HOAs from Hell

[JoeWras]

An interesting article of a recent HOA vs. homeowner fight. Legal fees approaching $1M overall. Yikes! And I don't want to pick sides, but I like his landscaping....

https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-1-...ed-with-the-misplaced-flower-pots-11553006590

After he installed a decorative, shin-high wall around a plant bed on the side of his house, saying it would enhance the curb appeal, the HOA ordered him to remove it because it hadn’t been approved by an architectural review committee. Mr. Hildenbrand said he actually had the needed approval.

Seven years after he moved in, the HOA and Mr. Hildenbrand are still fighting over the decorative wall in court, with no end in sight. The dispute has consumed nearly $1 million in legal fees—the most expensive active HOA case of this type in the country, according to experts keeping track of such things.

 

[Big_Hitter]

An interesting article of a recent HOA vs. homeowner fight. Legal fees approaching $1M overall. Yikes! And I don't want to pick sides, but I like his landscaping....

https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-1-...ed-with-the-misplaced-flower-pots-11553006590

damn, it's like waking up to weighing 5 bills....how did it get that far?

 

[imoldernu]

Maybe this doesn't qualify... on the "from Hell" part... But...

Our HOA is great because the board members live in the Villas, just as we do... Together 89 units. We bought in 2004 and the HOA Dues were $125/mo... In 2014, with apologies, the board increased the dues to $150/mo or $1800 year.

Here's what we get... no exaggerations...

Free meal at the annual meeting in the best restaurant in the area, and an outdoor catered summer HOA party cookout in a local park.

Lawn, tree, shrub care. this past summer , many times when lawns were cut twice a week.
Snow removal... always starts at 7:30 AM, and if it continues to snow, the crews will work all day if necessary.

Exterior house trim. The original builder used wood that didn't keep paint... the HOA took care of that by putting aluminum overlays over the doorways and garage entrances. Now, zero exterior care.

And... the main streets of our Liberty Village complex is lit by garage and post lamps. Board members, as part of their responsibility (no salary) replace any light that goes out.

We really like where we live.

 

[JoeWras]

damn, it's like waking up to weighing 5 bills....how did it get that far?

Clearly, both sides are dug in over principle. In an extreme way.