LOL! It’s pretty easy for somebody who follows my blog to think I’m stone-cold crazy about some of the horrible things that go on in the typical HOA environment. That’s why it’s fun to have YouTube in the mix.
The link below is to an outraged couple who discovered that their HOA micro-manages each and every person who spends a night under their roof. HOAs typically insist that no unrelated people live in the same house. That means a micro inspection of the relationship between every unmarried or yet-to-be-married couple spending a few nights in the same home. You have to get advance permission if someone is staying over, complete with their name, date-of-birth, Social Security Number and source of income.
HOAs have the right to determine who is an illegal resident and they can literally shut down the gate code for any homeowner who violates the policy. But figuring out who’s related to whom involves a massive amount of spying on your personal habits and the personal habits of every one of your guests.
What country are we living in, again? Just curious.
In June 2008, the Stoneybrook Master Association of Orlando, Inc. sent home owners a letter about their new collections policy, which contained this paragraph:
(emphasis added)
The actual policy states that
(emphasis added)
source: ivic02.residentinteractive.com/programs/download.pdf?xinput=33007681
via comments at privatopia.blogspot.com/2009/09/hoa-tacking-on-4000-fee-to-sold-homes.html
As regular readers of this blog are aware, delinquent assessments (a.k.a. “H.O.A. dues”) can (and usually does) mean disputed fines and fees — including attorney fees — since H.O.A. corporations use the “priority of payments” scam accounting method, in which assessment payments are used to pay fines and fees first.
Looks like this HOA rule would keep old college friends from being able to sleep in an extra bedroom while they are in town on business. Or the son home from college from inviting his girlfriend for a visit. And definitely Aunt Beulah the retired school teacher who uses a walker to get around…forget about having her occupy the guest room…get her a hotel room all by herself downtown! Victor is right. His HOA story is crazy but not the craziest one I’ve heard to date!
Sadly, there’ve been repeated cases around the country where a grandma faced loss of her home when a grandchild from a divorce came to live.
Re:The Anonymous comment
This sounds more like a military base than an HOA. How can that be enforceable for a homeowner to not be allowed guests? What if a homeowner called 911 for fire, police or ambulance? Would they be permitted those services? Or if they ordered a pizza, could it be delivered? Or the plumber, electrician, or any other in home service?
This sounds like homes are being held hostage to me. I’m having a hard time believing this is not against the law.
I don’t doubt that anonymous posted what has been given to him/her but I do question whether it’s legal.
There’s been a battle going on in Florida where 55 year old grandmother has custody of her five year old granddaughter. But she, too, has gotten the ultimatum: Either move or get rid of the kid. So it apparently goes on in a number of places.
I get it but don’t agree with the grandmother having to move or throw her granddaughter into the foster care system over her HOA rules.
Someone permanently living at the residence is totally different than somebody coming for a visit.
I don’t understand not being able to have a friend stay for the weekend or drop by to leave some chicken soup when you’ve got the flu.
This also means somebody that has been injured or is critically ill and needs a full-time caregiver (hospice or a nurse) would be harassed, too.
This is not acceptable and HOAs that are doing this should be exposed in every way possible!
Interesting thought! I have not thought about the prospect of a homeowner being left on the street because of the presence of Hospice. During the week my mother was dying there were at least twenty or thirty vehicles in her cul-de-sac. But with the mindset of these fiefdoms it certainly stands to reason that a surviving spouse might face astronomical fines.