LOL, Neighborhood Drama and Control Freaks...

[HoughMade]

HOA’s and covenants are voluntary agreements. At the time they are created they typically require all property owners to agree to them being placed on their property in Indiana, I have heard some odd sounding stuff from other states.

Yes.

Restrictive covenants, including HOAs, are usually created by the developer when it owns all of the property. It can put whatever restrictions it wants (within the law) in the deed for each parcel that is sold including the power of the HOA, various subdivision standards, etc. The restrictive covenants (including the HOA) then "run with the land" and apply to every subsequent owner. If you don't like the restrictive covenants, look elsewhere.

AFTER the developer sells the property without restrictive covenants in place, a group of homeowners can all agree to put restrictive covenants in their deeds, individually and voluntarily, but no one can force any single resident to accept restrictive covenants that did not exist when they bought, if they do not want to- no vote of any number.

Now, if there is no HOA, things get fun if a person has enough political clout to get ordinances passed (municipal, county) which mimic things an HOA may do. Then, the ordinances (assuming compliance with state law, etc.) apply to everyone. Obviously, it's much, much harder to be overbearing using this technique, but not impossible.

I carefully avoided the use of the term "neighborhood" above.

A place where people are trying to control each other, all PO'd at each other, completely impolite to each other and itching for a fight may be a lot of things, but it's not a "neighborhood". It's people living near each other.

 

[yetti462]

My nearest neighbor is 1/4 mi away and sometimes that's too close. No way I could live in a neighborhood.

 

[bobzilla]

My nearest neighbor is 1/4 mi away and sometimes that's too close. No way I could live in a neighborhood.

Same here. But then you get the forced annexation of little hitler towns and then you end up surrounded by warehouses 14 years after you built your house in the country. Ask me how I know

 

[Nazgul]

Yes.

Restrictive covenants, including HOAs, are usually created by the developer when it owns all of the property. It can put whatever restrictions it wants (within the law) in the deed for each parcel that is sold including the power of the HOA, various subdivision standards, etc. The restrictive covenants (including the HOA) then "run with the land" and apply to every subsequent owner. If you don't like the restrictive covenants, look elsewhere.

AFTER the developer sells the property without restrictive covenants in place, a group of homeowners can all agree to put restrictive covenants in their deeds, individually and voluntarily, but no one can force any single resident to accept restrictive covenants that did not exist when they bought, if they do not want to- no vote of any number.

Now, if there is no HOA, things get fun if a person has enough political clout to get ordinances passed (municipal, county) which mimic things an HOA may do. Then, the ordinances (assuming compliance with state law, etc.) apply to everyone. Obviously, it's much, much harder to be overbearing using this technique, but not impossible.

I carefully avoided the use of the term "neighborhood" above.

A place where people are trying to control each other, all PO'd at each other, completely impolite to each other and itching for a fight may be a lot of things, but it's not a "neighborhood". It's people living near each other.

Bought our house new in 1999, small rural town, subdivision doubled the population. I made sure there was no mention of an HOA in all the paperwork, I am not a fan. Subdivision completed 2 years later and we all get a letter saying there was a mandatory meeting to form an HOA. Sent by the builders lawyer. Mandatory?? While there were people that wanted an HOA the majority did not. The meeting was a mess with the lawyer haranguing us and people p'ing all over him. I was silent and enjoyed the show. They never got it passed.
There were decent neighbors that really wanted control of others property. I never figured some of it out. It is a very good place to live. Good people, lots of kids, near the school and virtually no crime.

Don

 

[Ingomike]

Bought our house new in 1999, small rural town, subdivision doubled the population. I made sure there was no mention of an HOA in all the paperwork, I am not a fan. Subdivision completed 2 years later and we all get a letter saying there was a mandatory meeting to form an HOA. Sent by the builders lawyer. Mandatory?? While there were people that wanted an HOA the majority did not. The meeting was a mess with the lawyer haranguing us and people p'ing all over him. I was silent and enjoyed the show. They never got it passed.
There were decent neighbors that really wanted control of others property. I never figured some of it out. It is a very good place to live. Good people, lots of kids, near the school and virtually no crime.

Don

Suppose 50 million more people than when you bought made that difference?

 

[Tactically Fat]

... and I really tore into this woman. They came to my door, and her husband stood behind her with his mouth agape while I told her things that probably would have earned me a punch in the mouth from a man. I certainly wouldn't have let anyone talk to my wife the way I did, I don't care how big a man you are.

If you admittedly wouldn't want your wife talked to like that, why would you talk to someone else's wife like that? Or anyone, for that matter?

 

[Ingomike]

Same here. But then you get the forced annexation of little hitler towns and then you end up surrounded by warehouses 14 years after you built your house in the country. Ask me how I know

As walking dead taught us, one cannot be that close to an interstate to a major city. LOL

They are tough choices, out where no one can get to you like leadeye, or near high paying jobs and conveniences, like internet. Almost impossible to have it all. If you are on their edge they will eventually get to you…

 

[bobzilla]

We weren’t on anyones edge for almost 10 years. Whitestown and lebanon went crazy on the land grab. We fought so much but in the end homeowners are at the mercy of the municipality. We had a 99% signature, we fought in court 3 times. It ****ing sucks. 3 miles off the interstate in corn fields and they gobbled it all up and made it warehouse central.

And I wonder why my depression is getting worse

 

[Ingomike]

We weren’t on anyones edge for almost 10 years. Whitestown and lebanon went crazy on the land grab. We fought so much but in the end homeowners are at the mercy of the municipality. We had a 99% signature, we fought in court 3 times. It ****ing sucks. 3 miles off the interstate in corn fields and they gobbled it all up and made it warehouse central.

And I wonder why my depression is getting worse

In reality three miles off the interstate is not far enough. Take Kokomo, 31 once went right through the town, then they built a bypass, that ultimately bypassed nothing, now they have built another bypass, how long before it is overflowing? Not long my guess…

 

[HoughMade]

In reality three miles off the interstate is not far enough. Take Kokomo, 31 once went right through the town, then they built a bypass, that ultimately bypassed nothing, now they have built another bypass, how long before it is overflowing? Not long my guess…

I endorse the current bypass. Getting from north to Indy on 31 used to be a good trip with one GLARING exception.....K-town.

Anyhoo, I have neighbors and I guess its a neighborhood, but everyone has several acres and leave each other alone...except when a tree fell down on my driveway and my neighbors all had their chainsaws out and were cutting up the tree before I even got home from work. Those are real neighbors.

 

[bobzilla]

In reality three miles off the interstate is not far enough. Take Kokomo, 31 once went right through the town, then they built a bypass, that ultimately bypassed nothing, now they have built another bypass, how long before it is overflowing? Not long my guess…

Have been through there since the bypass was opened? Because it's infinitely better. Making the trip to Grissom used to be 90 minutes. Now its 65

 

[Ingomike]

I endorse the current bypass. Getting from north to Indy on 31 used to be a good trip with one GLARING exception.....K-town.

I too whole heartedly endorse the K-town bypass. But calling it the “one” glaring exception minimizes the Lakeville-Lapaz section that is also bypassed now.

 

[HoughMade]

I too whole heartedly endorse the K-town bypass. But calling it the “one” glaring exception minimizes the Lakeville-Lapaz section that is also bypassed now.

That's true. That was mildly annoying before, but not Kokomo level frustration.

 

[Ingomike]

That's true. That was mildly annoying before, but not Kokomo level frustration.

So I have traveled this route a lot. I always believed the annoyance was the time it took, but once it was completed I realized it was the stress of stop lights, speed zones that sucked most…

Another stop light on the route was removed a couple of weeks ago at 236th in Hamilton county…

 

[Nazgul]

I endorse the current bypass. Getting from north to Indy on 31 used to be a good trip with one GLARING exception.....K-town.

Anyhoo, I have neighbors and I guess its a neighborhood, but everyone has several acres and leave each other alone...except when a tree fell down on my driveway and my neighbors all had their chainsaws out and were cutting up the tree before I even got home from work. Those are real neighbors.

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Exactly. In 2005, Memorial Day weekend, we had an tornado go through our small town. Really tore it up, power lines/poles not down but gone somewhere else. All the roads blocked by down trees. We had a walk out basement and 11 neighbors showed up until it was over. Everyone with a chainsaw worked 3-4 days to get things open. Almost a week without power.
We all put our grills in the street and had street breakfast/lunch/dinners. Neighbors with generators did the same and would run an extension cord to the house to run the fridge every few hours.
No HOA needed when people act right.

Don