Posted on 06/02/2010 8:04:52 PM PDT by RDTF
That is the best damn story ever.....if I were your neighbor I would have helped you decorate the holes in your drive way with things like....plastic pink flamingos or an old toilet used as a planter....
it would have been fun......
Yep, I smell some real dirt bags involved here.
As for the wife not handling business, if she is a depressant that is easily understood. Lots of depressants in their youth don’t understand the disease and are given to make bad judgments, lose their ability to cope when not treated, and turn to avoidance. And I can even understand her not wishing to share problems with a husband frequently involved in mortal combat.
As for the HOA, and their claiming the husband was not in combat at the time when he was, that gets into the dirt bag time, as the HOA had to know he was military, and most likely took advantage. Especially on a house that was free and clear and where there was no bank mortgage claim against the house a new owner would have to deal with. What an easy $296,500’s to be made.
They knew apparently the wife’s inability to cope, so they’d just hold the property and claim rent for awhile until she falls flat on her face trying to deal with it. Then evict them, and voila...a nice resale profit.
You’d have paid your bill. Nice primping, though.
Agreed...someone made a lot of $$, especially over $800 due in HOA fees.
The problem is, with no HOA around here, you wind up with washing machines in various states of disrepair on front lawn display. HOA’s (with a good charter) are like governments; if you don’t like them, vote them out; many can be recalled on very short notice.
Nonetheless, I hope the board of the HOA is aware (or is made acutely aware) that there is no more evil, cunning, and vicious enemy than a “bad” neighbor - bad defined here as “someone who really has developed a genuine dislike for you”. Fortunately, this has never happened to me but I have heard horror stories with situations so bad that people have had to move.
I would have a severe dislike for someone who approved of this action, and I can’t believe that I would be alone.
I have had panic attacks for almost 30 years I spent 6 months unable to leave my home I know all too well in which you speak
May Neighbor painted them construction orange for me, that orange was so bright, I think the space shuttle could see it.
That’s true, paid my dues. But they had other ways to make my life hell so I gave it back to them 2x.
I have a nasty temper and a devious mind.
Under ‘Servicemembers Civil Relief Act’ somebody should be seeing a year behind bars - Oh, that’s right - Chicago laws only protect the crooks... 0 needs to GO!
The editor at Mother Jones must have had to pry this out of the typewriter...a story supportive of a {gasp!} soldier.
I agree and If I bought a $3000000. house for $3500. I wouldn’t let them stay, I would be selling. Something stinks here besides the wife being lacks....
I find this article somewhat suspect and very surprising.
The Servicemembers Civil Relief Act of 2003 provides that an service member can stay a foreclosure proceeding during his active duty. And may even stop non judicial foreclosure as in this case.
Many of the answers to questions (and idiotic statements) are at this thread.
I think this story is a little bunko, but if it happened to me and I were the serviceman there would be some homeowners association peckerheaded officials peeing their pants as they tried to very rapidly make amends for this as I glared at them up front and personal.
The same HOA law is used for condo's, where there really is a need for this kind of power.
In a condo, association dues aren't just for maintaining the community pool. They are also used to pay for shared utilities, like water, and even cable TV (it's cheaper when you buy service for everyone from the cable company). I've also seen condo buildings that share hot water generation, and that hot water may be used for heat in the winter.
Condo association fees are also used for exterior maintenance: painting, repair, etc. of ALL of the buildings. So, it can easily be $100's per month, and will add up quickly. If even a few owners don't pay, it puts the association in a cash flow bind, and the rest of the owners have to make up the difference.
So why paint individual single family home owners with the same brush? This is not analagous to the condo situation.
I agree. But, the original poster asked why, and that's why.
There has been a lot of discussion about changing the law. I don't believe the answer is to just prohibit foreclosure -- a condo homeowner could just refuse to pay association dues and the association could only put a lien on the home. The lien couldn't be collected until the home is sold, and if the owner doesn't move for a long time, the association (and all the other owners) would be screwed.
I'll suggest that foreclosure is only allowed if association dues exceed some threshold -- either an absolute amount or a percentage of the assessed value of the home.
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