Do I have the obligation to make my neighborhood look more attractive than it really is?
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My fence is next to a little path in the neighborhood. Some kids (maybe adults as well) keep painting graffiti on my fence which I cleaned up several times in the past. I reported the problems to police who did not do anything. There was even a time when I knew who did it, they still did nothing (because it was done by an elementary school boy). Finally I gave up and let the graffiti stay on. I know some people would resort to firearms but I enjoyed living within a fence with graffiti more than living inside a jail. Today I received a letter from Homeowners' Association, it says I must clean up my fence or face a fine. I called the office, told the guy there that I did not do anything wrong and it would be a waste of time for me to clean up everytime, the police is no help even if they know who is responsible, and also, as a victim I should not be punished, etc. The guy said sorry, the HOA rules cannot be ignored, I must clean it up each time, because I made the neighborhood look bad by not cleaning it. This is what makes me angry. If someone keeps painting graffiti on others' fences, then the neighborhood is already bad. I did not make it look any worse than it really is. If others try to blame me, to hell with their property values. What do you think? Does HOA really have the right to punish me?
Here is a provacative question: What is more expensive, the fine, or buying the materials and time spent to clean the fence? Maybe that will help you decide what you want to do, since you're going to pay for something either way. Who knows, maybe with the fine money you pay, they will send someone out and paint the fence for you.
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My fence is next to a little path in the neighborhood. Some kids (maybe adults as well) keep painting graffiti on my fence which I cleaned up several times in the past. I reported the problems to police who did not do anything. There was even a time when I knew who did it, they still did nothing (because it was done by an elementary school boy). Finally I gave up and let the graffiti stay on. I know some people would resort to firearms but I enjoyed living within a fence with graffiti more than living inside a jail. Today I received a letter from Homeowners' Association, it says I must clean up my fence or face a fine. I called the office, told the guy there that I did not do anything wrong and it would be a waste of time for me to clean up everytime, the police is no help even if they know who is responsible, and also, as a victim I should not be punished, etc. The guy said sorry, the HOA rules cannot be ignored, I must clean it up each time, because I made the neighborhood look bad by not cleaning it. This is what makes me angry. If someone keeps painting graffiti on others' fences, then the neighborhood is already bad. I did not make it look any worse than it really is. If others try to blame me, to hell with their property values. What do you think? Does HOA really have the right to punish me?
Xiangyang Liu 刘向阳 wrote:
because it was done by an elementary school boy
I can understand it's hard to arrest a juvenile, but surely, kids can be cautioned! Police are just being lazy if they aren't doing anything. At the very least, they can give the kids a proper earful as a respected member of the society, not just as a police officer.
Almost, but not quite, entirely unlike... me...
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My fence is next to a little path in the neighborhood. Some kids (maybe adults as well) keep painting graffiti on my fence which I cleaned up several times in the past. I reported the problems to police who did not do anything. There was even a time when I knew who did it, they still did nothing (because it was done by an elementary school boy). Finally I gave up and let the graffiti stay on. I know some people would resort to firearms but I enjoyed living within a fence with graffiti more than living inside a jail. Today I received a letter from Homeowners' Association, it says I must clean up my fence or face a fine. I called the office, told the guy there that I did not do anything wrong and it would be a waste of time for me to clean up everytime, the police is no help even if they know who is responsible, and also, as a victim I should not be punished, etc. The guy said sorry, the HOA rules cannot be ignored, I must clean it up each time, because I made the neighborhood look bad by not cleaning it. This is what makes me angry. If someone keeps painting graffiti on others' fences, then the neighborhood is already bad. I did not make it look any worse than it really is. If others try to blame me, to hell with their property values. What do you think? Does HOA really have the right to punish me?
Where I live, the HOA owns the other side of the fence, so it would be their problem, not mine.
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Xiangyang Liu 刘向阳 wrote:
because it was done by an elementary school boy
I can understand it's hard to arrest a juvenile, but surely, kids can be cautioned! Police are just being lazy if they aren't doing anything. At the very least, they can give the kids a proper earful as a respected member of the society, not just as a police officer.
Almost, but not quite, entirely unlike... me...
Haul 'em home to the parents by the ear...
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My fence is next to a little path in the neighborhood. Some kids (maybe adults as well) keep painting graffiti on my fence which I cleaned up several times in the past. I reported the problems to police who did not do anything. There was even a time when I knew who did it, they still did nothing (because it was done by an elementary school boy). Finally I gave up and let the graffiti stay on. I know some people would resort to firearms but I enjoyed living within a fence with graffiti more than living inside a jail. Today I received a letter from Homeowners' Association, it says I must clean up my fence or face a fine. I called the office, told the guy there that I did not do anything wrong and it would be a waste of time for me to clean up everytime, the police is no help even if they know who is responsible, and also, as a victim I should not be punished, etc. The guy said sorry, the HOA rules cannot be ignored, I must clean it up each time, because I made the neighborhood look bad by not cleaning it. This is what makes me angry. If someone keeps painting graffiti on others' fences, then the neighborhood is already bad. I did not make it look any worse than it really is. If others try to blame me, to hell with their property values. What do you think? Does HOA really have the right to punish me?
This reason is why I avoided buying a house within a Homeowner Association jurisdiction. The one we seriously looked at, had a bound book thicker than some of my undergraduate classes. The HOA will be relentless until you comply with their rules, or move. I swear people who govern HOA's are people with a too-checkered past to run for government, but want the authority.
Blog updated as of Nov 2011!!! http://craptasticnation.blogspot.com Regarding the passing of Andy Rooney, a quote from myself: "I always loved his curmudgeonly rants as an existential part of my bitchy self"
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My fence is next to a little path in the neighborhood. Some kids (maybe adults as well) keep painting graffiti on my fence which I cleaned up several times in the past. I reported the problems to police who did not do anything. There was even a time when I knew who did it, they still did nothing (because it was done by an elementary school boy). Finally I gave up and let the graffiti stay on. I know some people would resort to firearms but I enjoyed living within a fence with graffiti more than living inside a jail. Today I received a letter from Homeowners' Association, it says I must clean up my fence or face a fine. I called the office, told the guy there that I did not do anything wrong and it would be a waste of time for me to clean up everytime, the police is no help even if they know who is responsible, and also, as a victim I should not be punished, etc. The guy said sorry, the HOA rules cannot be ignored, I must clean it up each time, because I made the neighborhood look bad by not cleaning it. This is what makes me angry. If someone keeps painting graffiti on others' fences, then the neighborhood is already bad. I did not make it look any worse than it really is. If others try to blame me, to hell with their property values. What do you think? Does HOA really have the right to punish me?
You signed away any property rights you had when you let a homeowners association into the neighborhood. Any HOA, no matter how benign in the beginning will in short order become a dictatorship run by whiners, and there isn't a thing you can do about it. No matter how beautiful the home, or how great the price, the mere existence of a HOA is a guaranty that I will refuse the deal. I'd sooner live in a ditch than let my snooty, snoopy neighbors decide what I may do with my property, including maintaining it.
Will Rogers never met me.
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My fence is next to a little path in the neighborhood. Some kids (maybe adults as well) keep painting graffiti on my fence which I cleaned up several times in the past. I reported the problems to police who did not do anything. There was even a time when I knew who did it, they still did nothing (because it was done by an elementary school boy). Finally I gave up and let the graffiti stay on. I know some people would resort to firearms but I enjoyed living within a fence with graffiti more than living inside a jail. Today I received a letter from Homeowners' Association, it says I must clean up my fence or face a fine. I called the office, told the guy there that I did not do anything wrong and it would be a waste of time for me to clean up everytime, the police is no help even if they know who is responsible, and also, as a victim I should not be punished, etc. The guy said sorry, the HOA rules cannot be ignored, I must clean it up each time, because I made the neighborhood look bad by not cleaning it. This is what makes me angry. If someone keeps painting graffiti on others' fences, then the neighborhood is already bad. I did not make it look any worse than it really is. If others try to blame me, to hell with their property values. What do you think? Does HOA really have the right to punish me?
Xiangyang Liu 刘向阳 wrote:
Today I received a letter from Homeowners' Association, it says I must clean up my fence or face a fine.
A fine they would collect how? They can send you all the threats and fines they want, but collecting on them is an entirely different matter. How much is the fine vs. the cost to repair the fence? All that said, read your contract verbatim.
"One man's wage rise is another man's price increase." - Harold Wilson
"Fireproof doesn't mean the fire will never come. It means when the fire comes that you will be able to withstand it." - Michael Simmons
"Show me a community that obeys the Ten Commandments and I'll show you a less crowded prison system." - Anonymous
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You signed away any property rights you had when you let a homeowners association into the neighborhood. Any HOA, no matter how benign in the beginning will in short order become a dictatorship run by whiners, and there isn't a thing you can do about it. No matter how beautiful the home, or how great the price, the mere existence of a HOA is a guaranty that I will refuse the deal. I'd sooner live in a ditch than let my snooty, snoopy neighbors decide what I may do with my property, including maintaining it.
Will Rogers never met me.
Wotcha Wogger so your advice to the chap in quesiton is to suck it up and paint the fence? (that was my advice) Bryce
MCAD --- To paraphrase Fred Dagg - the views expressed in this post are bloody good ones. --
Our kids books :The Snot Goblin, and Book 2 - the Snotgoblin and Fluff The Snotgoblin for the Ipad -
My fence is next to a little path in the neighborhood. Some kids (maybe adults as well) keep painting graffiti on my fence which I cleaned up several times in the past. I reported the problems to police who did not do anything. There was even a time when I knew who did it, they still did nothing (because it was done by an elementary school boy). Finally I gave up and let the graffiti stay on. I know some people would resort to firearms but I enjoyed living within a fence with graffiti more than living inside a jail. Today I received a letter from Homeowners' Association, it says I must clean up my fence or face a fine. I called the office, told the guy there that I did not do anything wrong and it would be a waste of time for me to clean up everytime, the police is no help even if they know who is responsible, and also, as a victim I should not be punished, etc. The guy said sorry, the HOA rules cannot be ignored, I must clean it up each time, because I made the neighborhood look bad by not cleaning it. This is what makes me angry. If someone keeps painting graffiti on others' fences, then the neighborhood is already bad. I did not make it look any worse than it really is. If others try to blame me, to hell with their property values. What do you think? Does HOA really have the right to punish me?
HOA - the landlord of people who spent a lot of money to not have a landlord. Sorry :( Those assholes should help you dela with it, get the police in gear or whatever, not weight you down with their idea of how the neighborhood should look like. I just hope you have documented the frequency, your cleanings and your interactions with the police, and you go fight this scum and it makes national news and someone invents a drug that is more addictive to bored housewives than playing smalltown cops and HOA's get staffed with those that have nothing better to do than help people. As you might conclude, I haven't heard much good things about HOA's. Some may be different - but I imagine working for a HOA must be catnip for control freaks.
FILETIME to time_t
| FoldWithUs! | sighist | WhoIncludes - Analyzing C++ include file hierarchy -
My fence is next to a little path in the neighborhood. Some kids (maybe adults as well) keep painting graffiti on my fence which I cleaned up several times in the past. I reported the problems to police who did not do anything. There was even a time when I knew who did it, they still did nothing (because it was done by an elementary school boy). Finally I gave up and let the graffiti stay on. I know some people would resort to firearms but I enjoyed living within a fence with graffiti more than living inside a jail. Today I received a letter from Homeowners' Association, it says I must clean up my fence or face a fine. I called the office, told the guy there that I did not do anything wrong and it would be a waste of time for me to clean up everytime, the police is no help even if they know who is responsible, and also, as a victim I should not be punished, etc. The guy said sorry, the HOA rules cannot be ignored, I must clean it up each time, because I made the neighborhood look bad by not cleaning it. This is what makes me angry. If someone keeps painting graffiti on others' fences, then the neighborhood is already bad. I did not make it look any worse than it really is. If others try to blame me, to hell with their property values. What do you think? Does HOA really have the right to punish me?
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My fence is next to a little path in the neighborhood. Some kids (maybe adults as well) keep painting graffiti on my fence which I cleaned up several times in the past. I reported the problems to police who did not do anything. There was even a time when I knew who did it, they still did nothing (because it was done by an elementary school boy). Finally I gave up and let the graffiti stay on. I know some people would resort to firearms but I enjoyed living within a fence with graffiti more than living inside a jail. Today I received a letter from Homeowners' Association, it says I must clean up my fence or face a fine. I called the office, told the guy there that I did not do anything wrong and it would be a waste of time for me to clean up everytime, the police is no help even if they know who is responsible, and also, as a victim I should not be punished, etc. The guy said sorry, the HOA rules cannot be ignored, I must clean it up each time, because I made the neighborhood look bad by not cleaning it. This is what makes me angry. If someone keeps painting graffiti on others' fences, then the neighborhood is already bad. I did not make it look any worse than it really is. If others try to blame me, to hell with their property values. What do you think? Does HOA really have the right to punish me?
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My fence is next to a little path in the neighborhood. Some kids (maybe adults as well) keep painting graffiti on my fence which I cleaned up several times in the past. I reported the problems to police who did not do anything. There was even a time when I knew who did it, they still did nothing (because it was done by an elementary school boy). Finally I gave up and let the graffiti stay on. I know some people would resort to firearms but I enjoyed living within a fence with graffiti more than living inside a jail. Today I received a letter from Homeowners' Association, it says I must clean up my fence or face a fine. I called the office, told the guy there that I did not do anything wrong and it would be a waste of time for me to clean up everytime, the police is no help even if they know who is responsible, and also, as a victim I should not be punished, etc. The guy said sorry, the HOA rules cannot be ignored, I must clean it up each time, because I made the neighborhood look bad by not cleaning it. This is what makes me angry. If someone keeps painting graffiti on others' fences, then the neighborhood is already bad. I did not make it look any worse than it really is. If others try to blame me, to hell with their property values. What do you think? Does HOA really have the right to punish me?
Well you can try: 1) Cleaning materials cost vs fine cost 2) Check if you can (according to the HOA contract) remove the fence and put a thorny hedge 3) Painball mines 4) Claymore mines.... ;P ;P ;P
Alberto Bar-Noy --------------- “The city’s central computer told you? R2D2, you know better than to trust a strange computer!” (C3PO)
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Rage wrote:
Can't you remove the fence?
And inviting them to paint on my house directly? NO. :)
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Xiangyang Liu 刘向阳 wrote:
Today I received a letter from Homeowners' Association, it says I must clean up my fence or face a fine.
A fine they would collect how? They can send you all the threats and fines they want, but collecting on them is an entirely different matter. How much is the fine vs. the cost to repair the fence? All that said, read your contract verbatim.
"One man's wage rise is another man's price increase." - Harold Wilson
"Fireproof doesn't mean the fire will never come. It means when the fire comes that you will be able to withstand it." - Michael Simmons
"Show me a community that obeys the Ten Commandments and I'll show you a less crowded prison system." - Anonymous
DavidCrow wrote:
A fine they would collect how? They can send you all the threats and fines they want, but collecting on them is an entirely different matter.
That reminds, I know a family in the next block who never paid any HOA fee (for many years). I think the punishment they get is not receiving swimming pool pass during the summer. Not that I want to follow their example, not yet. :)
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My fence is next to a little path in the neighborhood. Some kids (maybe adults as well) keep painting graffiti on my fence which I cleaned up several times in the past. I reported the problems to police who did not do anything. There was even a time when I knew who did it, they still did nothing (because it was done by an elementary school boy). Finally I gave up and let the graffiti stay on. I know some people would resort to firearms but I enjoyed living within a fence with graffiti more than living inside a jail. Today I received a letter from Homeowners' Association, it says I must clean up my fence or face a fine. I called the office, told the guy there that I did not do anything wrong and it would be a waste of time for me to clean up everytime, the police is no help even if they know who is responsible, and also, as a victim I should not be punished, etc. The guy said sorry, the HOA rules cannot be ignored, I must clean it up each time, because I made the neighborhood look bad by not cleaning it. This is what makes me angry. If someone keeps painting graffiti on others' fences, then the neighborhood is already bad. I did not make it look any worse than it really is. If others try to blame me, to hell with their property values. What do you think? Does HOA really have the right to punish me?
Why not paint your fence with Anti-Grafitti paint?
Forgive your enemies - it messes with their heads
"Mind bleach! Send me mind bleach!" - Nagy Vilmos
My blog | My articles | MoXAML PowerToys | Mole 2010 - debugging made easier - my favourite utility
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Wotcha Wogger so your advice to the chap in quesiton is to suck it up and paint the fence? (that was my advice) Bryce
MCAD --- To paraphrase Fred Dagg - the views expressed in this post are bloody good ones. --
Our kids books :The Snot Goblin, and Book 2 - the Snotgoblin and Fluff The Snotgoblin for the IpadNot at all, Bryce. My advice, if I had any, would be to move. :-D
Will Rogers never met me.
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Why not paint your fence with Anti-Grafitti paint?
Forgive your enemies - it messes with their heads
"Mind bleach! Send me mind bleach!" - Nagy Vilmos
My blog | My articles | MoXAML PowerToys | Mole 2010 - debugging made easier - my favourite utility
I didn't know such a thing, will check it out. Thanks.
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My fence is next to a little path in the neighborhood. Some kids (maybe adults as well) keep painting graffiti on my fence which I cleaned up several times in the past. I reported the problems to police who did not do anything. There was even a time when I knew who did it, they still did nothing (because it was done by an elementary school boy). Finally I gave up and let the graffiti stay on. I know some people would resort to firearms but I enjoyed living within a fence with graffiti more than living inside a jail. Today I received a letter from Homeowners' Association, it says I must clean up my fence or face a fine. I called the office, told the guy there that I did not do anything wrong and it would be a waste of time for me to clean up everytime, the police is no help even if they know who is responsible, and also, as a victim I should not be punished, etc. The guy said sorry, the HOA rules cannot be ignored, I must clean it up each time, because I made the neighborhood look bad by not cleaning it. This is what makes me angry. If someone keeps painting graffiti on others' fences, then the neighborhood is already bad. I did not make it look any worse than it really is. If others try to blame me, to hell with their property values. What do you think? Does HOA really have the right to punish me?
I'd go straight out and buy a couple of dozen cans of spray paint, and spend the next few nights "decorating" the walls/fences of the committee members. And then do it again if they cleaned it. No kidding.
I wanna be a eunuchs developer! Pass me a bread knife!
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My fence is next to a little path in the neighborhood. Some kids (maybe adults as well) keep painting graffiti on my fence which I cleaned up several times in the past. I reported the problems to police who did not do anything. There was even a time when I knew who did it, they still did nothing (because it was done by an elementary school boy). Finally I gave up and let the graffiti stay on. I know some people would resort to firearms but I enjoyed living within a fence with graffiti more than living inside a jail. Today I received a letter from Homeowners' Association, it says I must clean up my fence or face a fine. I called the office, told the guy there that I did not do anything wrong and it would be a waste of time for me to clean up everytime, the police is no help even if they know who is responsible, and also, as a victim I should not be punished, etc. The guy said sorry, the HOA rules cannot be ignored, I must clean it up each time, because I made the neighborhood look bad by not cleaning it. This is what makes me angry. If someone keeps painting graffiti on others' fences, then the neighborhood is already bad. I did not make it look any worse than it really is. If others try to blame me, to hell with their property values. What do you think? Does HOA really have the right to punish me?
Remove the fence. Problem solved.
If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader." - John Quincy Adams
You must accept one of two basic premises: Either we are alone in the universe, or we are not alone in the universe. And either way, the implications are staggering” - Wernher von Braun -
I'd go straight out and buy a couple of dozen cans of spray paint, and spend the next few nights "decorating" the walls/fences of the committee members. And then do it again if they cleaned it. No kidding.
I wanna be a eunuchs developer! Pass me a bread knife!
I like your solution even better than mine!
If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader." - John Quincy Adams
You must accept one of two basic premises: Either we are alone in the universe, or we are not alone in the universe. And either way, the implications are staggering” - Wernher von Braun
