tmnhs81

So our HOA mailed letters to us with local Fire Departments approval to paint the curbs red on both sides. They already did completed one street today and are going to start on other 3 tomorrow. There are more than 100 houses in this community and they have told every home owner to use the guest parking area, which they will send out parking permit/stickers for. Guest parking spots are whopping 7 for more than 100 houses. A lot of people seem to be pissed about this whole situation including me. We have total of 5 cars, out of 5, 2 stay in garage, 2 on drive way and one goes on the street. Now I have no idea what is everyone going to do including me.

What do you think as a home owner I can do about it other than calling and complaining about it, which I already have and they literally told me to STFU! One homeowner already contacted city about it they said because it is a private community they don't have anything to do with it. Monthly fee is $117, only to mow front yard which they do only twice a month.

Will Y.

Read your CC&Rs to see if 1) it specifically mentions parking or parking regulations, 2) if the HOA actually has authority to change the street parking, and 3) how the HOA obtained the authority to change the street if the CC&Rs don't give it those specific powers. If there is a violation of the CC&Rs by the HOA, you need to bring it to the directors' attention and challenge the decision.

BTW, the CC&Rs in many associations in Orange County, CA require that all vehicles be garaged and not on the street or in owners' driveways at night, so you're lucky you can keep cars in the driveway. Otherwise, owners must park in guest parking or store the excess vehicles off-site.

MR1

After the fact but I suspect that they have meetings that you can attend. Issues are generally discussed and voted on at these meetings. I think all dues paying homeowners are members.

If you don't participate you gave up your right to complain imho.

gatrhumpy

iTrader: (1)

Park there anyway.

CocheseUGA

It's honestly a way to pretend everyone has a voice. Most of these things are decided well in advance by a small but powerful group of people who have enough votes to make sure what they want gets passed.

I'd look at the rules regarding if they can dictate street parking at all. If it's a regular road, the county has say, unless it's specifically ruled otherwise.

doopstr

Who the hell wants red curbs?

CocheseUGA

Maybe it's for loading and drop-off only.

KaMLuNg

iTrader: (5)

from an aesthetics POV that has to look like crap with red curbs everywhere...

NSXNEXT

iTrader: (2)

I highly doubt they did this without having an HOA meeting to discuss it. No one shows up....you lose your right to bitch.

Did they give a reason why they were doing this? Is there a town ordinance? Call the fire department and ask them.

spdy0001

I knew before I bought my townhouse that parking was not allowed on the street but didn't bother us because our driveway is huge. Others do park on the street anyway and the cops come through about once a week and hand out tickets, but that doesn't stop people from parking there. The issue for us is that the ticket is $15 and the people just don't care.

FWIW I will never live in another place with an HOA. I don't have time to attend the meetings and the people who do make the craziest decisions.

jupitersolo

Our HOA has meetings 4 times per year, more if needed. In four years there has be a total of no more than 10 homeowners for all 16 meetings. No one cares about them until something changes.

The rules have been changed to allow what has happened. The only way out of this is if a majority of homeowners fight back.




For your $117 per month, I think it's more than just cutting the grass. Do you have a pool, club house/gym, street lights, trash collection? Do they have snow removal, if you live were it snows?

tmnhs81

My uncle moved out here about 5 years ago. Everything was fine until about 2 weeks ago when they send notice to everyone about red lining the whole community. We just moved here, less than a month ago. If I knew about this I'd have never bought a house over here. I am going to attend all the meetings and if possible, be one of them members....

They say that they got permission from fire department to red line everywhere. If you still gonna do it just red line one side and leave the other side with sidewalk for parking. There is more than enough space for fire engine to go through if the do that.

Here they won't be charging $15. They will tow the car $160 + additional $70 that goes to association + any storage charges that tow company is going to charge. So you are looking at at least $300 for one violation.

There is no pool, club house, gym. Only street lights and a lousy park which no one cares for and they don't want anyone in park after 8PM . We pay for our own garbage service. No snow here (SF bay). A "security gate" which didn't work for 4.5 years out of 5 since the houses were built in mid 2005. It used to be $90, then $110 and now $117.

Just got a word from one of the residents in community. They have asked the HOA members to come to the above mentioned park this friday to talk about this issue and they are also planning to park cars on street this saturday and not let the tow truck enter the premises. Sounds like a fun saturday . Lets see what happens.

CocheseUGA

You need to research with your local municipality and see if they have rights to tow cars on a public street.

NSXNEXT

iTrader: (2)

The stereotypical HOA board member is a middle manager in a company where he has absolutely no authority. Being on the HOA makes them feel important.

Moog-Type-S

It's not a public street...it's private.



To the OP:
Simple way to get the curb painting removed...but it's gonna take a bit of work on your part: Write up a short paragraph stating that as a homeowner in "blah blah blah HOA" I do not want the curbs painted red and want them removed/stopped immediately.

Provide lines below said paragraph for each homeowner to print & sign their name along with writting down their address, and date of signature.

A petition if you will....

Walk your complex on a Saturday, and get as many people to sign as possible.

Email it to your HOA ASAP, and bring the hardcopy to the next board meeting.

...that should get the board to wake up and take notice.

CocheseUGA

Public, as in not owned or operated by a private entity.

If it's maintained by the county, it's not private.

Moog-Type-S

A lot of HOA's have complete control/ownership of their streets. Maintenance, up-keep..etc and so on are the responsibility of the HOA....they are completely private...city and county have no jurisdiction.

CocheseUGA

It varies, even with communities with restricted access.

Moog-Type-S

^^ My neighborhood streets are completely private.

thunder04

iTrader: (1)

Wow...I'm glad I don't live in a housing community. Although a HOA has its perks at times, I'm glad I don't have to deal with something like this!

I have one car, my fiancée has one car, and they both fit in the garage. However, not having the ability to park on the street would seriously eff up any time people want to come over.

doopstr

The thing that used to piss me off the most about the HOA was that I was paying taxes for road maint, street lights, etc. but then had to fork money over to the HOA to have our streets repaired. The monthly fee seemed to go up about 10% a year. I don't miss the HOA one bit.

litesout

I don't know what the rule is in California, but in Florida if there's any kind of gate barring access to a neighborhood, the streets are private and privately maintained. In neighborhoods like mine which have an HOA but no access gates, the roads are public and therefore are subject to county laws. For example, the HOA says you're not allowed to park on the street over night, but they can't do anything about it. They can't even legally ticket you. If you're parked incorrectly, they can have a county cop come in and give you a parking ticket.

MR1

In CA it varies, usually have to meet community laws for access by fire trucks etc. The streets may not be wide enough to allow parking on either side and the local government may be requiring the change for safety reasons. We don't know because we didn't go to the meeting or get the memo.

I would think that b4 you purchase something, you do the research before signing your name. We can't expect the re agent or attorney to anticipate all questions and provide answers for questions not asked. When you move into planned type communities you trade some rights for some benefits in theory.

TS_eXpeed

5 cars?!?

NSXNEXT

iTrader: (2)

When we lived in Windsor Meadows we paid for trash removal but got the money back from the town. So it was a wash. I'm going to assume the roads are the same.

NSXNEXT

iTrader: (2)

So I still receive the emails from our Yahoo group for my old townhouse. Man the things people bitch about. I'll post a few. Freakin ridiculous

jupitersolo

Backlash my change it, it is a Home Owners Association, so if enough pushback you can get rid of it.

Majofo

Park on your front lawn.

tmnhs81

I like that. Thanks for the info.


Thats what the plan is. Thats why home owners asked them to come to the park on friday. Hope everything goes well.


I might do that. They are going to tow the car anyway, why not destroy some grass to tell them that we need parking..

tmnhs81

So, I just got back home after talking to some other home owners. I found out that HOA board members are bunch of old farts. They have their kids away in some other state and they don't have anyone who visits them ever. One car in household. They have problem with people parking on the street. They also have problem with kids playing on streets, kids skateboarding in a COURT where none of them lives and kids on electric scooters just having some fun time. Some people have already parked on the front yard on grass. Someone is already working on signing petition. We are going to make appointment with head of local fire department and ask them to come out to make some measurements of streets. So hope for the best and see what happens.

Interesting thing, they ruled out 100 people for 1 old Asian lady complaining about parked cars because she had trouble walking her dog. Fucking morons..

tony4311

Are there elections for board members? If so and if you really want to you could run and canvas the people for votes. If enough people are annoyed by this and work together to over turn it I'm sure there'd be enough people to vote in new board members.

Gfaze

This is why I will NEVER live in a neighborhood with an HOA. I'll be damned if somebody tries to tell me where I can and can't park my car! As far as I'm concerned, they can GTFO!

MWalsh9152

we have 6, though I only keep one of mine here and park the other at my friends tow yard a mile away, so there is always 5 in the garage or driveway.

As for HOA's I can understand the benefits of them, but the horror stories like these would keep me away from one. Luckily, we really dont have any around here that Im aware of, aside from condo complexes

MR1

It's just like the recent elections that had low turnout. You have the opportunity to express your opinion about issues and candidates up to election day. If you chose not to participate in the planning stage, stfu.

tmnhs81

We moved in here less than a month ago.

MR1

Understood, see post #23. This is a learning experience. No need to hate HOA's, just need to understand and participate. Hope you enjoy your new spot.

gatrhumpy

iTrader: (1)

I personally have not had any problems with any HOA. With the two houses that we have or currently own, we are in HOAs.

I find it funny that an HOA can approve what kind of shed I get, where I can place it, and what type of materials to use, but when I see a house that has weeds as tall as myself, I don't understand why they don't contract out to have someone mow the yard and then bill the homeowner.

Majofo

My HOA just sent me a picture of my yard, a lawnmower and a man holding a kitten at knife point. I think they're serious.

gatrhumpy

iTrader: (1)

doopstr

Sounds about right.