HOA letter, what are the odds they side in my favor?

[Chewie]

Many years ago lived in a subdivision with a hoa. Had a dog house and kennel in the back yard not visible to the street ( solid picket 5 foot fence ). Got notification that dog house had to go because it was detached. Said ok, let's walk around the subdivision. After noting about 30 sheds that would need to be removed the subject was dropped. Score one for me! Never have lived anywhere where there is association since. Been about 30 years, never again. F*** HOA's (is that 5)?

 

[KellyinAvon]

Those sound mutually exclusive.

Not to me.

 

[jkaetz]

Hello, KellyinAvon 2A Advocate and former HOA Board Vice President.

Full disclosure: I was on a HOA board for 4 years. My wife is currently the VP and was on the board before I was. I'll be on a HOA board again someday, right after hell freezes over.

First off, will it fit in the garage?

23' plus trailer. Maybe if I empty all three bays and creatively slide it in sideways.

Second, you got one letter that says you have 20 days. After that they have to notice it again and send you a more strongly worded letter. After that, there may be lawyers involved so get it done before letter number 3.

Do you know anyone on the board? Our covenants says something about boats, campers, and 24 hours. The board members here understand that people have lives and think 7 days is more appropriate.

I know hell hasn't froze over, but consider attacking from the inside. Infiltrate the board, bring a like-minded neighbor with you.

I intend to play nice and do some investigating. This neighborhood isn't nearly as large as our last one. I'll have to feel out the board and see if they're dictators from on high or if they live in the real world.

A few years back there was a change to Indiana Code concerning HOAs and covenants. It would've come on the books 2014-2018 when I was on a board. Could be your covenants is now outside Indiana Code. Worth a look.

Have a link I can read up on?

Have a BBQ, invite everyone from INGO. Make it open carry required.

This is always the right answer. If it's before my 20 days are up we can party from the boat in the yard.

Yep. I'll take zig zaging through the street because nobody uses their damn garages and has too many cars over being told my shutters are 2 shades the wrong color, or my mailbox MUST be purchased from vendor X at a premium after a drunk driver ran over it instead of going to lowes and finding one that is functionally identical and the same basic size and shape.

Or in my neghbors to the east's case, paying $8,000 in landscaping fees (collectively) and the entrance still looks like hell and is overgrown (no mulch, plants too big, etc) trash isnt picked up, and the common areas arent mowed as often as they force residents to mow.

These were both our old neighborhood, zig zag around cars because the garages were always full of stuff and paying a bundle for poor landscaping. I also thought HOA's couldn't regulate street parking because it belonged to the city. I know our old neighborhood go slapped for attempt to put up 15 mph speed limit signs and have them enforced by off duty police. The city said it had to approve limit changes.

Many years ago lived in a subdivision with a hoa. Had a dog house and kennel in the back yard not visible to the street ( solid picket 5 foot fence ). Got notification that dog house had to go because it was detached. Said ok, let's walk around the subdivision. After noting about 30 sheds that would need to be removed the subject was dropped. Score one for me! Never have lived anywhere where there is association since. Been about 30 years, never again. F*** HOA's (is that 5)?

For the most part we fit into the HOA rules, this is our one exception. Like I said, when the time comes to slow down we'll probably have a no HOA requirement on the house hunting. Freedom is always a good thing.

 

[Gluemanz28]

I've drawn the ire of the HOA. We finally got our boat back and have kept it on site to do some deep cleaning/drying and trailer wiring. After 19 years the insulation for the right turn signal wore off and then wore through the paint shorting it to ground. I think a mouse had done some chewing as well.

As expected the HOA noticed an sent their "Courtesy Letter" informing me that
Here is the fun part, it is neither on my driveway or in front of the house, it is behind the driveway bedside the back of the house. Reached out to the management company rep and pointed this out.

What are the odds that he accepts that we are actually compliant or if he attempts to interpret the code?

While it is convenient to be able to keep it on site for a bit we don't intend to make a big fight over it either way.

I think you should get Jase Robinson to go to the next HOA meeting with you.

ps: don’t forget to bring a casserole.

[video=youtube;uMTTpi5KmKk]https://Www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMTTpi5KmKk[/video]

Pss: HOA suck like a straw factory!

 

[KellyinAvon]

23' plus trailer. Maybe if I empty all three bays and creatively slide it in sideways. I intend to play nice and do some investigating. This neighborhood isn't nearly as large as our last one. I'll have to feel out the board and see if they're dictators from on high or if they live in the real world.

Have a link I can read up on?

This is always the right answer. If it's before my 20 days are up we can party from the boat in the yard.

These were both our old neighborhood, zig zag around cars because the garages were always full of stuff and paying a bundle for poor landscaping. I also thought HOA's couldn't regulate street parking because it belonged to the city. I know our old neighborhood go slapped for attempt to put up 15 mph speed limit signs and have them enforced by off duty police. The city said it had to approve limit changes.

For the most part we fit into the HOA rules, this is our one exception. Like I said, when the time comes to slow down we'll probably have a no HOA requirement on the house hunting. Freedom is always a good thing.

Here's a link, there may be more out there.

http://iga.in.gov/static-documents/1/4/b/8/14b8622b/TITLE32_AR25.5_ar25.5.pdf

 

[IndyIN]

I know we’ve reached the goal, but put me down as an HOA hater.

My problem is that mine does nothing to willful covenant violators and makes life hell for those trying to follow the rules.

Mine has a management company that seems to be a bit power drunk. Our board recently sent a request for new finance committee members, which I apply for and was quickly accepted. We had our first virtual meeting 2 weeks ago, and my first contribution was to suggest that we re-bid the management company contract since the company was picked by the builder several years ago. We have 1 proposal in and several more on the way. My wife thinks I’m evil

 

[maxwelhse]

I know we’ve reached the goal, but put me down as an HOA hater.

Your odds are 100% that at least 5 guys are about to talk about how much they hate HOAs.

***Insert "I'll allow it" meme here***

 

[OurDee]

Every house I bought was contingent on there being no HOA. Know of a guy in a gated comunity that got hassled by security for putting his boat in water at the dock and idling it while fixing a problem. He came back with scuba gear and drilled holes in securities boat till it sunk. Guy got killed a few years ago. His death was suspicious and still unsolved. Lot more to the story.

 

[maxwelhse]

Every house I bought was contingent on there being no HOA. Know of a guy in a gated comunity that got hassled by security for putting his boat in water at the dock and idling it while fixing a problem. He came back with scuba gear and drilled holes in securities boat till it sunk. Guy got killed a few years ago. His death was suspicious and still unsolved. Lot more to the story.

You suggesting HOA security killed a guy for drilling holes in their boat?

 

[hoosierdoc]

first HOA meeting I ever went to there was f-bombs screamed at top of lungs. I have not been back

 

[Clay Pigeon]

Sounds like lots of people that buy a home next to the airport and knowingly sign paperwork at settlement that they are buying a house next to a airport and after settlement complain about noise coming from airport. Caveat Emptor....

 

[patience0830]

haha, most likely. Part of me wants to know if someone complained or the management company does drive-bys on a regular basis. The letter says I have 20 days . Should be plenty of time to finish the rewire and use it once more before taking it back to it's usual home. Roughly an hour away.

Everything about an HOA is evil but they're hard to get away from if you want to live in a populated area. Being free of HOAs is likely a retirement goal for us.

Why would you want to live in a populated area? That's just silly.

 

[COOPADUP]

HOA's do suck, but here is an example of living without one. This is my next door neighbors back yard. I have called the city and county about it and still nothing.

 

[Clay Pigeon]

View attachment 90997
HOA's do suck, but here is an example of living without one. This is my next door neighbors back yard. I have called the city and county about it and still nothing.

Was this property like this when you purchased your home?
And its his property, are his personal property rights irrelevant?
And lastly, why do you care about his property?

 

[COOPADUP]

No I bought mine 25 years ago. I wasn't always this way.

 

[boogieman]

I think they have goods and bads. Our HOA management company patrols our neighborhood every Tuesday, takes pics and then sends out letters. Our subdivision has 1600 entry level homes in it though. I see what some of the yards and houses look like with that kind of enforcement and think what it would be like if they weren't there. We are currently starting to build a new house in a subdivision with the same HOA management company but this will be a a community with only 51 homes total that are designed more toward empty nesters and retirees so shouldn't be that bad. While we were trying to figure out where we were going to build/buy we looked for months for a piece of land that could be built on or even had a decent house on it. All we found were either run down houses and pieces of land that were way overpriced. The ones that were not overpriced have been selling within 3 days of being on the market for more than asking. Every subdivision in Hamilton county that is newer than about 20 years has an HOA so it is hard to get away from it anymore.

 

[Clay Pigeon]

Was this property like this when you purchased your home?
And its his property, are his personal property rights irrelevant?
And lastly, why do you care about his property?

No I bought mine 25 years ago. I wasn't always this way.

And the other two questions?

 

[jkaetz]

Sounds like lots of people that buy a home next to the airport and knowingly sign paperwork at settlement that they are buying a house next to a airport and after settlement complain about noise coming from airport. Caveat Emptor....

Not a good comparison. Airports are physical locations with known noise levels and schedules.

HOAs are a form of government enforced by management companies and law firms with no checks, balances, or oversight put together by developers of all nearly all new housing divisions. The theory of an HOA is sound, but the implementation has been heavily abused.

 

[Nazgul]

Ok, my HOA story. Bought our house in late 1999, small rural town, new subdivision. No HOA mentioned any where. Two years later we are informed it was being formed and mandatory we join. First, and only meeting , was with owners and attorney for builder. He said it was not an option to join. He was wrong. 20 years later no HOA.

Don

 

[WebSnyper]

All we found were either run down houses and pieces of land that were way overpriced. The ones that were not overpriced have been selling within 3 days of being on the market for more than asking.

Kind of like the current ammo market. It's supply and demand. Interest rates are low, and folks are out seeking property for a lot of various reasons right now. The ones that are for sale and are a decent value in the current market do not last.