Isn't this one small or rather large step towards communism?

Question

"Home Owner Associations" have taken this giant step and have all but crossed that little friendly line. They began by telling us that it is for the good of the neighborhood to keep it looking nice and home values up.... while this is true there is a heavy price to pay... it has now "evolved", as most social products do, into a full blown step towards a communistic society... where all the homes in the neighborhood must look pretty much the same with no one home having any advantage over the others. They dictate the colors you can paint your house, the number of cars you can own and where they are allowed to be parked and at what times, the types of window treatments and yard ornaments, flags and so on... I saw one where it was required to have a working fountain in the front yard. Then they actually have the gaul to charge you a monthly fee for having the privlege of buying a home in that neighborhood. They claim those funds go to the upkeep of the neighborhood... but....

I believe you are still responsible for paying for and performing all of your properties up keep and last time I checked... your taxes pay for the streets, lights and sidewalks.... So what was the benefit again?

some_yank... you make my point completely... it is imposed on you... HOA's start out as minimalistic... however... they evolve as the board members deam fit... you just don't move like you might stop shopping at a store or something or drop a membership to a gym.... often times it evolves into a "communist" type society as those few board members overstep their boundaries and begin to tell you how to live... it may evolve into something you never signed up for in the first place.

Just to clarify... my house isn't in a HOA neighborhood.... I would never buy into that socialist club. My point is... some start out small and sounding all good... then your trapped as they evolve... it isn't just easy to "pick up and move" all the time.

Also, you typically find these HOA's in the higher priced neighborhood... where people that spend that much for a house, typically take care of it anyways. Even if someone didn't I would rather live with one qwuirky house than live under a communist ruled organization that has the power to tell me what I can and can't do with MY HOUSE in this FREE Country.

Answer 1

SUPPOSEDLY, Home Owner Associations were made as a "buying power" kind of thing. Let's say for instance, they contract out to have the yards done. they take the cost and divide it among the property owners. HOWEVER, it has now evolved into something akin to a dictatorship. You have to be careful. Know the rules first before you buy a house. and, to be brutal, if someone asked me why you didn't buy a certain house, tell them the reason. This is the ULTIMATE in A-nal behavior. But some people think its just fine, because they are of like minds. All you need do is watch an episode of Frazier where he confronts the Condo Association. You'll get a pretty good drift as to what to expect.

Answer 2

If you bought a condo you may have to abide by the rules. If you ever had to live next to a woman who thought roosters were cool, or her treehouse was three stories tall, or who loved to paint her house turquoise and yellow, you might come to appreciate the 'taste' rules. And how about those people who leave cars up on blocks and the street full of their rusted out hulks, because they love to do repairs, one day, maybe when they retire.
Its not communist, its to insure the value of the neighborhood, wanting to make a good impression is important in the sale of a home, wanting to make the most money you can is as far from communism as possible.
If this is an individual home, not part of a development or other group effort, you don't have to join, but rules aren't a sign of communism, making a profit isn't a sign of communism, your tastes may be different from your neighbors, but that doesn't mean they ascribe to an economic system that has collapsed in most parts of the world.

Answer 3

I can imagine a house painted a color that the air traffic controllers use to guide in planes - turn left at the yellow house, red house, blue house, etc, also no room in the garage so 2 cars in the driveway and two more parked in the street. Junk left in the front yard, cars that don't run, just things that ruin a neighborhood. Now I don't have an association but I have seen plenty of places that sure need one. So it cuts both ways.

Answer 4

HOAs are different... they are private organizations and you consent to their rules when you buy a house in an HOA.

Buying in an HOA neighborhood is a crapshoot. Mine is OK, it is managed by a third party and they stick to their mission of maintaining the common areas and general upkeep of the neighborhood. I know what you are saying though, some are dominated by power hungry little pissants who get off on issuing "violations" to people for every little thing. Just like the average lefty here on Yahoo Answers.

Answer 5

You need to understand that the people in your community make up the association. You need to get these people elected into the board and then, can make changes. Associations can be good by keeping the trashy places out of a neighborhood, thus keeping the property values up.

If the association is too demanding and not willing to do what the people want, you fire them and hire a new bunch. Just like your elected representatives, they have to reflect what the majority of the people living there want.

Answer 6

no longer all political conservatives are non secular fundamentalists. in certainty, i might say that basically a minority are. subsequently, i do no longer think of rightwing conservatism is a step in the direction of a Theocracy. i think of it could be extra precise to declare--in case you insist on a label--that conservatism is probably a step in the direction of an Oligarchy, that's rule by ability of a decide on few. And Liberalism is extra of a step in the direction of Socialist-Democracy than communism, which has in no way worked in this Earth interior the form that Karl Marx first proposed. yet, yeah, you're top, human beings tend to overstate issues whilst their favorite ideology or faith is threatened, and so as that they use extremes to make their factors. We could desire to keep in mind that the Democrats and Republicans are actual very close jointly on the political spectrum; they're the two top interior the middle, with anarchy on the extreme left and Theocracy of Facism on the a procedures top.

Answer 7

Didn't you read the contract you signed when you bought that house in a CC&R governed neighborhood?

If you didn't read the CC&Rs for that development, you only have yourself to blame.

Me, I love living where people can't do stupid things to their homes that lower the property value and destroy the quality of life on the street where I own my home.

It's not communism to demand a quality standard for your neighborhood. It's common sense.

Don't agree? Get a real estate agent and put your house up for sale today!

Answer 8

There are cases of people in the desert who saw the light and decided to do away with their Kentucky Blue Grass lawns and xeriscape instead with native plants that didn't require daily watering, fertilizing, mowing, blowing, etc.

They were sued by the Homeowners Association, and compelled to put their lawns back in "for the good of the neighborhood".

I guess they wanted to fool themselves into thinking they didn't really pay half a million for a house in the middle of the desert. Let people put cactus in the yard next door, and the illusion gets blown pretty quick.

Answer 9

And this is the reason I moved onto 25 acres of my own property!

Also...in a HOA...the entire development is considered 'private property'...which means that if you have a neighbor who just happens to be a jacka**...guess what...that barking dog in the middle of the night...the local police can't do anything!

I have personally gone through this nightmare of living in a 'planned' community. And that is what is truly is...a NIGHTMARE!

No thanks...I'll just stay on my acreage!

Answer 10

That is certainly not the type of neighborhood I would want to live in. The last place I lived, said I couldnt even change my oil, work on my car in any way if it involves raising it or putting it on ramps. Nazis.

My car gets broken into in the auxiliry parking lot and they have the gall to laugh at me when I suggest we get security cameras. We moved from there and are very happy to be gone.