share.triangle.com - Does your homeowners association have too much power? - Comments

You signed an agreement when you purchased your home in a HOA

Visitor — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 14:13:33 -0400

When you purchase your home inside of an Association, you sign papers agreeing to abide by the bylaws set forth by that Association. Yes, some Associations have bylaws regarding length of grass, what can be put in the front of your homes, and backs of homes. That is to keep the people who are less concerned about their messes in check. Do you want to be one of those people who abide by the rules, like making your home nice and presentable and then have someone next to you with broken down vehicles sitting in the yards for years and grass that is never mowed? I don't. I live in an Association, the rules are simple. They do not deny all requests. If anything they are laid back. However, we still have people here that say forget it, they can't tell me what to do with my own home. I don't get it. If you don't like that why did you move here?

my property

Visitor — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 14:42:00 -0400

we had a boat on our driveway for about 2 weeks. hoa sent letter giving us 2 weeks to move it. we put it in storage where the motor was stolen. we took it back home. they tell us we have to move it. meanwhile they dont enforce rules to everyone. there are houses with trailers on driveways, cab of a mack truck, houses painted hideous colors like black.... yuk!! orange, lime green, lavender. the excuse is that its hard to enforce reules on paint color. the rule say it needs to be approved first. im looking into legal advice to get rid of them

South Carolina Condo Act and Homeowner Associations

Visitor — Fri, 22 May 2009 18:25:08 -0400

Where do I find information on the South Carolina Condo Act and Homeowner Association Laws

The homeowner's agreement

ricardoexterp — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 09:14:17 -0500

"The homeowner's agreement for the community I live in was written twenty five years before the street I live on was even built. It reflects conditions that don't exist on my street."

Yep, totally same thing here.

-Ricardo
Pigeon Pest Control

hoa

Visitor — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 08:49:18 -0400

On an airline goining to the state of arizona I overheard
two young lawyers talking . They were going to Arizona
to work with the HOAs. One said we are going to paradise
because the HOAs are the biggest rip-off ever invented. Hoas destroy home owners in the true pretenses to help and
Control the buyers property and have way to take away same.
They were happy and said the is the biggest protection racket going. "I like my job but feel sorry for the fools"

Mallard's crossing homeowners

Visitor — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 14:42:06 -0400

Can you tell me who I can contact with the Mallards crossing homeowners association or how I can get in contact with them?

can a homeowner be held hostage by their HOA?

Visitor — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 16:10:21 -0400

Anyone willing to take part in a major effort to challege the HOA and find solutions please respond. I need your stories.
919-830-1469
yyeon@wncn.com

HOA

D.E.B. — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 09:20:18 -0400

As a current board member of an HOA I can tell you first hand that none or the other 4 people on our board are on a power or ego trip as some have suggested. When I first decided to run I did it because I wanted to make a positive change and have impact in the community in which I live. Board members do things behind the scenes that most homeowners have no clue about that positively affect where they live. We don't get paid, we've been cursed out, had nasty letters written to us and the like. I won't lie and say that there are unfortunately some members on different boards that are there for a power play but, as homeowners you have the power to have them removed.

Homeowners must also be willing to help out too. Someone mentioned about proxy votes. I live in a community of 310 homes and in order to have a vote for any open seat at least 10% or 31 homeowners must show up @ our annual meeting (October). Signs were put out, postcards were sent and we even put it on our homepage. We had to push it back to December because we didn't have enough people to vote. Sad, isn't it, yet these same people complain about what isn't being done but won't even show up to vote. This may or may not be any of you who posted in here and I doubt that it is because you probably are in the "10%" that show up to every meeting & truly care about your community.

As far as fines go, in my community we have door hangers that serve as friendly reminders about convenat infractions. Most people comply and we applaud them for it. My wife put out one on Tuesday and by Wednesday the homeowner fixed what was wrong and everything was okay. There are some who for whatever reason just won't do what is supposed to be done and that makes it hard for everyone else.

Again, I applaud you that do attend the meetings and try to do what you can to keep your community as well as your home in the best possible condition it can be. But, not all of us board members are in for power or anything like that.

RE: HOA

Visitor — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 22:31:34 -0400

The Board members of our HOA in Jan.2008 mandated all Villa owners pay $7,400.00 for new Mansards the toal cost of this project $1.6 million.

This is a 55+ community never once did or have they considered fixed incomes or that many just don't have the money.
Each owner was to pay first payment of $3,700.00 March 1 2008 the final $3,700.00 payment due May 1,2008.

How can 7 people have this kind of power? In todays economy
when home values are in the basement what are they thinking?

We are told what color to paint our front doors. On the other hand they are putting on new mansards without considering any home owners voice not to mention in a differnt color.
Do we have anywhere to go for our voice to be heard?

HG HOA Decision to Remove Board Member

HGHOAhomeowner — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 15:04:40 -0500

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ehDmqwxt-do

http://www.newsobserver.com/news/story/963072.html

2/28/2008: Dutch Dasanaike lost his HOA Board position with ~767 homeowner votes to remove him for misconduct and unethical behavior. It's time to "Get a new life" .... Elsewhere.

Power trip

Visitor — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 22:13:21 -0500

The president of the HOA in my neighborhood seems to be on a power trip sometimes... People were driving too fast through the neighborhood, people suggested setting up a stop and flagging speeders down to tell them they were going too fast. People were not picking up after their dogs, and someone suggested following the dog owners home so they can fine them. Now, there are people outside the development who are being loud, apparently the HOA thinks they can "fix" that situation.

I hope to never live in a place with an HOA again, but for now, I do and the neighborhood is fine. All this nonsense about requiring an architectural form for changing landscaping and plants is ridiculous. Don't change your shrubbery without getting your next door neighbors and across the street neighbors' permission?! Makes me want to push the envelope a little, honestly.

I believe that there are probably good HOA's. But, a good HOA should only be noticed when there is a MAJOR problem within the community.

Homeowners Associations

Visitor — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 20:38:44 -0500

HOAs do have a lot of authority as authorized by the by-laws. However, crucial decisions should involve participation and vote by all unit owners. Our association board discussed and voted to self-manage versus professional management. I think an important subject such as that should involve everybody in the association especially being that we are fairly small with 31 units. It appears that there are a few of us involved in a power struggle and that doesn't help the situation. Also, professional management involves people that are familiar with our needs and there is more stability being that unit owners move in and out.

Homeowners Associations ... A Form of Local Government

Visitor — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 23:51:00 -0500

Yes, homeowners associations can become unofficial forms of local government that have too much power. City, state, and federal governments should limit their power. A thick book of rules written in legal language is to much. Often the rules are environmentally negative, unsafe, expensive and not practical. I can make better decisions for my property, my land, and my money. I do not have the time, money, nor energy to deal with the paperwork and issues they fight about. Before I can make an improvement to my property or landscape, I have to get it approved by them. It is better to do nothing, than make an improvement that will cause a law suite or a fight. The upkeep of a swimming pool is very expensive and has many health, safety, and legal issues. I have looked for real-estate without a homeowners association and management group, but it is hard to find. It is getting to the point that even in rural areas developers and builders have created this extra form of money collection, and turned it into a profitable business. Working in the city limits, I would like to live close to where I work. These dues effect what you financially can buy and your loan amount. Even if you pay for your home in cash, the dues can become more of a problem than property tax and utility bills. This is a problem that needs to be addressed.

HOA's power trip

Visitor — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 22:56:44 -0500

HOA board members for the most part are nothing more than a group of people on a power trip. We are in a huge HOA battle in court over something everyone in the neighborhood approved of. One board member with a personal vendetta against us has caused a two-year battle costing both parties ten’s of thousands of dollars. Unfortunately for us the courts are there to protect the HOA not the homeowner. Our management group PPM was more than willing to help our HOA in fighting us.

We can understand having some rules in a neighborhood, like not painting your house pink and blue of having a parts car parked in your front yard. We were just adding value to our home, we were not devaluing our neighborhood.

NC Laws on Planned Communities and Condos

Visitor — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 20:43:14 -0500

Try this link: http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/gascripts/Statutes/StatutesTOC.pl?Chapter=0047F for the "North Carolina Planned Community Act, which probably covers most homeowners associations. In particular, look at section 47F-3-116 "Lien for assessments".

Try: http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/gascripts/Statutes/StatutesTOC.pl?Chapter=0047C for the "North Carolina Condominium Act" which covers condomimium associations.

If your development has both single family homes and townhouses/condominiums, both acts may apply.

Does your homeowners association have too much power?

mwilliam — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 10:09:11 -0500

Are homeowners associations unofficial forms of local government that have too much power? What are your thoughts?