All depends on how the HOA is ran. As long as you don't have a crazy person running it is a HOA is a great thing. The original concept behind a HOA was to keep out the crime and the Riff Raff. But of course a lot of crazy people took it and used it as a means to assert power over others
The HOA is not a good thing to have. It decreases the value of your property. Why in the hell would anyone want to buy an expensive home. Then pay a group of people who tell you what you can and cannot do with your own home??? My real estate agent told me that homes in a HOA take a lot longer to sell. Usually have to come way down in price to attract buyers. Also people who don't really know what a HOA is usually regret the purchase. They put the home up for sale within a few years. Kids to noisy? Fine Grass over an inch? Fine Parked in street? Fine Want to paint your home? You need our permission Want a garden? You need our permission Barbecue in front yard? Fine Music to loud? Fine Don't pay us our dues? We take your home
@@lesmounteer625 Socialism: the means of making, moving, and trading wealth should be owned or controlled by the workers. Fascism: centralized autocratic government headed by a dictatorial leader, severe economic and social regimentation, and forcible suppression of opposition
@@jenem9618 HOA’s aren’t permanent. Check your city laws, they can be disbanded with the written petition of a certain percentage of the neighborhood once all the houses are finished being built.
@@jenem9618 the HOA can also be taken over by sensible homeowners. The HOA's own rules generally require them to hold an election every so often, probably annually. Anyone can stand, so all the people annoyed by the current Board can pick someone to stand for each open position and get everyone else to vote for them. The new, user-friendly Board can then roll back any ridiculous rules the previous Board implemented.
Bruce Wayne the problem would be convincing a federal prosecutor to actually do it. It isn’t likely that you could convince them it would be worthwhile.
You are NOT TOO BRIGHT are you. There is no Federal Criminal Charges Applicable. Another You Tube Lawyer that has no clue. Good thing it is not criminal to be STUPID or you would be going to the chair.
Can't think of any good comebacks except turning mine around ??? You are just a clueless idiot that has NO Knowledge of the Bill of Rights and Federal Codes protecting those rights. You are just a burnt out bulb (Not Bright) on the Christmas Tree. An HOA is a PRIVATE ENTITY not a GOVERNMENT AGENCY. You can NOT sue or charge criminally with civil rights violations for infringing on your speech. You can sue the HOA to get them to not levy fines but THERE IS NO FEDERAL VIOLATION. Ever hear of Google ??
@@063317Art not necessarily, while I think a lot of them get wayyyy to power hungry and corrupt the reason they exist to begin with is to help maintain property value, if you own a home in a neighborhood you could have an amazing house but if your neighbors let their houses go, get messy, turn it into a disaster, it hurts the property around theirs not just their own. So they existed to police shitty home owners from hurting everyone’s property. I know I personally would not buy the best house in the worst neighborhood that’s important. But I do think in almost every modern case they have stepped well outside of their rights and initial positive intentions. So they are all pretty ridiculous to live in now.
It's a position that seems to attract a certain kind of person. Kind of like how the BTK killer took a 13 year break from serial killing for a career as a code enforcement officer. Just another way of having power over someone.
So, girl starts her own Facebook page, for the community, does the work to get people to join it, and the board, who has not contributed to the group, wants to tell her what to do with the Facebook group she started, grew, and maintains. Wow.
Halariously, a few people in this thread don't know that HOA'S are an outcropping of "white flight" when wealthy white people like my grandparents moved out of the cities, like Chicago and went to the suburbs in the 50's, then wanted to make rules so black people couldn't move to their neighborhoods. Stopped house sales, (black family, oh I'm sorry we have another buyer who just made a bid yesterday) had loans refused ( this is recent history readily available) now HOA'S are used by bored house wives and jerks to bother their neighbors because they are awful people. How HOA'S are legal at all is baffling to me.
"When you cut out a man's tongue, you do not prove him a liar, you only tell the world you fear what he has to say." - George R. R. Martin Those board members are only proving why they should be replaced.
When we were house hunting in Gilbert, a property came on the market for sale in Val Vista Lakes. I refused to even consider it because of this lawsuit. I find it absolutely disgusting that private homeowners should be left living in fear of having their free speech infringed on because they happen to live in an HOA. I wish the homeowners the best in getting this resolved. May God grant them favor in the courts.
I was a maintenance person for a HOA for a few years. Many of the board members during that time were quite full of themselves and truly believed that their authority was much broader than it really was. Hearing stories of other HOAs makes me believe that the majority of people who become board members are spoiled, or were picked on as children and are looking to avenge their unhappy childhood by being petty adults.
Petty tyrants. Unfortunately, that's the type often attracted to those positions, those with a desire to use their power to push people around and lord their privilege over others. History is full of these types.
HOAs are staffed by control freak crybaby narcissists who are also con artists that skillfully trick people into paying dues to maintain standards that would maintain property values. Then behind the scenes they come up with crazy rules and try to bust anyone with a stiff fine that would enrich the HOA's coffers so they can then justify even more arbitrary rules to target anyone doing anything they think can be fined.
@@junegloom1157 Cities and states often use that technique to enrich their coffers. Example: Gee, did that off ramp from the expressway take you onto a road with a 20 mph speed limit? And you were doing 40 when you passed the radar trap 100 yards down the road? OK, that's 20 mph over the speed limit and that's a $500 fine. Thank you.
@@jowoo45 It's actually liberal ideology and Democrats are to weak to stand against it fearing loss of voters...But so are Republicans, hence the world we reside in!
"How dare you say we've retaliated against members who've disparaged us! We're going to threaten legal action for saying that!" Damned near broke my irony meter.
Just watched another news video where HOA board members demanded homeowners turn over their personal security camera footage to them. Some of the homeowners had proof they were being targted for petty fines while others weren't. After went on air next mtg president resigned.
The fact that the attorneys even played along and sent these notices, is asinine. They should know better. They should understand that what they're doing could be incredibly damaging to them and HOA
It's almost impossible now to get a non HOA house in Phoenix in a good area. If you do find a non HOA community in a good area it usually costs more. But it's more than worth it to get.
I was once the recipient of a fine from an HOA. After speaking about it at length at the next meeting I pulled the HOA president to the side and whispered in his ear "If I ever receive so much as a slip of paper from you ever again, I will beat the absolute hell out of anyone that's ever claimed to love you." After that, even the annual dues bill was sent a month later than usual.
@@REB4444 there should be a law that you only have to abide by the rules you agree to when buy. if the hoa makes a new rule and you don't like it you should be able to simply not sign onto it. they can enforce their new rule only on the homeowners that specifically agree.
@@genxray951, that is called "grandfathering", sadly it takes a vote to get that status. Usually the board refuses to approve any decisions allowing such action unless courts and judges step in.
Because they can tell your neighbors how to live. Without one your neighbors can trash their properties which can cost you a huge amount of money when you try to sell your house. The fees also go to road upkeep, landscaping, playgrounds, parks, pools, gyms, etc that further maintain and increase your property value and standard of living. Not all HOAs are crazy like the few examples you see in the media.
@@Nayr747, I wish that were true. There are numerous people who let their property go, weeds, tall grass, fences in extreme need of repairs, trashcans left out on the street, trashcans left visible from the street, trash cars, trash in the yard, houses falling apart, etc... it's all the same houses and have been for months if not years. Despite supposedly writing citations the same houses are in violation of HOA guidelines. We have received three notices about being in violation of guidelines. One was for tall grass, I own that as I was letting the grass grow in order for it to seed and spread in the yard, I mowed soon after the notice. Another was for the decorative shutters and window screens being damaged by a hail storm. It had only been a few days after the storm and due to the area affected by the storm insurance representatives were quite busy. It took about 2 weeks to get an adjuster to inspect the damage. That notice I ignored because I knew it would never hold up. The third was a notice was that we had an sign in out lawn advertising a business, which was actually in our neighbors yard, I ignored that one too. The point is, I know they give notices about violations but I can not say for cer5if they actually issue citations with a monetary penalty. I am left to wonder what it is that they actually do. Now I will say that in the past couple of years they have made great improvements to our common areas, the pool, the park, the playground and the basketball/tennis courts. However, that was only after there were a couple of drug arrests at and near the basketball courts and after my started posting pictures of the condition of the playground and all the trash/drug related trash.
I bought my moms house 3 days later someone was knocking on my door lol it was the HOA sayin I had to be part of the Association. Told him and her that’s never gonna happen slammed the door in their face. Won’t say what I said to them before closing the door never heard a nothing thing from them. My property does border up to the New neighborhood but being existing property with 2 acres of land still 12 years later still no word from them. Did tell them that I was here before the neighborhood was built. So it’s not going to happen here. I don’t need an Association telling me anything. Screw them all
When we started our house hunting some years ago, the #1 rule we gave our agent was "No HOA." She said that wasn't a problem, a lot of people ask for that.
Just so you know, a County or City is itself an HOA, they have all kinds of rules, for example, Sacramento County has a law does not allow you to change a transmission in your garage at your house, or use spray paint of any kind on a vehicle. And just watched a video where a county had a law against a bbq in the front yard, or having 'too many' people over for a party.
@@murraymadness4674I read somewhere there is a county, I think in Wisconsin (not sure but that general area). It's a land locked county with only medium/small lakes, and they have an ordinance preventing people from parking a SCHOONER in their front yard. This was quite some time ago (i'm 60 now and it was back in my early 20's when I heard about it). I honestly have no clue if that is true or not, but it WOULD be some crap a local government would do.
more broadly, HOA board members are often covert narcissists and sociopaths who relish the thought of controlling others and targeting those they don't like to enhance their self image. A few have noble intentions but lack perspective that their job is to take care of the koi pond and cut the grass and not screw with people.
When I was a kid the hoa or condo association or whatever it was where we lived was taken over by old people and they started making all kinds of old people rules. When they passed a rule that the playground would close at 7pm even in summer because the squeaking from the swings bothered some old people, my parents decided to move.
I would like to bring to everyone’s attention that it is a common practice of attorneys to send “demand” letters on behalf of clients. They are fully aware that the demands in such letters may or may not be based on legalities, but can sometimes produce results because of the recipient’s fears. Oh, and they of course get a fee to send the letters regardless of whether or not their claims are based on law.
If I found my absolute all time forever favorite dream house, had cash money to buy it, and learned it was an HOA community, I'd take a picture of it, enlarge it, hang it over whatever fireplace in another choice, and dream on.
Just buy the house and have it moved. Once bought theres no law or HOA bylaw to keep you from moving the house. Houses with concrete slab floors can also be moved. its a little costly but it can be done..
Board member 1: People on FB are claiming that we retaliate against critics. That's not cool. Board member 2: Well, let's call a lawyer and retaliate against them. That'll prove them wrong!
Personally would feel safer sleeping out in the open desert with rattlesnakes, seeing as the HOA staff are even MORE COLD-BLOODED than the snakes! These HOA humans have no compassion, they are a parasitic entity sucking the life out of neighborhoods by enforcing arbitrary standards on others. Bunch of con artists and crybaby control freak narcissists, eventually people will see HOAs for the scam they are!
@Roger Woodruff If what you are trying to say is the FIRST AMENDMENT and that the Bill Of Rights only prohibits THE GOVERNMENT from infringing on those Rights then you would be correct.
@eddieisfiction They don't legally have power over your posts, however, only over your property. They can certainly enact a social media policy, but that policy would only be allowed to restrict what their officials can post, NOT what the members/public can post. Just like your employer can have a social media policy governing what its employees can post, but not what its customers can post.
It’s not a free speech issue, because they are not a government. If they were lies on the Facebook page they should’ve pursued those directly as libel or slander. They are still illegal even on the Internet.
@@neilkurzman4907 OTOH if they actually sued for criticism, and couldn't demonstrate reasonable belief that they were defamatory, or libelous, but just critical, would it be possible for them to run afoul of laws regarding Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs) ? IANAL ofc
I pray that the truth about this HOA board be revealed. Bullying needs to stop. This represents just another way of how our "rights" are being threatened.
I was told young that, becoming a parent was the only "power" that most will ever have so they naturally will abuse it. I now believe that its actually being an HOA board member 🙄
VAL VISTA LAKES ...nice name. When I lived in BREAD CRUMB ROW in NY when we had a problem, we called Guido. He had associates that could handle problems.
Lived in an HOA community where the board was all a bunch of old people. We had had a pot belly pig for years that we adopted when she was just a piglet. No one ever knew about her until one of the nosey board members looked over the fence & saw Lucy sunning herself on our diving board. Those olds made it their mission in life to have us evicted if we didn’t get rid of her. We ended up moving & took our pig with us.
"I'm beginning to wonder if there's even a benefit to HOAs" When you live in a condo, you do need some sort of association to handle community issues, due to shared walls, communal roof, etc. In most other instances, it's rare when HOAs provide a legit benefit that you couldn't get through a good local government. When the local government handles things instead, your natural rights are more apt to be respected.
There is none and don’t let anyone tell you different. HOAs were created to keep black people out of suburban neighborhoods, their origin is rooted in racism
I had a HOA start up in my neighborhood years ago. I'd been living there for years. They came around with their rules and I told them that I was here before them, and wouldn't follow anything they set. They just went away and didn't bother me again.
We live in an hoa free community. Several years ago some residents tried to establish an hoa here and not only did the community shut them up, but we made sure that those residents knew they were no longer welcome to live amongst us. They were forced out and we are happy about it. If they want to live in an hoa community, they need to move to one and leave us anti-hoe people alone. We would never buy a home in an hoa community. Why risk it?
Besides the violation of Constitutional free speech rights, HOAs are also increasingly violating the Constitutional protection against excessive fines--as the Supreme Court found in similar circumstances in Timbs v. Indiana.
I’m going to do that. Thanks for the idea. I do need to bring people together and did not know how for years. I am literally going through foreclosure due to harassment by the board. I should create a Facebook page to bring people together
The Bill of Rights only protects you From the Government or one of its agents. An HOA is NOT a Governmental Agency although the Fines would not be enforceable.
@@HUBABUBA-il8fn Social media is by definition public. A case of "prior restraint" could be made here. www.hoamemberservices.com/hoa-freedom-speech-case/
@@toditron Social Media is controlled by the media itself. Google, Facebook and You Tube regularly censor material. The issue is the Bill of Rights only protects from the Government NOT a private entity. So there are NO Massive law suit wins for violation of Rights, or Federal Criminal Charges. That being said would a Court probably side with the Residents saying that it was an over reach of the Boards authority? Probably. However the Court may also rule against the page owner as far as her putting up a "private" page that purports to be representative of the Community without the HOA Permission. The Appellate Court was actually advising THE LOWER COURT a ( Governmental Agency) that it's orders were inconsistent with the First Amendment. The Initial Courts order was the violation of the First Amendment.
@@HUBABUBA-il8fn If anything, if they tried to sue over negative posts that were defamatory, I wonder if that would make the HOA (and/or their lawyers) run afoul of laws that deal with Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs)
I have a friend who is in an HOA. With approval she turned her pool into a pond which is now green with fish and plants. One neighbor who can only see it from an upstairs bedroom complained about the color. Then the other neighbor complained because of the few bags of soil she had in her side yard. Again only viewed from an upstairs bedroom. I've heard too many issues with HOAs full of Karens. I'll never live in any area governed by this kind of group. An apartment is bad enough.
The type of personality that wants to create or be on that HOA board tends to be the control freaks. They don't know how to do anything good with the power they acquire when they get on that board. It's always trouble.
I lived in an HOA community and never again will ever considering moving back into one unless i make millions. I left a trash can out for a day past the day amd then i got a 100 fine. Had guest they got towed. You got nosy neighbors and a bunch of Karen's telling you what you can not do. Im not a trashy person kept up with the street and volunteered.
Sue and recall the board, get an auditing firm to go over the books and reimburse the HOA fund for the lawyer, audit and any illegal spending of funds, give the ex-Board members 30 days to sell their property and leave or they get fined $1000.00 a day if they can't sell in 30 days the new board will take possession of the property, sell it with the profits going into the HOA fund.
Why anyone would buy a property with a HOA is beyond me. I am acquainted with people who live in these types of communities and I here nothing but horror stories about the people on the boards there and the kind of absurd rules they put in place.
They forced agreement, by forcing title changes...ars33-1228 ..how to steal 33% of units..?..lawyer vrs lawyer both at your expense...forever perpetuity...invalid..???!!!
Correct me if I am wrong but isn't censorship against the law? At no time did I hear that the HOA had any kind of agreement with in the contract stating no disparaging remarks were allowed, as it would probably void the entire contract. If you cannot put it in a contract you cannot enforce it later.
I would sue the HOA and the board for overstepping furthermore review the by laws and sue for miss representation of rules and regulations of membership. I give the HOA both barrel lawsuit and make an example of them
It’s really sad how much power HOAs are given and how they can absolutely destroy homeowners lives for the most erroneous reasons. The system needs to change
I understand her frustration..its like they think they should not be questioned about anything when it comes to our monies and yet, we have the right to.
I will never own a home under an HOA. There are too many nightmare stories of a wide variety of appalling behavior. Besides if I own property, I’m going to do what I want with it and no one is going to tell me otherwise.
I've never lived in an HOA community, but to me living in one is like living in a high crime area. Both can dramatically reduce the value of any home in that area and make it so that people don't want to buy a house in that area.
Why in gods name would anyone buy a house where your neighbours can tell you what you can or can’t do or what you must do or they will fine you. It’s insane.
If they are making factual claims, and those claims are true, then there can be no libel. Also, mere opinion is not actionable for libel, slander, or defamation. For example, if she posted something like, "I think the HOA board is a bunch of assholes", that's not actionable, because it is mere opinion.
Don’t ever buy property that has an home owners association.
Outlaw all hoa's.
All depends on how the HOA is ran. As long as you don't have a crazy person running it is a HOA is a great thing. The original concept behind a HOA was to keep out the crime and the Riff Raff. But of course a lot of crazy people took it and used it as a means to assert power over others
The HOA is not a good thing to have. It decreases the value of your property.
Why in the hell would anyone want to buy an expensive home. Then pay a group of people who tell you what you can and cannot do with your own home???
My real estate agent told me that homes in a HOA take a lot longer to sell. Usually have to come way down in price to attract buyers. Also people who don't really know what a HOA is usually regret the purchase. They put the home up for sale within a few years.
Kids to noisy? Fine
Grass over an inch? Fine
Parked in street? Fine
Want to paint your home? You need our permission
Want a garden? You need our permission
Barbecue in front yard? Fine
Music to loud? Fine
Don't pay us our dues? We take your home
@christ1313 no its socialism at its finest
@@lesmounteer625 Socialism: the means of making, moving, and trading wealth should be owned or controlled by the workers.
Fascism: centralized autocratic government headed by a dictatorial leader, severe economic and social regimentation, and forcible suppression of opposition
If the community can get together like this, they can disband the HOA. We did.
Sounds like there's a story here.
@@jenem9618 HOA’s aren’t permanent. Check your city laws, they can be disbanded with the written petition of a certain percentage of the neighborhood once all the houses are finished being built.
@@MegaMindyLou Interesting! Good to know.
@@jenem9618 the HOA can also be taken over by sensible homeowners. The HOA's own rules generally require them to hold an election every so often, probably annually. Anyone can stand, so all the people annoyed by the current Board can pick someone to stand for each open position and get everyone else to vote for them. The new, user-friendly Board can then roll back any ridiculous rules the previous Board implemented.
That's easier said than done for communities with lots of "public" space, provided services, and amenities.
Forget suing the hoa, file criminal charges against them. See how they like spending 18 months in Fed prison for civil liberty violations.
You can do that?
Bruce Wayne the problem would be convincing a federal prosecutor to actually do it. It isn’t likely that you could convince them it would be worthwhile.
You are NOT TOO BRIGHT are you. There is no Federal Criminal Charges Applicable. Another You Tube Lawyer that has no clue. Good thing it is not criminal to be STUPID or you would be going to the chair.
Can't think of any good comebacks except turning mine around ??? You are just a clueless idiot that has NO Knowledge of the Bill of Rights and Federal Codes protecting those rights. You are just a burnt out bulb (Not Bright) on the Christmas Tree. An HOA is a PRIVATE ENTITY not a GOVERNMENT AGENCY. You can NOT sue or charge criminally with civil rights violations for infringing on your speech. You can sue the HOA to get them to not levy fines but THERE IS NO FEDERAL VIOLATION. Ever hear of Google ??
@@HUBABUBA-il8fn you mad bro? Cuz I have a law degree from youtube University.
Another example of a HOA going to far and another reason HOA's should be illegal
My mom runs the hoa. It's hard.
@@ArbiterofTruth your mom is part of the problem and ALL HOAs are run by communists
@@063317Art not necessarily, while I think a lot of them get wayyyy to power hungry and corrupt the reason they exist to begin with is to help maintain property value, if you own a home in a neighborhood you could have an amazing house but if your neighbors let their houses go, get messy, turn it into a disaster, it hurts the property around theirs not just their own. So they existed to police shitty home owners from hurting everyone’s property. I know I personally would not buy the best house in the worst neighborhood that’s important. But I do think in almost every modern case they have stepped well outside of their rights and initial positive intentions. So they are all pretty ridiculous to live in now.
No. It’s a reason to disband this board. I LOVE my HOA.
@@063317Art That is a statement of the uneducated.
It seems that all the old High School bullies end up being HOA board members.
No they are cops
I don't and wouldn't live in an HOA but i thought these people were elected into their positions...Vote them out.
It's a position that seems to attract a certain kind of person.
Kind of like how the BTK killer took a 13 year break from serial killing for a career as a code enforcement officer. Just another way of having power over someone.
Nope it's the ones that were bullied, bullies end up as cops
Trust me...they’re all Karens
So, girl starts her own Facebook page, for the community, does the work to get people to join it, and the board, who has not contributed to the group, wants to tell her what to do with the Facebook group she started, grew, and maintains. Wow.
100 bucks all the board member's are white :D
@@Bewefau wow nice racist bullshit reasoning.
Sounds like extortion to me.
Halariously, a few people in this thread don't know that HOA'S are an outcropping of "white flight" when wealthy white people like my grandparents moved out of the cities, like Chicago and went to the suburbs in the 50's, then wanted to make rules so black people couldn't move to their neighborhoods. Stopped house sales, (black family, oh I'm sorry we have another buyer who just made a bid yesterday) had loans refused ( this is recent history readily available) now HOA'S are used by bored house wives and jerks to bother their neighbors because they are awful people.
How HOA'S are legal at all is baffling to me.
@@Bewefau 100 bucks says you are a racist POS.
"When you cut out a man's tongue, you do not prove him a liar, you only tell the world you fear what he has to say." - George R. R. Martin
Those board members are only proving why they should be replaced.
Ideas that need protection from criticism are bad ideas. Plain and simple. That's how religion has lasted so long.
@@yummyfunnybunny5167 polotics as well. im starting to think polotics is a religion
You can't come up with your own saying?
@@rickj1983 Truth is truth, no matter who says it,
whether it is Mother Theresa or Charles Manson.
they're proving why the HOA should be disbanded.
When we were house hunting in Gilbert, a property came on the market for sale in Val Vista Lakes. I refused to even consider it because of this lawsuit. I find it absolutely disgusting that private homeowners should be left living in fear of having their free speech infringed on because they happen to live in an HOA. I wish the homeowners the best in getting this resolved. May God grant them favor in the courts.
A law was recently passed that bans this practice. Free speech rules!!!
I was a maintenance person for a HOA for a few years. Many of the board members during that time were quite full of themselves and truly believed that their authority was much broader than it really was. Hearing stories of other HOAs makes me believe that the majority of people who become board members are spoiled, or were picked on as children and are looking to avenge their unhappy childhood by being petty adults.
They were probably bullies as children. Not to say they weren't picked on, but every bully has a bully of their own.
Kids who are picked on usually do not become bullies. They're just on a power trip.
Petty tyrants. Unfortunately, that's the type often attracted to those positions, those with a desire to use their power to push people around and lord their privilege over others. History is full of these types.
HOAs are staffed by control freak crybaby narcissists who are also con artists that skillfully trick people into paying dues to maintain standards that would maintain property values. Then behind the scenes they come up with crazy rules and try to bust anyone with a stiff fine that would enrich the HOA's coffers so they can then justify even more arbitrary rules to target anyone doing anything they think can be fined.
@@junegloom1157 Cities and states often use that technique to enrich their coffers.
Example: Gee, did that off ramp from the expressway take you onto a road with a 20 mph speed limit? And you were doing 40 when you passed the radar trap 100 yards down the road? OK, that's 20 mph over the speed limit and that's a $500 fine. Thank you.
so true.
These days their known as democrats!!!
@@jowoo45 It's actually liberal ideology and Democrats are to weak to stand against it fearing loss of voters...But so are Republicans, hence the world we reside in!
"How dare you say we've retaliated against members who've disparaged us! We're going to threaten legal action for saying that!"
Damned near broke my irony meter.
Just watched another news video where HOA board members demanded homeowners turn over their personal security camera footage to them. Some of the homeowners had proof they were being targted for petty fines while others weren't. After went on air next mtg president resigned.
The fact that the attorneys even played along and sent these notices, is asinine. They should know better. They should understand that what they're doing could be incredibly damaging to them and HOA
Bullying tactics .....they get away with it all the time. Until someone says NO MORE!
The lawyers get paid. They don't care about the issue, they just want money
And be disbarred
They are whores to $$$$
@@nickpuluso1054 Board members using homeowners fees to pay a lawyer for their fweelings being hurt.
*Another reason to NEVER buy a house with an HOA!*
My wife and I are in the process of buying a new house and if we see one that is in a HOA then it is off the list no matter how nice it may be
It's almost impossible now to get a non HOA house in Phoenix in a good area. If you do find a non HOA community in a good area it usually costs more. But it's more than worth it to get.
@@garcjr *Totally agree: the extra cost represents the actual value increase which comes from a lack of HOA coverage.*
I was once the recipient of a fine from an HOA. After speaking about it at length at the next meeting I pulled the HOA president to the side and whispered in his ear "If I ever receive so much as a slip of paper from you ever again, I will beat the absolute hell out of anyone that's ever claimed to love you."
After that, even the annual dues bill was sent a month later than usual.
We paid $800 annually for HOA fees in Arizona! Never again! No access to even a community pool. Home Associations are scams!!!
why would anyone buy a house were other people can tell them how to live.....
HOAs are legal busybody playgrounds.
@@REB4444 there should be a law that you only have to abide by the rules you agree to when buy. if the hoa makes a new rule and you don't like it you should be able to simply not sign onto it. they can enforce their new rule only on the homeowners that specifically agree.
@@genxray951, that is called "grandfathering", sadly it takes a vote to get that status. Usually the board refuses to approve any decisions allowing such action unless courts and judges step in.
Because they can tell your neighbors how to live. Without one your neighbors can trash their properties which can cost you a huge amount of money when you try to sell your house. The fees also go to road upkeep, landscaping, playgrounds, parks, pools, gyms, etc that further maintain and increase your property value and standard of living. Not all HOAs are crazy like the few examples you see in the media.
@@Nayr747, I wish that were true. There are numerous people who let their property go, weeds, tall grass, fences in extreme need of repairs, trashcans left out on the street, trashcans left visible from the street, trash cars, trash in the yard, houses falling apart, etc... it's all the same houses and have been for months if not years. Despite supposedly writing citations the same houses are in violation of HOA guidelines.
We have received three notices about being in violation of guidelines. One was for tall grass, I own that as I was letting the grass grow in order for it to seed and spread in the yard, I mowed soon after the notice. Another was for the decorative shutters and window screens being damaged by a hail storm. It had only been a few days after the storm and due to the area affected by the storm insurance representatives were quite busy. It took about 2 weeks to get an adjuster to inspect the damage. That notice I ignored because I knew it would never hold up. The third was a notice was that we had an sign in out lawn advertising a business, which was actually in our neighbors yard, I ignored that one too.
The point is, I know they give notices about violations but I can not say for cer5if they actually issue citations with a monetary penalty. I am left to wonder what it is that they actually do.
Now I will say that in the past couple of years they have made great improvements to our common areas, the pool, the park, the playground and the basketball/tennis courts. However, that was only after there were a couple of drug arrests at and near the basketball courts and after my started posting pictures of the condition of the playground and all the trash/drug related trash.
I bought my moms house 3 days later someone was knocking on my door lol it was the HOA sayin I had to be part of the Association. Told him and her that’s never gonna happen slammed the door in their face. Won’t say what I said to them before closing the door never heard a nothing thing from them. My property does border up to the New neighborhood but being existing property with 2 acres of land still 12 years later still no word from them. Did tell them that I was here before the neighborhood was built. So it’s not going to happen here. I don’t need an Association telling me anything. Screw them all
You sound stable.
So in a nutshell you said No.. Great story..
Actually he does seem like a pretty stable person who stands up to bullies
When we started our house hunting some years ago, the #1 rule we gave our agent was "No HOA." She said that wasn't a problem, a lot of people ask for that.
Just so you know, a County or City is itself an HOA, they have all kinds of rules, for example, Sacramento County has a law does not allow you to change a transmission in your garage at your house, or use spray paint of any kind on a vehicle.
And just watched a video where a county had a law against a bbq in the front yard, or having 'too many' people over for a party.
@@murraymadness4674I read somewhere there is a county, I think in Wisconsin (not sure but that general area). It's a land locked county with only medium/small lakes, and they have an ordinance preventing people from parking a SCHOONER in their front yard. This was quite some time ago (i'm 60 now and it was back in my early 20's when I heard about it). I honestly have no clue if that is true or not, but it WOULD be some crap a local government would do.
Are all HOAs staffed by former HS hall monitors?
more broadly, HOA board members are often covert narcissists and sociopaths who relish the thought of controlling others and targeting those they don't like to enhance their self image. A few have noble intentions but lack perspective that their job is to take care of the koi pond and cut the grass and not screw with people.
Sharing a link from another commentator: neighborsatwar.com/2013/04/hoa-murders-again/
Did you not have a hs shooter???
NOPE! These are the idiots that couldn't even qualify for that exalted position and sat in chairs right next to the teachers desk for misconduct!
Their All "Communist"
OK...everyone reading this. starting posting negative things about this HOA board.
How, when it's a private community Facebook page? It doesn't even sound like it was posted publically.
When I was a kid the hoa or condo association or whatever it was where we lived was taken over by old people and they started making all kinds of old people rules.
When they passed a rule that the playground would close at 7pm even in summer because the squeaking from the swings bothered some old people, my parents decided to move.
The old people complained about the swings squeaking? A few drops of oil.....
@@davem5333 hormone changes and strokes change people mentally.
This kind of stuff is outrageous
I would like to bring to everyone’s attention that it is a common practice of attorneys to send “demand” letters on behalf of clients. They are fully aware that the demands in such letters may or may not be based on legalities, but can sometimes produce results because of the recipient’s fears. Oh, and they of course get a fee to send the letters regardless of whether or not their claims are based on law.
This is the most significant comment on this entire thread. Thank you for your service.
If I found my absolute all time forever favorite dream house, had cash money to buy it, and learned it was an HOA community, I'd take a picture of it, enlarge it, hang it over whatever fireplace in another choice, and dream on.
That's why you could afford it, noone else wanted it
I agree, wife refuses to live in HOA, I can't even imagine someone telling her what plants she can put in her yard.
Just buy the house and have it moved. Once bought theres no law or HOA bylaw to keep you from moving the house. Houses with concrete slab floors can also be moved. its a little costly but it can be done..
@@788margie :Pepe hand rub: ah yes the bait and switch, leave the hoa after buying the house.
Val Vista Lakes is awful, anyway
Unless this policy was properly voted in by the residents, it holds 0 weight. I’ve been here and have won lawsuits against my corrupt HOA
It's amazing how much power HOA's actually have, and it's the homeowner's who gave it too them, NEVER buy into an HOA
Board member 1: People on FB are claiming that we retaliate against critics. That's not cool.
Board member 2: Well, let's call a lawyer and retaliate against them. That'll prove them wrong!
It's a beautiful community, but the board needs to go back to school and relearn civics, and maybe learn civility.
No the all H.O.A.s need to be disbanded entirely.
@@walterhankins6882 - I'm for that
Where is the update to this story? Many would love to know what happened in the end or, at the very least, where things are at right now.
Too soon. This type of thing can take years to get ironed out. Even then there may be NDAs to contend with. Evil flourishes in the dark!
Why would anybody live in a community that has an HOA? I never would.
Seems like HOA is like the Mafia or Congress.
I will ive on the street before I live in a HOA.
Personally would feel safer sleeping out in the open desert with rattlesnakes, seeing as the HOA staff are even MORE COLD-BLOODED than the snakes! These HOA humans have no compassion, they are a parasitic entity sucking the life out of neighborhoods by enforcing arbitrary standards on others. Bunch of con artists and crybaby control freak narcissists, eventually people will see HOAs for the scam they are!
doubtful
Might as well rent at that rate... Lol
This is not a free speech issue. She definitely should not be restricted on her own page - that's ridiculous.
@Roger Woodruff If what you are trying to say is the FIRST AMENDMENT and that the Bill Of Rights only prohibits THE GOVERNMENT from infringing on those Rights then you would be correct.
@eddieisfiction They don't legally have power over your posts, however, only over your property. They can certainly enact a social media policy, but that policy would only be allowed to restrict what their officials can post, NOT what the members/public can post. Just like your employer can have a social media policy governing what its employees can post, but not what its customers can post.
@@thedude6712 A social media policy would only apply to the FB page the HOA hosts itself not any other pages that are not run by the HOA.
It’s not a free speech issue, because they are not a government.
If they were lies on the Facebook page they should’ve pursued those directly as libel or slander. They are still illegal even on the Internet.
@@neilkurzman4907 OTOH if they actually sued for criticism, and couldn't demonstrate reasonable belief that they were defamatory, or libelous, but just critical, would it be possible for them to run afoul of laws regarding Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs) ? IANAL ofc
I pray that the truth about this HOA board be revealed. Bullying needs to stop. This represents just another way of how our "rights" are being threatened.
Dealing with HOA issues myself. Demanded a meeting with the board for bogus fees and got yelled at and threatened. Their words “I can get you”.
Get a lawyer and get some neighbors to join in and get rid of the board!
I was told young that, becoming a parent was the only "power" that most will ever have so they naturally will abuse it. I now believe that its actually being an HOA board member 🙄
Good one.....
Tell them you want to audit them from an outside firm
Thank you again, for reminding why I don't want to live in a area governed by an HOA.
VAL VISTA LAKES ...nice name. When I lived in BREAD CRUMB ROW in NY when we had a problem, we called Guido. He had associates that could handle problems.
Lived in an HOA community where the board was all a bunch of old people.
We had had a pot belly pig for years that we adopted when she was just a piglet. No one ever knew about her until one of the nosey board members looked over the fence & saw Lucy sunning herself on our diving board.
Those olds made it their mission in life to have us evicted if we didn’t get rid of her.
We ended up moving & took our pig with us.
I'm beginning to wonder if there's even a benefit to HOAs
"I'm beginning to wonder if there's even a benefit to HOAs"
When you live in a condo, you do need some sort of association to handle community issues, due to shared walls, communal roof, etc. In most other instances, it's rare when HOAs provide a legit benefit that you couldn't get through a good local government. When the local government handles things instead, your natural rights are more apt to be respected.
There is none and don’t let anyone tell you different. HOAs were created to keep black people out of suburban neighborhoods, their origin is rooted in racism
I had a HOA start up in my neighborhood years ago. I'd been living there for years. They came around with their rules and I told them that I was here before them, and wouldn't follow anything they set. They just went away and didn't bother me again.
Moral of the story. Dont move into an HOA community. It never ends good , board members become hungry with power.
I'm always learning of some new way an HOA is bullying someone.
You give someone a little power, and it goes to their head.
We live in an hoa free community. Several years ago some residents tried to establish an hoa here and not only did the community shut them up, but we made sure that those residents knew they were no longer welcome to live amongst us. They were forced out and we are happy about it. If they want to live in an hoa community, they need to move to one and leave us anti-hoe people alone. We would never buy a home in an hoa community. Why risk it?
Wow, there seems to be no end to these stories about HOA abuse. What they're trying to do here is 100% unconstitutional.
Besides the violation of Constitutional free speech rights, HOAs are also increasingly violating the Constitutional protection against excessive fines--as the Supreme Court found in similar circumstances in Timbs v. Indiana.
Sue them for violating your constitutional rights.
I’m going to do that. Thanks for the idea. I do need to bring people together and did not know how for years. I am literally going through foreclosure due to harassment by the board.
I should create a Facebook page to bring people together
Im so thrilled I did NOT buy a home in an HOA
The HOA would probably charge residents for the air they breathe if they can.
Trying to fine people for free speech should land you in federal court for extortion.
The Bill of Rights only protects you From the Government or one of its agents. An HOA is NOT a Governmental Agency although the Fines would not be enforceable.
@@HUBABUBA-il8fn Social media is by definition public. A case of "prior restraint" could be made here.
www.hoamemberservices.com/hoa-freedom-speech-case/
@@toditron Social Media is controlled by the media itself. Google, Facebook and You Tube regularly censor material. The issue is the Bill of Rights only protects from the Government NOT a private entity. So there are NO Massive law suit wins for violation of Rights, or Federal Criminal Charges. That being said would a Court probably side with the Residents saying that it was an over reach of the Boards authority? Probably. However the Court may also rule against the page owner as far as her putting up a "private" page that purports to be representative of the Community without the HOA Permission. The Appellate Court was actually advising THE LOWER COURT a ( Governmental Agency) that it's orders were inconsistent with the First Amendment. The Initial Courts order was the violation of the First Amendment.
@@HUBABUBA-il8fn If anything, if they tried to sue over negative posts that were defamatory, I wonder if that would make the HOA (and/or their lawyers) run afoul of laws that deal with Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs)
I have a friend who is in an HOA. With approval she turned her pool into a pond which is now green with fish and plants. One neighbor who can only see it from an upstairs bedroom complained about the color. Then the other neighbor complained because of the few bags of soil she had in her side yard. Again only viewed from an upstairs bedroom. I've heard too many issues with HOAs full of Karens. I'll never live in any area governed by this kind of group. An apartment is bad enough.
Management, thinks they are " their" appartments..appointed by nazi fascist theives..?.
This is three years old, and the troubles & lawsuits are still going on. Never Ever Ever willingly buy a house that is connected to an HOA.
We have the same scenario at our HOA. Posts always deleted on our community FB page if they "don't align" with "standards".
Like they attempt to delete (steal) the "owners" houses???
The type of personality that wants to create or be on that HOA board tends to be the control freaks. They don't know how to do anything good with the power they acquire when they get on that board. It's always trouble.
so true. They are Much like little versions of our politicians in charge of their own dominions.
I lived in an HOA community and never again will ever considering moving back into one unless i make millions. I left a trash can out for a day past the day amd then i got a 100 fine. Had guest they got towed. You got nosy neighbors and a bunch of Karen's telling you what you can not do. Im not a trashy person kept up with the street and volunteered.
I'll stick with my 50+ acres before I buy a house with a HOA.
Sue and recall the board, get an auditing firm to go over the books and reimburse the HOA fund for the lawyer, audit and any illegal spending of funds, give the ex-Board members 30 days to sell their property and leave or they get fined $1000.00 a day if they can't sell in 30 days the new board will take possession of the property, sell it with the profits going into the HOA fund.
Good luck. In Arizona, the courts and laws tend to favor the HOAs.
the fact a law firm even created and sponsored such a letter to begin with is disgusting
Nothing screams "I value liberty and freedom" like joining an HOA.
Why anyone would buy a property with a HOA is beyond me. I am acquainted with people who live in these types of communities and I here nothing but horror stories about the people on the boards there and the kind of absurd rules they put in place.
This is one of the many reasons why I will never sign a HOA agreement.
They forced agreement, by forcing title changes...ars33-1228 ..how to steal 33% of units..?..lawyer vrs lawyer both at your expense...forever perpetuity...invalid..???!!!
Never live in a place with an HOA...
Get United,Resisted and fight 💪 back. This is the turmoiled time.
Correct me if I am wrong but isn't censorship against the law? At no time did I hear that the HOA had any kind of agreement with in the contract stating no disparaging remarks were allowed, as it would probably void the entire contract. If you cannot put it in a contract you cannot enforce it later.
If you just wait to find the nicest house available in your price range that is not in an HOA you will be happier.
This is a reason why I never will and never would live in a HOA neighborhood
I would sue the HOA and the board for overstepping furthermore review the by laws and sue for miss representation of rules and regulations of membership. I give the HOA both barrel lawsuit and make an example of them
HOA board be like: “Boohoo you hurt my feewings. Teacher!!”
I've got no sympathy for anyone living in a c Community HOA. What a joke
HOA: we don't like 650 people not approving of us
124k+ people on CZcams:
Love the mold on the Del Vista entry sign. Shows where the HOA priorities are.
HOA’s should be abolished nationwide.
I’m somewhat surprised that the law firm sent that letter since it puts in writing, their apparent ignorance of the law in the case.
You shouldn't be surprised. Lawyers don't give a rats as about the issue. They are just looking for a pay day.
Children behave, that's what they say when were together
It’s really sad how much power HOAs are given and how they can absolutely destroy homeowners lives for the most erroneous reasons. The system needs to change
Report the lawyer(s) that signed this letter to the local BAR. File a complaint.
Lol I wanna go see what their yelp and website reviews look like now, but I’m pretty sure I already know...
So they admitted that they are stalking on the internet? Time to rack up some stalking charges.
Go tell a cop someone is looking at your Facebook page without your permission and see how helpful they are lol
@@thenormalyears true lol
They should sue the law firm that sent the letter as well.
Anyone in any sort of power dislikes having a spotlight shined on their actions and beliefs
It s her fb page..if the hoa doesn't like it they don't have to view it.
I see you've met Cynthia.
This is why I don't live in an HOA or ever will. They think the are above the law, just like politicians.
I understand her frustration..its like they think they should not be questioned about anything when it comes to our monies and yet, we have the right to.
If you move into a home with an HOA you deserve anything they dish out to you.
I will never own a home under an HOA. There are too many nightmare stories of a wide variety of appalling behavior. Besides if I own property, I’m going to do what I want with it and no one is going to tell me otherwise.
I would be letting them know what I think of that idea...and they wouldn't like it, AT ALL!
HOA should be illegal. She should sue each person individually.
Freedom isn't free, you have to constantly fight to preserve it.
Only an HOA would overstep their bounds to such an extreme. Unreal.
Afraid of being exposed!
I've never lived in an HOA community, but to me living in one is like living in a high crime area. Both can dramatically reduce the value of any home in that area and make it so that people don't want to buy a house in that area.
It's hard to feel sorry for people who join an HOA
Please take these people to court
I hope the residents have taken the BS BOARD to court and GOTTEN PAID !!!!
Why in gods name would anyone buy a house where your neighbours can tell you what you can or can’t do or what you must do or they will fine you. It’s insane.
What lawyer would even send such a letter and risk their license? If this becomes a lawsuit, I suspect the case judge is not going to be pleased.
The lawyers don't care about the issue. They just want to get paid.
What is it about HOA boards that makes their members insane?
If they are making factual claims, and those claims are true, then there can be no libel.
Also, mere opinion is not actionable for libel, slander, or defamation.
For example, if she posted something like, "I think the HOA board is a bunch of assholes", that's not actionable, because it is mere opinion.
I used to live in a Condo. After 10 years the HOA fees exceeded my mortgage payment. Never again!