Why does the tiniest bit of power turn people into complete dicks?

[NeverMarryAStripper 22273]

1 hour ago, Hefeweizen said:

the neighbors junk annoyed my wife. 

I’m guessing he had more junk than you

[Armybrat 41373]

After living in our “forever retirement house” for 20 years, by 2015 the front yard was struggling with half the grass dying off. 
So we decided the prudent thing to do was to have our son xeriscape most of it with gravel - like we has seen in Las Vegas neighborhoods. So we & he did, but without notifying the HOA (I knew changes to the house structure itself required approval). 
It turned out very satisfactory for our tastes, and the neighbors thought it looked just fine. Not a word from the usually snoopy HOA that had sent us a couple of garbage can “violations” over the decades.

 

 

[HornOnTheBayou 9062]

On 5/15/2023 at 11:12 AM, closetohumping said:

Hoas are unfortunately a necessary evil

No, no they are not necessary at all. 

[Armybrat 41373]

Continued from post #52:

Fast forward 7 years to 2022, and I get a notice that our xeriscaped front yard is in violation because it had not been approved by the landscaping committee. WTF? Never heard of the landscaping committee. 
It seems a new resident to the hood wanted to do the same to his yard, but was turned down by the HOA because it would have violated their rules on how much of the front could be xeriscaped. 
So apparently newbie asshole filed a complaint about my yard, “bustin” me because there was no record of my application for approval. 
The upshot was that we had to have about half of the gravel removed and replaced with sod. So now we are using a lot more water to keep it green.

Cost to me: $3,500.
 

 

[GoPokes83 2248]

Continued from post #52:
Fast forward 7 years to 2022, and I get a notice that our xeriscaped front yard is in violation because it had not been approved by the landscaping committee. WTF? Never heard of the landscaping committee. 
It seems a new resident to the hood wanted to do the same to his yard, but was turned down by the HOA because it would have violated their rules on how much of the front could be xeriscaped. 
So apparently newbie asshole filed a complaint about my yard, “bustin” me because there was no record of my application for approval. 
The upshot was that we had to have about half of the gravel removed and replaced with sod. So now we are using a lot more water to keep it green.
Cost to me: $3,500.
 
 

No HOA version of a statute of limitation on this? Were there specific rules regarding this written into whatever homeowner association agreement you must have signed or is it something they’ve decided since, and when, was there a vote regarding how much rock you can put in your yard and is there a record of it? You’re probably going to have to do what they say but after 7 years I’d probably put some minimal effort into disputing their decision. But knowing how HOA’s can be I guess you’re lucky they haven’t charged you 7 years of back fines!

[BHMCruiser 1828]

Take this from a resident of Alabama: I cannot BELIEVE you people in Texas, with all of your Texasness, put up with this HOA shit. I do not get it at all. 

[Armybrat 41373]

6 minutes ago, GoPokes83 said:

No HOA version of a statute of limitation on this? Were there specific rules regarding this written into whatever homeowner association agreement you must have signed or is it something they’ve decided since, and when, was there a vote regarding how much rock you can put in your yard and is there a record of it? You’re probably going to have to do what they say but after 7 years I’d probably put some minimal effort into disputing their decision. But knowing how HOA’s can be I guess you’re lucky they haven’t charged you 7 years of back fines!

Yes, we objected..appealed, and were declined. 
The HOA president was sympathetic but claimed the board’s hands were tied by the established rules. 
At least they “approved” the new alteration without further ado. 
I could’ve gotten Thomas J. Henry on the case, but am at that stage of my life where I don’t need any hassle at all due to health reasons. 
Plus Mrs. Brat wanted it all done & over with, so we reluctantly complied and have moved on.

[Pescado_Rojo 19581]

As soon as I read the thread title I knew this was gonna be an HOA thread. 

 

[NeverMarryAStripper 22273]

12 minutes ago, Armybrat said:

Yes, we objected..appealed, and were declined. 
The HOA president was sympathetic but claimed the board’s hands were tied by the established rules. 
At least they “approved” the new alteration without further ado. 
I could’ve gotten Thomas J. Henry on the case, but am at that stage of my life where I don’t need any hassle at all due to health reasons. 
Plus Mrs. Brat wanted it all done & over with, so we reluctantly complied and have moved on.

I believe in Texas there is a 4 year statute of limitations on covenant enforcement.  So you should have told them to pound sand.  In addition, their failure to enforce that particular covenant probably rendered it unenforceable going forward.

[Armybrat 41373]

Probably, but a lawyer would’ve charged more than it cost in the end.

Edited May 17, 2023 by Armybrat

[Augustus 3061]

34 minutes ago, Armybrat said:

Yes, we objected..appealed, and were declined. 
The HOA president was sympathetic but claimed the board’s hands were tied by the established rules. 
At least they “approved” the new alteration without further ado. 
I could’ve gotten Thomas J. Henry on the case, but am at that stage of my life where I don’t need any hassle at all due to health reasons. 
Plus Mrs. Brat wanted it all done & over with, so we reluctantly complied and have moved on.

I remember something from business law about a contract arising out of the behavior of both parties.  If that many years passed without any objection from the HOA, then it seems to me their behavior would have implicitly established their approval of the change.  But I'm no lawyer.  

Also, this thread has yet to give me any lulz