Anyone have any HOA horror stories? (Tucson: houses, landscaping, buying)

[Helena and mike]

That is why Mike and I are renting a home before buying. We know nothing of the area and when we buy we want to make sure that it will be a place where we and our animals will be happy. Hey the chickens will let you know when there is a hawk around, they make tons of noise to let everyone know.

[cheesecurd]

"read the CCRs very carefully before committing" I would say reading them 2-3 times as well as getting your lawyer to read them as well is a SMART IDEA!. Who knows the kind of CRAZY things they might toss in those rules! I read one on line yesterday that included NO OVER WEIGHT PETS!, this looks a little extreme but it couldn't hurt to study those documents with a magnifying glass! (my wife's chiwawa is 15 pounds over weight)

[Kimballette]

Originally Posted by cheesecurd

I read one on line yesterday that included NO OVER WEIGHT PETS!, this looks a little extreme but it couldn't hurt to study those documents with a magnifying glass!

In that case, my yellow Lab would be a deal breaker.

[Bummer]

Originally Posted by Helena and mike

That is why Mike and I are renting a home before buying. We know nothing of the area and when we buy we want to make sure that it will be a place where we and our animals will be happy. Hey the chickens will let you know when there is a hawk around, they make tons of noise to let everyone know.

I have absolutely nothing against chickens, Helene . . .

However, I would never want to live next door to them.

[Marcy1210]

Originally Posted by Jenmar1024

Our HOA is also not very responsive to complaints either. We have a neighbor who has a horse trailer out in his driveway for over 3 months. Good friends of ours that live across the street has complained no less than 3 times and the trailer is still there.

I don't know how your HOA works, but with ours, if they receive a complaint, they write the owner (and tenant if applicable) via certified mail, and the owner/tenant has 45 days to comply. If, after 45 days, the owner/tenant is still not in compliance, they receive a second notice via certified mail with another 45 days to comply. THEN, if there's still no compliance, they are fined up to $500.00 (depending on the infraction). They have 30 days to pay the fine AND comply. If they don't, then it's turned over to legal, and that can take another 90-120 days. So, all told, it could take 240 days, or 8 months, for a resolution to the problem. It's also in our CCR's that the violator will pay legal fees for any action brought against them.

We've been lucky that the 3 or 4 non-compliance reports we've had were brought into compliance almost immediately upon first notice. Also, we're a condo complex, and our monthly dues include our water bill, and generally runs about $150.00 a month, but we have a pool, hot tub, outdoor grills and picnic area, three excercise rooms, a conference center, business center, landscaping and maintenance, pest control, and free trash and recycling. So, I think we get a lot for our money.

[Jukesgrrl]

I appreciate my HOA. When I leave my development and see what many Tucsonans without benefit of one think is appropriate to do with their property, I'm glad I live where I can be pretty sure of what will be going on -- or not going on -- next door to me. I totally understand why many libertarian Arizonans get apoplectic at the mere mention of HOAs, but once in awhile they might want to ask themselves, "If HOAs are so terrible, why are so many people voluntarily living with one?"

[IC_deLight]

Originally Posted by Jukesgrrl

I appreciate my HOA. When I leave my development and see what many Tucsonans without benefit of one think is appropriate to do with their property, I'm glad I live where I can be pretty sure of what will be going on -- or not going on -- next door to me. I totally understand why many libertarian Arizonans get apoplectic at the mere mention of HOAs, but once in awhile they might want to ask themselves, "If HOAs are so terrible, why are so many people voluntarily living with one?"

1. HOAs do not offer a benefit to the involuntary members. That's why the membership is involuntary.
2. HOAs are a perpetual liability not an asset
3. The logic that people "voluntarily choose" to have housing burdened by "involuntary membership" is flawed at best.
4. Local government out there and everywhere else has also been mandating all new development to be HOA-burdened for quite some time. For a significant percentage of the population, choice is a myth. The other myths ("preserve property values", "democracy", etc.) are discovered shortly after purchasing property burdened by one.

Do not confuse numerosity with popularity. Numerosity does not equate to popularity regardless of whether you are talking about cockroaches, epidemics, or HOAs.

[Bummer]

Originally Posted by Jenmar1024

My Hubby and I recently purchased a home that is still considered a rural property but is located in a very small community.

We have an HOA and we dislike it. We pay $40 per month for what I feel is for nothing more than appearance police. They don't offer anything, they don't clean the streets, there is no community area (not even a small playground for kids) they don't even offer discounts for garbage pick up.

Our HOA is also not very responsive to complaints either. We have a neighbor who has a horse trailer out in his driveway for over 3 months. Good friends of ours that live across the street has complained no less than 3 times and the trailer is still there.

We are also displeased that they wont let us have a couple of Chickens, not Roosters but Hens...I thought we were in a rural area.../sigh

Just a few questions, Jenmar . . .

Have you attended an HOA Board Meeting to determine where and/or how your dues are being spent? If, as you state, they are doing nothing, the $480 per home annually must be creating quite a sizable reserve fund. Possibly your "do nothing" dues need to be adjusted once the fund reaches a certain level.

As for the Horse Trailer . . . are you certain it a violation of the CC&R's? Also, is it a violation of Town, City (if you are within Tucson City Limits) or County Zoning? Try contacting your County Supervisor and if it is in violation, it will be ticketed and impounded within 48 to 72 hours.

With all due respect, if I were in your position, rather than the "Po Me" approach, I would get involved. I became a Board Member because I wanted answers . . . definitely not to scam or punish my neighbors.

Good Luck

[rational1]

> Anyone have any HOA horror stories?

Wrong question. You want to know whether most people are happy with their HOA. Unfortunately you can't get a reliable answer to that as the unhappy are far more likely to be vocal. And you can't tell either from the prevalence of HOAs, as some unhappy people might just choose to deal with it.

You should for the particular association you are interested in (1) read the CC&Rs, understand them, and accept that you will have to live with them and (2) find out as much as you can about that particular association.

[rational1]

> 3. The logic that people "voluntarily choose" to have housing burdened by "involuntary membership" is flawed at best.

Could you point out exactly how this logic is flawed? Seems to me that everyone in an HOA has signed a contract, and not under compulsion.