re: HOA Drama and Pettiness

Lol you still use Facebook

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Oh and should we move Halloween to the weekend?

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Yes, this is an annual event. As well as someone the morning after Halloween complaining that someone took the entire bowl of candy she left on the porch instead of just the one her note instructed the trick or treater to take, thus ruining some other kid's Halloween. She doesn't want to post the pic from her Ring doorbell, but will if she has to. Parents, please teach your kids respect and that theft is wrong. She'd hate to see someone go down the road of a life of crime.

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Unfortunately it is normal these days. Best thing you could possibly do is get off your neighborhood Next Door or Facebook. It makes you have an unhealthy hatred for your neighbors.

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I’d argue that it’s a heathy & justifiable hatred.

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"I found this red mark on the sidewalk in front of my house. Does this mean my house is being cased?! We need more police patrolling the neighborhood! I don't feel safe anymore!"

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It’s pretty fun to leave things like an All seeing Eye in front of peoples houses. They freak out

Anytime a door to door solicitor hits the Uclub
You would think it was the Normandy Invasion reaction.
Nextdoor app is crack for lonely peeps at home all day

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What is the point of speeding through a subdivision?

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I seriously doubt many people in his neighborhood can run fast enough to be considered speeding

I have threatened, in writing, four times to file suit against my HOA. Each time, it has resulted in a positive outcome with HOA board recognizing that someone knowledgeable enough to understand the law and the rules as established under the Texas Non-profit Corporation laws could push in their shite if they didn't straighten up.

1. In 2002 I put in an antenna on my roof in order to receive OTA digital signals. They sent me a threatening letter AND also sent out an email to everyone pointing this out, and threatening to take action against anyone else in the neighborhood that dared do this.

My attorney sent them a letter, detailing how (a) they were in violation of my due process as enumerated in the HOA covenant restrictions, terms and conditions and subject to damages for violating that and broadcasting it to the neighborhood. Then (b) sent them a copy of the 1997 FCC Telecommunications Act, a federal law that supercedes any undue restrictions on receiving OTA and satellite television programming, noting that the restrictions in the HOA Covenant restrictions was in violation of federal law, and that class-action damages would be sought if the HOA didn't immediately convene and remove this from the documents as it would constitute a violation of rights under the constitution.

That turned out well for me.

Another time, board members unilaterally decided to change the restrictions to allow one set of homeowners (three of which were on the board) to build 8' tall fences instead of the 6' tall fence restriction.

My attorney also wrote then that (a) the restriction was changed without going through the required process to advertise the change by 30 day notice of a hearing, then a vote to make the change by a required 75% affirmative votes of the homeowners who might approve and (b) setting up one group of homeowners with a different set of restrictions created a separate class of owners and was a violation of due process laws and a restriction of rights of different members of the corporation. Failure to rescuing would bring a class action lawsuit on behalf of all neighbors affected by it.

This was favorably resolved.

Our brick entries and brick side walls, needed repairs. One of the members of the board offered to do it at his cost. That cost was $53,000. When we were all informed of his generosity, I had my attorney request the three quotes verifying that the contract cost was in line with other businesses. I was paid a visit by this member of the board, who didn't appreciate my attitude. Told him to GFH, resign from the board and put in a fair quote. The board got three additional quotes and accepted the lowest responsible quote, which was for $32,000, a savings of $21k.

So that also turned out well, except that board member stayed on the board

Finally, after that incident, I was always being watched for violations. They just didn't like me on the board. "Yard too tall, shrubs not kept up, "you can't BBQ and hang out in the driveway", your mailbox is rusty, color of your door wasn't approved, didn't get approval for political yard sign,.... " bullshite like that. I kept every communication until finally, one day, they sent me a picture of my trash and recycle bins viewable to the street, behind my car, and gave me ten days to correct or I would be fined. I had been cleaning out my garage and had moved them out of the way while clearing things.

Called my attorney. Told him I'd had it with all the harassment and to advise the board that unless the board members resign and hold new elections or hire an independent management company to take over the out-of-control board, that in ten days time, legal actions against the HOA and individual board members would be taken. Further, they were advised that all communications to me were to be directed to him. They thought it was a bluff, called me numerous times (which I recorded) in spite of being told not to by my attorney, so on the tenth day, I said to my attorney to move forward, and a lawsuit seeking $200k in damages from the corporation was filed and $100k from each board member. This motivated them and the HOA insurance company's attorney told them that if their actions had been to personally harass me, that they were not covered as that was outside their policy coverage. Gulp.

They quickly settled by agreeing to step down via a new election of officers and pay my legal costs. I ran for the board, won and took over the architectural review committee, streamlining and clarifying the rules to make it easy for anyone to make improvements to their home and we pushed forward a proposal for outside management. It passed by almost a unanimous vote of the property owners who were all tired of the petty BS from the previous board and agreed that outside management wouldn't be agenda driven.

That was about six years ago and the neighborhood is MUCH better now. We still have a board, but it's more of a figurehead group planning parties, or to field requests to build something or repair a fence. Otherwise, we just sign the checks and leave it to the management company to keep things legal and always up-to-date.

Point to all this: don't let bullies bully you. Know your rights and don't let others abuse yours.

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She said, "Are you a lawyer?" I told her I was, she asked, "What kind of law do you practice?" I told her mainly contracts, she then said, "Oh, I don't need to send the Agreement, you are technically grandfathered in. Just disregard this conversation."

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I was a notary when I lived in Louisiana. Learned enough to be cognizant of bullshite. Good for you.

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HubbaBubba

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Complete Alpha. Bravo

My wife (no pics) had the nextdoor site up within my peripheral view and everyone was taking pictures of "suspicious" cars or "suspicious" people "taking pictures of house". They then would turn out to be realtors or something. They literally are calling the cops on realtors for taking pictures or people driving in the wrong circle. God forbid someone stops to update a GPS., you are fricked.