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Handicapped NC Woman Beats HOA

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Rebecca Cunningham, don’t count your chickens before they’re hatched!

Ms. Cunningham is handicapped and four years ago installed a lift on her porch to allow her to avoid the stairs. No problem. The HOA approved it. All of a sudden, the HOA said she had to repaint it to exactly match the new cream color of the trim. She talked to the manufacturer who said it shouldn’t be painted, because it would make maintenance too difficult. So she appealed to the HOA, and lost.

Rebecca then appealed to a local television troubleshooter who got some attorneys involved, and hoo boy, did this HOA ever stumble and scramble backwards.

Rebecca, listen carefully because I’m going to give you some inside dope. HOAs hate disabled people. It’s not about you, it’s the fact that you’re disabled. Really! We’ve seen this thing happen time and again across the country where HOAs seem to come down especially hard on the handicapped. You’re persona non grata. Your very presence apparently brings down property values.

But, Rebecca, it gets worse. You embarrassed your HOA board by going public and getting your story broadcast on the Durham, N.C. ABC-affiliate. They were further embarrassed by having to rescind their illegal order against you. Babe, from now on you are a target. You’ve got a big target on your back. They will harrass you mercilessly. Not only is your disability bringing down property values, you failed to worship at the feet of the neighborhood Nazis. Watch your back Rebecca. But don’t ever back down.

(link to ABC-TV story in Durham, NC)

By the way, below is the management of this HOA if you’d like to thank them for accommodating handicapped people. Keep it nice!

Elite Management Professionals, Inc.
Address:
Street: 4112 Blue Ridge Road, Ste 100
Town: Raleigh
State: NC
Zip Code: 27612
Country: USA
Telephone: Telephone: (919) 233-7660
Fax:

Judge Rules Against Famous Aviator in HOA Case

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Two or three months ago, I told you about Chuck Yeager, the famous Air Force test pilot who was the first human being to cross the sound barrier. I also told you how the now-retired Brigadier General was being sued by a Homeowners Association, which Yeager claimed did not include his two units in Fresno. The 91 year old pilot says the HOA simply doesn’t have jurisdiction over his property, and he had the records to prove it.

Well, a Fresno judge has ruled that Yeager has to pay the HOA $43,000 in fees. The HOA’s original lawsuit demanded $270,000. The HOA feigns success. But it looks like Yeager comes out the big winner despite not having a total victory. From outward appearances it looks like the HOA’s demand was excessive and the judge probably saw through that.

HOA officials are talking about how satisfied they are with getting a judgment. Funny thing is, Yeager cut short his losses because he won’t have to pay legal expenses while these out-of-control HOA lawyers try to run up Yeager’s legal costs.

Besides, says Yeager, “I’m very pleased with the agreement. What’s best is that the judge did not order me to join the HOA!”

(link to Sacramento Bee story)

 

The Straight Poop

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The Gates of Allen Station, shame, shame on you.

Yes, folks, another Texas Homeowners Association is taking the idiotic and pathetic step of DNA testing all dogs in the neighborhood. Swab your doggie’s cheeks, submit the DNA sample to your HOA. That swab goes to the lab and your pooch is branded for life. Now, if your dog brands the lawn of the HOA president or a board member, the feces fits the crime, the owner gets the fine. The thought of HOA officials dropping to their hands and knees and probing poops with thermometers and scoops just defies the imagination. The HOA claims it’s a way of stopping canine terrorists from messing up the neighborhood.

Well, frankly folks, it’s just another way of wrecking a nice neighborhood by turning neighbor against neighbor. First of all, who’s motivated to institute such a practice? It costs a couple hundred bucks per pooch per swab. And the owner of each defiling dog is fined hundreds of dollars. That money is going into someone’s pocket. It’s a real revenue generator.

But second, it won’t work. Once homeowners start getting angry at being fined, they’re going to start collecting poop from all over and tossing it onto the board president’s lawn. He’s going to get innundated. Of course, he’ll submit hundreds of different DNA samples from the hundreds of brown spots in the front yard. And of course, he’ll charge thousands and thousands of dollars in lab costs to the HOA’s ‘secret’ reimbursement budget. The homeowners will be assessed, of course. Everybody will hate everybody, the president’s house will really get bombed now.

When people get stupid, stupid things happen.

(click here for Dallas dog story)

 

Neighborhood Snit In Austin

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It’s happening all over the country, but another old neighborhood in Austin, Texas has decided to create a community improvement association to encourage homeowners to clean up their properties. The old time homeowners who’ve been in the Hyde Park neighborhood generally don’t want to turn the association into a mandatory HOA. Newbies in the neighborhood definitely want that kind of dictatorial power.

One homeowner says he’s spent a fortune upgrading his house. So have other residents. But there’s one neighbor who won’t go along.

“It’s just not fair!” the clean guys say. “Just no fair!” Gosh, when you hear a whiner throwing that kind of phrase around, watch out! Life isn’t fair. What’s fair about a crippled kid, or racism, or crime, or any of the other unfair things that happen in life.

This neighborhood’s first step is a good one. A voluntary group that encourages a cleaner neighborhood is a boon to property values. When a homeowner resists improving his or her home, that’s a time for diplomacy, not threats or humiliation. Not ostracism or confrontation. This is a chance to prove the benefits of inclusion and good will, volunteerism and neighborliness. It actually works, folks!

Well, these ‘clean’ neighbors now want the fascist rules of the HOA movement imposed so they can snatch the offender’s house, clean it up themselves, and sell it to a new owner who’ll agree to abide by the ‘clean rules.’ And suddenly you’ve got a fascist government arising from the ashes of what used to be a relatively free neighborhood.

The place to fight for mandatory rules is with the local zoning commission. If an HOA is created then it creates a neighbor vs. neighbor mentality where the most vicious of personal attacks are made. If city zoning rules are imposed, the disputes are less expensive, less confiscatory and peace in the neighborhood can be maintained.

If Hyde Park homeowners think an HOA will raise property values, think again. Those who don’t want to live, or don’t like living in an HOA amount to about 90% of the population. Think about it. 90% of all potential home buyers won’t even look at your for sale sign. What’s your nice clean home really worth now? HOAs have just been developing a stinky reputation over the past few years. And you’ll see my predictions come true. HOAs do not improve or preserve property values, and there are thousands of examples around the country.

(click here for Hyde Park story)

http://www.austinhydepark.org/2014/04/is-there-a-homeowners-association-in-hyde-parks-future/

Some Non-HOA Hilarity

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Taking a radical departure from the regular topic in this blog, here’s a little humorous offering from comedian Tim Hawkins. He has a music degree and has played in Carnegie Hall. He uses his guitar to poke fun at institutions and conditions of life. In this bit he pokes wonderful fun at those of us who are getting older:

(link to Tim Hawkins concert)

Now, if we could just get Tim Hawkins to write a series of HOA songs!