Lawmakers introduce bipartisan bill to rein in HOAs
Sen. Eric Lucero, R-Saint Michael, speaks at a press conference at the Minnesota Capitol on Feb. 26, 2024. Lucero and a group of lawmakers from both parties introduced legislation that would crack down on homeowners' associations. Photo by Madison McVan/Minnesota Reformer.
Minnesota lawmakers, whose constituents have been sharing nightmare homeowners association stories over the last year, introduced a bill Wednesday to mandate more transparency and give homeowners more power in disputes with their HOA.
The bill (HF1268/SF1750) would require homeowners' association boards to create a schedule of fines and fees and distribute it to homeowners; ensure homeowners can contest an HOA fine; provide reasonable time to correct rule violations; and outlaw the practice of charging homeowners for asking questions.
It also would bar property management companies from hiring a subsidiary without first disclosing the conflict of interest to homeowners.
The bill is co-authored by the top-ranking Republicans and Democrats on both the Senate and House housing committees.
The Reformer reported last year on a neighborhood in Otsego where townhome owners were charged $18,600 for a roof replacement they felt was unnecessary; the HOA's property management company directed the work to its own subsidiary.
When homeowners questioned the HOA and property management company, they were charged thousands of dollars in attorney's fees. In at least two cases, residents faced foreclosure when they were unable to pay their bill.
'Residents from across the state have contacted me sharing stories and experiences with homeowners' associations and common interest communities… stories that include exploitation via excessive fines and fees, lack of transparency, conflicts of interest and many more,' said Sen. Eric Lucero, R-Saint Michael, one of the lawmakers who participated in a working group studying homeowners' associations after the 2024 session.
That working group came up with dozens of recommendations for reforms, many of which were incorporated into the bill.
One section of the bill would prohibit local governments from requiring the creation of an HOA — or requiring common property that would necessitate an HOA — as a condition for approving a development. Developers could still voluntarily create an HOA.
Local governments are concerned that provision would force cities to approve developments with common property and no HOA, adding significant maintenance costs for cities, said Daniel Lightfoot, a lobbyist for League of Minnesota Cities.
With the Legislature divided, only bills with bipartisan support have a chance of passing; with several authors on both sides of the aisle, the bill authors say the odds for passage are good.
The bill is expected to have a hearing in the Senate housing committee next week, said Lucero, the highest-ranking Republican on the committee.
If you have concerns about your homeowners' association or property management company, please contact Reformer reporter Madison McVan at mmcvan@minnesotareformer.com.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Miami Herald
7 minutes ago
- Miami Herald
Elon Musk's public dispute sparks interest in Tesla from short sellers
Last week, a social media post from Elon Musk caused many people to stop what they were doing and look down at their phones. Even for the Tesla (TSLA) CEO, known for his controversial and bold opinions, what they saw seemed surprising. Musk had previously announced plans to cease his political spending. But only a few days later, he accused Trump of having direct ties to notorious criminal Jeffrey Epstein and alleged that without his help, the Republican president would not have won last year's election. Don't miss the move: Subscribe to TheStreet's free daily newsletter Since then, Tesla has been in the spotlight, as the dispute between two of the world's most powerful men continues. While TSLA stock initially plunged on news of the argument, it has since regained some of its momentum. Even as shares slowly trend upward, though, experts speculate that short sellers may regard the Musk-Trump fallout as an opportunity to bet against the stock. Over the past few months, Musk's behavior has sparked a global backlash against Tesla's brand, causing sales to fall across the U.S. and Europe. This clear indication of consumer sentiment toward him has caused some financial experts, including Tesla shareholder and fund manager Ross Gerber, to call for him to step down. Related: Elon Musk company reveals major leap forward When Musk announced that he would be stepping back from his role with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), TSLA stock surged, and some investors speculated that the company's troubles were over. But now his falling out with Trump has generated further uncertainty. When a prominent company starts showing signs of weakness or instability, short sellers are likely to start closing in. So far, Tesla's recent declines have been highly profitable for those willing to bet against it. The Wall Street Journal reports that as TSLA stock plunged last week, short sellers pocketed up to $4 billion, noting: Betting against an industry-leading company like Tesla will always carry some risk, regardless of how bleak its prospects may appear. But experts see a case for shorting TSLA stock, provided investors understand its volatile nature, which includes surging unexpectedly. "I think Musk dragged Tesla into a political spectacle," Galileo FX CEO David Materazzi tells TheStreet. "That creates perceived instability. Short sellers don't need real damage, just the illusion of it. Volatility invites them in. When the CEO becomes the story, the stock turns into a target." Financial education platform First Information's CEO Vince Stanzione holds a short position in TSLA. He says his reasons are "business not personal," however, citing the company's high valuation and questionable market share over the feud between Musk and Trump. More Tesla News: The 'anti-Tesla' gives American buyers more good newsAnalyst sets eye-popping Tesla stock price targetElon Musk's feud with Trump is hurting an unexpected investment "The P/E ratio is over 100 and growth the last few years has been near zero," he says of Tesla. "The bulls will say you're paying for the future and Elon Musk's brilliance, and I am not disputing that Tesla could have some future hits in the pipeline, but Elon Must is very good at promising "jam tomorrow" which never seems to materialize, or if and when it does, it's not the flavour he promised." Stanzione also raises a concern regarding Tesla's foray into robotics, something on which Musk has hinged a lot of the company's prospects. This part of Tesla's business just became more complicated due to the abrupt departure of one of its leaders. Related: Heavily shorted AI stock is rapidly climbing the Fortune 500 "Unless robotaxis start showing up en masse by the end of this year, then investors will keep selling," states Stanzione. "I am very bullish on robotics. It's something I have been investing in for over a decade, especially in medical and military uses, however, Tesla is not the only game in town." He names rivals such as Hyundai Motor Group and Boston Dynamics, both of which are making notable advances in the robotics field that could threaten Tesla's progress. Chief Analyst Dan Buckley also highlights the potential valuation problem, stating "Tesla short sellers may see their edge in the long-term mismatch between its ~$1 trillion valuation and the current reality of its business – i.e., nearly all auto-based revenue – and the uncertain viability of its highly speculative emerging tech bets." That said, Buckley advises investors considering a Tesla short to "treat political feuds as a volatility amplifier rather than a directional signal" and highlights the importance of caution when betting against such an unpredictable stock. Related: Billionaire fund manager, skeptical of AI, backs shocking stock The Arena Media Brands, LLC THESTREET is a registered trademark of TheStreet, Inc.
USA Today
11 minutes ago
- USA Today
'Do YOUR job': Newsom clashes with JD Vance, other GOP officials over LA protests
'Do YOUR job': Newsom clashes with JD Vance, other GOP officials over LA protests Show Caption Hide Caption Demonstrations critical of ICE near Twentynine Palms Marine base The protesters gathered along Highway 64 along the route between the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms and Los Angeles. California Gov. Gavin Newsom is not holding back as top Republican officials criticize his handling of the increasingly hostile protests over President Donald Trump's immigration policies. In addition to his ongoing feud with Trump, who suggested the Democrat be arrested, Newsom has responded to sweeping criticism by Vice President JD Vance, U.S. Senator Tom Cotton of Arkansas and other GOP officials. The tension between the Golden State and federal regulators comes after the Trump Administration deployed National Guard troops to crack down on violent protests against immigration raids in LA. Around 700 U.S. Marines and 2,000 National Guardsmen have been ordered to mobilize protestors in the area after the president already authorized the deployment of 2,000 guardsmen. The San Francisco native criticized the president's comment Monday, June 9 that "it would be a great thing" for border czar Tom Homan to arrest him. "The President of the United States just called for the arrest of a sitting Governor. This is a day I hoped I would never see in America," he wrote on X. "I don't care if you're a Democrat or a Republican this is a line we cannot cross as a nation — this is an unmistakable step toward authoritarianism." Newsom for most of the day fired back with all tools in his arsenal, including 800 additional police officers, a lawsuit and invectives warning Trump is acting like a 'dictator.' 'Los Angeles: don't take Trump's bait. Trump wants chaos and he's instigated violence,' Newsom said in a post on X. 'Stay peaceful. Stay focused. Don't give him the excuse he's looking for.' White House Communications director Stephen Cheung took to social media to accuse Newsom of being "the biggest cuck in American politics," a centuries-old insult that the Merriam-Webster dictionary defines in a few different ways, none of them flattering. Cheung accused Newsom of allowing "domestic terrorists to desecrate and defile communities across CA." Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said the Marines are being sent "due to increased threats to federal law enforcement officers and federal buildings, approximately 700 active-duty... are being deployed to Los Angeles to restore order." "We have an obligation to defend federal law enforcement officers - even if Gavin Newsom will not," Hegseth said. The post was viewed more than 3 million times within four hours. Trump and Newsom have often clashed but the showdown over Los Angeles marks a new low in their heated relationship. In a lawsuit, Newsom says the Trump administration is violating California's sovereignty. 'One of the cornerstones of our Nation and our democracy is that our people are governed by civil, not military, rule,' the lawsuit says. Trump 'used a protest that local authorities had under control to make another unprecedented power grab." Newsom used the official governor of California website to skewer the president over sending federal troops to the state without the governor's consent, saying he would send 800 state and police officers "to clean up President Trump's mess." Here's a breakdown of who Newsom has clashed with on social media. Vice President Vance urged the California governor control the chaos that escalated in the state himself before blaming Trump or the White House's action. "Do your job. That's all we're asking," Vance wrote. Less than two hours later Newsom replied "Do YOUR job. We didn't have a problem until Trump got involved. Rescind the order. Return control to California." Vance later responded to a video shared by Homeland Security's official X account of a masked demonstrator holding a Mexico flag while standing on top of a graffitied vehicle as burning cars line the street. "This administration will not be intimidated by lawlessness," he wrote. "We will stand by the FBI agents tracking down violent criminals, by the guardsmen, local police, and Marines restoring order, and by the ICE agents enforcing our immigration laws. President Trump will not back down." Tom Cotton Senator Cotton blamed the Democratic party for violence that escalated in LA Sunday. "They demand open borders, or they will riot. And Dem politicians like Newsom will back them," the U.S. Senator from Arkansas wrote on X. "It won't work. We must never tolerate this lawlessness." Newsom replied on X writing: "The only one supporting lawlessness is you and every one of Trump's minions who are allowing him to illegally militarize our city and incite violence." Cotton replied with a photo of the demonstrator holding the Mexico flag writing "What kind of governor blames police officers and the National Guard for 'inciting' this violence? Your policies created this mess. And California deserves a lot better." Jim Jordan Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio indirectly addressed LA protestors waving flags for Mexico or other countries writing: "We fly the American flag in America. Newsom later quoted the X post with pictures rioters from the Jan. 6 insurrection storming the US Capitol in 2021 holding American flags. "Like this?" Newsom quipped. While Jordan did not reply to the governor's comment, he continued to address the situation in LA writing "President Trump is deporting CRIMINAL illegal aliens. And the Left is burning down Los Angeles." "Republicans back law enforcement. Leftist rioters throw rocks at them," he later wrote. Tommy Tuberville Newsom later responded to a Florida's Voice report of U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville from Alabama echoing Trump's call to arrest the California governor. "Lock him up," Tuberville told Florida's Voice. "LA looks like a third world country — anarchists are in charge, law enforcement is being attacked, and the rule of law is nonexistent." Newsom replied to the retired college football coach citing that Alabama has three times the higher homicide rate of California. According to most recent CDC data, in 2022 Alabama had a homicide rate of 14.9 with over 700 deaths while California had a rate of 5.9% with over 2,300 deaths. "Its murder rate is ranked third in the entire country," Newsom wrote. "Stick to football, bro." Contributing: Dinah Voyles Pulver
New York Post
11 minutes ago
- New York Post
Lefty lawmakers' war on cows is another senseless progressive beef with upstate farmers
Progressive legislators want to dictate Upstate cow populations, because of course they know better than anyone who actually lives anywhere near a dairy farm. Is it any wonder why Upstaters hate New York City, at least the jerks we elect? Animal-rights obsessive Manhattan Assemblywoman Linda Rosenthal has teamed-up with Brooklyn Democratic Socialist state Sen. Jabari Brisport to push a limit of 700 cows per farm — a move that would slam an important industry and not help the environment one whit. Advertisement The barns for younger cows and calves on Stein Farm in Le Roy, New York, outside of Rochester pictured on November 2, 2022. Annie Wermiel/NY Post The two Democrats claim that their bill protects the environment and preserves small, family-owned farms from becoming corporate 'factory farms.' Except upstate farmers face no such threat and want nothing to do with these lawmakers and the big-city condescension. Advertisement 'Placing a cap on the number of cows on a dairy farm means placing a cap on growth and success,' argues the New York Farm Bureau. Nor did Rosenthal or Brisport visit any actual farming communities before moving to 'fix' them: Their measure relies on a 2024 report from Food & Water Watch, an offshoot of Ralph Nader's lefty Public Citizen funded by a slew of progressive charities. The lefty legislators plainly also know nothing of the state Department of Environmental Conservation's work in ensuring dairy farms adhere to the nation's most stringent standards and land-management practices. Sign at North Harbor Dairy farm reading 'Make Milk Great Again,' featuring a cow designed in the style of the American flag. Spectrum News 1 Advertisement But they surely do know that countless urban 'environmentalists' are convinced that cow flatulence is a prime cause of global warming. Gov. Kathy Hochul reportedly calls the measure 'insane' and no doubt annoyed that the Rosenthal-Brisport fantasy comes as Great Lakes Cheese, Fairlife and Chobani are investing billions in upstate dairy communities. So the bill won't become law this year — but if progressives keep growing their majorities in the Legislature, anything goes: Knowing nothing never stops the progs from imposing their ideas whenever they have the power. Advertisement The result, of course, would simply be forcing consumers to get more milk from producers in Midwest states without such nutty laws — continuing the long hollowing-out of Upstate. Hmm: That population loss would further boost progressives' power in the Legislature; they'll be running everything by the time they completely destroy the entire state.
