Pool Issue

I would think your main recourse would be to vote in directors who are not in favor of spending this money, either through the normal election process or via a recall. See your governing docs to see what they say about recalls. If they are silent, you might need to check your state non-profit corporation law. If other owners are concerned, then you might want to band together and hire a lawyer to explore your options, including properly conducting a recall if you decide to go that way.

These options all assume that there are a fair number of others who feel the way you do on the issue, if not, then that's how democracy works. It's doubtful you could opt out, the governing documents will specify how dues obligations are allocated and can't be changed easily.

First of all, the price of assessments varies from community to community depending on what services the association provides - THAT is what matters when you live in community A vs. community B. Apparently, the cost of this assessment wasn't a deal breaker since you really liked the home, so it is what it is.

Do you know the backstory on the decision to build a bigger pool? Look at past board meeting minutes and talk to the neighbors who've been there awhile. Hopefully, there was a bit of discussion among the homeowners as to whether a new pool was needed and if people were willing to pay for it as well as the increased costs. If the consensus of the community was to build it, that's that - as an HOA member, you can't select what you will and won't pay for. This isn't a cafeteria - if you choose not to use the pool, that's your right, but since you and everyone else shares in the maintenance of the community's common property (like the pool), you'll just have to suck it up and pay it.

OR...talk to your neighbors and see if there's enough support to petition other homeowners to pressure the board into reversing its decision. That will mean going to meetings, going door to door or sending letters (or both) encouraging people to attend the board meetings and expressing themselves, and then you'll see what happens.

No.

As a member of the Association (which you became when you purchased your home) you are required to pay your fair share of all Association expenses.


Gather support and fight the increase.

Sometimes, and you will need to read your governing documents to find out, membership approval is needed to raise assessments over a certain amount or impose a special assessment.

Changing Directors may or may not stop the project. It depends on what contracts have been awarded and the cost of cancelling those contracts combined (if work has already started) the cost to restore what was changed.

I have seen a horrendous amount of corruption actually starting with a management company. They have their favorite contractors and the assigned manager is right in their pushing THEIR contractors. Most people scuff at this but if one looked deep, they would see exactly what I mean.