Comments about the Book HOA WARRIORS and how it can help you.

Words from Ward Lucas, author of Neighbors at War

Well, I was skeptical at first because so few important books are written about the national disgrace known as the Homeowners Association Movement. But Shelly Marshall has certainly done her homework. Homeowners Associations have increasingly become the most disgusting institutions in America. Rigged elections, embezzlement, toxic neighborhood environments. The only federal investigation ever done of Homeowners Association was in Las Vegas, and recently led to dozens of organized crime indictments against attorneys, police officials, business leaders, political figures. An identical FBI investigation could lead to federal indictments in every city in this country. While Shelly Marshall takes a more laid-back approach to the HOA scam, her eBook is a point-by-point laundry list of the things you need to do to protect yourself from the inevitable rogue HOA board.

There's no such thing as a good Homeowners Association, because their very structure is flawed. That means every HOA is just one board election away from disaster. Even if you don't live in a Homeowners Association, buy Shelly's book, HOA Warrior. It'll be the best five bucks you ever spent.

A Constitutionalist, George K. Staropoli, reviews HOA Warrior II

Author and advocate Shelly Marshall joins a number of other homeowner rights advocates challenging the misinformation about the real lives of HOA members: Jill Schweitzer (Buying into an HOA with your eyes wide open!), Ward Lucas (Neighbors at War!), Sara Benson (Escaping Condo Jail), and yours truly, George K Staropoli (HOA Common Sense: rejecting private government). There is also extensive material from Deborah Goonan on internet blogs.
Marshall presents reality, and not the propaganda of the special interests supported by your state legislature for the good of the state. "Responding to pets . . ." is an opener to the more serious issues of HOA private regimes. She writes,

And you have to worry that even though there are laws in place to protect you, there is absolutely no way to enforce those laws except to sue in court. The attorney general of your state and your local law enforcement will most likely call it a "civil" matter, yet HOA disputes are anything but civil. There are precious few agencies that can help you, and so you must learn to protect yourself.

With the above understanding, and until substantive HOA reforms resolve the basic fundamental flaws of the HOA legal scheme, Marshall presents an approach to put the odds in your favor when dealing with your HOA. These are needed to help owners survive under HOA oppression and repression.
Many other "help you" books, especially those written by the special interests and their loyal and faithful followers, present what is essentially a "Never Question the Rules" (From the TV series, Wayward Pines) or board, and life will be dandy. You just have to resign yourself to secondhand citizenship. The courts have held that you, the homeowner, agreed to be treated as such.
The paraphrased Wayward rules, quite applicable to HOA-Land, go on to say, Enjoy Your Life In [your HOA]!

Be Happy! . . .
Do Not Discuss the Past!
Do Not Discuss Your Life Before
"Never Question the Rules!" Never!

Not so says Marshall. Not so! Read this highly informative book . . . today.

Words from Shu Bartholomew, radio host of On the Commons

The American Dream is often described as the iconic house with the white picket fence, much like the ones Norman Rockwell depicted in his art work. In all those pictures there was a sense of serenity, community and peace, a safe haven for friends and family.

That is what housing consumers think they are getting when they buy their "dream home". But their unit has a nasty surprise in store for them; involuntary membership in a homeowners association! By the time they find themselves in the cross hairs of the board or management and realize they are trapped, help is almost never available. They are told that they agreed to it and if they don't like being abused they can move.

Well, not so fast because Shelly Marshall and her neighbors have been through the HOA wringer, they kept notes and Shelly has written a terrific book that walks homeowners through the process of first, understanding the structure of the HOA, then giving excellent advice on how to resolve problems and avoid costly litigation and also how to handle going to court when all else fails. Shelly's book, complete with great illustrations, is a step by step guide on how to proceed through the legal quagmire once the HOA monster has reared its ugly head. It is rich in detail and full of sound advice. .

2016 George:

I am not even done reading but love your story. WOW and thank you!

Thanks for telling the public the truth! I have an attorney who is trying to settle my situation whereby I was made promises at closing in writing then changed their mind. ~Leslie

You have the best books and the best HOA reformer website out there! ~Peaceful Coyote, Advocate from Estancia Primera in New Mexico April 2017

July, 2014 From an Attorney in Colorado, Dinah Land

I have now read your e-book and found it to be most enlightening. I am myself an attorney and have just prevailed in a bogus lawsuit for foreclosure brought against me by my HOA. The suit was dismissed. The collections attorney for the HOA was the main culprit here, and I have just filed a formal grievance against him with the Colorado Bar Association, hoping he will be either disbarred or suspended from the practice of law. I will be seeking restitution through the CBA for the $1,000 in legal and filing fees I was forced to pay to defend myself [and it would have been $15-20K in legal fees if I had panicked and paid up, as most non-lawyers would have done in my situation]. As you correctly state in your book, many attorneys that represent weak HOA's work at the whim of the Board, seeking to please them so that they will continue to be retained, and do not represent the actual homeowners' best interests. Sad but true...

2015 Angel Watkins from GA, a newcomer to the HOA advocate role comments

Thanks so much Shelly! Sorry for the delayed response. That *HOA* WOES thread has almost consumed me! I never dreamed it would get so much attention, as well as expose "the face" of my nemesis! The thread has really heated up.

I will access the site for HOA victims after I complete this message. Of course I will mention HOA Warrior....it was you that inspired me to do what I did. :-) I actually need to invest in your 2nd book. I didn't realize you had a Part II!

From an owner whose wife was dying and they targeted him

I loved your book "HOA Warrior'. I only wished I had come across it seven years ago while my wife of twenty three years lay dying. We were under a well planned attack at the time by the POA board simply for having an opinion.

I have also written a book on what happened to me, my wife and neighbors alike in the aftermath but can not hope to publish it until I am dead, broke... or both. It is because of people like you and me and all others of honesty that we become easy targets. It is because of those wonderful qualities where we believe and can not conceive of the waiting evil that lies in wait under all those HOA hell holes of lies and deceit.

Please excuse me, I now have to start my reading of your other book (I do hope you write many more). ~Michael Anthony

June, 2015 Michael, Maryland

We just wanted to say thank you for taking the time to write this book {this was the first one}, because we are in the process of going to court over a $25,000 stone wall we put up with automated gated entry to our driveway in Maryland, {...}In fact the president told us he had no problem with our plans "verbally" but now the attorney advised we have 45 days to remove the wall and return the ground to its original form. I am so very grateful for all the time and work you put into this ebook, from the resources to the stories to help us know we are not alone.

April, 2015 Gary H. Atlanta, Georgia

Thank you! We just won some big advances in our Board meeting last night. Hired our own attorney who shut down those on the Board that love the old school tactics of kissing up to the management company and their attorneys and venders. Now those of us wanting transparancy and proper processes and procedures in place are the Board majority as of about 8 PM last night. And the icing on the cake is we quickly proceeded to have the first ever independent financial review of our condominium association though two recent board members and one sitting board member from the old school mentality were against it - they apparently don't like an independent eye in "their" business.

Fighting since 2007. They are bigger smarter and more powerful. But I'm that damn Chihuahua that will never stop nipping at their heals. I think they are getting worn out finally and new Chihuahuas have moved in who also don't like rats running loose inside their own homes.

March, 2015 from Anna, El Paso, TX

Shelly, Thank you! I don't want to go to court but I need to live here another 5-6 years so my god child can finish school.

May 1, 2013 from Dylan Alliata

I won my battle with the HOA. The HOA sent me dunning notices that my cats were wandering the neighborhood, which is true and they have done it for years. We thought it was a joke until we were told a hearing into the case was going to be announced. So I ordered your book looked at the 'rules' and saw their was absolutely nothing on the documents showing they had been passed at a meeting or voted on. Then the C&R and didn't see where the HOA had any authority. Asked our friend on the board to take a look, he agreed that he couldn't see where they got the authority to tell us what to do with our cats. There is also no local ordinance or state ordinance about cats being attended to or on leash. (It probably has to do with the fact that cats don't kill people unless it is a camp fire story). At that point I decided to take a couple of steps.I called the Virginia Bar Association lawyer for 40 dollars. The lawyer thought they HOA didn't have much of a case but it wasn't worth going to court over. I then contacted my employee asistance program and had a local attorney agree with the first attorney and said he would handle the case. We hired him and for 500 dollars he wrote them a three page letter telling them they had no basis to rule on anything involving a pet, our pet, and a few Virginia Supreme Court decision. Well worth the money. Today he sent me an email saying that the HOA was going to investigate the matter further but not proceed with any actions, which is their face saving way of letting the matter drop. I've seen them do it before. If pushed I would have taken them to court because our case was pretty strong and paying my legal fees would have taught them a lesson in manners. I found your book useful, the advice was solid and pretty straight forward. I would add that you can get a cheap consult from a lawyer referral service. Some people might think we were nuts to pay the money, but after many provocations from the Board I had enough, it also didin't hurt that a case had been won against an HOA in our county for over 400K dollars. It was based on the HOA complaining about a campaign sign. The HOA is now in receivership.

April 2013 from Amanda D

Thank you. I also found the book on Amazon, which provided a few pages to few in advance. I'm going through the Grandmother test now and think it is worth the effort.

Here is my youtube.com page, which will be incorporated into my condo watchdog web site. I think there are 29 posts with many more to follow....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QyCiW1Z4Lmo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZtCCv18lJU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VPf_-KTV6jU

I have gathered so much information through my investigation to share with others. I can't wait to have it completed. I'm focused on multi-family for nuisance, code violations, quality of life issues, breach of contract, selective enforcement, discrimination and other issues.

I think you can get more results from the court of public opinion, as opposed to spending so much money on attorneys that claim to be knowledgeable but are not. I hope to find a good network of people that have the same goal - to create accountability for all HOAs.

Oct 8, 2011: from David C., Scottsdale, AZ

..much of the info was to take caution before intering into the dark dungeon where few have returned..to learn and know your "stufff" (laws) and make sure you have the "fire in the belly" to proceed with dragon hunting...make sure you have the right weapon, etc.

I did learn a few new things...and it was helpful. I wouldn't have ordered your book if I wasn't already fully measured to cock the pistol and aim between the eyes of this foul HOA.

I am not rich for sure...but I know how to read and have studied the law for 40 years...I am familiar with the "schemes" of bully lawyers. It is nice that you found a "honest" lawyer (Lundgren) to help you. That is rare.

I'm going this alone...vexed, determined and war-torn...I will proceed to "scare them away" first but will probably wait until they attempt to file a legal action agaisnt me then I will file my own version of a Cross-Complaint for violations of CC&Rs, FDCPA, 42 USC Sec. 1983, Arizona Revised Statutes and for criminal acts in violation of 18 USC Sec. 1341 MAIL FRAUD AND SWINDLES (using the Post Office to facilitate illegal and frauduelent schemes to collect "debt" which is not owed.

Dec. 2010: from the President of the Association, UT

If you were foolish enough to buy into a Home Owners Association (HOA) and you want to stay YOU NEED THIS BOOK! The advice provided is sound and comes with many examples of practical applications to most any situation you find yourself. Examples include paying what they demand ($2000 or less) all the way to taking them to court to protect the rights of yourself and your fellow home owners.

I lived through many of the situations in this book and it helped me, with the help of others, to gain control of our association and put it back on the course of individual rights and responsibilities. If you have the courage and determination to make real and positive changes in your association you will need this book to provide tools and references. The law may or may not be on your side and often it comes down to preparation. This book will help prepare you for the fight of your life! ~Clifford Johnson, President of HVPOA

Warrior Home Page

Thank you very much. We have all bought your books and we so appreciate your expertise and help! ~from a Santa Fe Association

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