Rights We Do Not Have...

I hate homeowner's associations (HOA). They can be run by people who have nothing better to do than pick nits. They can be nasty and mean.

What troubles me more is people who sign contracts knowingly joining a HOA, are given a copy of the rules, and then decide that they are a victim because the rules don't allow them to display a flag. They then break the rule, try to get sympathy and attention from people who should no better, and end up on TV as crusaders of some sort.

Why not work through the process of changing the HOA rules? That is the right way to change things within an HOA (barring something in the contract being illegal or unconstitutional; then court could by a remedy). I am as pro-America as they come and I would gladly kick Bill Ayers and his ilk off the planet for their anti-American statements save the fact that they have a constitutional right to say those things...

This guy knowingly violated the rules, which may indeed suck, and he thinks he is fighting to uphold the flag or his rights. Nope--he is fighting for the right to violate the rules if you don't like them and suffer no consequences...

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2014/06/27/florida-vet-says-bring-it-on-as-faces-eviction-over-flower-pot-flag/

How about these folks--they infringed on a trademark and were taken to task for it...now they are trying to play up the disability angle for the sympathy vote. I disagree--it is someone's legal trademark; you can't use it in spite of your handicap. You'll have to find a different way to keep the Bills in Buffalo (or in Orchard Park...but anyway...I want them to stay there).

http://www.buffalonews.com/city-region/texas-am-threatens-lawsuit-against-bills-fans-website-20140701

We need to protect the rights we are supposed to have and not make up ones that shouldn't exist. Simply put...there are some rules out there. Follow them or move (in the case of the HOA). Follow them or face legal action (in the case of Bills deal).

Quote: RonC

I hate homeowner's associations (HOA). They can be run by people who have nothing better to do than pick nits. They can be nasty and mean.

What troubles me more is people who sign contracts knowingly joining a HOA, are given a copy of the rules, and then decide that they are a victim because the rules don't allow them to display a flag. They then break the rule, try to get sympathy and attention from people who should no better, and end up on TV as crusaders of some sort.

I cannot understand anyone who would join a HOA by choice. My buddy is in one and says, "what if your neighbor wants to paint his house purple?" Another says, "my neighbor's crab crass creeps into my yard and I hate that."

My reply is that it does not hurt you if he paints his house purple, on your lawn it is your crabgrass, and I would rather deal with a neighborhood without silly rules than live under them.

Is losing the choice on how to landscape your lawn; what color to make your house; and yes how to display your flag really worth the "security" that your neighborhood will be kept just so?

HOA's are absolutely horrible things. There are lawyers who make their whole living doing nothing but HOA disputes. Thankfully, they are less common out east then out west. It seems like every residence in Las Vegas and Phoenix is in an HOA. Ironically, I live within an HOA now -- guess what? There are a ton of disputes. HOA's suck.

Quote: theodores

HOA's are absolutely horrible things. There are lawyers who make their whole living doing nothing but HOA disputes. Thankfully, they are less common out east then out west. It seems like every residence in Las Vegas and Phoenix is in an HOA. Ironically, I live within an HOA now -- guess what? There are a ton of disputes. HOA's suck.

In AZ all new subdivisions must have an HOA. I am guessing NV is similar. As a guess they don't want so much development in potential unincorporated areas with no codes. Back east townships grew to boros then to cities (in PA, your terms may vary) over hundreds of years. Out west developments grow like weeds.

I resent that I have call the fire dept when I burn
outdoors. I would last 2 days in an HOA. It's illegal
now to put in a drywell, so I put one in anyway.
Found a guy to do it and he was very fast, would
lose his license if he got caught. It's amazing what
you can get done if you're willing to pay for it.

Quote: AZDuffman

My reply is that it does not hurt you if he paints his house purple, on your lawn it is your crabgrass, and I would rather deal with a neighborhood without silly rules than live under them.

What other people do in your neighborhood can affect your property values if you sell. Up, down, or no effect at all.

I don't want to live in a neighborhood with an HOA. They are a huge pain in the behind, but they do serve a purpose when it comes to people who want certain standards in their neighborhood. The tradeoff for not being in an HOA is that your neighbors can do things that may impact your property value and you have no real recourse as long as what they do is legal.

The main point, though, is that once you move into an HOA environment, you don't suddenly have the "right" to violate their rules without consequences. The same with the trademark case--if the trademark belongs to someone, your handicap doesn't make your case for infringement any more valid than any other case. Some people can't live with that and want to become "victims" when they just need to follow the rules, fight them in court (if there is a valid case), or get them changed.

Making up "rights" that don't exist is a problem; it clouds the rights that we really do have. Those are the ones we need to protect from infringement.

--There may be a right to have an abortion should one have the means to pay for it and if it is performed legally. There is no "right" to have the government or anyone else (except the father of the child) pay for your abortion. I disagree with abortion, but right now the courts and laws allow it.

Agreed. We lived in a HOA, and there was a regulation to paint fences every two years, and another regulation that prohibited more than 3 rental units within the HOA (we had renters in there when we didn't live there). Those are two that I remembered and didn't like. There was also street parking regulations.

HOAs have their purpose, just like Condo boards do. They try to protect property values and the peace by enforcing rules and sharing community costs for necessary items like snow removal, common area maintenance (parks), and other maintenance.

The end result is that HOAs can be very good things when the rules make sense, and very bad things when they don't. The problem is that HOAs attract political idiots who make rules for the fun of it without thinking of their illogical and deleterious effects. Things that are easy like street parking and picking up your trash bins by a certain time, fine. Things like painting, regulating the size of your pets, color rules (not race), and yard maintenance, no.

Quote: rxwine

What other people do in your neighborhood can affect your property values if you sell. Up, down, or no effect at all.

Their property their choice, my property my choice. I prefer taking the chance to someone telling me I can't put in my garden, landscape as I please, etc.

HOAs reach a new low, tell homeowner he cannot have an F-150 in his own driveway.

Yes, you cannot have the best selling vehicle in your driveway in this HOA! Note the pic of what appears to be a full-size Chevy or GMC in the background!