Confused homeowner wrote:
I am getting more and more confused about this website. It is supposed to help homeowner's keep and assert their rights in a Homeowners Association. What is confusing is that isn't that what Homeowner's association stands for? A group of homeowner's choosing to form an association to keep their rights intact?
Homeowner Advocate responds:
Do not confuse homeowner association mandated so called "rights" with Constitutional rights and protections. A homeowner association DOES NOT PROTECT CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS. It is a private corporation that does not have to honor public rights.
Confused homeowner wrote:
Homeowner's want to keep their property values the same or for them to increase right? I know that is my #1 concern as a homeowner. The other reason of course is to have the freedom of just plain having a life.
Homeowner Advocate responds:
There is no concrete evidence to substantiate that a homeowner association maintains or increases property values. In fact, it may be a deterrent to prospective homebuyers. Our folks have lived in a NON-HOA neighborhood for 28 years. Property values are worth more than the surrounding gated communes of equivalent square footage and lot size despite the fact that the homes are older. They are truly the kings of their castle and their castle is worth a lot in more ways than just monetary value.
Confused homeowner wrote:
So, it confuses me to read posts that conflict upon themselves. Homeowner's crying for "Federal control" but yet don't want the government to "rule" their lives.
Homeowner Advocate responds:
The controls that more homeowners incarcerated in HOA's are looking for from their government are laws that control the out of control HOA laws that strip homeowners of even simple freedoms. Sadly, America has become over run by bad law and when those bad laws are exposed - more laws have to be passed to make them null and void. Get it?
Confused homeowner wrote:
Homeowner's upset that they can't park their vehicles on the street but complain when they can't manuever around a car parked in the streets. (Just think about emergency vehicles).
Homeowner Advocate responds:
If you lived on a city maintained street rather than a private road maintained by an HOA - you wouldn't have the problem of narrow streets that are more like the old wagon trails. City streets are required by code to be a certain width.
Further to that, NOTHING is more of a deterrent to emergency vehicles than gates because of constantly changing codes, miscommunication of those codes to the fire departments, inoperable gates, too narrow gates and streets for large firetrucks to travel safely and quickly throught....etc.
Confused homeowner wrote:
Homeowner's cry foul when they get a "Remove the RV" letter but want their neighbor to move a clunker car on ramps.
Homeowner advocate responds:
What is the BFD with an RV on someone's private driveway. WE have several in our NON-HOA neighborhood of $500,000 dollar homes and nobody gives a hoot! AS for a clunker car on ramps - THAT is a violation of city code and the city inspector handles such matters in a manner mandated by statute. The city inspector does not usually live in the neighborhood and it doesn't become a personal vendetta because they are paid employees who have to behave in a manner mandated by statute. It isn't as "up close and personal" as having your neighbor tell you what you can and cannot do.
Confused homeowner wrote:
The endless letters about HOA lawyers when part of their assessment monies goes to pay for them to protect the very association they are in!!! Do you see a pattern here???!!!
Homeowner Advocate responds:
You answered your own confusion when you wrote "part of their assessment monies goes to pay for them to protect the very association they are in!!!" Key words - PROTECT THE ASSOCIATION - NOT THE HOMEOWNERS. HOA lawyers DO NOT represent individual homeowners. They represent the HOA corporation.
Confused homeowner wrote:
You know what. Yes, it does "suck" to live in a HOA. Yes, there are "Monsters" running your HOA. Yes, things are screwed up. Yes, there are "Stupid" rules. Yes, things could be run better. Why do you fight for more of it? Here's a scenerio many of you "dream" about. Getting rid of your HOA. But what happens after that? Does your neighbor's dog STOP crapping in your yard?
Homeowner Advocate responds:
No, but when the neighbor's dog DOES crap in the yard not having an HOA empowers individual homeowners to settle their issues among themselves rather than rat finking on their neighbors like a bunch of chicken crap busy bodies.
Confused homeowner wrote:
Does your neighbor park fifty of their "closest" friend all over the front yard/street?
Homeowner advocate responds:
So, the neighbor has a lot of friends?
Confused homeowner wrote:
Does the common area that was kept nice and welcoming become a grassy weedy place for snakes to hide? (It doesn't take care of itself for free)
Homeowner adovcate responds:
Ah yes....Foreclosure - all in the name of the common area greens. It shouldn't require oppressive laws that can leave homeowners homeless on the streets due to a foreclosure by neighbor just because the grass gets long and there are snakes on a 50 square foot plot of dirt. Heck, the amount of money spent in yearly dues by just ONE lone homeowner could maintain that plot of dirt for a year. Work it out. Do you want to be a real bonafide "volunteer"??? Do it yourself. The time spent collecting dues, worrying about collecting dues, paying liability policies, paying lawyers to write letters, etc. etc., could be put to better use by getting some exercise and doing it yourself along with other neighbors of like mind.
Confused homeowner wrote:
Who now takes care of the pool and amneties? Only the ones willing to pay for them? But then they become an association...
Homeowner Advocate responds:
No - only the ones who want to USE it. Yes they might be 'associating' like a youth swim club or something but again I reiterate - non judicial foreclosure by neighbor is overkill just to maintain a freakin' pool. The proof is in the fact that the MAJORITY of States do not allow handfuls of neighbors to foreclose on a fellow neighbor. And THOSE are the RULES that homeowner advocates are trying to have reversed by legislating rules to have them made null and void! Get it?
Confused homeowner wrote:
Dissolving an HOA does grant you more freedoms and maybe a few less headaches.
Homeowner Advocate responds;
Admittedly - no HOA = more Freedom. You can't put a price on freedom. So why give up freedom just to be able to swim in a pool????
Confused homeowner wrote:
Your HOA now becomes a "Neighborhood". Each person bringing a different flavor to the area. What do you now when your association member becomes your neighbor?
Homeowner Advocate responds:
Be a neighbor. Act like big kids. Resolve your neighborly disputes amongst yourselves without rat finking to a third party bunch of controlling wannabee city council members who never made it beyond being elected to a position that puts them behind a folding card table and in the position of controlling how their fellow neighbors live. Dangerous mentality.
Confused homeowner wrote:
This may be a case of "Not seeing the forrest for the trees". I am NOT promoting nor encouraging any shape or form of creating a HOA. I am simply stating the facts that livng in HOA there is always going to be conflicts.
Homeowner Advocate responds:
Agree! There will always be conflict in an HOA.
Confused homeowner wrote:
It is how you as an individual deal with these conflicts that matters. Your method is your own. However, don't violate the right of free speech of anyone even if they are board members. Everyone has their right to free speech.
Homeowner advocate responds:
And you have spoken.
Confused homeowner wrote:
Otherwise, mine and your ancestors/relatives shed their blood and their lives for useless rights. I encourage everyone to "speak up"!!!
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