Friday, August 13, 2010

Chapala Mgm't Corp. v. Stanton (Cal. Ct. App. - July 29, 2010)

Tom and Donna Stanton live in a condo and want to replace two windows. The existing ones are brown, but the Stantons would like to replace them with something that's more like the color of sandstone. Not pink or purple, or anything garish like that. Just a really, really "light" brown.

The HOA says "No." The Stantons do it anyway. The HOA sues, and not only obtains an injunction, but also recovers over $60,000 in costs and attorney's fees. A judgment that's affirmed by the Court of Appeal.

Darn expensive windows.

My sense is that we can collectively devote our social resources to perhaps more important issues. Moreover, that HOA's might want to take themselves a little less seriously at times.