High HOAs

[pmax]

Originally Posted by Neilk

One inch too low from what? Can you dig the dirt around the mail box and presto, it’s an inch higher, or do they measure from the street? Sounds crazy

Yup, at best, the HOA board must be filled with crazies going around measuring mailboxes.

[JavaBrewer]

I have lived in 4 communites over the past 30 years, 2 were HOA and both were a generally positive experience. Yes dealing with the various committees could be difficult but I do believe that home values trended higher then neighboring ones without HOA. I don't miss sending the $125/200 per month dues or the parking 'violations' put on visitors cars who parked on the street. Worst for me was the requirement to get front landscaping approved within 6 months and finished 12 months after escrow closed. The builder left us dirt lots with fencing to start with. The by-laws for front landscaping required no more than 60% hardscape (concrete/walls/pavers). After scrambling to find a contractor (many months) I submitted my plan which was nearly 70% and got denied. I was going to be investing over $100K in for front yard improvements and they said NO! I had to submit pictures of 2 HOA board members homes that were almost 100% hardscape before they relented. PITA.

[GH85Carrera]

Our HOA is understanding when visitors park in the street. At more than one board meeting for our PCA region my driveway and the space in front of my house was decorated with a bunch of Porsches. A few neighbors came over to take pictures, and no one complained.

My brother and sister in law stopped at our house in their bus sized RV. They parked out front overnight. No issues for one night.

My wife is a master gardener. We have added a lot of flowerbeds and filled them with lots of different and unusual flowers. We get people stop and taking pictures often.

This is my wife's Macan hiding in the jungle.

[Bob Kontak]

Originally Posted by GH85Carrera

My wife is a master gardener.

That's evident. Nice.

I was the no-teeth HOA enforcer for a year in my Cypress, TX hood. I ended up talking to several people about their grass, wrecked kid's cars in the driveway and project cars on cinder blocks in the driveway.

There was nothing I could do except schmooze/beg them to rectify the problem. Most of them did without a big shiet storm.

One guy was building a house, ground up, and lived in a tee-pee on his property for a couple years. I just let him be. His crib came out nice.

[p911dad]

Our HOA has a sort of benign neglect attitude about little things, like parking in the streets or the color of doors, types of roofing, etc. They are very interesting in cutting down mature trees, erecting garden sheds, pools, hot tubs and the like, and require review and permits. One guy had to take down an elaborate hot tub enclosure that he didn't bother to have reviewed. Our yearly fee is $190. and basically covers some fancy landscaping at the main entrance and a couple of low key block parties.

[A930Rocket]

Originally Posted by ErVikingo

my HOA just blocked the sale of my old house. They logged a violation which we were just told it relates to our mailbox being 1 inch too low....

Never an issue and I have been living there for 23 years and the mailbox was installed bu the HOA way back when. Now, I can't close until i pay an exuberant amount for a mailbox ($750) plus a $150 penalty. They say they notices this 14th January 2020....

How do the HOA rules compare to the USPS rules. If it meets the USPS, then I say you’re good to go.

https://www.usps.com/manage/mailboxes.htm

[masraum]

Originally Posted by ErVikingo

my HOA just blocked the sale of my old house. They logged a violation which we were just told it relates to our mailbox being 1 inch too low....

Never an issue and I have been living there for 23 years and the mailbox was installed bu the HOA way back when. Now, I can't close until i pay an exuberant amount for a mailbox ($750) plus a $150 penalty. They say they notices this 14th January 2020....

I buddy had a neighbor who someone had taken a dislike to. The neighborhood was new, new homes, new fences that came with the homes, everything new. The neighbor gets a notice that the fence is too close to the sidewalk (34", should be 36"). Neighbor told em, "FU". Neighbor gets a summons or whatever to see them in court. Neighbor takes a measuring tape and camera and notebook around the neighborhood and finds a dozen other places with the same issue. Neighbor sends the HOA a note, "sure, I'll see you in court, but the rest of these folks had better be there with me." The way that I heard it they dropped the issue.

I'd probably do something to raise the mailbox 1" or audit the neighborhood to ensure that I was the only infraction, and I'd probably get a lawyer involved.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by A930Rocket

How do the HOA rules compare to the USPS rules. If it meets the USPS, then I say you’re good to go.

https://www.usps.com/manage/mailboxes.htm

Nice, maybe he could prove that the HOA rules contravene federal law.

[MBAtarga]

Originally Posted by A930Rocket

How do the HOA rules compare to the USPS rules. If it meets the USPS, then I say you’re good to go.

https://www.usps.com/manage/mailboxes.htm

Interesting how the height dimension is called out on the drawing referencing the ground surface the mailbox is mounted on - rather than the street surface as is mentioned in the actual specs.
"Position your mailbox 41″ to 45″ from the road surface to the bottom of the mailbox or point of mail entry."

[ErVikingo]

Thanks guys. Challenging them on it!

[RWebb]

post results - this should be fun

[A930Rocket]

Originally Posted by MBAtarga

Interesting how the height dimension is called out on the drawing referencing the ground surface the mailbox is mounted on - rather than the street surface as is mentioned in the actual specs.
"Position your mailbox 41″ to 45″ from the road surface to the bottom of the mailbox or point of mail entry."

I noticed that. Typical government work. 🤪

[pmax]

Originally Posted by A930Rocket

I noticed that. Typical government work. ��

Retired government workers gotta keep busy

[Crowbob]

I was talking to my neighbor when it was time to replace my roof. I told him I was thinking about getting a steel roof. He said I can't; it's against the association.

The what?

The HOA. You signed the paperwork when we built your house (the neighbor worked for the builder).

No I didn't. But I'll show you mine if you show me yours.

Every one of my neighbors (10 houses) said the same thing and not one of them came up with any paperwork.

All of a sudden campers popped up in driveways. Cars began to be parked on the lawns, the grass got long and a white electric reindeer landed on the roof next door around December 15 every year.

I shoulda kepp my mouth shut.

[jhynesrockmtn]

HOA's can run the gamut. I had a girlfriend in Seattle that lived in a 25 unit condo complex. Her HOA had a history of not enforcing renter rules and post downturn the place basically had turned into an apartment building. They tried to regain a bit of control but it was tough. There are rules like that in a condo that are important and then there are the post office box height rules that are a waste of time. I drive through the neighborhood I grew up in occasionally and it is generally in very good shape. The HOA dues pay for street maintenance, they have several parks, a lake to take care off, tennis courts, walking trails, etc. Overall they've done a good job. Hard to believe many of the homes there are now 50+ years old.

[RWebb]

BTW, in the West cities often have weed and grass ht. laws

they are for fire danger

the one here is to get it mowed by June 15th which is about when it browns out and could burn

[Porsche-O-Phile]

Is that a law or a “standard”? Big difference.

Looks like a guideline but still... fun to throw in their faces probably.

[RWebb]

it's a city law - they send a nasty letter

if that doesn't work... they then send a crew that cuts the over ht. grass and leaves a very expensive, union labor with benefits type bill