Stupid HOA or "I fought the law and the law won"

[Otter]

Do any of the bi-laws or other rules prevent you from recieving mass mailing from every relgious, political and ad baner list there is.

I have many time mis-typed my address when signing up for stuff, some times it takes several tries to get it right. Bummer of it is, i even forget my right name. Oh well, age and all ya know.

[glencross]

stupid HOA

sorry, guys, but what is a HOA when it's home?

[scorrpio]

When we were looking for a house, it was strictly no HOA. These things can totally mess up your life.

[cwsmith]

I've heard of HOA's, but fortunately I've never had to deal with one and hope that I never will. In some areas, they even regulate the color of your house and what you can or cannot do with your yard (like no bird baths or pink flamingos).

While I'm against such thiings (I have my share of hobbies), I can also understand them. We don't have one in my current neighborhood and while I do drag my power tools out to the deck (cellar is too shallow to stand) to do some projects, I am very much aware of not wanting to disturb my neighbors. I confine my power tool use from mid-morning until supper and that's the limit of it. I also try to do the noisy stuff while they're at work or away. There are times when I wish I could work earlier or later, but honestly I don't think I would appreciate my neighbor's saw if I was sleeping in or planning on catching a movie on TV.

My biggest problem here is my neighbors barking dogs (three little yelpers that loose their minds if anyone comes up the sidewalk) and the radio I hear all too often from the other neighbor. Yes, I like my hobbies, but I sure as heck don't like the noise from the neighbors either. Now if I could only get the wife to live in the country, all would be great. Fortunately the new home has a place for a basement shop and the walls are well insulated.

CWS

[wsuriano]

Real Concern

I am an attorney and part time woodworker. It surprised me in some reading I was just doing the per centage of new homes that are part of a HOA. As housing moves out of traditional single-family neighborhoods, almost everything being built is subject to CCRs. This encourages nothing but uniformity. Alaska everyone? Maybe we can establish a woodworkers HOA that requires late night projects, beer drinking, creativity and understanding.

[JTimmons]

HOA's are great for those guys who will leave junk cars in the front yards, but unfortunately they leave a whole lot of room for people that have nothing better to do with their time except b*tch about eveyone else.

Is it an attached garage that you are working in?

If so, technically it's NOT a hobby shop, it's a garage. I think any contractor or city inspector would back you on the definiton.

The hobby shop clause written in the rules was more than likely put there to keep people from adding unattached "sheds" or shops to their property without getting it approved first.

Make some room and park a car in it at night, let them argue with the city that it's a hobby shop. I'm sorry, but I wouldn't give in that easy, my love for WWing runs to deep to let it go without a fight and if it has to be a dirty fight so be it. Sounds to me like someone is abusing the HOA and it aint you.

[Derrick]

Alaska everyone? Maybe we can establish a woodworkers HOA that requires late night projects, beer drinking, creativity and understanding.

Sign me up...I'll buy one

[Scottydont]

HOA's are a PITA! I owned two properties that were subject to HOA rules. I admit that it did help us get a local homeowner to take care of a rental property that started to look like Sanford and Son. On the other hand HOA's create an evironment for little people to become power tripping ego maniacs that at times don't serve the interests of the community but serve to satisfy their own egos. After 15 years of dealing with egos and politics, I would never own an HOA property again. It's bad enough that the government tells us what we can or can't do with our property, I don't like an HOA doing it either.

[just4funsies]

I know just how to even the score... Sell your house for a hundred bucks to a bunch of He11's Angels! That'll take the property values and the environment to a level more befitting your neighbors.

[Ken Massingale]

Everyone is different, I know.
But, I have never understood why anyone would agree to let others tell them what they are allowed to do with and on their property.
ken

[rbfunk]

While the idea of a HOA is to protect the housing values of the neighborhood. the reality is that it is a bunch of unskilled (in management) cliques elected in a popularity contest.
They say you are operating a unapproved "hobby shop" , what consititues an approved hobby shop. If I do fly tying on my dining room do I need approval?
Are there specific noise levels allowed? Or do the restrictions just say something about excessive noise with no definition of "excessive".
Even though the HOA is not bound by the US Consitution, the board may not know that. Demand your right to face your accuser. How do you know if it's someone who likes to file nusiance complaints against everyone?
Does the HOA have a lawyer? It should. YOu might want to talk to the lawyer directly. You shouldn't have to pay him anything as you are representing yourself in a possible legal action.\As an aside, I heard a story about a guy who got feed up with his HOA. Just beore he moved, he took a gallon of each color paint approved by his HOA and mixed them. Then he painted his house with the mixture. The HOA sued of course. The judge ruled that the home owner did not violate the covenatns the way it was written.
I hate the idea of HOA's. To me they are nothing but an excuse for every busibody to control how everyone else lives.
Bob
P.S. I should have should at the begining, I am not a lawyer but I am sure that some of the REAL lawyers will correct any mistakes I have made.

[Stick]

I know just how to even the score... Sell your house for a hundred bucks to a bunch of He11's Angels! That'll take the property values and the environment to a level more befitting your neighbors.

The funny (sad) part about that is that the Angels would most likely be an improvement! Back when I did live in the city, I lived 2 doors down from a clubhouse. Yeah, there was some noise at times, but nothing ever happened on that street. Those guys policed themselves better than a convention of nuns and ministers! The cops were constantly on the prowl, but never stopped. Never had a legitimate reason to. Zero trouble on our street, I tell you, and it was in a rough section of town. It was the only time in the city I ever felt my wife and daughters were safe, and never had to worry about my own bikes or tools getting ripped off.

[LinuxRandal]

As an aside, I heard a story about a guy who got feed up with his HOA. Just beore he moved, he took a gallon of each color paint approved by his HOA and mixed them. Then he painted his house with the mixture. The HOA sued of course. The judge ruled that the home owner did not violate the covenatns the way it was written.

We had one on the Kansas side, a friend of mine knew. He painted his house, striped, every approved color. He originally painted it a color, that was on the same chip as the approved color, just two shades darker. They made him repaint it, he did the above. They sued, lost, payed his attorney fee's, and repainted the house, the non approved color, to avoid a huge fine.
As they press you about your shop, it unfortunately will make you become a miserable @$$#ole who will go looking for and turning in every complaint, and consider faxing to the complaint board at 2:30 am. One per page. Or one letter per page.

[jziegler]

These HOAs are just totally out of control. I'm like many others on here, no HOA for me. Instead, I bought in an old town, in town (across from the old high school, that's how center of town). You get some loud neighbors at times, the yard is small, but the people are mostly OK. No one complains about the gardening that would not go in a HOA (working on removing all grass in the front yard), and in fact as people walk by, many comment on how nice it is, how good it is to see a young couple doing so much work on their house, thing like that. It just amazes my how popular the HOAs have become. I know some like them just on the basis of them protecting property values, but I don't know if I totally buy that. To me, being in a HOA cuts the property value down a whole lot. I also don't like the sameness in those places. Way too boring. At least come up with more than 3 house designs... Ent of rant

-Jim

[JoeyGee]

No HOA for me

I am proudly in the "Never Own a Home with a HOA" club. The first time I heard of one of those, I laughed (no offense). I think it's ridiculous to pay money to have some armchair police enforce rules on you.

My wife and are pretty mean about it. My sister and family live in a new sub-division with all sorts of rules. We were over there recently discussing basketball hoops. They have to get the portable kind and put it away at dusk. We made it a point to discuss at length about how we didn't know which side of the driveway to mount the pole, or maybe we should put two in : )

We live in a great neighborhood with like-minded people. I know there is no guarantee that someone will not move in and do some bad things. I'll deal with that if it comes, which is a possibility, not a definite. A HOA would be a guarnanteed headache.