Does anyone out there really like HOA's (Home Owner Associations)? (Cove: apartment, mattresses)

[ChristieP]

Originally Posted by BigDGeek

This demonstrates that HOAs are unnecessary for people of a certain class/level of intelligence. If you have to be restricted from doing the above things, then maybe you do need an HOA. But most reasonably intelligent, educated adults do not have to even be told not to do the above things.

Exactly!!! We Grapevine folks are pretty classy, so we don't need an HOA telling us what to do!

There are no basketball hoops in the street in my neighborhood, either. There is one house (occupied by an elderly couple who often are out working in their yard) that has a couple of angel sculptures in their front flowerbeds. They do such a good job of maintaining their yard that I'm willing to overlook the tacky sculptures...

[IC_deLight]

Originally Posted by FarNorthDallas

Do cities like HOA's because it transfers the cost of maintaining common areas from the city to the homeowners?

Absolutely, that's why cities are mandating them and have been mandating them for a couple of decades in Texas. The city of Garland has representatives testifying to that effect before the Texas State Legislature the last several sessions. This is a disease that has been spreading for a while. The city/county comes up with some "public benefit" that will be mandated for the property (open area, water retention, etc.) and then mandates a private method for taking care of it. Even in areas where the HOA has become defunct, the cities/counties are suing to force creation/revival of an HOA to assume those public responsibilities.

Not only does it eliminate the cost of maintaining those areas, it also ensures that the so-called common areas are privately owned and therefore subject to taxation. If the city/county owned them those areas would be exempt from the tax roles. Instead the city/county is mandating these areas in subdivisions but they are privately owned. This means they will be on the tax roles and privately maintained at the expense of the homeowners in that subdivision. The HOA owns the common area, not the homeowners.

[momof2dfw]

Originally Posted by IC_deLight

Absolutely, that's why cities are mandating them and have been mandating them for a couple of decades in Texas. The city of Garland has representatives testifying to that effect before the Texas State Legislature the last several sessions. This is a disease that has been spreading for a while. The city/county comes up with some "public benefit" that will be mandated for the property (open area, water retention, etc.) and then mandates a private method for taking care of it. Even in areas where the HOA has become defunct, the cities/counties are suing to force creation/revival of an HOA to assume those public responsibilities.

Not only does it eliminate the cost of maintaining those areas, it also ensures that the so-called common areas are privately owned and therefore subject to taxation. If the city/county owned them those areas would be exempt from the tax roles. Instead the city/county is mandating these areas in subdivisions but they are privately owned. This means they will be on the tax roles and privately maintained at the expense of the homeowners in that subdivision. The HOA owns the common area, not the homeowners.

FYI, what the private property owner HOA pays in taxes for these common areas is miniscule. Most are valued VERY LOW. For instance our neighborhood swim & rec club that has a pool, 2 story clubhouse, playground, tons of green space is valued on the DCAD at $120 TOTAL MARKET VALUE. The 2009 property taxes assessed on this piece of property are a whooping $3.07. The city is hardly getting rich off of that.

And yes, the HOA owns the common areas. I don't want to own them. That is why it is called a "common" area.

[matt22]

Land of the free means land of the free, isn't that what the terrorists hate us for? When you live in an HOA, you pay to give up your rights, makes not sense to me and it is a slap in the face of our armed forces.

[Willsson]

Does anyone out there really like HOA's (Home Owner Associations)?

I'll take an HOA over my neighbor parking his truck in his yard. Though right now I don't live in an HOA area and my neighbor DOES park his truck in his yard. Right in front of the front porch.

[jcl_cls02]

Originally Posted by willsson

does anyone out there really like hoa's (home owner associations)?

i'll take an hoa over my neighbor parking his truck in his yard. Though right now i don't live in an hoa area and my neighbor does park his truck in his yard. Right in front of the front porch.

+1

[MurphyPl1]

Originally Posted by matt22

Land of the free means land of the free, isn't that what the terrorists hate us for? When you live in an HOA, you pay to give up your rights, makes not sense to me and it is a slap in the face of our armed forces.

You are FREE to CHOOSE to live in an HOA. You have the RIGHT to CHOOSE to live in a non-HOA neighborhood.

[MckinneyOwnr]

Originally Posted by matt22

When you live in an HOA, you pay to give up your rights, makes not sense to me and it is a slap in the face of our armed forces.

Not exactly. I pay my HOA to make sure that they are keeping any idiotic neighbors in check, who don't know how or are unwilling to maintain their yard for example. I pay them to make sure that the one guy on the corner, whose car is covered in political bumper stickers, isn't allowed to post a million political signs in his yard. I pay the HOA to keep people from doing tacky things to their house, and lowering the value of the neighborhood.

It used to be that people didn't need an HOA to enforce things like this, people did it themselves. Unfortunately, that is no longer the case.

(And finally, I know plenty of former servicemen who live in gated, HOA communities and love it for the peace, quiet, and order. If it's good enough for Colin Powell, it's good enough for anyone who has served. )

[Squidlo]

My home was built in 1975. It still looks stunning. It will remain so under my care. I just re read the deed restrictions. The more I read the more I like my HOA. Perfectly reasonable. I didn't move here so I could share my vision of tacky lawn art with the world. I don't have to see any either. Life is too short to have to deal with the BS I have endured in an inner city neighborhood. Seriously, if you don't like the idea of a HOA don't live in an area that has one.

[sossie]

I personally love we live with a HOA now-ours is so low key but everyone keeps everything nice and the common areas look great. Where I used to live was a very affluent area and yet my neighbor had a dumpster in their front yard while renovating -for four years!!! They threw all their household rubbish in there as well -I'm sure you can imagine the result-my other neighbors who I was good friends with mowed their grass just twice in the growing season-they spent all their time at a their beach house so it got mowed the day before school went back-people across from us were constantly renting out there house so they left their trash barrels on the street all week and whenever they had visitors they seemed to think my driveway was the place to park because we had a big driveway and they were to lazy to park in the correct one. Most people didn't even bother shoveling their walk when it snowed ....And I wont even get into people maintaining the outside of their home....When we put our house on the market I mowed my neighbors yard and hoped everyone's yard would be ok...