Overzealous homeowner's association

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hate people who put weeds in and call them wild wildflowers

State doesn't back you up.

http://www.plantnative.org/rpl-mdvawv.htm

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My HOA picks and chooses which regulations to enforce - generally the ones they choose not to enforce are the ones that would necessitate them to actually do something as opposed to sending out their childish newsletters.

I told them that until they choose to apply the regs fairly, they can kiss my ass with what they are arguing with me about, because it affects absolutely no one, compared to how what they are neglecting to do will negatively affect the neighborhood.

Courts will back you up. A HOA in Ffx Cty was bankrupted over a friggin Obama sign being 4" too high.

I know they will and I told them so. They are up in arms about the fact that I keep my garbage cans discreetly placed next to my house as opposed to inside my garage where they attract vermin. Yet they refuse to enforce the clearly stated rule that homeowners may not rent their properties, despite the fact that several homes have recently been purchased by investors and there are big signs out front advertising "FOR RENT." Those of us who paid a premium to actually live in the community do not appreciate investors renting homes to people who don't treat the homes well and act like low-class hillbillies. If I had wanted to live in the holler or the hood I would have moved there. I basically told them that when they work with realtors to stop letting people buy homes and rent them, I will put my garbage cans in my garage and not a moment before. And good fucking luck trying to charge me when I sell because I will take your ass to court out of principle and sue for every red cent of my HOA dues back in addition to the waiver of your petty "fines."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Keep fighting and run against her next year.

+1

HOA leaders are the worst. Maybe you can be the first "normal" one. what do your neighbors think about the wildflowers? will they support you?

maybe if they understand the community is supportive of your project, they will back down.

there are lawyers who specialize in HOA matters, if it comes to that.

Most neighbors love it. The children certainly do!

They were pissed because they forgot to take me off the short list, due to previous position on the board, and I called them on the satellite dish legalities. Apparently, I wasn't supposed to know, as a commoner neighbor, what they were up to.

I am more than willing to keep the property groomed - and have been They cannot force me to hire a fly by night to do the work on their timeline, since it is illegal for me to hire undocumented workers. Proper landscaping companies in VA are overbooked, and you need to get on their schedule. They need to understand their timeline realistic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My HOA picks and chooses which regulations to enforce - generally the ones they choose not to enforce are the ones that would necessitate them to actually do something as opposed to sending out their childish newsletters.

I told them that until they choose to apply the regs fairly, they can kiss my ass with what they are arguing with me about, because it affects absolutely no one, compared to how what they are neglecting to do will negatively affect the neighborhood.

Courts will back you up. A HOA in Ffx Cty was bankrupted over a friggin Obama sign being 4" too high.

I know they will and I told them so. They are up in arms about the fact that I keep my garbage cans discreetly placed next to my house as opposed to inside my garage where they attract vermin. Yet they refuse to enforce the clearly stated rule that homeowners may not rent their properties, despite the fact that several homes have recently been purchased by investors and there are big signs out front advertising "FOR RENT." Those of us who paid a premium to actually live in the community do not appreciate investors renting homes to people who don't treat the homes well and act like low-class hillbillies. If I had wanted to live in the holler or the hood I would have moved there. I basically told them that when they work with realtors to stop letting people buy homes and rent them, I will put my garbage cans in my garage and not a moment before. And good fucking luck trying to charge me when I sell because I will take your ass to court out of principle and sue for every red cent of my HOA dues back in addition to the waiver of your petty "fines."

Good for you. I have had raccoons in my garage due to the cans - as well as raccoons chewing through my roof.

I believe homeowners associations can't legally fine. They think they can, and do, but it's been shown in court they have no such power.

We are about to spend thousands fixing the driveway, walkway, and back patio, as well as pull out plants that died this summer as a result of last winter. Last winter created havoc, and Merrifield told me the true damage to some plants won't be realized until late in summer. Leaves on evergreens desiccated, and I lost numerous cherry laurels this summer, that appeared to have been fine in spring

Fight the hell out of them. I would have even noticed your trash cans. Sheesh!!

[Anonymous]

That's would NOT have noticed

[Anonymous]

There are HOAs that prohibit rentals?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I sure support you in principle, OP, but I do wonder why you felt the need to bring politics into it.

Because I find it incredibly ironic. And I am a principled person

I don't understand what is ironic. A Republican with a wildflower meadow? A conservative who conserves?

I also don't understand how immigration issues are relevant. The new HOA president wants you to mow. You don't want to mow, and you don't think you should have to mow. Presumably both of you are legally authorized to be in the US.

[Anonymous]

I love wildflower meadows!

You sound eminently reasonable, OP.

Keep communicating in a respectful, articulate fashion, and they'll have to back down in the end.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There are HOAs that prohibit rentals?

Yes, mine does. The idea is that it is a supposed to be a community of people who actually live there, not greedy developers who are just out to make money and ultimately neglect the property. The rentals are by far the saddest looking houses in the neighborhood - scraggly landscaping, toys left out, etc etc. I'm sorry, but the hillbillies can go rent somewhere else where that crap is commonplace. I bought into what was supposed to be a "nice" neighborhood for a reason. I basically told them to keep up the neighborhood pool, playground and communal landscaping and stop poking your pathetic noses around my house to see where I keep my garbage cans. I can't stand these petty little people who let some small-time role on an HOA board go to their heads.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are HOAs that prohibit rentals?

Yes, mine does. The idea is that it is a supposed to be a community of people who actually live there, not greedy developers who are just out to make money and ultimately neglect the property. The rentals are by far the saddest looking houses in the neighborhood - scraggly landscaping, toys left out, etc etc. I'm sorry, but the hillbillies can go rent somewhere else where that crap is commonplace. I bought into what was supposed to be a "nice" neighborhood for a reason. I basically told them to keep up the neighborhood pool, playground and communal landscaping and stop poking your pathetic noses around my house to see where I keep my garbage cans. I can't stand these petty little people who let some small-time role on an HOA board go to their heads.

+1. One of our top reasons for buying a house versus a town home was living next to less renters. We love that our neighbors will be here for years, versus getting a new neighbor yearly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are HOAs that prohibit rentals?

Yes, mine does. The idea is that it is a supposed to be a community of people who actually live there, not greedy developers who are just out to make money and ultimately neglect the property. The rentals are by far the saddest looking houses in the neighborhood - scraggly landscaping, toys left out, etc etc. I'm sorry, but the hillbillies can go rent somewhere else where that crap is commonplace. I bought into what was supposed to be a "nice" neighborhood for a reason. I basically told them to keep up the neighborhood pool, playground and communal landscaping and stop poking your pathetic noses around my house to see where I keep my garbage cans. I can't stand these petty little people who let some small-time role on an HOA board go to their heads.

Shorter PP: I don't think that the HOA has a right to tell me what to do with my property, but it does have a right to tell other people what to do with their property.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are HOAs that prohibit rentals?

Yes, mine does. The idea is that it is a supposed to be a community of people who actually live there, not greedy developers who are just out to make money and ultimately neglect the property. The rentals are by far the saddest looking houses in the neighborhood - scraggly landscaping, toys left out, etc etc. I'm sorry, but the hillbillies can go rent somewhere else where that crap is commonplace. I bought into what was supposed to be a "nice" neighborhood for a reason. I basically told them to keep up the neighborhood pool, playground and communal landscaping and stop poking your pathetic noses around my house to see where I keep my garbage cans. I can't stand these petty little people who let some small-time role on an HOA board go to their heads.

Shorter PP: I don't think that the HOA has a right to tell me what to do with my property, but it does have a right to tell other people what to do with their property.

No. I think they only have a right to tell me if they apply the rules fairly to everyone. Which they don't. So they can piss off and focus on the things that improve the community for everyone that they actually seem able to achieve - pool, playground, landscaping. They have proved imminently incapable of doing anything else. And they have no leg to stand on as a result.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are HOAs that prohibit rentals?

Yes, mine does. The idea is that it is a supposed to be a community of people who actually live there, not greedy developers who are just out to make money and ultimately neglect the property. The rentals are by far the saddest looking houses in the neighborhood - scraggly landscaping, toys left out, etc etc. I'm sorry, but the hillbillies can go rent somewhere else where that crap is commonplace. I bought into what was supposed to be a "nice" neighborhood for a reason. I basically told them to keep up the neighborhood pool, playground and communal landscaping and stop poking your pathetic noses around my house to see where I keep my garbage cans. I can't stand these petty little people who let some small-time role on an HOA board go to their heads.

Shorter PP: I don't think that the HOA has a right to tell me what to do with my property, but it does have a right to tell other people what to do with their property.

No. I think they only have a right to tell me if they apply the rules fairly to everyone. Which they don't. So they can piss off and focus on the things that improve the community for everyone that they actually seem able to achieve - pool, playground, landscaping. They have proved imminently incapable of doing anything else. And they have no leg to stand on as a result.

So if they made everybody have a golf-course lawn, that would be ok with you? Your objection is that you're the only one whose landscaping they're making a fuss about?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are HOAs that prohibit rentals?

Yes, mine does. The idea is that it is a supposed to be a community of people who actually live there, not greedy developers who are just out to make money and ultimately neglect the property. The rentals are by far the saddest looking houses in the neighborhood - scraggly landscaping, toys left out, etc etc. I'm sorry, but the hillbillies can go rent somewhere else where that crap is commonplace. I bought into what was supposed to be a "nice" neighborhood for a reason. I basically told them to keep up the neighborhood pool, playground and communal landscaping and stop poking your pathetic noses around my house to see where I keep my garbage cans. I can't stand these petty little people who let some small-time role on an HOA board go to their heads.

Shorter PP: I don't think that the HOA has a right to tell me what to do with my property, but it does have a right to tell other people what to do with their property.

This is what I saw. The hillbillies leave toys out but I should be able to leave my garbage cans out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are HOAs that prohibit rentals?

Yes, mine does. The idea is that it is a supposed to be a community of people who actually live there, not greedy developers who are just out to make money and ultimately neglect the property. The rentals are by far the saddest looking houses in the neighborhood - scraggly landscaping, toys left out, etc etc. I'm sorry, but the hillbillies can go rent somewhere else where that crap is commonplace. I bought into what was supposed to be a "nice" neighborhood for a reason. I basically told them to keep up the neighborhood pool, playground and communal landscaping and stop poking your pathetic noses around my house to see where I keep my garbage cans. I can't stand these petty little people who let some small-time role on an HOA board go to their heads.

Shorter PP: I don't think that the HOA has a right to tell me what to do with my property, but it does have a right to tell other people what to do with their property.

No. I think they only have a right to tell me if they apply the rules fairly to everyone. Which they don't. So they can piss off and focus on the things that improve the community for everyone that they actually seem able to achieve - pool, playground, landscaping. They have proved imminently incapable of doing anything else. And they have no leg to stand on as a result.

So if they made everybody have a golf-course lawn, that would be ok with you? Your objection is that you're the only one whose landscaping they're making a fuss about?

It's not my landscaping. It's the location of my garbage cans. I actually think the rule that you have to keep them in your garage is terrible because it invites vermin into your house that cause damage and money to control and I've told them so. But I also refuse to comply with it when they selectively choose which rules to apply and which to overlook based on whether or not it is easy for them to address. If they are not going to apply all of the HOA covenants evenly and consistently, they have no leg to stand on at all, because the entire governing document is meaningless. Therefore sure, I'll pay my dues to maintain the pool, playground and community landscaping. Beyond that, they need to STFU and get out of my face.