Anti-HOA organizations

[cully]

At ours an older man was thrown off his chair by the board president. The president was standing and had good leverage. A while later the older man suffered a stroke. At another meeting the president attacked a woman and backed her up to the edge of a deck with no rail. She let him have it in a clear loud but not crazy voice. He backed off.

[Sonic_Spork]

It definitely makes me sad how negative so many HOAs seem to be. I think there is a tremendous opportunity to make a neighborhood a better place to live and do positive things...but people lose sight of that in their little battles and dramas. I don't get it. Who wants to have lousy relationships with the people who live around them? Why wouldn't anyone rather have a nice BBQ or block party and all be friends? Who needs the stress of all that fighting and fussing?

[cully]

Originally Posted by Sonic_Spork

It definitely makes me sad how negative so many HOAs seem to be. I think there is a tremendous opportunity to make a neighborhood a better place to live and do positive things...but people lose sight of that in their little battles and dramas. I don't get it. Who wants to have lousy relationships with the people who live around them? Why wouldn't anyone rather have a nice BBQ or block party and all be friends? Who needs the stress of all that fighting and fussing?

I agree. And we did this in many hoas. Wonderful experiences.

[Bullitt007]

Facebook is also a valuable resource for our neighborhood...we can organize bbq's, fun events, day trips rather quickly.

Just a few weeks ago I hosted a bbq for the neighborhood. Knocked on doors and handed out flyers. Had a blast and met some new neighbors who had moved in the past 6 months and exchanged information (emails/facebook) and got to know each other better. I think we had about 20 at our first event and will so several more this summer/fall.

With social media available today, it's easy to plan an event...do a little legwork, use social media to communicate and just make it happen!

[bmuggs]

We ONLY became members of an hoa because it was required within the purchase agreement for our new KB home.
After 10 years of living a tortured life in a "stepford" neighborhood, I can say we are finally free from that hell.
For years I researched the web looking for some possible way to keep my wife's dream home, but OPT OUT OF THE hoa.
I realized that unless you're infinitely wealthy, you can only rid yourself of the hoa parasite by dying, or BY SELLING & MOVING !!! hoa's claim to be non profit, but we saw "our" hoa management co. double its office space and personnel to step up CC&R enforcement/profit. hoa's are a win-win for developers, municipalities, mgmnt co.'s, lawyers & powertripping "homeowner" board members. Most of the sheep "homeowners" don't rock the boat because they themselves believe in this system where one can advance a petty complaint against a neighbor without ever having to confront him face to face, all in the name of their supposed "house value" which trumps a defendant's personal liberty. If you pay off your home, you'll never own it. The hoa threatens to attach a lien onto "your" house if you refuse to comply with ANY of their demands. Any REAL infraction or issue w/neighbors is covered by local building and penal codes. hoa's and ccr's EXIST SOLELY TO SUPPORT THOSE WHO SEEK TO CONTROL THEIR NEIGHBORS DOMAIN. IN PURSUIT OF MONEY, "professional people" hover closely to service this perverse need - born from the paranoia prevalent in 55+ only communities. hoa's are the most wholly UNAMERICAN SCOURGE TO PERSONAL FREEDOM I AM AWARE OF. free at last, free at last.

[Vision67]

Originally Posted by bmuggs

We ONLY became members of an hoa because it was required within the purchase agreement for our new KB home.
After 10 years of living a tortured life in a "stepford" neighborhood, I can say we are finally free from that hell.
For years I researched the web looking for some possible way to keep my wife's dream home, but OPT OUT OF THE hoa.
I realized that unless you're infinitely wealthy, you can only rid yourself of the hoa parasite by dying, or BY SELLING & MOVING !!! hoa's claim to be non profit, but we saw "our" hoa management co. double its office space and personnel to step up CC&R enforcement/profit. hoa's are a win-win for developers, municipalities, mgmnt co.'s, lawyers & powertripping "homeowner" board members. Most of the sheep "homeowners" don't rock the boat because they themselves believe in this system where one can advance a petty complaint against a neighbor without ever having to confront him face to face, all in the name of their supposed "house value" which trumps a defendant's personal liberty. If you pay off your home, you'll never own it. The hoa threatens to attach a lien onto "your" house if you refuse to comply with ANY of their demands. Any REAL infraction or issue w/neighbors is covered by local building and penal codes. hoa's and ccr's EXIST SOLELY TO SUPPORT THOSE WHO SEEK TO CONTROL THEIR NEIGHBORS DOMAIN. IN PURSUIT OF MONEY, "professional people" hover closely to service this perverse need - born from the paranoia prevalent in 55+ only communities. hoa's are the most wholly UNAMERICAN SCOURGE TO PERSONAL FREEDOM I AM AWARE OF. free at last, free at last.

Sounds like you're a candidate for a double wide placed in the middle of a fenced 40 acre parcel.

[Sonic_Spork]

I honestly don't find my HOA that oppressive or problematic. I just don't.

But then again, mine only costs $70/year (which is nothing) and they do maintain some of the common areas, and the rules they have aren't that restrictive and are almost never enforced unless things get so perpetually bad that someone complains... I mean, you'd have to have a yard full of half-assembled rusty junk vehicles, 3 foot high weeds, exotic animals, something crazy for our HOA to step in and do anything, and you'd get plenty of warnings before any fine would be issued.

Oh, one thing that isn't completely outrageous that they don't allow: chain link fences. Fences in my neighborhood can only be made of wood. I'm completely OK with that, because a variety of different kind of fences makes a neighborhood like mine look bad, compared to the nice privacy fences we all have which are fairly uniform. Also, our HOA has been around since building first started in the neighborhood, so it's not like anyone moved in not knowing about it, or had it sprung on them as a surprise. Plenty of other neighborhoods nearby without an HOA. So I think it's silly for any of us in my spot to be complaining...no one held a gun to their head and made them move there. When you sign acceptance of the covenants, it's like any contract. You've agreed to live by the rules, so deal with it.