Category Archives: chickens

11 Year Old’s Halloween House vs. the HOA

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Money Magazine once named Naperville, Illinois the second-best place to live in the United States. All that stands in the way of that reputation now is a militant HOA that wants to shut down one family’s Halloween decorations.

Each year the family puts up an amazing display of ghosts and goblins and a synchronized light show. Each Halloween an estimated 8000 drive by the famous house.

The HOA has enacted new regulations that would effectively stop this family from showing their creative side. An 11 year old girl from outside the Association who loves the Halloween display had a creative way to try to persuade the HOA to back down from its decision to close down the over-the-top decorations. She went to the Internet to solicit help. And the HOA, which normally doesn’t allow outsiders to attend its meetings, actually allowed this little girl to put on her presentation. There’s no way to know what this HOA will decide. But this youngster has a wonderful future ahead of her, now that she knows why HOA life should be avoided at all costs.

(link to Chicago Tribune story on Halloween fight in the suburbs)

 

 

Neighborhood Bird Brains

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The whole idea behind Homeowners Associations is to address neighborhood problems caused by bird-brained homeowners. As we all know, in actual practice many HOAs cause more problems than they actually solve. When one neighbor is pitted against another, pride gets in the way and stupid things start happening.

But stupid neighbor fights happen in non-HOA neighborhoods, too. An ongoing case in Seattle has now led to a $200,000 lawsuit.

Several years ago, a young girl began feeding the crows in her backyard. The crows began bringing trinkets to the youngster, and a YouTube video of the feeding ritual went viral.

Well, 51 of her neighbors signed a petition to encourage the family to end the bird feeding operation. They say it has become a major health problem because too many birds are gathering. One of those homeowners has filed a public nuisance lawsuit against the girl’s family to try to get the bird feeding stopped.

(link to story on bird lawsuit)

 

 

OK, I Admit It! HOAs Have A Purpose!

      4 Comments on OK, I Admit It! HOAs Have A Purpose!

Before you hire an assassin to take me out, please listen to my reasoning.

Next door ‘party houses’ are the bane of the existence of any homeowner. People buy the house, then start renting it out to party-throwing wild people who screw things up for the entire neighborhood. Certainly, Homeowner Associations can take these houses down. They assess fines, file liens and lawsuits and can shut these places down.

Still, if you have a strong zoning department they can shut these houses down much more quickly and without costing HOAs a ton of money in legal fees. And Zoning Departments have to follow Constitutional law. It doesn’t make them slower in enforcing reasonable standards, but it does make them more accountable.

As a property owner in an HOA, wouldn’t you rather deal with Zoning than with a bunch of slander-slinging neighbors? Wouldn’t you rather have your insurance and legal fees remain stable so you don’t get hit with special assessments to pay for legal fees? Wouldn’t you rather be in a position where the HOA insurance company doesn’t cancel the community policy because of an excess of Board lawsuits?

It’s all about peace and quiet enjoyment of property. Wouldn’t you rather have the county cracking the whip than your next-door neighbor, or your Nazi-minded board member?

It’s all about common sense, which apparently isn’t a factor in the national HOA scam.

(link to story on party houses)

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Drought Arrogance in Bel Air, California

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Ah, the arrogance of those Los Angeles elites.

CBS-LA reports that one homeowner in the ritzy Bel Air area used 12 million gallons of water in a single year during the worst drought anyone can remember. TWELVE MILLION GALLONS! The water bill was 90,000 dollars.

I have no idea what it costs to fill an Olympic sized swimming pool, but I would bet you could fill a swimming pool at least once a week with that budget.

The real stench, though, is that public officials won’t release this person’s name or address “for privacy reasons.” This one homeowner needs to be targeted and his name and address publicized. With a drought so severe it really threatens our national stability (agriculture), there’s no need to respect privacy. Drought shaming. Someone should do it.

(link to story on 12 million gallon ‘star’)

 

 

Georgia Homeowner Told To Narrow His Driveway

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Just because you got permission years ago to modify your home, don’t count on your HOA to respect the past. A Georgia man is learning that the hard way. He squeezed three cars onto his driveway, and management company paid attention.

Ralph Isabella says he got board permission six years ago to widen his driveway. It was all fine and dandy until Isabella cleaned out his garage and temporarily parked the cars outside. Suddenly, the HOA says if Isabella doesn’t take out the new pavement they’ll narrow his driveway for him and sue him for the cost.

The Copper Springs HOA, Oakwood, Georgia.

Nice folks.

(link to story in Gainesville Times)