As I mentioned back in August, I’m the president of the homeowners association in which I live. For the most part this is not a particularly difficult, onerous, or distasteful position. We meet only once every other month and have a few issues to deal with by phone or email in between. And being president generally only means being the main point of contact for outsiders; I don’t (ha-ha) have veto power over the other board members.
One resident, who I obviously am not going to name, is the exception to this generally amiable situation. Call the person Mr. X, though I’m not saying this is a man. Mr. X has lived in his unit for many years, certainly far longer than my five and a half. Apparently at one time there was a pretty good relation with the other residents but then something happened between X and certain HOA board members (none of whom are on the board today), details of which have never been related to me. Ever since then, X has waged a virtual war to essentially get the board to acknowledge his bad treatment.
One of the other board members suggested today that she might try and have a conversation with Mr. X to try and resolve his latest set of complaints. And to get X to pay up, as he’s not paid the monthly association assessment for over six months. She asked me “Is [X] a bit nuts–I mean seriously?”
I said “He’s not dangerous, by any means, but insane depends on your definition of the term. Some would say repeating the same action time after time when there is no positive response would be one definition. Mr. X will talk your ear off though, and never accept that you won’t agree with every single point he raises. Then afterwards he’ll behave as if the conversation never took place.
“I would point out to you that in the last year he’s sent us several lawyer letters and had at least two different mediation services contact us but never followed through with a single one after we responded. And each of these incidents cost the association money because we need to have [our lawyer] respond!
“I think that possibly X is just using the HOA as a release point for the frustrations in his life. So no matter what we do his behavior will continue unchanged. What will change it is that if he doesn’t pay off the back dues and fees soon, we will file and get a lien on his home and at that point the HOA can force a sale. Unless he buys it himself, he will have to leave at that point.”
A good example of the extreme, if not ridiculous, extent to which X takes his complaints is found in the lawyer letter I received today. The is demanding that we investigate who is throwing rotten potatoes and an old sock from the common area over the fence into his patio area. There is no way that investigating such an event is the responsibility of the board! Puh-leeze! Yet we will have to take time and effort, which costs the other 27 unit owners, to respond. As the saying goes, there’s always one bad apple.
BillSaysThis 