triangle.com | Home

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. But it was set up in a way that makes it impossible to modify. So we are stuck with living under terms no one wants, no one cares about, but the board of directors feels compelled to enforce for fear of lawsuits. Talk about a farce.

--bv

I believe that home owners associations have too much power. The land of the Free should not be told what color to paint their house, what they can and can not park outside their house, what they can hang outside their house. It all comes down to the taste of who is on the Association. If your taste does not match, then you are doomed!
I live in a town where a Homeowner took out a Building Permit to build a pigeon coop. The building permit was approved by the Building Officials. He was a foreign man who had a different taste for hobby's then Americans. One of his hobbies was to have homing pigeon's. He would take them to his place on employment a couple times a week and release them. Shortly, after arriving home the pigeons would arrive back in the coop. The pigeons did not make noise, did not defecate outside the coop, and did not vandalize anything. They were actually quieter then dogs, and less of a nuisance then a cat. This pigeon coop was nicer then some of the sheds that were in the neighborhood. It had a roof w/ shingles, painted wood siding, and a shutter door.
Shortly, after starting his hobby, the Homeowner's Association retrieved a new member who wanted to make a name for himself. He was able to use his contact's and push city council to make the pigeon owner get rid of his coop.
I guess your first question is how do you get rid of a pigeon house for homing pigeons. I am sure they will just fly back once they get released. Well, we are about to find out. Show's how smart the Homeowner's Association really is.........
My point is, that owning a house is the American dream. If you are not causing harm to anyone, or causing houses to depreciate, then why does the Association have the right to tell you what to do?

Are there local or state laws which govern homeowners' associations?

Homeowner associations hire management groups to take care of their properties. Unfortunately, there is little oversight as to whether or not the 'officers' are looking out for the best interests of the community.

One homeowner told me that the management group hires whoever they want, whenever they want, at whatever price they want. No proof that they take bids or anything else.

The most responsive management group in Raleigh I've discovered handles Mallards Crossing, off Old Millburnie Road. The least responsive oversees Berkshire Village (off Perry Creek in North Raleigh).

Currently there don't seem to be any local laws that govern their actions: only the homeowners who care to participate. So if the group tells 10 homeowners in an advertised session that dues need to be raised 50%, and 2/3 vote yes, then all dues are raised.

Why should anyone not involved in purchase, finance, or insurance of my own personal property be allowed to FORECLOSE on my property if I am late on a $20 HOA fee or if my grass is too tall? Where in the hell do these organizations get the power to do this and why does our REAL government not outlaw this??? It is outrageous and should be illegal! Would someone please provide a link to the alleged laws that govern these HOA's and are there any laws that protect the consumer at all?

Someone should monitor the dealings of PPM and the "sub board" of the Comstock Homes/Club Villas section of Wakefield Plantation. You would be amazed at what you might find...