Posted on 04/21/2023 5:01:17 PM PDT by daniel1212
Michelle Clark Miller Executive Administrative Assistant (2000–present)
When my sister bought her house, she was the third person to buy in the new neighborhood. They signed the papers and started making payments BEFORE the HOA was established, so the HOA was not mentioned in the paperwork.
Over the next few years, my sister and her then husband erected a basketball goal, added a covered patio, inground pool, and a large storage/workshop. They’d bought one of the two lots on the very tail end of the cul-de-sac, so their lot was HUGE.
They still had way more backyard than most people. They took very good care of their home, yard, etc…the shop was painted to match the house, the basketball goal was kept in tip top shape.
Enter the new HOA. My sister declined to join it. They decided to ignore her letter of refusal, and started sending her violation letters for the shop, the basketball goal, the patio, the paint scheme, right down to the dogs they had. (Three is permitted by the city, and we have no breed restrictions.)
My sister returned all letters with a copy of the refusal to join letter, along with a copy of the registered mail receipt showing they received it. They started fining her. She kept doing what she was doing, and pulled in an attorney friend who was more than happy to take over.
The HOA finally took her to court. Her lawyer countersued, presented all the paperwork to the judge, and the judge not only found in my sister’s favor, but the HOA had to pay ALL of HER attorney fees and had to reimburse her for all the postage fees she paid responding to their letters.
She always sent them registered mail.
The judge was incensed by the matter, especially when he saw her original letter declining their request that she join the HOA.
Do you know that they kept trying to fine her? She sent them copies of the original ruling, and they again ended up in front of a judge. That judge ruled the same as the first one.
The third time, the judge yelled at the president of the HOA, the attorneys, and told them if they didn’t leave my sister alone, he’d cite them for harassment. My sister’s attorney said if they continued, she could sue the HOA president, all of the officers, along with the attorneys both professionally and personally for harassment.
The HOA left her alone after that. She HAS had to run off some of the HOA snoops she’s caught peeking over her privacy fence trying to see what’s in the backyard, and ended up slapping a restraining order on them. (The HOA had to reimburse her for THAT, too.)
I for the life of me don’t understand why people would spend their hard earned money for a home and lot they don’t have control over. No way would I ever live in an HOA controlled community.
What do you call a bunch of Karen’s?
An HOA.
I don’t think a HOA would have an appreciation for my race cars. My one near neighbor loves the sound of them!
Back in the 1960s there was an airline pilot who loved down the street from me. He had a GT-500. He’d take it for a spin on occasion. Talk about a “full-throated roar!” Loved the sound of that thing.
Re: my post #103: “loved” should be lived.”
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