[desertsun41]

Originally Posted by jpk

Oh puh-leaze. HOAs are limited in authority by the state and federal statues. For example, HOA rules against satellite dishes and antennas on rooftops were overruled by FCC regulations.

Further, you are the HOA. You have a percentage of a vote in the HOA decision based on your percentage of ownership into the HOA. There isn't a dictator running unchecked like Chavez.

What struck me as a possible problem was when you said that there was a "good ol boys" club that voted themselves unlimited terms on the board. That is a serious problem and may potentially violate state law, if it is truly what happened in your HOA.

You are right about the FCC overruling against the HOAs in the satelite dish issue. This case as of now is the only ruling against any HOA. The hanging of the American flag or any other flag is still in the courts.

In Tennessee the HOAs are demanding homeowners hand over their legally registered guns before moving in. Opinions as well as tempers are hot on this one. The HOAs are trying to trump the 2nd amendment.

There is another suit going on in Colorado whereby an HOA has gone into business for themselves. They signed an exclusive contract with Comcast to supply cable TV and internet to the complex and the residents have no choice but to suscribe. And since the HOA does not have to abide by the BPU then they can raise the rates to whatever they want whenever they want. The residents do not have freedom to choose who to sign with. Nazi?

Many community HOAs do not allow a Christmas wreath on the door, no Christmas lights, I have read of a homeowner getting one of those famous letters because he had a magnet ribbon on his car saying support our troops.

When I was in an HOA about 4 years ago I never was asked or sent any invitations to attend their mostly closed meetings. I never had a run-in with them and I broke many rules. I was born to break rules that are wrong. I will fight them while others accept the loss of their freedoms.

I repeat ! I HATE HOAs.

[olecapt]

Originally Posted by desertsun41

You are right about the FCC overruling against the HOAs in the satelite dish issue. This case as of now is the only ruling against any HOA. The hanging of the American flag or any other flag is still in the courts.

In Tennessee the HOAs are demanding homeowners hand over their legally registered guns before moving in. Opinions as well as tempers are hot on this one. The HOAs are trying to trump the 2nd amendment.

There is another suit going on in Colorado whereby an HOA has gone into business for themselves. They signed an exclusive contract with Comcast to supply cable TV and internet to the complex and the residents have no choice but to suscribe. And since the HOA does not have to abide by the BPU then they can raise the rates to whatever they want whenever they want. The residents do not have freedom to choose who to sign with. Nazi?

Many community HOAs do not allow a Christmas wreath on the door, no Christmas lights, I have read of a homeowner getting one of those famous letters because he had a magnet ribbon on his car saying support our troops.

When I was in an HOA about 4 years ago I never was asked or sent any invitations to attend their mostly closed meetings. I never had a run-in with them and I broke many rules. I was born to break rules that are wrong. I will fight them while others accept the loss of their freedoms.

I repeat ! I HATE HOAs.

There are numerous limitations on HOAs. For instance they cannot enforce parking rules for cars and pickups on dedicated streets. Nor can they require that you not put up a basketball hoop in the street. The flagpole rule is secure in NV. You can fly the flag though they can reasonably limit the size of the pole.

There are also well settled rules on electing boards and approving the budget.

There are opportunities for mischief. Nuisance enforcement. But you fix that by voting the bastards out.

[jpk]

The "master planned community" or HOA community is normally considered an asset. It is supposed to ensure you don't have neighbors that leave a refrigerator out in the driveway and let the lawn go unkept for three years.

Unfortunately some whackos who have no tolerance for other humans (and therefore should never live in a community like that) and no ability to see anthing as shades of grey, read the HOA rules to the letter and make everyone miserable. Like olecapt said, vote them out.

If it's a crazy old lady who isn't on the board, but is reporting violations to the board, I have a solution. Go knock on her door and ask what exactly she thinks she's doing. If she's crazy and whacked out, tell her to knock it off and get a restraining order. But if she's normal you might find that she thought she was being helpful and didn't realize how annoying her behavior had gotten, and she might actually quit being so nosy.

And yes, I kinda agree with you that in general the HOA thing is lame and often out of control. But it appears to be a necessary evil for urban/suburban living where you are in very close proximity to neighbors and need some kind of ground rules. Other option is you live on a giant acreage where neighbors can't bug you.

[olecapt]

You generally don't evade the HOA by buying a large property. Only completely undeveloped properties are free of them. Virtually all developers who prepare a site and then sell off the lots have an HOA. As soon as a property is subdivided it tends to develop an HOA.