scoop_booty t1_j9i5789 wrote on February 22, 2023 at 3:22 AM

I was president of an HOA for many years. The concept of an HOA is to protect the values of that particular community. They each have different covenants, for different reasons. Our greatest concern was an owner doing something that would bring down the value of our homes. Managing one is a pain in the ass. Most members are on the same page, but you've always got some kind of personal issue going.

Our covenants stated that if a member broke a covenant the association could, by law, do whatever it required to bring that property back into covenant and the owner would be charged for that. And if they didn't pay the association could put a lien on the property which would be satisfied whenever it sold....be that a year or 50 years.

The only time we enforced this was when someone didn't pay their annual dues (a whole whopping $50). You bought into a community that cares about their property, presumably. I would think you would want to honor the association covenants, not because they are rules, but because it would put you in good standings with your neighbors. But legally, they're probably not going to tow your trailer, because that just opens a can of legal worms....and they're probably not going to want to spend association funds to on a lawyer.

HalfADozenOfAnother t1_j9k1h67 wrote on February 22, 2023 at 3:34 PM

I'm on my HOA board. One rule is you have to pull your trash can up and keep it out of sight. Dude decided that was tyranny after a letter. Put up signs and flags while refusing to pull his trash can up. After being fined he decided he's going to sue us. Loses law suit and has to pay our court cost. Owes the subdivision just south of 10k. There's a lien on his house and the 10k is accruing interest. We could foreclose but the consensus is right now to let it go. He's not allowed on community property (pool) until he pays it. He vandalized (unproven) a board members home with spray paint and made some threats. Board member frequents pool with family so this person not being allowed gives people some peace

scoop_booty t1_j9k5f5g wrote on February 22, 2023 at 4:04 PM

I suppose there are millions of similar situations with HOAs. We had a member (Don) once tell us that he wasn't paying his $50 dues ($50!...that's all!) because the association didn't have any teeth. He was trying to prove a point that if he didn't pay the association wouldn't do anything. 60 days past the due date I let him know we were filing a lien if he didn't pay. He dared us. We filed, he got the notice, then paid his fee plus a $100 filing/late charge. Fucking idiot.

Don owned another lot in the subdivision. The lot next to his was always maintained and mowed. That person sold the lot to another party, who subsequently began his build. He poured the slab foundation and then the Don came over and said it was his lot. It turns out that for 10 years Don let someone else mow his property, allowed the new owner to pour a foundation, and THEN decided to let him know it was his property. There was a deed mixup and the realtor didn't catch it and the new owner neglected to do a survey...so it was ultimately the new owners fault for not being more diligent. The new owner told Don he'd trade him lots and pay extra, but Don, being the asshole he was, decided to strong arm the guy...told him that he'd sell him the lot for $20k more, now that it had a foundation on it! Can you believe that shit?! The new owner was so disgusted he sold the lot next door, as he said he didn't think he'd ever be able to live a day in that house looking at the lot next door and being reminded of the situation.

We no longer live in a subdivision, and I don't miss it at all. But, HOAs have a value, and the people buying property that comes with rules should abide by those coventants...or just not buy the property. Or, spend time getting to know the other members in the community and see if others feel the same way about a rule. Often times the members can vote to change or alter them...but you gotta engage....which is where I saw the greatest challenge. People didn't seem to care. We had a 100 members and it was like pulling teeth to get them to come to the annual meeting. At best, we had a half dozen couples show up...mainly next door neighbors who saw this a great opportunity to hang out and eat well :-). Ah...the days of HOA. :-)

Mungx t1_j9lzzsm wrote on February 22, 2023 at 10:55 PM

If you were a board member of an HOA and you issued a lien on someone's house for $50 or a lien for any reason tbh, you're a straight up sack of shit. We live in the stupidest fucking country in the world. Hoas are a fucking blight on society.

scoop_booty t1_j9m773j wrote on February 22, 2023 at 11:44 PM

Dang, why so hostile!?...and especially a fellow Ozarkian? Geez dude, did you get up on the wrong side of the keyboard?

I'm all about breaking rules, just ask that HP who gave me that last speeding ticket :-). At the same time, I also like to protect my investment, which is what an HOA fee is designed to do. Granted, some HOAs are overly strict...but if you sat on one of those boards, or any board of directors, you'd see there's a lot going on behind the scenes, most of it not very glamourous. Lots of selfish people out there that don't care about their neighbors. Personally, I'm all about neighbors, and I'm usually the first one to bring a welcome plate of cookies to a new neighbor. I think it makes a better world around me.

Mungx t1_j9mc3v0 wrote on February 23, 2023 at 12:20 AM

You're only about neighbors if they do as your authoritarian regime sees fit. How people feel so entitled to tell others they can build a shed or not or if their work truck is an eye sore or not just because you bought a 1/4 acre of land is fucking hilarious.