These are Frank Wodley’s perspectives, drawn from 24 years of homeowner advocacy and his own experience living in an HOA.
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You may think you know what’s going on in HOAs, but you don’t.
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You may think HOA attorneys are the best source of help. They are not.
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You may think you’re not responsible for the current state of affairs in HOAs. You are.
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You may think reading books, reading your governing documents, attending meetings, voting, etc., will make your community better. They won’t.
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You may think advocates are doing their best to come up with solutions. They aren’t.
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You may think advocates should provide help and solutions without compensation. We can’t.
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You may think you’re powerless. You’re right. However, you, together with some of your friends and neighbors, are powerful.
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Picture a scale: the board and its supporters on one side, homeowners on the other. At first, 30 on one side and one on the other. Then 30/2, 30/4, 30/10, 30/25, 30/40…
An illustration of growing homeowner participation Board and SupportersHomeowners30:130:130:230:230:430:430:1030:1030:2530:2530:4030:40 - 9
You may expect someone else to solve your problems. They won’t.
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You may believe a homeowner advocate’s advice should be taken with a grain of salt. But ultimately, a solution will come from a homeowner advocate—not the legislature, not attorneys, not board members.
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You may think a real solution will never be found. You’re wrong. A real solution has been found.
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You may distrust everyone, but ultimately you will have to trust someone.
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You may think HOAs are problematic because of homeowners who serve on boards. That’s not the reason. HOAs are problematic because of the laws—not what they say, but what they don’t say.
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You may think a board-centric board is no big deal—that any losses must be less than your monthly HOA payment. Think again. Your losses can be in the hundreds of dollars each month.