MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WBTW) — Since November of 2020, Greensboro resident Irish Spells has owned a unit at the Atlantica Resort in Myrtle Beach. She said she has had no issues with the property or its HOA. But in the last few months, things became worse.
Spells said she regularly uses her unit, alongside her friends and family. She also rents it out through Airbnb. But in August, she said the unit had uninvited guests.
“On Aug. 15th, I had four squatters in here,” Spells said. “They were taken to jail. They took all the TV remotes, they took showerheads, they took the internet box. They took the smoke detector off, which is still missing.”
She returned to Myrtle Beach in October to attend the court case for the squatters, when she noticed her unit had been used.
Due to the combined incidents, Spells decided to install a doorbell camera, which she noticed other neighbors had on their doors. However, she was informed by the HOA that her camera wasn’t allowed.
“My biggest problem that I don’t understand is others have had cameras for years,” she said. “But they are strictly telling me that I can not have a camera. As a matter of fact, I have been told by the [Vice President of the HOA] that if I put a camera up, I will be fined $250 a month until it is taken down.”
A member of the HOA board told News13 that other residents with doorbell cameras have also received fines.
According to the by-laws provided to News13, “No owner shall install any receiving or transmitting device which requires any exterior protrusion whatsoever.” The HOA said this applies to doorbell cameras.
Spells said these rules were put in place long before doorbell cameras were introduced.
“There are 199 by-laws that state no protruding media,” she said. “That’s 26 years old. Cameras are everywhere. This is 2025.”
Spells said having the camera up prevented another incident.
“On October 23rd, I saw a lady trying to get into my unit,” she said. “But when she saw the camera, she was just defeated.”
Spells added that she has not been able to gain any traction with the HOA regarding an updated bylaw.
“I attended the HOA meeting,” she said. “I raised my hand and I made a motion to renew the bylaws. We had owners there; let’s vote on it. The president would not even consider it.”
But Spells said this isn’t the end of her fight.
“I love my home,” she said. “I’m not going anywhere, I like it here.”
The HOA board member said changing the bylaws is something residents need to vote on. He added that they have tried to work with Spells and have referred the issue to Pinnacle Real Estate Management, LLC, the Property Management Company. News13 reached out to the president, but did not receive a response.
HOA Vice President Charles Major told News13, “The directors discussed it and decided to enforce the master deed. We have notified owners and continue to send out notices to remove door cameras until the majority of homeowners vote to have them.”
Source: Fox 8 News Channel