re: About to get into a fight with HOA over parking policy inside the community

The paint job wouldn't bother me. The family with NINE cars every night at a 1500 sq foot house DID bother me. Not because they parked in the street, but because they parked up both sides and front of a corner lot, meaning it was a big ol mud hole most of the year. Of course, these weren't the sort of ppl who graciously hosted the annual block party: pit bull chained to a tree in front, screaming fights outside, etc. it wasn't just the nine cars, it was the complete package of dysfunction expressing itself in the inability to do even the most basic home maintenance.

I will gladly pay my $60/mo and put up with the 28 pages of covenants. The rules serve to weed out the antisocial, uncooperative, and thoughtless. No section 8, no homemade carport additions, no tin sheds. If you want unregulated, there are plenty of places for you. But dont move into an HOA and bitch about rules.

Also, be sure you understand how long the developers control extends....have seen a pack of neighbors think they could simply show up and vote a rule change, but they didn't bother to read the details of our HOA gOvernance. Developer controls everything until 10 years after the last lot is sold. Also be sure to understand the difference between HOA regs and covenants attached to the property.