Biased Boards & Zero Accountability
The Silent Crisis Inside Homeowners’ Associations
Do homeowners elect board members with the trust that they will look after the betterment of the entire community — not just themselves? Absolutely. That’s the foundation of HOA governance. Board members are supposed to be volunteers who step up to serve, enforce the governing documents, follow state law, and help create a safer, better, more unified place to live.
But what has HOA leadership become in many communities lately?
Chaos. Discomfort. Division. Distrust. It turns into a power struggle — a pissing contest — the moment certain board members realize the authority they hold. Instead of using that authority responsibly, they use it to dominate, intimidate, and control other homeowners.
And here’s the hard truth: Many of these board members are biased, and their decisions reflect it.
Favoritism in ARC Approvals
When an ARC request comes from a fellow board member or one of their allies, approvals are granted instantly — no questions, no scrutiny, no adherence to specifications. But when the request comes from a homeowner they dislike, suddenly the board becomes strict, nitpicky, or outright obstructive. They dig for excuses, delay responses, or deny the request entirely, even when it meets every requirement in the governing documents.
This isn’t governance. This is personal preference masquerading as authority.
The wrongful misuse of authority by certain board members can have serious financial consequences for an association. Their actions may expose the association to potential liability, resulting in costly legal disputes and unnecessary legal fees that are ultimately borne by all homeowners.
Additionally, there are concerns about the excessive use of association-funded legal counsel to pursue conflicts with homeowners based on personal disagreements rather than legitimate association business. This misuse of community resources is troubling and raises questions about accountability, transparency, and fiduciary responsibility.
How can this be stopped? One available remedy is the recall of board members. However, in some communities, recall efforts are delayed or obstructed by the very individuals subject to recall, as they are unwilling to relinquish their positions of authority. This creates a system in which homeowners may have limited protection against overreaching or abusive leadership.
Association members deserve stronger safeguards against board members who abuse their positions. Consideration should be given to implementing more rigorous qualification standards for board service beyond simply being elected or appointed. These standards could include background checks, ethics training, fiduciary responsibility education, and other objective measures designed to ensure candidates can serve the community in a fair, responsible, and professional manner.
The goal should be to prevent individuals from seeking board positions for personal gain, control, retaliation, or other improper purposes. Board service should be about stewardship and protecting the interests of the community, not exercising power over fellow homeowners.
Furthermore, because many of the day-to-day operations of an HOA are already handled by the management company, there should be greater checks and balances to ensure that no homeowner, including a board member, is placed in a position of excessive authority over others. All homeowners pay the same assessments and should be treated with equal respect, fairness, and consideration under the association's governing documents.