Here’s yet another story of a rotten Homeowners Association, this one is the Tower Oaks HOA in Gainesville, Florida. If you’re in the market for a home, that’s another good one to steer away from. It’s not hard to figure out why property values ARE NOT protected by an HOA. More and more people are getting wise to the scam.
(link to WCJB story about HOA retaliation)
This kind of thing has happened before. HOAs are no big fans of war heroes. It’s hard to imagine. But many HOAs across the country don’t like the American flag being flown. They don’t like displays of patriotism. Actually, it does make sense in a perverse sort of way. HOAs are basically fascist organizations, many of them run by control freaks.
But click on the picture below to see and hear the story of Frank Larison who’s being fined $50 a day because he has Marine decals on his car. Just remember the Woodlands II On The Creek Homeowners Association in Dallas. HOA board president Dorenda Hardy signed the letter. She should be ashamed. And any prospective home buyer in Texas should avoid this neighborhood like the plague.
http://americannews.com/retired-marine-forced-to-remove-is-usmc-decals-while-neighbors-keep-obama-stickers/
Greek food happens to be my favorite! As a matter of fact, I ate it for dinner tonight. This would be a dream come true for me to have Greek cuisine on wheels parked right next door! I would gladly offer to buy their leftovers.
But I do not live in Sugar Land, Texas in the New Territory HOA where the board president, Mike Pincomb is acting like a pinhead and bullying the owners of ‘Anna’s Greek Gourmet.’
It appears the CC&Rs allowed ‘work vehicles’ to be parked at a home until ‘Anna’s Greek Gourmet’ truck was considered to be one. Suddenly, the rules were changed and ‘work vehicles’ had to be parked inside the garage. Ahhhh, that prohibits this food truck from being allowed because it will not fit inside the garage. Next it was considered a home-based business because some lettuce is being cut inside the truck while it’s parked on the driveway. There was no mention that customers were coming up to buy gyro sandwiches or a speaker was blaring yia yia’s daily special. No, nothing distracting to their immediate neighbors is taking place. But somebody on the board has a bone to pick with this family business.
How is this truck any different than the plumber that is on 24 hour call and parks his truck with his tools in his driveway? Or the CAI card-carrying HOA attorney who loads his case files and computer into his Rolls Royce that he parks on his circle drive? Or even the Girl Scout leader who loads cases of cookies into her SUV for delivery?
The Zafiris family is trying to live the American dream. Like Anna says she is paying taxes and paying the HOA dues. She wasn’t breaking an HOA rule until the rule was changed in an effort that appears to target just her. Now, she’s losing sleep and probably wishing she’d never departed the Greek Islands.
This story brings back memories of AJ Vizzi and his pick-up truck ordeal in Florida. I sense this Greek food truck HOA battle will have the same outcome. (In case you missed the AJ Vizzi story, I’m posting it below.)
Opa, Anna! We are all behind you!
Never forget A. J. Vizzi, the triumphant fighter against his HOA!
Florida attorney and CAI member Donna Berger posted the following question, “Why do you need to listen to the dissenting voices in your community?”, on the Becker & Poliakoff Community Association Law blog. (http://www.communityassociationlawblog.com/2016/05/why-you-need-to-listen-to-dissenting.html).
She wrote, in part, “One of the first things leadership training establishes is that discordant voices in an organization can be extremely beneficial to growth and the ultimate success of that organization.” I commented:
“Good advice.
“I see a reason for the hostile response by many board members, beyond rude and angry behavior of some members, is that HOA directors are not schooled in the requirements to be a representative of the ‘people.’
“Unlike a business, governing representatives must be educated to accept the reality that dissent is part of the job and they must be able to respond in a positive manner. That they are to carry member issues and concerns to the entire board for resolution.
“If they cannot, then the job is not theirs. If the job is beyond their pay grade, they should also not serve.
“So, why is there a failure to educate themselves on what it means to be a representative of the people?”
guest blog by Nila Ridings
Michael Crick of Bridal Trails HOA in Bellevue, Washington loves trees but not ones that are diseased or at risk for falling on his home and possibly killing his family. So, he obtained the proper permits and the city arborist determined the trees he marked for removal were correctly selected.
The cutting began and suddenly a dozen neighbors arrived, including the HOA president, Ray Reass. The number one tree hugger offered Mr. Crick the standard advice given in all HOAs. MOVE! That’s right, if you do not want to take the chance of a dead tree falling on your house and family just MOVE!!! And then she so politely says, “Good Day.”
I can relate to Crick and his tree issue. Next to my garage, on HOA common ground were two very old and very tall trees that started turning brown and dropping needles like rain drops. The HOA removed one tree, but I think it was done more for the purpose of the neighbors who video tape my every move. With that tree out of the way they had a much better shot of my bedroom window and driveway.
My requests to have the other tree removed fell on deaf ears and were ignored. I called an arborist who said it was diseased and a wind storm could blow it down. Being in the the direct line of west winds blowing, my garage, kitchen, and living room would be destroyed should that tree have fallen. I would have lost two vehicles, my entire kitchen, and everything in my living room. I decided to check with my insurance company about my coverage. I was instructed to write a letter to the property manager letting him know since he was being paid to manage the HOA and had been made aware of the dead tree if it fell on my house my insurance company would pay for the damage, minus my deductible, and then sue him for payment.
Shortly after writing the email to the property manager, I left town for three days. Guess what was gone when I arrived home?
(link to KOMO story about dead trees)
