Issue Position: Home Owner Association

Issue Position

Coloradans have the right to live in their homes without undue interference from a homeowner's association.

Many, even most, residents of HD 36 live within an HOA -- a homeowner's association. There are more than 300 HOAs in Aurora (out of more than 8,500 statewide), according to data from the State of Colorado. Although these associations can provide useful services like grounds maintenance, some HOAs do not operate transparently, leading homeowners to have extremely negative experiences. Over the years I have attended many community meetings on different subjects in Aurora and I've never witnessed larger crowds than when the topic was HOAs.

In the last ten or so years the Colorado legislature has created some new protections for homeowners, such as preventing an HOA from interfering with the First Amendment rights to display an American flag or a political sign or from interfering with your rights as a property owner to landscape your home in a certain way. Since 2010, Colorado has an "HOA Information and Resource Center" that can be a useful resource for some HOA-related issues (http://cdn.colorado.gov/cs/Satellite/DORA-DRE/CBON/DORA/1251623736434).

I support the rights of homeowners to use and enjoy their property without undue interference from HOAs. Like any governmental or quasi-governmental entity acting under color of law, HOAs must act responsibly.

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