A deal is a deal.
No one has to buy there.
True.
Problem is when the HOAs run-away from their intended purpose, then you are stuck unless you have the time to ‘run for office’ against people that don’t have to work...
IMO you are both correct - I am a former Yankee and do hold a Board position with the HOA. But this is not a north-south, Republican-Democrat issue. It is an issue of preserving everyone’s home values within an area. While some HOA’s may get a bit carried away, but beauty is truly in the eye of the beholder and there is no accounting for taste - just look around you! But people do have a choice - abide by the agreement you signed when you moved in or don’t live there. BTW, at Christmas time our entire area except for one house is a huge lighted wonderland - no Santas but lots of angels and nativity scenes.
I sure wouldn’t, I don’t want a bunch of creeps for neighbors.
I'd agree they should not have bought there, but unless the community association dictat says specifically "Homeowners must all maintain x percent of their property in lawn of a,b, and c types of grasses mown to z height, and Texas bluebonnets must be confined to flowerbeds," homeowners have no way of knowing that the community association Nazis are going to have an issue with a particular type of vegetation.
We had some neighbors who put in Leyland cypresses to maintain their privacy. The community ass'n and its attorneys really had a field day with this. It was unattractive and not in keeping with community standards, they said. They racked up some big ol' legal bills, too. Unfortunately for them they'd picked on a doctor who had the money to pay for his own lawyer and he fought back. His lawyer pointed out that there was no place in the community documents that stated Leyland cypresses were not permitted and the community association could just go pound sand. It was nice.
I agree.
I am appalled at Freepers who say they have no qualms about signing a HOA agreement, thereby agreeing to the terms, then breaking the rules.
People who do that, do not honor their contracts. Simple as that.