    The Texas Utility Code says companies can access private land to use easements for work on things like cable lines, internet, and sewage.

    After the Xfinity technician responded, he gave Stinson a direct number with someone with the company. Stinson shared that the company said they would return to her home to maintain the wires and explain to the Massachusetts transplant Texas easement laws.

    She was told the previous number she had been calling was a representative in Denver, Colorado.

    The company offered to speak with the HOA to explain why the utility boxes are necessary.

    “Thank you so much. If you had not come out, they would not be here,” Stinson told Balogun.

    “You believe that,” he asked.

    “Wholeheartedly. They would not be here. I would still probably be on the phone trying to be in touch with someone,” she said. “Because it’s not important but it’s important to me because I live here.”

    COMCAST XFINITY STATEMENT:

    “The telecommunications equipment, or pedestal, outside of Ms. Stinson’s home is long-standing, existing infrastructure that serves multiple residents in her community. Our Xfinity technicians have been responsive to Ms. Stinson’s requests, including today when our technician performed minor maintenance work.

    Burying the equipment, as requested by Ms. Stinson, would make the network vulnerable to water damage during heavy rains. This would compromise the reliable service Ms. Stinson and other customers in the area expect from Xfinity.

    Our Comcast team will continue to partner with Ms. Stinson to help her address any further concerns.”

    Copyright 2024 by KPRC Click2Houston – All rights reserved.

    Rilwan Balogun

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  • Florida HOA Manager Accused of Stealing From Residents

    Florida HOA Manager Accused of Stealing From Residents


    The former manager of a homeowners association in Florida had her hand in the cookie jar, according to the Pinellas County Sheriff’s office.

    Stephanie Lopez, who managed a 400-unit condo community in Dunedin, was arrested Feb. 7 and charged with one count of scheme to defraud and one count of grand theft, according to a news release. She’s accused of stealing a little less than $25,000.

    Lopez, 56, managed the Mediterranean Manor, in the Tampa suburb, on behalf of her employer, Harbeck Hospitality. Detectives started investigating her last May, after Harbeck notified the sheriff’s department that Lopez was embezzling from the HOA.

    She’s accused of spending the money on expenses like paying her mortgage and bills, buying windows for her home in Oldsmar and Amazon purchases.

    Those alleged crimes are small potatoes compared to a massive HOA fraud that has come to light in South Florida.

    The Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office arrested five people in November 2022, accusing them of fleecing the Hammocks Community Association out of about $2 million.

    Members of that HOA, the largest in South Florida, said they were “constantly harassed” for cash, with HOA board members requesting “1,000 for this, another $1,000 for that,” said former resident Lourdes Padron. When she and her spouse received an HOA bill for over $4,000, they moved rather than pay it. 

    Hammocks residents who complained of opaque finances allegedly were met with more harassment. When resident Manny Coburn signed a petition to recall the board, the former HOA board members retaliated by prohibiting him from community amenities, he said.

    The investigation into that epic case took five years, and a sixth person was arrested in December.

    Fraud and mishandling of funds runs rampant among South Florida HOAs, according to the hundreds of written complaints lodged against them last year.

    The state of Florida doesn’t watchdog HOAs. State law requires annual audits, but those audits don’t have to be submitted anywhere unless records requests are made. Residents who have disputes can opt to sue HOAs at their own expense but otherwise have few sources of recourse. 

    The Florida legislature took up a bill aimed at tightening regulations last year, in light of the Hammocks scandal, but the law that passed lacked bite.

    “Someone else needs to be the gatekeeper who provides sound judgment to protect an association from running amok,” real estate attorney Josh Migdal told The Real Deal last year.

    —Rachel Stone



    TRD Staff

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