Blue State Conservative: I own a second home in Pagosa Springs, CO. A couple years ago the HOA for Pagosa Lakes went full dictator and declared war on short term rentals in Pagosa Lakes. We home owners were not able to vote on this; they simply declared it with minimal input from the owners. When I sent a scathing letter that included the “damn” word I was informed of another policy they enacted without input. If they don’t like your correspondence you are subject to a $500 fine for the first offense, $10,000 for the second and $20,000 for the third. Gee, what kind of message is that sending?
You can still offer up your home in Pagosa Lakes for a short term rental, but first you must buy a special expensive permit from the HOA and the county assessor will reassess your home at TRIPLE the market value and you will be taxed accordingly. Mission accomplished: most owners opted out of short term rentals.
When I bought my place five years ago approximately 70% percent of the homes in Pagosa Lakes were second homes for people living elsewhere (mostly Texas, according to our real estate agent), and I doubt that has changed much. This is what is called a resort community. Many of us purchased homes here because we wanted the option of short term rental income. The Board of Directors for the HOA laughably tried to rationalize their decision. The real reason is pure NIMBY; they and their friends can’t stand Texas riff-raff in Pagosa. MORE
Word to the wise and/or paying attention: NEVER reside in any community with HOA overlords. For these types it’s all about the power and fine print, nothing else.
Is there no legal recourse for those in this situation?
Spend some time living next door to a short-term rental. Then get back to me.
Every card carrying NAMBLA member has a story. A story about how you, supporting them, doing their “thing” is what G-d(ess[es]) want. About it bringing peace on earth. Curing the common cold. And all Utopia requires, is you give them your wallet. And PIN codes, of course.
Only Satan’s NAZIs expect them to… Pick. Your. Own. Cotton.
fnuck, do you mean NIMBY?
fnord’s son is fucked in the head. Daddy must be momma’s brother.
I’d heard that Coloradoans dislike Texans. I wonder how they feel about Californians? At least Texans might go back to Texas for a bit. The idiots from California stay … and turn Colorado into California.
I very much enjoy not having neighbors, and not having a community. To hell with your HOAs.
“Forget it, Jake, it’s Coloradotown”…
A group of Karens is called an HOA.
Why not purchase some heroin, smuggle it into one of their vehicles and then make an anonymous tip to the cops?
You don’t need their input to do that either.
Between an HOA and city regulations you have virtually no freedom on your own property. We moved out to an unincorporated area in TX and the only permit required to build was for the septic. There are no building regulations, no requirements or permits for anything, no inspections – complete freedom to do whatever you want without anyone else involved or knowing what you are doing. Night and day from what we experienced with an HOA in a city where even when you go through all the approvals there is no guarantee they don’t decide to change the rules or add onerous regulations/restrictions.
Maybe someone should them a tape of KILLDOZER.
not just HOAs; condos can be just as bad when a Karen gets elected to the Board with his power-hungry, know-whats-best-for-you buddies
So my high rise condo of 105 units has about twenty expensive EVs and wants vote Tuesday to have all of the residents pay for a $143 thousand charging installation in our underground garage. Everyone loves the idea and word is that the electric bill will be almost non existent. Given the upper end cars it will be about $40 per charge and the cost is paid by all residences as the meter is not allocated . This will increase over time and gas powered cars will pay for their own fuel…sounds like a bad deal. Furthermore, no one has asked about the required fire and smoke damage insurance increase, cannot wait for that memo. If , spontaneously an ev explodes, our water fire sprinkler will be useless and will buckle from the heat. That will cause the fire to spread but not to worry, we will all be dead from the smoke … HOA insanity.
HOA controlled neighborhoods are small communist communities.
No freaking way will I ever own where there is an HOA.
Too many Karens and Kens too.
Remember that one in the Tampa area where the husband was in the hospital for a long time and the grass got long?
Instead of a neighbor helping out and mowing the grass for them the HOA Karens started fining the family hundreds of dollars.
Oh!
About private property ownership rights.
Sure you may not like what your neighbors are doing but they may not like what you’re doing.
Such is life with neighbors.
I would never belong to an HOA, I love my freedom too much.
I’ve bought 2 houses in my life.
No HOA was a non-negotiable predicate for both of them.
Yes, my neighbors sometimes put ugly things in their yard,
But I never have to ask anyone’s permission if I want to do the same.
It also helps make it easier to tolerate your neighbors’ foibles if the closest of them is at least an acre away, on the other side of a copse of trees.
Just saying.
I traveled through Pagosa Springs last summer with my grandkids. I had not been through there in at least twenty years. I had a chance to speak with several locals and they all complained about the Californians who had changed the character of the town over the last several years. It’s always been true that the people of Colorado have disliked Texans, but they now realize that Texans weren’t so bad. If it weren’t for Texans, most of Colorado would still be a sparsely populated, yet beautiful, place with very low-income citizens. Texans have always appreciated Colorado and wanted to see it remain beautiful and free. Places like Lake City, Colorado are a prime example. To many, it is known as Little Texas. It is the only town in the least populated county in Colorado. Most of the people there are from Texas. No franchise food joints, just mom and pop stores and restaurants and cafes. I have hunted there since 1994 and it hasn’t changed. The annual 4th of July Parade and the Fall Hunter’s Ball in the community center are big events in Lake City. Texas and Colorado have a unique relationship, especially since much of Colorado used to be part of Texas at one point. Texans made Colorado a better place, but Californians, with their California ways, are ruining it. They are understanding that, now.
^^^^^. You guys ran out of Californians long ago. Lol
@joe6pak November 27, 2022 at 12:29 pm
> fnuck, do you mean NIMBY?
For those that algebra, yes.
(For those that spell check, no.)
@Dr. Hambone November 27, 2022 at 1:45 pm
> I had a chance to speak with several locals and they all complained about the Californians who had changed the character of the town
Every NAMBLA’s got a story.
(Here’s a hint: filthy feriners didn’t kill the locals, and squat in their place. The Good(TM) neighbors are entitled to take the money and run. It’s what Good(TM) neighbors do. So say all NAMBLAs. And all NIMBYs agree.)
@DavidW: they do hate us Texans, but they are more than happy to take our tourism money.
Wanted my front yard to match every home on the street. Requested approval from HOA’s Architectual Review Committee, to replace two 12 X 15 patches of lawn with two patches of artificial turf. No existing plants or shrubs. Turned down because I did not submit plat map detailing location of A/C, pool, fruit trees, that sorta senseless shit, all in the backyard. Received advice from HOA on how to resubmit and get approval. That time I included photos, turf color, turf mfr., contractor, SF of each patch, that sorta senseless shit. Turned down again because I did not list the plants and shrubs between the grass area and the structure. Fine. In the Phoenix area I turned off the sprinkler system, let the lawn go dead. A month or so later everyone got a flyer encouraging homeowners to replace their lawn with anything that did not have to be watered. Have not decided what my next step is going to be.
@ Bob NOVEMBER 27, 2022 AT 12:51 PM
Ya’ beat me to it. That was my first thought as well.
I don’t even know where to start with this topic. I unfortunately live in a HOA and when I wake up I’m hoping it’s a dream.
I have the most asshole neighbors known to man living next door and I have lived nextdoor to assholes over the years, but these two deserve an asshole medal 🤬🤬
I even hung a sign asshole neighbors in my office window inside of my house and then took it down 2 days later. I’m actually getting ready to sue these bastards I’m done.
I received an angry phone call and got into a lot of trouble. Fuck em’😁
I’ve had my fair share of problems with HOA’s. Last time around the sane residents showed up in force and removed the bastards from their elected positions. Anybody that runs for an HOA position has mental problems.
Having said that, if I purchased a home in an upper scale community and part time residence were making a revolving door out of their real estate I’d have a problem with it. Just sayen.
I lived in an HOA in the late 90s for a few years. The Chesapeake Ranch Club, it was called. They had gates, and “guard” shacks, and you had to get passes if you were an outsider. By the time I moved in all that stuff was gone, but it was close to PAX where I worked at the time… and back then you could buy a decent little house on $13.31 an hour.
Anyway, I didn’t have any problems, but heard all the nightmare stories from everyone else (I was a residential telephone man in the counties, and had done CATV work in the CRE, and my girlfriend lived there), so, my girlfriend, who became my wife, and I decided the next house would NOT be in an HOA. Screw those asswipes. And screw having nextdoor neighbors. I see my neighbor here on average of once a year, and that’s quite enough for me. Not that he is a bad guy, I just don’t need any friends.
Does code enforcement and zoning qualify as HOA?…..I got turned in for my goats by the next door neighbor who got goats and a llama because I had goats. Same ag zoning. My goats apparently were penned within 100 feet of my back door and that was a violation except if I had permission of the property owner to have my goats within 100 feet of my back door it was OK….So, I gave myself permission….The head of code enforcement and the code enforcement officer were not fired but they moved them to animal control where they have to put down trapped skunks and be called stinky at their daily meetings…..
We don’t have building codes or zoning outside of Ava Township. That leads to some underhanded shit with the plumbing guys, but if you used to be a plumber, or can read and use glue, primer, and a hacksaw, you’d be ok. The plumbers use AAVs around here… which where I come from is/was considered TOTAL BULLSHIT unless it was for a sink or a dishwasher in a move/add/change. These mofos use AAVs instead of proper roof vents.
“Does code enforcement and zoning qualify as HOA?”
Had my go arounds with that bull shit too. Yes Willy same breed of cat. Especially if they make it a moving target.
Brad….They quoted the municipal statute but only half of it…..some of us including the department head were able to read the rest of the statute….I had a restraining order put on me by the same neighbor and at the hearing she was escorted out by the bailiffs. Case dismissed….I still had to pay an attorney because that’s their world and I didn’t want to go in without someone that talked their BS….Punitive damages?…Nope….restitution?…Nope….Being made whole for a frivolous charge?…Nope……Trading baseball cards as payment to a life long family friend…Ca Ching
Willy
My ordeal didn’t involve any other entity than the planning department. More specifically one very feminine male. I think. But the similarity is, HALF THE CODE. All that shits on line. It blew up big in his face. Is he still employed there. You bet. To this day I have no idea what I did to piss the lil bitch off.
Lived in a HOA community for 12-years. Have a law degree and became an expert on property law. They hated me because I knew the law and fought them at every turn. Developer was a crook. Always look at the management companies and developers as troublemakers influencing Karen’s and Kens to complain. Fines can be lucrative and developers sometimes use HOA dues for their personal slush fund. The book “Villa Appalling” will be of great help to you if you’re having problems. By the way, I no longer live there. It’s usually uninformed, power hungry people who desire positions on HOA boards as their little lives contain little else. I called them the Golfcart Gestapo and they didn’t like that much.
I’d tell them to get 🖕🤬🖕, & good luck collecting, then I’d set up burn barrels in the front & backyard, put a camaro up on blocks in the front yard, erect a flagpole, & fly a 20’x20′ “kiss my ass” flag from it – & over illuminate it, for night flying!!
p.s. – & reseed my yard with crabgrass, dandelions & ragweed!