When it comes to my neighborhood, I’m really torn on if the HOA (Home Owners Association) is doing everything they can do to enforce rules. I don’t know what happens behind closed doors. Perhaps they are working on this stuff and I just don’t. So let’s do this, I’m going to give you guys a few examples and I want to know if you think they are doing a good job.
Where is this coming from Hot Mess? Why the concern?
The shit hit the fan yesterday when someone decided to add this piece of fine artwork to the front of their home:
Now what you can’t see and what took 2 drive-byes, is the owner decided to compliment the painted sheet with some artwork on the front door. Behind their clear storm door, is a piece of plywood that also reads F*** the HOA. Obviously they are unhappy with the current office.
Our Indiscretion
Last week, we received a letter from our HOA because we leave our trash can out in front of our garage. I’ll admit it’s not the best option but to put it in the garage makes it stink and we don’t know how to build one of those fancy side of the house things to conceal it. And quiet honestly I wouldn’t want to as I would be concerned I’d run into a snake all the time. This letter was ridiculous. Instead of saying, “you leave your trash can out”, they added a color picture of our trash can sitting outside in the letter. I would have no problem with this slap on the hand if other deed restrictions were enforced, including:
Trump Truck
This fine automobile often times graces the entryway of our development:
Boat
When the above abomination isn’t around, it’s replaced with this small, dumpy boat that’s been sitting for weeks. I know it’s been there for weeks because there are weeds growing around it.
Uncle Eddie’s RV
Though it’s not there permanently, someone bought what I like to refer to as an Uncle Eddie RV and placed it on the side of the road to “work on”. To get around it, I have to swerve over because it’s so huge. There are periods of time it’s there for more than 1 day and it’s so embarrassing for when I have guests over.
Rentals
There is speculation that rentals aren’t even allowed in our neighborhood yet I know of 5 off the top of my head. The one that comes to mind is on my street and it drives me bat shit crazy as they let their yard grow out of control. Look, everyone has the right to own or rent a home. But with that comes the responsibility of the upkeep. If you can’t commit to the financial part or the time, don’t rent a home. That’s what apartments and condos are for. There was a house in my neighborhood that got so bad, it was on the news. I tried to find the report for you guys and couldn’t.
Corn Growing
No joke, we have neighbors growing corn…..in their front yard. WTAF? Obviously no one thought to put that in the restrictions because at no point did anyone think someone would be WT enough to grow corn in their front yard!
So what do you think? Was the sign in the first pic appropriate? Do you have an HOA? Are you happy with them?
CORN?! That made me laugh out loud. ? Maybe it’s their way of saying f*ck the HOA since it’s not technically a rule. Maybe you should start a pumpkin patch in your front yard, turn the boat into a wagon-like vehicle and together create a fun activity center this fall!
-Someone who has never had to deal with an HOA
Ya know, the pumpkin patch idea isn’t a bad one! But yes, it’s not just 1 family but 2. My friend swears people are growing these gardens so they can trade food. Come again? It’s so annoying!
I feel your pain. We live in a Town where the attitude is that you can’t tell people what they can or can’t do with their property. God forbid you take issue with someone putting in a pond on a lot. Not an acre but a small lot. Fast forward and the neighbor’s septic collapses.
We have lots of yards with boats and junk cars so I don’t think I’d be too concerned with a garbage can in front of a garage.
It appears the authorities go after those who abide by the rules because they care and will comply.
I’d plant the pumpkins.
My sis has an HOV with the trash can restriction. She has one of those houses on a hill with a walk-out basement garage. When she had surgery, she could not pull her garbage up the hill, but could not leave the can in front temporarily. Crazy. Maybe you could figure out a way to disguise the garbage can to look like something else? Wait, I know. Put a camouflage tarp over it and no one can see it. LOL Or take pictures of all the other violations and mail the notice back to them.
We don’t have this kind of thing in the UK, people kind of do what they like and sure bins are left out of the front and there is mess but at the end of the day it’s their property or their rental.
If upkeep isn’t being done then the landlord needs to be informed.
The thing is really, unless there’s a health risk does anyone have a right to tell someone how their property should be kept?
You are right. The only thing is, people sign on the dotted line to live here knowing there are deed restrictions. Now if there weren’t deed restrictions, fly your bed sheet!
I know that but really are these restrictions reasonable? Aren’t there enough rules in this life already? Are we robots or people?
I’ve lived in HOA situations before when I had a condo in Seattle. Luckily, our big dramas usually revolved around the prohibition of doormats outside our units.
Totally not a big deal. Still, every now and then someone new would move in – owner or renter – and plop one outside their door, having not read the community rules. Instead of correcting their neighbors in a neighborly fashion most of the people in my building would petulantly cry out about how they were being treated unfairly since they couldn’t have a doormat or just use the opportunity to throw their mat back outside their door.
Crazy people, these people were.
But the short of it is, HOAs are known entities up front. If people don’t want to live with rules, they should buy or rent elsewhere.
As for your HOA? I’d fix my infraction and then complain about the others as an upstanding, rules following resident…but going full Thunderdome is an entertaining thought!
Door mats? Why couldn’t you have door mats? That almost seems like a necessity! What we actually need to do is actually get our dues up to date b/c right now, they aren’t. We were frustrated but we realized not paying them isn’t going to help the situation. Anyway, it’s entertaining to tune into our Facebook page and read the arguing between neighbors. It’s a soap opera, it really is.
This is a prime example why Fella and I refused to buy an house in a HOA regulated community. If we want to put a wreath on our door and leave it for 365 days of the year, then we can. If we want to plant sunflowers to grow in front of our front windows instead of using curtains, we can.
Since nothing has been said/done about the Trump-mobile, you should just take a page out of their book. I mean, they’re trashcans after-all. What better way to decorate your bins than with a rendition of his name and/or face plastered across? 😀
That’s hilarious! Announce, well you aren’t going to make the trash at the front of the development move so in an effort to keep our trash can front and center, meet my new trashcans: Trump and Hillary!
Sounds fair to me!