March 4, 2026 | Mark Luis Foster

Scanning the World Wide Web comes up with some interesting things on HOAs. Some of them repeat in a theme, while others stand out completely.  This one — well. You be the judge:

It’s not every day that union electricians offer to do work for “free” — especially if that work, valued at about $600,000, is fixing and relighting the darkened Western Auto sign atop the iconic and curved loft building at 2107 Grand Blvd.

This is all from the Kansas City Star, which writes of a six-story Western Auto Sign — with red, neon lettering and white, circular incandescent arrow have been part of Kansas City’s nightscape since 1952— has a long history of working and not working. At the turn of the millennium, they state, it was dark for 20 years.

This all sits atop a building that houses an HOA. Apparently the mayor and others contacted said HOA and its property management company at the Western Auto Lofts with the goal of co-sponsoring the sign, getting it fixed in time for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

So there was a virtual meeting with the HOA board.

On a Zoom meeting in January with HOA leadership and a member of the property management group, he provided an estimate to fix the sign: $200,000 minimum to get it relit, of which $80,000 would be used just for scaffolding. But there was no guarantee that the old sign would not break down again in several years, as it has in the past.

The union leader had another offer for the HOA, to ensure it got done right:

He said he estimated that it would cost about $600,000 to overhaul the sign. Instead of replacing the nearly 1,000 feet of cracked neon tubing and some 2,500 incandescent bulbs, he suggested they redo the sign with modern LED lights and electronics that would achieve the same effect of the historic sign.

The union would pick up the tab. There was a condition:

“They were all excited,” [union leader] Moreno said. “And I said, with the caveat that once the sign is completed, I said we’re going to add another sign at the bottom that says, ‘Powered by IBEW Local 124 and NECA Contractors of Kansas City.’ — as long as we get our credit.”

But the HOA didn’t want a “sponsorship” sign and declined the offer.  Instead, the HOA responded:

“We have another lower bid for repairing the neon and replacing the bulbs without a sponsorship. We’re glad we were able to include you in the bid process and appreciate the time you’ve already invested in building an estimate for this project.”

Sign of the times? Or a dimly lit proposal? You decide. Read the whole thing HERE.