Interesting thread. We live in a rural development under an HOA. The properties range from small to fairly sizeable acreages with significant open space in the 3rd phase where we live. It’s a nice place.
When we were shopping for lots to build on we looked at two other developments nearby, neither of which had an HOA. Both featured larger lots than the one we ultimately purchased (3 acres), but because of the lack of open space, felt smaller—every house has a great view of every other house nearby. I thought both were kind of trashy looking, this in spite of the fact that none of the developments were built out as yet: campers, tractors, horse trailers, utility trailers scattered around many of the houses. I didn’t like it.
Now to our place. As I said, we have an HOA, and I served on the board for a couple of terms. I think the covenants are reasonable, and there are two main causes of contention, campers and fence maintenance. Our phase of the development has two-rail fence out in front of our houses between our property and the ROW. Home owners are responsible for keep the fence up.
Some homeowners have a difficult time with that. Campers can be parked on your property from May to November. Outside those months, they need to be stored in a barn on property or off-site at a storage facility.
Some homeowners have a tough time with that. It’s in the covenants that are part of your deed—signed and agreed to.
As our development has filled in with Californians and Coloradans (sorry, but it’s true) more residents ignore those covenants. Trouble is, the covenants, as written have no real enforcement tools. Not much you can do except lawyer up and take them to court. Lots of reluctance to do that.
Now we have a BoD that doesn’t want to enforce anything. We had an annual meeting during which a board member stated that a careful reading of the covenants states that all pets must be on a leash; therefore, because there are cats who aren’t on a leash, there’s precedence for non-enforcement of the covenants. Further, some nonsense about a couple of residents with an antique piece of farm equipment in their yard (our neighbor has a hay rake), that technically that is another ignored covenant. So now they do nothing about trailers and fences.
There’s a not-so-quiet rebellion going on right now. My apology for being long winded.
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despite them