Post your HOA complaints here : )

[golfgal]

We have a HOA and I love it. No cars on blocks, motorhomes in the driveways, garbage in the front yards. Everything is very nice and tidy and even though some of the rules are a little irritating, I am very happy living in a community that has one. I don't know about the OP, but we received every rule of the HOA before we bought, so no surprises for us. We knew everything there was to know and agreed to it at the time of purchase.

We can put our lights out whenever or if we wish. We used to live near a community that would only allow white lights and greenery as decorations on their houses. I am sure they had to agree with that when they bought into the community, but anyway, it looked very nice and tasteful.

ETA: HOAs can fine you, and attach a lien to a property if the owner doesn't pay. When it comes to selling the house, the lien will show up.

I am just amazed that people NEED a HOA at all. We have never lived in a community with one and have never needed one either. No one has cars up on blocks or garbage all over their yards. People manage to pull their garbage cans back into their garage in a timely manner without fear of having a lien put on their house. It is really too bad that people live in areas where a HOA is necessary vs living in an area where people are just plain old responsible

 

[pansmermaidzlagoon]

We live in a development with an HOA and, for the most part, they concentrate on the important things and don't sweat the small stuff. So, no major complaints.

Not only can we have blow ups, one neighbor has every blow up available. It is done as nicely as possible and it works. The kids and many of us really like it. He IS thumbing his nose at the HOA though. He does so just within the rules (take them down by the end of January) and because the HOA once refused to allow him to put a large statue in his front yard. It now sits in his backyard. I don't see the big deal, but it must have been to him. Otherwise, they are very nice people.

I would never buy a house with an HOA without first getting a copy of the rules and knowing what I was getting into. I grew up in the area when the "project" was being built and had an idea of what to expect, but I wanted to know for sure.

 

[diznygirl]

I am just amazed that people NEED a HOA at all. We have never lived in a community with one and have never needed one either. No one has cars up on blocks or garbage all over their yards. People manage to pull their garbage cans back into their garage in a timely manner without fear of having a lien put on their house. It is really too bad that people live in areas where a HOA is necessary vs living in an area where people are just plain old responsible

Our HOA is mainly for the purpose of maintaining the amenities like the parks and pools and for planning activities. The neatness of the community is secondary.

I love reading about other HOA rules - makes me feel so good about ours. No limit on blow-ups or lights - in fact the HOA is sponsoring a decorating contest.

 

[Carly_Roach]

NEVER in a million years will I ever live in a community with a HOA. No way someone else is going to tell me what to do with my own home.

Ditto.

 

[diznygirl]

NEVER in a million years will I ever live in a community with a HOA. No way someone else is going to tell me what to do with my own home.

BTW - local, county and state ordinances tell you what to do with your home.

 

[happygirl]

I could never live in a HOA way to many rules and regulations to many people telling me what I can and can't do on my property.

 

[happygirl]

BTW - local, county and state ordinances tell you what to do with your home.

I don't recall them telling me what color I can paint my house. I have never had them tell me what color of Christmas lights I can put up or when I can put them up

 

[disney1990]

Now don't get me started on the clothes lines. I am a very 'green' person, and I don't like it that I can't have a nice looking, retractable clothesline in the summer

Some States are passing laws that clothes lines MUST be allowed. Check with your State representative and urge them to get with the program.

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2009/10/fight_to_legali.php

And it's why the list of states that have passed laws overriding the outdated laws of community associations is growing: Utah, Florida, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine and Vermont have all drawn a line in the sand and restored the resident's right to act in an environmentally conscious way by drying laundry on a clothesline. Maryland, North Carolina, Oregon and Virginia have similar bills pending.

 

[sorcerormickey]

I only have 1 complaint with my HOA and it is the same complaint that almost everyone in my neighborhood has - the pool/basketball court/park.

NO ONE uses the pool - every other house in my neighborhood has a pool - it's FLORIDA! The pool is never used, even on the hottest days. Thousands of dollars wasted on care and upkeep of something that is not used.

The Basketball Court was being used by ppl who do not live here. HOA put up a sign that stated for neighborhood homeowner's only - obviously that didn't work. A neighbor that lives next to the court took it upon himself to take down the rims. HOA replaced. Neighbor took down again. HOA replaced, again and again and again in a never-ending circle. HOA finally gives up and the court looks ghetto-ish.

HUGE amounts of $ are wasted in these areas and HOA says it is too expensive to demolish. But we are spending thousands upon thousands of dollars to keep up things that aren't used.

 

[Carly_Roach]

BTW - local, county and state ordinances tell you what to do with your home.

Local, county and state ordinances are very broad and speak mostly to health issues (gasoline leaking into the soil from cars on blocks, house must be up to code, etc). They don't tell you that all your curtains must have white backing, you can only have 14 bushes and two trees, or you can't park your car in your driveway - garage only.

I can live with local, county and state ordinances. The people mad with power there typically prey on the people within their own offices. Power-mad HOA Presidents and members, however, prey on everyone within the neighborhood.

 

[golfgal]

Our HOA is mainly for the purpose of maintaining the amenities like the parks and pools and for planning activities. The neatness of the community is secondary.

I love reading about other HOA rules - makes me feel so good about ours. No limit on blow-ups or lights - in fact the HOA is sponsoring a decorating contest.

Our city takes care of these for us-we have BEAUTIFUL parks.

 

[Katie's Butterflies]

I could list a million and one things that I hate about my parent’s current HOA. Well actually, it’s the board members I have the problem with. They do not follow the statewide HOA rules at all. Our CC&Rs have not been updated since the originals (27 years ago) and yet the rules keep changing. Of course, they don’t legally have to tell homeowners about the rules because they’re supposed to send out the updated CC&Rs (which has the new rules in it) But since they haven’t updated it, they don’t send it out, so we have all these unwritten rules that change on the whim of a couple of board members.

For instance, my dad was in the hospital, so we hadn’t used his car in about 3 or 4 days. We had just gotten home and headed inside relieved that my dad was finally out of the ICU. I was in the kitchen when I heard a weird noise outside. I went out and a security company was towing my dad’s car! I asked what they were doing since the car was in my parents' driveway. They said that the car had been parked for 3 days so they were going to tow it! My mom talked to them and the tower said that he would unhook the car (it wasn’t fully hooked up yet and still on my parents' driveway) for $170 otherwise we could pay 240 to retrieve it from the lot.

We found out at the monthly board meeting that the HOA had hired a security company without telling anyone, and had decided that no cars could be parked for more than 3 days otherwise they would be towed. This includes vacations etc.
Thankfully, a board members car was towed, so the security company was dropped and the stupid rule lifted.

Did I mention I hate the current board members?

 

[SaraJayne]

I am just amazed that people NEED a HOA at all. We have never lived in a community with one and have never needed one either. No one has cars up on blocks or garbage all over their yards. People manage to pull their garbage cans back into their garage in a timely manner without fear of having a lien put on their house. It is really too bad that people live in areas where a HOA is necessary vs living in an area where people are just plain old responsible

Exactly what I was thinking. Our subdivision mananges just fine without one.

 

[ericamanda01]

BTW - local, county and state ordinances tell you what to do with your home.

That's true, but I doubt the state cares what color I paint my house, when I put up decorations and what vehicles are in my own driveway.

 

[Carriemel]

My HOA sent me a letter to remind me that we could not have Christmas lights turned on before 11/26 and that they would like every house to have lights on it before the 1st.

Yeah well my DH is a fireman so he is gone for 24 hours at a time and is working overtime. We wont have our outside lights on by the 1st unless I get moved up on the list of the light guy , my DH will have to hang them this year so that wont be happening by the requested time .

Ok, so EVERY house is REQUIRED to have lights? So what happens if...oh, say, someone who doesn't celebrate Christmas lives in one of the homes? Wow...that seems like it'd be a problem...

 

[quentina]

That's just crazy. I'd put them up on the 7th or 10th and see what they say about it.

Or...what if your religion does not celebrate Christmas??

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

That's true, but I doubt the state cares what color I paint my house, when I put up decorations and what vehicles are in my own driveway.

For historical homes, they do control the color of the house.





We do not have an HOA. WE mostly manage fine, but there are moments where it would be nice. (like when it is a pain to back out of my driveway b/c the person across the street parks in front of there house in the spot I need to get out of my driveway. It gets annoying.

But there are times where I am glad. Our home needs some work, that a regular community would expect to be fixed rather immediately. We take care of our home as is. But we don't have the spare change to replace all of our windows and restucco at the moment. But we keep our yard and home exterior as tidy as we can. I do refer to my house as the eyesore on the street.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Ok, so EVERY house is REQUIRED to have lights? So what happens if...oh, say, someone who doesn't celebrate Christmas lives in one of the homes? Wow...that seems like it'd be a problem...

I don't think a neighborhood can have rules that violate the constitution--or can they?

There is a faith that comes to mind that doesn't celebrate any holiday in any way--so fining them for not doing something that is against their faith, would be illegal, wouldn't it?

 

[Mad4Mickey]

I think they mean if you are going to put up lights thatthey would like for you to have it done by the 1st .I do not think it is a requirment to live here though : )

I hate to say this because it sounds bad but it does make me wanna go and buy a giant blow up and put it right out front .

They do a great job with the pools and the playgrounds and stuff. Did bug me that we were only allowed 2 key cards to use the pools . I tried to trick them and say I lost one and even paid the 25 bucks for the new one and the deactivated the card I told them I lost

 

[aprilgail2]

I so would never live anywhere that had a HOA. If it's my house I'll put lights up when I want to and turn them on when I want to. I couldn't imagine having someone tell me what I can and cannot do with my property.

Not a knock against you, just my opinion on HOAs.

I would never live in a community that has an HOA but people who do know the rules when they buy there. I hate being told what to do to the home I own and pay for monthly. I don't care if a neighbor has a trailer, it isn't effecting me at all. We are a nice middle class neighborhood and even without the property Gestapo standing over us no one has trash everywhere, a home in disrepair, or cars on blocks in their yard.

I agree- I can't imagine living where a bunch of power hungry people can control what you can and can't do on your property. We don't have a HOA and seem to manage just fine- no cars on blocks, no trash all over the yards etc. We seem to manage just fine without big brother hanging over our necks watching what we do with our own property. If I am paying 500,000 for a house and 15,000 a year for property tax I will be darned if Joe Blow up the block is going to have control over what I do on my own property or what color I can paint my own house!!

I
For instance, my dad was in the hospital, so we hadn’t used his car in about 3 or 4 days. We had just gotten home and headed inside relieved that my dad was finally out of the ICU. I was in the kitchen when I heard a weird noise outside. I went out and a security company was towing my dad’s car! I asked what they were doing since the car was in my parents' driveway. They said that the car had been parked for 3 days so they were going to tow it! My mom talked to them and the tower said that he would unhook the car (it wasn’t fully hooked up yet and still on my parents' driveway) for $170 otherwise we could pay 240 to retrieve it from the lot.

We found out at the monthly board meeting that the HOA had hired a security company without telling anyone, and had decided that no cars could be parked for more than 3 days otherwise they would be towed. This includes vacations etc.
Thankfully, a board members car was towed, so the security company was dropped and the stupid rule lifted.

Did I mention I hate the current board members?

Who the heck sits there marking down the days a car has not moved?? There are times I am sick and don't leave the house for 4-5 days...so my car would be towed?? Thats bull! What a bunch of busy bodies to keep such a watch on the driveway of another homeowner!!