Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

How A Wayward HOA Ruined My Second Home’s Community. ( Colorado )
Blue State Conservative ^ | November 24, 2022 | Steven Sorg

Posted on 11/28/2022 7:20:39 AM PST by george76

click here to read article


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 121-130 next last
To: Jane Long

You just described the situation my wife and I are in right now.

We bought our Condo in 2004, the complex built in 1989 had one building with 21 units, only one family lived there full time, quite often my wife and I would be the only people at the complex, in 2006 because of the building boom, 3 new buildings were built, now we have 78 total units.

Now we have 2 separate HOAs, one for building 1 and one for buildings 2,3,4.

Our building doesn’t allow short term rentals, 3 month minimum, but we had very few snowbirds coming down.

The other buildings allow one week and shorter rentals.

It’s worse in the summer when people rent a unit for 1 week for vacation, because they can’t really afford the rental, they pack 2 families into one unit and treat the place like it’s a pig pen.

I don’t really like the Snow Birds either, but at least they are older and retired and rent the units for 3-4 month and treat the complex like they live there, not something to be abused and discarded like the weekly summer renters.


41 posted on 11/28/2022 8:02:03 AM PST by srmanuel (I)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 30 | View Replies]

To: george76

Never ever buy property with an HOA.


42 posted on 11/28/2022 8:03:01 AM PST by Georgia Girl 2 (The only purpose of a pistol is to fight your way back to the rifle you should never have dropped)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Scarlett156

You seem stressed.


43 posted on 11/28/2022 8:03:06 AM PST by Kinzua (What have we allowed to happen?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: george76

My HOA allowed me to have a birdfeeder... until a new neighbor complained.


44 posted on 11/28/2022 8:04:51 AM PST by Ciexyz (Prayers for America.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: george76

If you buy a home with HOA covenants, YOU DON’T OWN OUR HOME, PERIOD.

Sure, technically your name is on the deed, and you have to pay the taxes, but you don’t own it... When others can tell you what you can or cannot do to your property, how can you remotely claim you “own” it?


45 posted on 11/28/2022 8:04:53 AM PST by HamiltonJay
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: srmanuel
I am not a lawyer, but I have worked for clients in a professional capacity in matters related to HOA and condominium board disputes.

Some of the dumbest HOA board members I've come across are "conservative people" who refuse to enforce rules that they are obligated through their fiduciary duties to enforce. It was one attorney who specializes in HOA law who said it best:

"If you don't force one homeowner to remove the Ohio State flag that violates the HOA rules, you'll never be able to go back six months later and tell the guy next door to him to take down his Nazi flag."

46 posted on 11/28/2022 8:04:54 AM PST by Alberta's Child ("It's midnight in Manhattan. This is no time to get cute; it's a mad dog's promenade.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 29 | View Replies]

To: george76

I used to live in an HOA neighborhood. First thing they did to piss me off was to say that we couldn’t have a potted plant sitting in front of the house.


47 posted on 11/28/2022 8:05:33 AM PST by rfreedom4u ("You may all go to hell and I will go to Texas")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: george76
private property rights

'nuff said

48 posted on 11/28/2022 8:05:58 AM PST by Tell It Right (1st Thessalonians 5:21 -- Put everything to the test, hold fast to that which is true.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: AppyPappy

> There are always ways to get people to leave. <

Yes. My friend in post #28 is very fond of guns. To this day I’m surprised he didn’t resort to violence to eject his Airbnb squatter. Maybe he wanted to spare his wife if things got wildly out of control.


49 posted on 11/28/2022 8:06:10 AM PST by Leaning Right (The steal is real.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 39 | View Replies]

To: 1riot1ranger

I want the secrets of how someone grows a weed plant in under a couple of weeks.


50 posted on 11/28/2022 8:07:03 AM PST by SPDSHDW (Ya’ll knew he was installed via fraud, and chose to do nothing. Enjoy the roller coaster ride.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 34 | View Replies]

To: HamiltonJay

That’s ludicrous. It’s like saying you don’t own your home if it is located in a town with a zoning code.


51 posted on 11/28/2022 8:07:46 AM PST by Alberta's Child ("It's midnight in Manhattan. This is no time to get cute; it's a mad dog's promenade.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 45 | View Replies]

To: Alberta's Child

My neighborhood has a community club... (no HOA thank goodness) just a volunteer organization who does things...

Well the old guard complained for years that the younger folks weren’t getting involved, finally younger folks came and took over, and long story short there was a contentious issue that divided the neighborhood because the way the old Community Club had been handling things (financially 501c3) had actually been violating some laws (unintentionally, but still, had been doing so)... the new board tried to do things the right way, which caused a huge schism...

Needless to say the new folks got fed up with the BS and all quit... now the club is back to the old guard who are slowly dying and the younger folks now, truly do want nothing to do with it.


52 posted on 11/28/2022 8:09:26 AM PST by HamiltonJay
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 38 | View Replies]

To: Red Badger
Every HOA eventually becomes a dictatorial fiefdom.

Not all of them, I've been in one for over 20 years now and they've been great.

When I first moved in there was one elderly jerk on the board but he was usually over ruled and eventually voted off.

As far as banning rentals, I can understand that. We had two cases where the houses were rented out and the renters trashed them.

53 posted on 11/28/2022 8:09:36 AM PST by Hot Tabasco
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Alberta's Child

I’ve been to numerous HOA meetings that nearly came to blows.

Our primary residence is in a gated community with 24/7/365 security with a guard and gates to get in/out.

Since our neighborhood has very little common area, the majority of the HOA fees cover the cost of security.

We had a couple of owners years ago that began complaining about how much of the HOA fees were going to security and wanted to get rid of the guards and go to security gates only.

We had near universal attendance at the next HOA meeting, the response overwhelming to keep the security guards and the complainers could kiss our collective ass, in that case it was a beautiful thing.


54 posted on 11/28/2022 8:09:56 AM PST by srmanuel (I)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 38 | View Replies]

To: HamiltonJay
In my case it descended to the level of absurdity.

The leader of the Malcontent faction complained that the HOA had been financially mismanaged for years. One of the Veterans pointed out that he just got on the board last year -- and SHE HERSELF had been the president of the HOA board for 8 years prior to that.

55 posted on 11/28/2022 8:12:51 AM PST by Alberta's Child ("It's midnight in Manhattan. This is no time to get cute; it's a mad dog's promenade.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 52 | View Replies]

To: george76; All

Is this guy wanting folks to feel sorry for him.

You bought a “rental/income property”, not a second home, in a place controlled by the locals that live there.

Bad on him for thinking that they’d allow landlords to do what they want.

Back to the article...

The short term renters used to come in and spend like drunken sailors. It being a vacation they would bring extra money. They’d load up at the pot shops and the liquor stores because you can’t get pot in Texas, and because beer, wine, and liquor costs 30% more in The Lone Star State. They would ski at the nearby resort, because, you know, skiing sucks in Texas and they would enjoy the famous Pagosa hot springs. Imagine the rage this causes the Board. Texans in our hot springs! Gross!

Hmmmmmm....spend like drunken sailors and for damned sure act like them. Houses full of drunk and stoned Texans and I’m sure they just all sat in their rentals and meditated. I’m betting that subdivision was an unmitigated disaster come ski season. And the renters didn’t have any f**ks to give. They were there for a weekend or a week. Ski all day. Get drunk as hell and stoned to the bejesus, pack their stuff and head home. Leaving behind a train wreck. While, there were some folks there, that actually lived there, had to go to work in the morning and had a family.


56 posted on 11/28/2022 8:16:48 AM PST by qaz123 (F)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: srmanuel

Thanks for pointing this out. I was wondering whether the HOA in the article was running rampant over Colorado law since I knew here in Florida there are restrictions on HOAs.

I understand why the HOA would want to have some control over short term rentals but there are ways to go about that which balance the community way of life with a property owner’s use of their property. In my opinion one way would be to clearly define short term rental to require a minimum 1 week rental. Another way would be for the town (not the HOA) discuss whether such rentals should be subject to impact fees. Simply punishing the property owner is the wrong (and possibly illegal) solution.

I don’t feel too sorry for the author he probably should have bothered to find out if the HOA had violated any laws or covenants.


57 posted on 11/28/2022 8:17:43 AM PST by lastchance (Credo.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 22 | View Replies]

To: E. Pluribus Unum
Never buy a residence subject to an HOA.

But if you want to live in a guard gated community -- a very good thing in these days of rising crime -- you can't avoid an HOA.

58 posted on 11/28/2022 8:18:07 AM PST by Angelino97
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: SPDSHDW

Let me ask Audrey.


59 posted on 11/28/2022 8:18:44 AM PST by lastchance (Credo.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 50 | View Replies]

To: Hot Tabasco
the renters trashed them.

Short term rentals or long term?.............

60 posted on 11/28/2022 8:19:32 AM PST by Red Badger (Homeless veterans camp in the streets while illegal aliens are put up in hotels.....................)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 53 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 121-130 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson