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Sorry for the length of this but this is something I have been reading about for a while and something most Americans are asleep at the wheel on. Mel Garbow a Washington land use lawyer said once preservationists "are like butterfly collectors: they don't have any appreciation for butterflies, they just want to have another one for their collection trophy case. You have a small group of politically adroit people who create a kind of city museum by requiring individual owners to make their buildings exhibitioins in this museum." When I originally heard of preservation I thought a few buildings here and there and yes I was in favor of it.
But I am seeing more and more historic districts spread like wildfire around the country where strict regulations are put in place not for the benefit of safety such as a permit to install a new electrical box (to avoid a fire) or to put up a new roof (to avoid it falling on you). Now we are onto how a property is allowed to look. I just find it hard to believe that some Americans are willing to give up more and more of their freedom and stand by silent. My uncle has a 1957 Chevrolet that is valued at over 150,000 dollars. Yet if he wishes to smash the car to pieces he is within his rights to do it.
But when it comes to our castles (our houses) we allow the government and preservationists who do not know their place to dictate aesthetics of our own houses. Some might claim that their neighbors house value effects theirs. My reply to that is that a house is bought to live in and not for a investment. This is in part why we are in the situation we are in. People buying homes as "investments" with the intention to sell them in a few years and make profits even though they could barely afford it.
If someone wishes to put their money in houses as a investment instead of the stock market that is their choice. But don't say your neighbors freedom to do with their house as they wish should be diminished because you made the choice to invest in real estate. I see this getting more and more out of control and some people just sitting back (preservationists call these people "takers" because they just sit back and are easy to win over).
If someone is for preservation they should "preserve" their own house. If they are for preservation and strict laws for a entire neighborhood then buy the whole neighborhood or urge the city to buy it and then you can preserve it. But to somehow say that because you believe a area should be preserved and therefore other homeowners should then be restricted is something out of that of a communist. I am a left leaning man and that is not a term I throw around a lot. The more I learn about the national preservation for historic trust which is funded by the federal government in part, I am seeing more and more they value dictatorship over freedom.
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Interesting. I have seen neighborhood groups do similar things. I was young when I went to the very first local neigborhood association meeting. There were some yuppie women and men sitting up front that started the group. They appointed themselves president vp etc. Within a week they are walking around the neigborhood taking notes and calling the city on people. They were new to the neighborhood btw. Pukes
Um, what?
People would be yanking down historic structures all over the place out of ignorance, if not for these laws.
These laws are in place for a reason.
Interesting. I have seen neighborhood groups do similar things. I was young when I went to the very first local neigborhood association meeting. There were some yuppie women and men sitting up front that started the group. They appointed themselves president vp etc. Within a week they are walking around the neigborhood taking notes and calling the city on people. They were new to the neighborhood btw. Pukes
I think the OP is bagging on historic preservationists, not the garden variety HOA fascists.
Um, what?
People would be yanking down historic structures all over the place out of ignorance, if not for these laws.
These laws are in place for a reason.
I see so your point is you need the government to protect my property I bought and paid for from myself. I am not saying that SOME properties should not be protected. But we are seeing thousands of individual properties listed and many many historic districts. As it has been said "When everything is historic, nothing is historic." People need to learn to mind their own business. BTW you prove my point...homeowners according to you are "ignorant" and therefore their property needs protected. Thats where you are wrong. It is their property and not yours.
I think the OP is bagging on historic preservationists, not the garden variety HOA fascists.
There is not much difference and it is sad you can not see that. HOA proponents say the lack of freedom of property owners is "for the good of the community". Hmmm I never hear that same excuse from fascists preservationists!
I see so your point is you need the government to protect my property I bought and paid for from myself. I am not saying that SOME properties should not be protected. But we are seeing thousands of individual properties listed and many many historic districts. As it has been said "When everything is historic, nothing is historic." People need to learn to mind their own business.
Actually, the laws are in place to protect the historic structures from people like you.
Dont like it, dont buy a historic structure.
See how easy that is?
There is not much difference and it is sad you can not see that. HOA proponents say the lack of freedom of property owners is "for the good of the community". Hmmm I never hear that same excuse from fascists preservationists!
I come from the oldest, most historic town in the upper Louisiana Territory, there isnt the slightest comparison between HOA trolls and historic preservationists.
Actually, the laws are in place to protect the historic structures from people like you.
Dont like it, dont buy a historic structure.
See how easy that is?
When historic districts move into areas where not all homeowners want to be a part of it, it is a problem. Get it? Property rights rest with individual property owners and not with preservationists who have way too much time on their hands!
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I know an idiot that couldnt afford his registered historic mansion, didnt pay the bills and the pipes froze. Flooded the place and nearly ruined it regardless of its spot on the historic registry. Whataya do?.
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