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LIVING IN A HOME-OWNERS ASSOCIATION

Contributed by: DR. SEAN REIF D.C. on 1/3/2007

One strategy for minimizing neighborhood deterioration is to live in a residential development with strict rules and regulation. Many a PUD say they have found the perfect place to live, and include Community Covenants and regulations, as well as the landscaping, insurance, snow removal, gates, walls, or guards as part of a vision. We make trade-offs to live in these restricted environments and adjust to our personal, social, and economic values to fit our NEW HOME environments.

It definitely has some positives and some negatives, but for my personality and way-of-life, I don't mind it. I chose the neighborhood because I like the style of the homes, and there would be nothing I would really do, because I LIKE WHAT I HAVE, and I am not looking for anything that will be against my HOMEOWNER'S ASSOCIATION. Everything is included for me.

HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATIONS boards make decisions that affect every aspect of community life. These decisions and the functioning of the board are monitored by residents and evaluated in terms of how decisions resonate with the values and preferences of individual households.

"Americans of all ages, all conditions, and all dispositions, constantly form associations . . . Religious, moral, serious, futile, general or restricted, enormous or diminutive." Homeowners associations are a special kind of residential association created by the covenants, conditions, and restrictions of a common interest development. Elected boards oversee the common property, and each home is purchased with the Community Covenants and REGULATIONS as part of the deed. An extensive set of RULES and regulations are mandated by the Community Covenants and Regulations and the Homeowners Association can make up their own rules.

Wouldn't it be"nice" if PLANNERS, Developers if the Homeowners Associations could be available to existing neighborhoods in order to replace Current Zoning Controls? The majority of associations have responsibility for the buildings - apartments, townhouses, and single-family houses - as well as for the surrounding development areas and landscape.

This distinct kind of neighborhood combines the independence, autonomy, and acquaintance relations with my neighbors. The resident can be ASSURED that "someone else" WILL bear the burden of MORAL AUTHORITY, enabling the common resident anonymous and uninvolved.

Access to goods or services is what makes Public or Private. "PUBLIC GOODS" - once they have been provided, everyone benefits regardless of whether they pay or not." Cities are PUBLIC; Homeowners Associations are PRIVATE. Private Communities is a response to municipal government's FAILURE to provide adequate neighborhood services because of the "free-loaders" (use by those who don't pay for them) and local government's inability too supply services to rapidly growing areas. The housing industry has become a "neighborhood building" industry. And, community Residents may tend to VOTE to reduce municipal expenditures WE do not use. PUD communities are expansion without municipal infrastructure. The PUD community serves as a quasi-governmental service provider.

Private governance minimizes conflict by setting up a set of rules and regulations that determine what residents can and cannot do with our property. It provides a strict standard for the appearance of our homes and gardens, reducing the possibility of conflict with neighbors. It reinforces suburban moralism by predetermining who is willing too live with the level of rules and regulations imposed by the Homeowners Association. That is not to say that some residents don't try to buck the system, fighting the Architectural Review Committee over control of their land.

"I do not have any problems with the construction of my house. What do I have that I can complain about? I don't, so I won't." RETIREES want to live in a private community with low maintenance and lack of responsibility. A retiree may have uneasiness with neighborhood changes, and desire our security and controlled, well-kept environment. The basic qualities are desirable regardless of age.

Our community includes protecting children and keeping out crime while controlling the environment and the quality of service. There is not the fear; nor the crime. There is a reassuringly consistent architecture and physical landscape, amenities and services that WORK, and GREAT NEIGHBORS who want the EXACT - SAME - THINGS.


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Showing 1-2 of 2 comments
Submitted By: Jan Jackson
posted on 1/8/2007 @ 11:30:52 AM
(Not Rated)
Today's HOAs (homeowners associations) and CIDs (Common Interest Communities) are mandated by the state of Colorado. Therefore, all new housing developments, condominiums, etc, must comply with the statutes in the legislative Act called the "Colorado Common Interest Ownership Act" aka "CCIOA"). Most reasonable homeowners see nothing wrong with a group of people getting together and voluntarily signing a private contract regarding their neighborhood (the key word being "voluntarily"). What most homeowners do object to, however, is the state of Colorado mandating -- under color of the law -- where and how they must live which sometimes (or often) includes a board of directors and their "cabal" that are more interested in controlling other homeowners behavior than complying with their Constitutional and other legal rights. That's called a "dictatorship" in anybody's language, and it is happening regularly all over this nation.
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Submitted By: DR. SEAN REIF D.C.
posted on 1/3/2007 @ 10:56:02 AM
Rated Story
Our Homesteads H.O.A. just cut to the chase and took IMMEDIATE RESPONSE to the State of Emergency and worked hand in hand with snowplow drivers that we hired with Bobcats loaders and blades to push our snow to acceptable locations within our neighborhood as a "resource" to water our grass, trees and shrubs. Early birds out there, it was EASY to get it done right the first time. But due to making contracts with subcontractors early in the season, businesses were able to make advanced equipment purchases. It snows in Colorado, and sometimes it snows and drifts a lot. Get a snow-shovel and help yourself and your neighbors for the PUBLIC GOOD. It should bring out those Middle Class values and Work Ethic. The Lord helps those who help themselves.
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Showing 1-2 of 2 comments
CONTRIBUTOR INFORMATION

DR. SEAN REIF D.C.

THORNTON , CO

DR. SEAN REIF D.C. has posted 1023 stories and 1185 comments since joining on 9/14/2005. DR. SEAN REIF D.C. 's average story rating is 3.04.
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