WHY THIS SITE EXISTS

You don’t wake up one day and decide to build a website about your HOA unless something’s deeply broken.

I’ve been a homeowner at Willow Glen Creek since 2012 and previously served on the Board, including time as its President. That experience gave me a unique, inside perspective on how this Association operates. It also showed me what happens when leadership loses its sense of fairness and accountability.

Like many of you, I’ve been subjected to unequal enforcement of the rules. As Board President, I participated in this behavior. After years of witnessing the same patterns repeat — and experiencing them firsthand — I realized I could no longer stay silent. I created this website as both a campaign for change and a space to validate the concerns of fellow homeowners who have also been dismissed, ignored, or selectively targeted by the HOA.

We deserve better. And it starts with telling our truth.

We’re all expected to follow the rules. We’re expected to do what’s right. And at the end of the day, we’re expected to pay our dues on time. So why is it acceptable for the Board to pick and choose when—and to whom—the rules apply? It's not and the law supports our position.

Unequal enforcement may seem trivial when the infractions themselves are small. But when it's the Board acting inconsistently, repeatedly, and without accountability, it's more than an oversight—it's a breach of trust.

Examples speak for themselves:

• Backed-in cars? Sometimes they get violation notices, sometimes they don’t. It’s an impossible rule to enforce uniformly, so why keep enforcing it selectively?
• Red zone parking? The law is clear: no parking. Ever. Yet cars are routinely left in red zones while the Board looks the other way.
• Pet owners? Dog owners are expected to leash their pets and clean up after them. Cat owners? Not so much. Cats roam leash-free, defecate in the common area, and disappear, often without their owners even knowing. When these violations are reported, the Board dismisses them as “too difficult to enforce” or calls video evidence “inconclusive.” 

Even more frustrating? This is the same Board that relaxed the rules for cat owners in the first place. So now, not only is the standard unequal, it’s intentionally unequal.

If we’re all expected to follow the rules, then the Board must be held to the same standard. Anything less is not just unfair, it’s a failure of leadership. And, it's illegal. 

Let’s start with a basic truth: HOA Board members receive no formal training, no licensing, and no certification before they assume control over the operations of our community. And yet, they’re entrusted with decisions about how money is spent, how rules are enforced, and how homeowners are treated.

That lack of oversight doesn't mean they get to operate without limits. In fact, their conduct is governed by California state law—specifically the Davis-Stirling Common Interest Development Act. This law outlines not just the mechanics of HOA governance, but also the ethical expectations of Board members. Directors are required to act in the best interest of the entire Association—not themselves, not their friends, and not just the people they agree with.

At Willow Glen Creek, our Board does not voluntarily participate in any formal ethics training. Think about that: we are entrusting thousands of dollars, enforcement power, and decision-making authority to a group of volunteers who are expected to “just know” how to do the right thing. And too often, what's considered “right” seems to depend on which way the wind is blowing.

Who holds the Board accountable?

At present, there is no mechanism ensuring that all Board members are acting ethically—and not all of them are.

Shane Patrick Connolly has previously leased, and may still be leasing, less than 100% of his unit—a clear violation of the CC&Rs.

Ron Rickard is currently leasing less than 100% of his unit—also a violation of the CC&Rs.

These concerns have been submitted to the Board in writing on multiple occasions. And yet:

• Has an investigation been launched? No.
• Have these Directors been held to the same standard as other Owners facing minor violations? Absolutely not.

This is precisely the kind of selective enforcement and self-protective behavior that erodes community trust and undermines ethical governance. If the Board won’t hold itself accountable, then the homeowners must.

And one of the main reasons why the Board is not held accountable is because the Membership continues to vote for them.

Does the Board have a Uniform Compliant Policy and Procedure? And if it does, are those documents published to the Membership?

While the law may not explicitly say that selective enforcement of the CC&Rs is unethical, many would agree that protecting themselves from scrutiny and avoiding accountability is dangerously close. The spirit of ethical governance is being broken, even if the letter of the law is being tiptoed around.

We deserve better.

We deserve Board members who are willing to be held accountable.

We deserve transparency.

We deserve neutrality.

That means (as one possible example) bringing in disinterested third parties to investigate Board conduct when needed. It means hiring neutral vendors to enforce rules fairly—yes, even if that costs more. Because fair enforcement, ethical leadership, and community trust are worth paying for.

Coming soon!

Use your voice. Use your vote. Use the law.

• Join the mailing list for updates!
• Nominate yourself or someone else for the Board. Nominations for the upcoming election are due to Liberty HOA Election Services, LLC by 5pm on September 17, 2025.
• Volunteer. Collect stories, organize meetings, spread the word, and encourage neighbors to submit their stories.
• Participate. Sign the Recall Petition to recall Shane Patrick Connolly and Ron Rickard from the Board.
• Attend the next board meeting prepared. Be confident with the knowledge that you do not need to be a Board member to have a voice. Members in good standing automatically have a voice, no matter what snarky or inappropriate comments Board member make to you.