Here is a dumb HOA rule...

[sdarwkcabemanmy]

So if the rule was created after he was a homeowner was he notified by certified mail that there would be a meeting? Was he notified by certified mail that there were new rules? Can the HOA prove that he was notified of the new rules? If not then how could a court uphold the rule if all of the homeowners were not notified?

He wouldn't have to be notified by certified mail, AFAIK. They would just have to send him some sort of a letter or postcard or something. We've gone through a few changes in our HOA and not once were we notified by certified mail of the changes.

From what I understand, they DO have to publish the dates/times of their board meetings whether or not they are public. Same for the HOA's annual meeting which is supposed to be public.

 

[SplshMtn99]

Just another reason why you should READ the rules before you ever make an offer to buy. We did. Ask to see a copy. Don't sign anything until you read the rules & accept them. Yes, there might be stupid rules, but by buying, you are agreeing to them.

Our rules are normal rules & don't have any problems with them.

 

[Planogirl]

Just another reason why you should READ the rules before you ever make an offer to buy. We did. Ask to see a copy. Don't sign anything until you read the rules & accept them. Yes, there might be stupid rules, but by buying, you are agreeing to them.

Our rules are normal rules & don't have any problems with them.

The problem is that this rule was apparently added after the man moved into the neighborhood. Plus the mail service is some of the worst anywhere and chances are he never got notification of a rules change.

It's a strange town.

 

[JVL1018]

Does every single house in your town have a garage/driveway? I could not imagine not being able to park on the street overnight. I dont have a driveway. I feel bd with those that hve a few teens at the same time and have more than 2 cars.

I believe so, yes. Maybe not everyone has a garage, but everyone has a driveway, I have never seen a house without one in this town(or anywhere for that matter).
There is an apartment complex and those residents are allowed to park in the street, but those are the only few streets it is allowed on.
Otherwise, the law is no parking from 2-5am.
People who have more cars than driveway expand their driveway.

 

[Papa Deuce]

The problem is that this rule was apparently added after the man moved into the neighborhood. Plus the mail service is some of the worst anywhere and chances are he never got notification of a rules change.

It's a strange town.

See? I kept saying that was a possibility.

 

[tonilea]

Dumb rule.....created by foolish people trying to impress other foolish people they don't know or like.

 

[DISUNC]

is there a gun to his head to live there?

No the gun is in the back of his Pick Up truck!


I almost bought a house where the HOA said you cant have any outdoor Bar-B-Ques or (get a load of this..) Babies (in front or behind the property) with Noticeable diaper showing!!!!!!!!

Fuggedaboudit!

 

[PlainJane]

Gotta admit it is a stupid HOA rule. BUT he knew the rules when he bought the house.

HOAs make up rules on a constant basis, they get a kick out of it.

I have no idea why people would chose to live in these Stepford communities. I prefer to live in a real community where people can do what they want on their own properties so long as it isn't illegal.

I know, were I live at least, all new houses built since the late 90s are in HOAs. There also aren't a whole lot of empty lots to build your house on, so if you wanted a new house without the HOA, you would have to move to the middle of nowhere. Even our older communities have HOAs.

Where he live this might not be a problem.

And maybe that is because the majority of the homeowners support this rule.

And maybe he didn't know about the rule because he didn't get involved. Ignorance is no defense.

Our HOA made a rule that all mail boxes had to be constructed with wood, after half the neighborhood had already shelled out the money for brick mailboxes.

First of all, the rule didn't make sense, second only people who had already built the mailbox received a notice, and they were charging a monthly fine.

They did eventually overturn the rule after about two months, I don't think they ever returned money though, even though most people probably just ignored the fines.

Just another reason why you should READ the rules before you ever make an offer to buy. We did. Ask to see a copy. Don't sign anything until you read the rules & accept them. Yes, there might be stupid rules, but by buying, you are agreeing to them.

Our rules are normal rules & don't have any problems with them.

Rules change, as I stated above. If you just happen to have an HOA that isn't on a power trip consider yourself lucky.

 

[ajk912]

Why would you care if a neighbor parked in the street? Most people around us have 3-5 cars per house and only one can go in the garage and one can go in the driveway so where would you expect them to park their other 1-3 cars??

Maybe I just don't get why you would need that many cars? One car per driver, so there is one teenager on my street that I know of..so that house I totally understand 3 cars for that house- but any others? I don't get why you need so many cars? Really, the reason they have so many cars isn't the issue- one family expanded their driveway so they can fit all their cars in the driveway, which was awesome.

My issue is driving down the street. When the road becomes a one lane road because of all the cars parked in the road (it's normally a three lane road, so if cars are parked one side it's fine, both sides is bad!) I see it as a huge safety hazard. Especially since you can't necessarily see around you to see if a car is coming. I live 1/5 mile from an elementary school, there are always a ton of kids playing.

 

[ChristmasElf]

That's my point, sort of... what if the "acceptable" brands of vehicles were a little older and rusty, or maybe damaged? That's OK? But a brand spanking new vehicle in not OK?

If I were him I would get a rusted out "acceptable" truck and put that in my driveway.

You won't find too many "rusted out" cars or trucks in Texas.

 

[freckles and boo]

No the gun is in the back of his Pick Up truck!


I almost bought a house where the HOA said you cant have any outdoor Bar-B-Ques or (get a load of this..) Babies (in front or behind the property) with Noticeable diaper showing!!!!!!!!

Fuggedaboudit!

WTH?

Prohibiting BBQs and baby butts is completely unAmerican. Sounds like you dodged a bullet.

 

[SandraVB79]

At some point in my life, I dreamt of living in the US.
The more I read threads like these, I am glad I live where I do.
Do people there have nothing better to do than worry about which car should and should not be in a driveway? They must be quite happy people, if that's the worst thing on their minds...

 

[freckles and boo]

At some point in my life, I dreamt of living in the US.
The more I read threads like these, I am glad I live where I do.
Do people there have nothing better to do than worry about which car should and should not be in a driveway? They must be quite happy people, if that's the worst thing on their minds...

Most of America is not like this and most Americans don't live with these ridiculous, extreme restrictions. Home Owner's Associations are usually found in new housing developments or condos where people believe they can create a peaceful utopia if every mailbox looks the same and nobody has a shed or a fence over four feet tall. That doesn't mean the rest of us live in chaos. Every town and village around here has common-sense public safety rules that serve the same function that HOAs claim to serve, plus they have the legal authority to take action when those ordinances are violated. My neighbors somehow manage to maintain their lawns and keep their junkers off the streets without an HOA.

 

[aprilgail2]

Do people there have nothing better to do than worry about which car should and should not be in a driveway? They must be quite happy people, if that's the worst thing on their minds...

I agree! But ts not like that everywhere- in fact the only place I know around here you can't park in the streets in in the city! And there you can park in the street but it is alternate side of the street parking and you have to move your car from one side one day to the other the next. So if you move here just make sure to go to a HOA-less area!

 

[SandraVB79]

My neighbors somehow manage to maintain their lawns and keep their junkers off the streets without an HOA.

I know it isn't to be generalized, but there are so many topics on the DIS that amze me, that sometimes I wonder how I survived all those weeks as an exchange student

 

[SandraVB79]

I agree! But ts not like that everywhere- in fact the only place I know around here you can't park in the streets in in the city! And there you can park in the street but it is alternate side of the street parking and you have to move your car from one side one day to the other the next. So if you move here just make sure to go to a HOA-less area!

My list of "be aware of" is getting longer and longer!
- no HOA-area
- only poop in the morning, before you shower
- never reuse towels
- don't take lunches that contain peanuts, eggs, or whatever
- never accept or offer self-baked goods, because you don't know what's in it
- dressing rooms in department stores are gender-specific
- don't drink if there are children around

I already forgot so many of them. It just makes my head spin and gives me a headache

 

[freckles and boo]

My list of "be aware of" is getting longer and longer!
- no HOA-area
- only poop in the morning, before you shower
- never reuse towels
- don't take lunches that contain peanuts, eggs, or whatever
- never accept or offer self-baked goods, because you don't know what's in it
- dressing rooms in department stores are gender-specific
- don't drink if there are children around

I already forgot so many of them. It just makes my head spin and gives me a headache

I think you are right. We have WAY too much time on our hands.

 

[Mr. & Mrs. Smith]

He wouldn't have to be notified by certified mail, AFAIK. They would just have to send him some sort of a letter or postcard or something. We've gone through a few changes in our HOA and not once were we notified by certified mail of the changes.

But I think the PP was looking at it from a legal perspective. I do believe that there are certain ways that people have to be notified of these changes that would actual hold up in court. For example, you can't evict a tennant by sending them a postcard. Why? Because it could easily be lost in the mail and that person could claim they never received the notification. Wouldn't the same be true for these drastic changes from the HOA?

I believe so, yes. Maybe not everyone has a garage, but everyone has a driveway, I have never seen a house without one in this town(or anywhere for that matter).

Have you never been to a big city?

Maybe I just don't get why you would need that many cars? One car per driver, so there is one teenager on my street that I know of..so that house I totally understand 3 cars for that house- but any others? I don't get why you need so many cars?

And I don't get why you care. No offense but it's really not your business why people have multiple cars, tvs, children, etc. It's just not. You can't micromanage other people's lives. That's what's so great about being free.

 

[Miz Diz]

If they changed the rules afterwards, wouldn't they have had a vote for the change? My covenants say that the rules can not be changed without 75% of the homeowners agreeing to the change.

As far as parking on the street. For those who don't have a driveway and are parking on the street, I'm sure you are parking in designated parking spots. Otherwise you would be towed, right. If you don't have a driveway, do you live on a busy street, in a city with lots of traffic? City housing is the only place I've ever seen that doesn't have driveways. My inlaws used to have a house in the city without a driveway. They had marked parking on the street. That's different than parking on a street in the neighborhood that is actually blocking the street where cars are supposed to be traveling.

Every house in my neighborhood has a 2 or 3 car garage and driveway. My neighbor has a 3 car garage with only 2 cars, but he parks one of his vehicles on the street. It is not safe - there is a curve that begins where he parks and it is an inconvenience when I have to stop to wait for other traffic to come by. It is also in the covenants that this is not allowed. He doesn't get towed because our traffic is only from the neighborhood. There is only 1 way in and out. The police don't patrol it unless someone calls asking for the police to come out.

 

[Hercules10]

HOAs make up rules on a constant basis, they get a kick out of it.

Then that "kick" is also explained in the CCRs. And I bet he signed a document saying he received those CCRs when he closed on his house.

People that complain about their HOAs are like folks who buy a house next to an airport then complain about the noise. They knew it was there but moved in anyway.