Thread: They don't make them like they used to.

Home owners associations.

Rich people who get their rocks off telling other rich people what to do.

Originally Posted by IanS

Home owners associations.

Rich people who get their rocks off telling other rich people what to do.

Not just rich people.

Most subdivisions built nowadays are built are considered "site condominiums" and the roads are quite often private. This happens because of a deal the developer makes with the community, where the community gets the taxes but doesn't have to provide services like trash pick-up, snow removal or sometimes school buses.

This is how a tiny community of a couple hundred people can get a 1000 house subdivision built in it and not have its resources overwhelmed. It also makes the developer a ton of money by opening up land they wouldn't be allowed to build on.

Anyway in order to provide these services the homeowners have essentially an agreement they have to sign the says they will pay a share of these expenses. You don't sign you can't move in. Someone had the bright idea of attaching rules onto these things, and the rules actually can be a selling point for some people. Rules like no brightly colored house paint, no dogs, no fences are quite common. Some associations have more limiting rules such as no parking on the streets, no flags flown, even no children, or no residents under a certain age.

I would find these things more acceptable if it was easier to find a new house that didn't have to be a part of an association, or there was some way to opt out of them. Also some of them have rather loose rules of order and it can be easy for a minority sometimes a tiny minority to add rules that effect the entire community.

medal of honor or not, tell me i cant fly my nations flag and see what happens. now no doubt this guy is an exceptional american i still dont understand how a hoa would prohibit someone from having a flag pole in there yard it is just baffeling

-dan-

One of the things that has always impressed me on my trips to the states is the sense of national pride displayed by most Americans, be it the singing of the national anthem at sporting occasions or the flying of the stars and stripes in a front yard. I am very surprised and disappointed to hear this story. I would expect it here in the UK, you have to look very hard in this country to find a Union Jack let a lone the flag of St George.

Personally I am of the opinion that once you sign the paperwork, you mustn't complain afterwards. That said, in this case they should have relented. He tried to work with them to get permission, and he apparently served his country in an outstanding manner. Even if they would normally not do this, they could have made it a special exception on the basis of his MOH.

And even apart from that, Even I know that Americans take the flag and related symbolism very seriously. Combine that with his MOH and they should have known they would get hammered in public over this, even if they didn't agree. They should know how to pick their fights. This was one they couldn't have won in the first place and it was stupid of them even to try.

Originally Posted by 7om

One of the things that has always impressed me on my trips to the states is the sense of national pride displayed by most Americans, be it the singing of the national anthem at sporting occasions or the flying of the stars and stripes in a front yard. I am very surprised and disappointed to hear this story. I would expect it here in the UK, you have to look very hard in this country to find a Union Jack let a lone the flag of St George.

The story is relevant because it relates to a gentleman living in a subdivision, you choose to live there and know the rules before you move in. But I must stress outside of a subdivision you are pretty much free to paint your house any color you please and fly what flag you want. This remains the land of the free up to a point and that is one of the major reasons I live here. I believe in our constitutional rights.
That said I am delighted that this American hero won the right to fly theflag and shame on the HOA for trying to stop him.

Originally Posted by Wildtim

Not just rich people.

Most subdivisions built nowadays are built are considered "site condominiums" and the roads are quite often private. This happens because of a deal the developer makes with the community, where the community gets the taxes but doesn't have to provide services like trash pick-up, snow removal or sometimes school buses.

This is how a tiny community of a couple hundred people can get a 1000 house subdivision built in it and not have its resources overwhelmed. It also makes the developer a ton of money by opening up land they wouldn't be allowed to build on.

Anyway in order to provide these services the homeowners have essentially an agreement they have to sign the says they will pay a share of these expenses. You don't sign you can't move in. Someone had the bright idea of attaching rules onto these things, and the rules actually can be a selling point for some people. Rules like no brightly colored house paint, no dogs, no fences are quite common. Some associations have more limiting rules such as no parking on the streets, no flags flown, even no children, or no residents under a certain age.

I would find these things more acceptable if it was easier to find a new house that didn't have to be a part of an association, or there was some way to opt out of them. Also some of them have rather loose rules of order and it can be easy for a minority sometimes a tiny minority to add rules that effect the entire community.

How right you are, a small minority of homeowners in our HOA are lobbying for much more restrictive rules, luckily a few of us have taken up arms and look like we will defeat them. When I eventually move I will NEVER EVER live in a HOA controlled subdivision again. Once bitten twice shy and all.

Originally Posted by Bruno

Personally I am of the opinion that once you sign the paperwork, you mustn't complain afterwards. That said, in this case they should have relented. He tried to work with them to get permission, and he apparently served his country in an outstanding manner. Even if they would normally not do this, they could have made it a special exception on the basis of his MOH.

And even apart from that, Even I know that Americans take the flag and related symbolism very seriously. Combine that with his MOH and they should have known they would get hammered in public over this, even if they didn't agree. They should know how to pick their fights. This was one they couldn't have won in the first place and it was stupid of them even to try.

Very. In case anyone didn't know the congressional medal of honor is extremely rare, there are currently less than a hundred people alive who hold one. In the entire history of the country there are fewer than 3500 people who have ever been awarded one. Frankly he should have the rights to a brass band playing revelry at 5:00 every morning if he wanted one. instead he lives in a completely undistinguished little house in a subdivision like many millions of other people.

Originally Posted by Englishgent

How right you are, a small minority of homeowners in our HOA are lobbying for much more restrictive rules, luckily a few of us have taken up arms and look like we will defeat them. When I eventually move I will NEVER EVER live in a HOA controlled subdivision again. Once bitten twice shy and all.

This is the problem with them.