Home Owner Associations and Other Micromanagement

[Maxheadspace]

My wife, not being native to the US, is having a hard time grasping the concept of our Home Owners Association (HOA) micromanaging the exterior of our home/yard here in Virginia.  She keeps building yard stuff and altering the landscape without notice or approval, which has me on edge fearing reprisals from the HOA.  We got a notice of violation from them yesterday telling us we had to clear out some of her stuff or install lattice screening to block the view under our deck.  So, to install $30 worth of lattice requires submitting for a permit to the County with blueprints and diagrams, along with a $100 permit fee.  HOAs are the bane of American living, but it's extremely difficult finding housing in urban or suburban areas that are not in Home Owner Associations.  By her actions, I gather there's nothing similar to HOAs in the Philippines.  Two years to retirement.  But then I guess the Islands probably have their own form of bureaucracy! 

Edited July 9, 2017 by Maxheadspace

[jpbago]

2 minutes ago, Maxheadspace said:

We got a notice of violation from them yesterday telling us we had to clear out some of her stuff

What? Chickens under the deck and a goat on the front lawn. Don't them 'Mericans understand.

[Jack Peterson]

3 minutes ago, Maxheadspace said:

But then I guess the Islands probably have their own form of bureaucracy! 

 You better believe My Friend 

[AlwaysRt]

53 minutes ago, Maxheadspace said:

I gather there's nothing similar to HOAs in the Philippines.

Not as a general rule but you can find one if you want...

[Jack Peterson]

10 minutes ago, AlwaysRt said:

Not as a general rule but you can find one if you want...

You Jest of Course Steve, Dumaguete area in Particular has many, may Subdivisions that all have HOA's

next time we meet ask Dave"H" about his Particular problems (if he so wishes to talk about) with his HOA

I do believe that memberships is practically mandatory

[AlwaysRt]

Just now, Jack Peterson said:

You Jest of Course Steve, Dumaguete area in Particular has many, may Subdivisions that all have HOA's

next time we meet ask Dave"H" about his Particular problems (if he so wishes to talk about) with his HOA

I do believe that memberships is practically mandatory

Unlike what the OP is talking about, while there are many subdivisions with HOAs here, the are many many more opportunities to stay out of them. 

Interested to hear about Dave's HOA, as a former builder/developer always interested in anything real estate.

[Jack Peterson]

2 minutes ago, AlwaysRt said:

Unlike what the OP is talking about,

 Not going to Back and forth on this BUT it is exactly the Same here my friend, our Friends up the Road ( on a Subdivision) Put a Goat in the Yard and was promptly Told it has to go somewhere else by 10 pm, Domestic pets only after that time and BTW those Chicken Coops have to come Down, No Chickens allowed on the Subdivision, Article so & so paragraph so and so, Steve this why we Built on our own Lot. Rule is rules but......................... Things are changing Rapidly here and not always for the best.

According to a Work colleague of Mrs "Js"  she bought a similar Place to David through the Pag Ibig scheme and All Utilities are Geared to the Developer so if not a member what do you Do. Dave maybe can tell us more ( if he is in the Mood  but as I said Earlier the Subdivision runs on membership for so many things, " the devil you know " springs to mind 

[AlwaysRt]

4 minutes ago, Jack Peterson said:

Steve this why we Built on our own Lot.

That is all I was trying to say, here you have the option Not to buy in a subdivision. Many areas in the US do not have the option (like metro Washington DC where the OP is, if I understand him correctly) so renting or buying you will fall under one HOA rules or another. 

[Jack Peterson]

1 minute ago, AlwaysRt said:

That is all I was trying to say, here you have the option Not to buy in a subdivision. Many areas in the US do not have the option (like metro Washington DC where the OP is, if I understand him correctly) so renting or buying you will fall under one HOA rules or another. 

Yes I see your Point but another Topic that did not give a real background to the issue just how something affected the OP but his question, opened up this Debate 

 

1 hour ago, Maxheadspace said:

But then I guess the Islands probably have their own form of bureaucracy! 

 Here of course even we as Lot Dwellers, have the Purok Rules within the Barangay System with Strict rules on various things like Garbage, Parking & Animal nuisance, Things though are only ever enforced when things get too Bad but just the Same we have to abide by rules it seems wherever we live Luckily so far, membership of the Purok association is Voluntary  but I pay the Same dues so I can get the Services they Offer within the Barangay Framework, ie, Refuse Collection, Street Lighting, Public amenities (Basketball Court and such) 

[Dave Hounddriver]

56 minutes ago, Jack Peterson said:

next time we meet ask Dave"H" about his Particular problems

Yes, best discussed with a cold, frothy one.  But suffice it to say there are HOA in subdivisions but many have no teeth.  On the other hand, until a HOA is formed and incorporated the subdivision builder/management have total authority on what you can and cannot do.  In some areas they are quite strict and in other areas they are lenient.  I can tell you that they are never as strict as the HOA's back in Edmonton, Canada but still bad enough to give you some headaches.

In defense of the subdivision builder, they are trying to put a good front on their subdivision as they are still trying to sell units so they want all the existing owners to conform.  Once they are out, the incoming HOA will be more lenient and the place may turn into just another crappy subdivision where everyone does what they want.