quote:
know how you feel. I've been dumb enough in the past to be involved with HOAs and architectural committees. My next house will be on acreage so I don't have to deal with that BS. There are a few constants that seem true for every neighborhood:

- Homeowners get furious when you notify them that they are violating a restriction. It doesn't matter how small or big, they think they deserve a waiver and more importantly, the HOA members should sacrifice their personal time to visit with them face to face so they can explain why their situation is unique.

- only 2/3 or less of homeowners will pay their dues by the second notice. 10% think they shouldn't have to pay them for various reasons. And the rest think a board member should come pick up the dues personally from their house. Some will try to convince everyone they paid them, but the HOA must have lost it (same people, every year). The Treasurer is definitely the shittiest position on the HOA board.

- the loudest homeowners bitching usually never volunteer their time to anything in the neighborhood.

- there is always some old folks bitching about kids riding their bikes in the street and teenagers speeding and/or not stopping at the stop signs. Not sure why these people think the HOA has the ability to enforce laws on the street. For the record, the fastest vehicles in the neighborhoods are usually the school buses and soccer moms.

- There are some homeowners that will always nag the HOA b/c they enforce the restrictions too tough.

- There are some homeowners that will always nag the HOA b/c they don't enforce the restrictions enough.

- Homeowners think the HOA is the first and only option to settle disputes with their neighbor.

- There are some neighbors that bitch at the architectural committee b/c they allow houses that look too much alike and they don't want to live in a cookie cuter neighborhood.

- these same people usually bitch when a house is looks too different.

What did I miss?

This is exactly why our HOA just recently voted to hire a management firm to run the HOA. I think somewhere around 95% of the homeowners voted to raise the dues another $100 to make this happen. Our HOA has done an outstanding job, but it shouldn't be left up to them to enforce the rules and regulations of the HOA.

I'll never understand why people move into a neighborhood with an HOA, and then bitch about the fees, rules, and regulations.