How to Dissolve Homeowners Association
Homeowners associations are intended to help residents in a specific neighborhood by requiring them to abide by specific codes of conduct, providing funds for neighborhood improvement, and protecting home values by keeping the neighborhood beautiful. At least, they do this when functioning. When not functioning, a homeowners association seems to waste the time and money of its members. Dissolving a homeowners association is possible but often takes a great deal of work.
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Instructions
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Read the bylaws of your homeowners association carefully. Most bylaws list the specific steps for dissolving the homeowners association. Often this requires a majority vote--usually a significant majority, such as 60, 70 or even 80 percent.
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Contact members of your homeowners association, focusing first on people who have historically been the most active. Many of these people value the homeowners association, but you may find a few who are as fed up as you are.
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Access homeowners association records to find out who's had trouble with the association in the past. Contact these people and ask for their help.
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Use these contacts to establish a team that will help you campaign for the dissolution of your homeowners association.
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Conduct your campaign for one or two months prior to the next homeowners association meeting. Call, write, email or simply knock on the doors of everybody in the neighborhood to solicit their support and attendance.
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One week before the meeting, host a dinner or picnic to further raise awareness. That night, send an email of mailing reminding people to attend the meeting. Many homeowners association bylaws require a vote for dissolution of a percentage of total membership, not members present at the meeting.
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Attend the meeting and make a final argument to all in attendance. If there aren't enough people at the meeting to vote out the homeowners association, table the vote until you can get a quorum.
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Tips & Warnings
When convincing people, focus on the financial advantages of dissolving the homeowners association. In most neighborhoods, homeowners association membership runs to thousands of dollars each year. When people become aware of that fact, it's easier to convince them that the advantages of the homeowners association don't outweigh the benefits.
