Should HOAs be banned?

[Terrel L. Shields]

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/lawmaker-sparks-call-nix-hoas-113000157.html

 

[Mark K]

No, they should not be banned. However, their power should be limited.

A lot of people like the fact that there's a HOA. They move there specifically because they were tired of living in a neighborhood infested with ignorant and inconsiderate a-holes and hillbillies.

 

[J Grant]

Living in a community with an HOA is a choice - you want to ban choice? ( yes )

Simple solution - if a person does not want to deal with HOA rules and regs, don't buy or rent in one ! Some HOAs have lax or few rules, others have extensive rules.

 

[RCA]

Bad Enough:

- Higher Insurance Premiums
- Inflation & Rising Operational Costs
- Adequate Funding for Reserve Accounts
- Unforseen or Increased Maintenance and Repair Needs
- New or Enhanced Community Services.

Less likely??
- Mismanagement
- Corruption

 

[Tim Hicks (Texas)]

HOAs just have rules, good rules. We don't need cars on blocks or cars that have not been driven in years on the curb. Homeowners should not have to be told to mow their lawn, cut the grass off the sidewalks or mend/replace their falling down fence. But they do. If you don't want to abide by HOA rules, don't buy a house in a HOA.

 

[Surf Cat]

The problem I see with some HOA communities is that a small number of fellow condominium owners are the board members....they hold the community meetings and frequently influence decisions in ways that reflect their own preferences rather than the collective interests of the community.

Furthermore, if these individuals are collecting the HOA dues, some have been caught covertly skimming from the funds ruining the financial health of the project.

Conversely, if the reins are handed over to a management company, they too mismanage funds, charge high fees, and take forever to get projects/ repairs done.

Not all communities have HOA problems I mentioned above....I've heard quite a few complaints from personal friends who live in condominium communities and of course the ones that come up in the news where the board president has skipped town with all the funds LOL

In the story that Terrel posted, that's just many personalities living on top of each other.... unfortunate that people were shot over it.

 

[Fernando]

I don't join the HOA meetings or on their board. Too lazy. Let them run the place.
In one of my large condo project, not many want to be elected to the board.
They wanted me to join after I went to one of their meetings to complain.
I was astonished how I knew more about property management insights then those mostly with no real estate experience.
This year the HOA fees went up a lot after years of non increased fees.

 

[Elliott]

HOA power should be significantly limited. I'm in a subdivision where the HOA said three years after the subdivision was complete, "Well, we think if you purchase a house in the subdivision, then the buyer should pay $3000, just because we want the money."

 

[Vermonter]

No, they should not be banned. However, their power should be limited.

Exactly.

Power should be limited to what you agreed to at purchase. No idea how that would work logistically, but some of these HOAs are insane. My fathers HOA tried to sneak in a membership to a neighboring golf course in their fee even tho it's over 3 miles away in another subdivision and he doesn't play golf.

 

[J Grant]

a PUD HOA fee is usually more reasonable then condo HOA fees. But the condo fee covers more items, such as building insurance, roof cleaning, and sometimes cable and water, so it comes out almost even. Fees also depend on the amenities; do you want to pay for a community pool, guard gate, etc.?