The Sierra Pointe Condominiums look like any other large, impersonal housing complex. But things are getting very personal among members of the condo’s homeowners association board.

The past year has been one of constant turmoil: opposing factions smeared each other in dueling newsletters; two recall elections were held; a physical confrontation between the property manager and a board member led to a restraining order being sought.

In addition, allegations of financial impropriety resulted in lawsuits, ethics complaints and threats.

Two people were at the center of the furor: board member Michelle Kinney and former condo owner Kyong Chu. Both work in real estate sales and observers say professional competition fueled the conflict.

The fight, however, grew into much more than a tit for tat between agents. It engulfed board newcomers such as Roxanne Reyes, John Sparr and others.

“I’ve never seen anything like this past year,” Kinney said, blaming Chu for making false allegations about her during a door-todoor petition drive.

Chu said Kinney was using her position on the board to get inside information about condos going into foreclosure to help her real estate business.

Kinney denies all allegations, saying she never benefited financially from her volunteer service on the board. All information she received was public record, Kinney said, and available to Chu or any other broker.

“I joined the board in 1999 and was asked to come back on in 2004,” Kinney said. “I’ve never seen this much turmoil. It would be comical if it wasn’t so sad.”

Chu agrees the situation is sad. Chu said she lost her job and her home because of the conflict. Kinney filed an ethics complaint against Chu with the Board of Realtors for “knowingly making false or reckless statements” against her. Chu said she was fired by her brokerage house as a result.

“No one would pay attention to me,” Chu sobbed, saying she lost her condo to foreclosure after losing her job. “My heart is aching over this. Why wouldn’t anyone listen?”

One who listened was Reyes, who joined the HOA board in March 2006, about the same time Chu made her allegations. Reyes studied Chu’s claims and thought Kinney was innocent.

Then-HOA president Terry Howard also listened to Chu and ordered a recall election in May 2006, targeting Kinney and board member Ralph Beuc. The recall failed and Howard resigned.

Reyes replaced him, and soon she began having her own doubts about Kinney and her allies.

“I saw some serious problems with our board,” Reyes said. “It was not good. The board was dysfunctional.”

Reyes said Kinney, Beuc and another board member voted as a bloc and rejected input from newcomers like herself. Especially troubling was the board’s handling of money, Reyes said.

“We are responsible for $30,000 to $60,000 a month in homeowners dues and we need to be very careful with their money,” Reyes said, detailing misgivings about the way the board handled projects such as new security cameras, parking lot overlays and other items.

So Reyes ordered a second recall election in October. Kinney and the other ousted members, however, disputed the vote and an HOA lawyer ruled it was invalid.

The episode produced a tense confrontation when the old board and the newly elected board both showed up for the monthly October meeting.

Finally, in January, a third recall vote was held to replace the invalid October results.

Of Sierra Pointe’s 282 owners, 134 voted and a majority wanted to remove Reyes, Kinney, Beuc and John Sparr from the board. But a twothirds majority is necessary to remove members and none reached the threshold.

Still, the message of condo owners came through.

“The complex is tired of all the fighting,” Sparr said. “I agree. All five board members should have been removed. Me included. They should get new blood in there.”

The regular January election resulted in two new members being elected, including a new president. Reyes was not re-elected. Sparr said he has hope.

He quickly adds he will not be seeking re-election when his term ends in January. Kinney is undecided if she will run again.

Reyes promises to remain involved, if only as an observer.

“This episode taught me the value to getting involved in your homeowners association,” she said. “Absolutely help them. Work with them. And watch them.”

Tell me about your neighborhood: 636-0193 or bvogrin@gazette.com