This group of Houston homeowners are ‘fed up’ with their HOA — meeting even turned physical more than 1 year ago, but nothing’s changed. Here’s their latest attempt to fight back

Typically, that “something” is reliable property maintenance and regular upkeep of different amenities. A group of “fed up” Houston homeowners, however, had to turn to news outlet KHOU for help when their HOA didn’t live up to its end of the bargain.

A group of residents at London Townhomes went to the media to share stories of "poor maintenance in their condo community and ineffective leadership."

The root of the conflict between London Townhomes residents and their HOA

Residents at London Townhomes claim their HOA has not been doing its job — and it’s been an ongoing issue. They say various maintenance issues continue to persist going on more than two years now and the HOA has been largely non-responsive.

One resident called the situation "extremely frustrating and difficult." She added, “according to our bylaws, the owners are supposed to be mostly in charge of the association… but that hasn't happened in the past two-and-a-half years."

Not only have the HOA president and board been unresponsive to residents of London Townhomes, but KHOU reached out to the HOA president and got no response. A reporter from the news outlet even went to the president’s door in an attempt to get answers, without success.

A year before KHOU was contacted, a meeting was held between the HOA and residents, and things got physical. Video footage of the meeting had someone shouting, “is that a threat?” However, that meeting didn’t result in any progress either, and maintenance tasks remain neglected.

Continuing grievances

The HOA finally held another meeting in late April after residents signed a petition and one filed a lawsuit in Harris County civil court.

KHOU spoke with a rep from the HOA's management office who referred to the meeting as a productive one. However, that person also disputed residents' various claims and said that maintenance issues are typically addressed "as quickly as possible."

However, the tense situation at London Townhomes is hardly an isolated incident.

"The courthouse is full of lawsuits filled with HOA disputes," real estate attorney Richard Weaver told KHOU. Weaver has no connection to London Townhomes but recommends that anyone having HOA issues study their bylaws, which are typically supported by state law.

What to do when your HOA doesn't do its job

Aside from the obvious — not getting your money’s worth if the property is neglected or poorly-maintained — the lack of consistent care and attention may cause the value of your home to decline. That could present a problem in the event you decide to sell it one day.

HOAs have a contractual obligation to do certain maintenance tasks. So, if your HOA isn't stepping up when it's supposed to, it's important to take action.

First, read your HOA's bylaws to understand its obligations. Next, ask the residents of your community to show a sense of unity and reach out to the HOA informing them of issues and demanding that they be addressed. Keep a paper or email trail — even screenshots — of all communications and relevant dates, and be persistent.