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I used to have an HOA where I lived and I had to call the town on them! They installed hideous speed bumps in our neighborhood and didn't get our approval. They went back and forth with the town about them being compliant or not and the town told them to remove them or they will be fined per day they were there. Needless to say, they were removed and I was so proud of myself.
When I was buying a new house my #1 thing was no HOA, I have that now and it's been pretty awesome.
this is true... but surely the people living there can take control and disband???
I live in a neighborhood that has a homeowners association. Next year, on the 15th year anniversary of it, we get to vote on whether or not to keep it. The reason they are set up is to protect the builders' investment in the property/acreage they bought and developed giving them time to sell off all the houses they built. The idea is to keep the neighborhood values and look up with the rules that are established. I will vote to keep it. The rules are VERY reasonable. Like no one can fence in their front yard or park boats or motor homes over 12 feet in their front yards for more than 4 days in a row. We only pay $40 a year and they take care of streetlights and sidewalks and maintain weed control in a little lake we all have access to.
Our HOA is managed by a property management company and none of them live in the community.
Last edited by Wayland Woman; 08-12-2015 at 06:26 PM..
Not all HOAs will let you read the bylaws before purchasing the home. Even good HOAs can change to bad HOAs depending on the people who get on the board. Some get this power trip and use their authority to harass neighbors they don't like. If the neighbor isn't in violation, they'll write up new regulations and declare them in violation. They know their neighbors work schedule so they can schedule meetings when they know that neighbor is stuck at work. Instead of being polite and speaking WITH the neighbor about an infraction, they go straight to threats and warnings of fines or foreclosure on their home. Sure, I have neighbors with bad homes and yards. I don't have to live in their home or yard so I don't let it bother me. My home is neat and clean. I keep up my yard as best I can depending on weather (heavy rains make soft soil and fast growth here). If the neighbors are committing illegal acts or are in violation of city ordinances then let the city deal with them. Not worth starting a war with the neighbors over. I've seen some homes painted strange colors. Don't care! This particular home is painted in shades of purple. It's also the best maintained home and yard in the neighborhood where it's located and is landscaped with bushes and flowers the owner planted themselves. Though I don't like the color, I like the people and how they maintain their home. Screw HOA Nazis. I'll stay away from HOAs and enjoy the garden of life, both the flowers and the weeds.
Not all HOAs will let you read the bylaws before purchasing the home. Even good HOAs can change to bad HOAs depending on the people who get on the board. Some get this power trip and use their authority to harass neighbors they don't like. If the neighbor isn't in violation, they'll write up new regulations and declare them in violation. They know their neighbors work schedule so they can schedule meetings when they know that neighbor is stuck at work. Instead of being polite and speaking WITH the neighbor about an infraction, they go straight to threats and warnings of fines or foreclosure on their home. Sure, I have neighbors with bad homes and yards. I don't have to live in their home or yard so I don't let it bother me. My home is neat and clean. I keep up my yard as best I can depending on weather (heavy rains make soft soil and fast growth here). If the neighbors are committing illegal acts or are in violation of city ordinances then let the city deal with them. Not worth starting a war with the neighbors over. I've seen some homes painted strange colors. Don't care! This particular home is painted in shades of purple. It's also the best maintained home and yard in the neighborhood where it's located and is landscaped with bushes and flowers the owner planted themselves. Though I don't like the color, I like the people and how they maintain their home. Screw HOA Nazis. I'll stay away from HOAs and enjoy the garden of life, both the flowers and the weeds.
I agree completely. I don't care if people work on cars, motorcycles, don't mow their yard twice a week or paint their house whatever color. The real problem is rentals and HUD subsidizing the low class people to live in your neighborhood. If people own or pay for the property out of their own pocket, they usually have a vested interest in not ruining their neighborhood.
The idea of an HOA is a good one. The problem is all about the people running them. Some HOA's are good and most residents are satisfied. However most HOA's are as sick as those running them. These people seem to enjoy enforcing ridiculous rules and regulations simply to bolster their egos. Within most HOA's you find a core group that runs or is attempting to run the HOA for their own benefit. I suggest you stay far far away.
BTW, in most municipalities there are laws governing nuisance incidents including animal control, laws, noise, vehicles, etc.. If you take the time to investigate what is available you will see you don't need a HOA.
There is nothing wrong with people who rent. The problem is with the landlord. It is up to the owner to screen their tenants and to present a lease that protects the neighborhood as well as their property. You get slobs in both homeowners as well as renters.
I live in a 400+ single family HOA that turned 50 this year. There is one rule- no fences. Everyone knows this before they buy here. We are self- managed. No fines have ever been imposed.
The purpose of an HOA, as defined by the IRS, is to assess and collect funds adequate to maintain, repair and when necessary, replace common grounds/ amenities. Some associations go well beyond this and control resident behaviors and aspects of private property. Presumably a super majority of owners in the HOA want rules and regulation, else they would amend their governing documents.
Reading between the lines, it sounds like the purple playground people did not seek approval to paint purple, as required by the association's governing documents. Failure to comply with association rules can result in fines. There is typically an appeal process.
The association's governing documents and state laws determine the protocol for failure to comply. It's common for an association or designated agent to have the right to enter a yard and in this care, repaint the play structure and bill the owner for the expense.
It may also be possible for the association to fiine, place a lien on the property or in extreme cases, obtain a court order to compel the owner to comply and pay court costs.
Failure to comply is not going to result in jail.
Someone is pulling someone's leg.
Reasonable people would repaint the damn thing and be done with the matter.
No one is forced to live in an HOA, let alone one with serious restrictions.
Hoa can work great if you have the right leadership. The problem is the people who want to donate their time to run an HOA are exactly the type of people you don't want to have power.
Hoa leaders are usually busy body control freaks that enjoy power and rule with an iron fist. They care more about the letter of the law instead of the spirit of the law.
What first started as "making sure people don't paint ugly colors or junk in the yard" became requiring formal approval to plant annuals, not allowing various plant types, requiring grass watering during a draught so you either get fined by the HOA or fined by water district, etc.
No two HOAs are alike. Presumably a super majority of owners are OK with the association approving annuals else they would change the rules.
As an aside, most, if not all states ban certain invasive plant species. Selling certain plants across certain state lines is forbidden. Nonetheless, some people bring in forbidden plant stuff.
I am aware that some associations regulate plantings down to variety and color. Heck, some associations mandate white window treatments. None of this stuff is top secret. I cannot imagine buying property in an association without understanding the restrictions and the process to change restrictions.
I assume most owners within highly restrictive HOAs prefer to live with such restrictions, else they would change them.
. The hippie who had the brilliant idea of putting a large electrified peace sign on his roof. I could go on.
As I understand it, Houston has no codes that prevent owners from expressing themselves via their property.
There are neighborhoods where it seems most neighbors compete for the bizzare. Electrified signage is common. I saw a house with a neon Virgin Mary next to a beer sign. It's all so over the top that it is cool in a tacky way.
No surprise that so many HOAs in the communities surrounding Houston go to the other extreme.
My HOA could not prevent me from erecting a 12 foot electric peace sign on top of my roof. The 150 year old municipality however, would be all over it.
People who like HOAs enjoy having everything landscaped and clean. They don't want neighbors with junk cars on their yard. If there are problems, it's easier to address them with an HOA. It's also convenient to not have to deal with landscapers etc.
With that being said, I've lived in HOA communities and non-HOA and I definitely prefer NON-HOA communities, but I understand why some people like HOAs.
I live in an HOA. Nothing the HO cold do f I chose to park a junker on my lot. The municipality however would compel me to move it, chop- chop.
Each homeowner in my HOA is responsible for their own lawn. The HOA's purpose in limited to common elements, pool, tennis courts, private lake and serious acres of green space.
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