Richard Homsi: Buyer beware of homeowners associations

To The Daily Sun,

Buyer beware properties located on and off Governor's Island. Once a property is sold it is spoken that you the buyer must become a member upon purchasing said property and are then subject to covenants and restrictions designed by the Governor's Island Club board of directors and their attorneys to control every aspect of your rights to your own property. When needed to fit their needs and budget, the board of directors has the power to enforce a "special assessment" and to force a lien against your property if you don't or cannot pay what has been assessed upon you. In the most recent past years the Governor's Island Club, Inc. and its board of directors has become over budget by nearly $1,000,000. After monies were incorrectly budgeted, spent or processed, the board of directors imposed a $3,000 special assessment to each home of 203 homes which came to an instant revenue of $609,000 which ultimately covered more than half of their financial mishap. The covenants and restrictions are simply only fair and reasonable to the Club and its board of directors to fit their needs, personally and financially. During most actions between Governor's Island Club, Inc. and its members, rules, regulations, operations of construction, etc. are generally communicated for easy settlement through a management company annually retained by GIC, Inc. on behalf of its members. In my case of trying to better and develop my property during the past 12 years, I have never been contacted by that company, only by attorney Paul Fitzgerald at Wescott Law retained by GIC, Inc. and said fees have been put on a lien against my property to fit their wallet. In hopes of a fair and reasonable settlement to a simple construction dispute, you would think if a property management company was on retainer, the GIC, Inc. board of directors would assign the property management company to the dispute to see if they could settle the matter short of going to court. In this case the board of directors has chosen to file and participate in over 280 pleadings in the Belknap County Superior Court and to allegedly spend over $100,000 of members' money, while being over budget, instead of settling the matter respectfully by being fair and reasonable. It appears that this is about control and not being fair and reasonable to your paying member, property owner, neighbor or friend. During times of today as they are so precious at heart to stay healthy, it is sad when you see a group of people in a power position being so intentionally hurting to one's health. Buyer beware.

Richard Homsi

Laconia