HOAs are for the birds... except when they're not.

[IdyllwildAcres]

Get a dozen chickens and keep them in the coop and run, thats not outside... Then let them out an hour before dark nobody will see them.

Gary

 

[LittleMissCountry]

We live in an HOA neighborhood as well, and I hate it. When we were looking for a house, we were moving from out of state and had looked at tons of houses online, then flew out and had one week to make a decision. All the non HOA houses either were in horrible condition, or were in a really junky neighborhood (picture car graveyards and broken lawnmowers collections). There were not many options at the time to begin with. We found this place with 6 acres, and an HOA. We did the same as you and pored over the covenant. It was fairly vague, but did not say no poultry. We had the same rules about approval for everything that was going to be built through the ARC and it must match the house. Nothing can be visible from the road, but you can't build a fence as they wanted the "natural" look. The house had great tree cover, but we didn't realize that in the fall and winter, you could see our entire back yard from the road...there are not enough evergreens.
No one has complained about our coop so far, but it is hidden in a little grove of trees. We have to plant some more evergreens. I despise the idea that someone else can decide what can or can't be in my backyard. We don't have the option of moving again this soon, and I really do love the property.

 

[Tooshay89]

We live in an HOA neighborhood as well, and I hate it. When we were looking for a house, we were moving from out of state and had looked at tons of houses online, then flew out and had one week to make a decision. All the non HOA houses either were in horrible condition, or were in a really junky neighborhood (picture car graveyards and broken lawnmowers collections). There were not many options at the time to begin with. We found this place with 6 acres, and an HOA. We did the same as you and pored over the covenant. It was fairly vague, but did not say no poultry. We had the same rules about approval for everything that was going to be built through the ARC and it must match the house. Nothing can be visible from the road, but you can't build a fence as they wanted the "natural" look. The house had great tree cover, but we didn't realize that in the fall and winter, you could see our entire back yard from the road...there are not enough evergreens.
No one has complained about our coop so far, but it is hidden in a little grove of trees. We have to plant some more evergreens. I despise the idea that someone else can decide what can or can't be in my backyard. We don't have the option of moving again this soon, and I really do love the property.

That sounds exactly like our area. 80% of the homes here are very old - think 50s-70s homes that aren't remodeled or even well maintained. The other 20% are mid 90s or new construction - all in HOAs. So you basically have to choose - HOA or total remodel/demolition project. Or have the money to buy land and build. At the time, we didn't have that kind of money. Honestly even now we don't have the cash to pay the asking prices of these 5-10 acre parcels in the area which are very hard to come by. Closing on our 11 acres this week must have been meant to be because it's literally right across the street from our home AND the owners were open to owner financing. It'll be a year or two before we can afford to build - we want to be able to pay off the land first before anything else - but knowing there's an end goal in sight is good enough for me.

I think it's insane that you can't even put up a fence on your own property because they want everyone's yard to look natural. That would totally make me mad.

 

[Lazy Farmer]

Couldn't agree more.
HOAs are for people that are so worried about what their neighbors are doing that they'll willingly give up their freedoms to make sure everyone else has none either.

HOA is a fancy re-name for communism. Fascist ugly Americans dictating to other Americans, telling them what the can and can't do with their private property.
We left our fascist deed restricted property behind and moved Rural. We were not even allowed to use a clothes line to dry our clothes. Cowards would leave notes in our mailbox warning us of our infractions- which is a Federal offense btw.

To get away with having chickens, we joined a 4-H club. Hung the permit on our modest little coop. Code enforcement was called, saw the permit and said we were with in the law and said nice chickens you have there.lol. Then our coward Nazi neighbor was hopping our fence and stealing our permit copy and recalling code enforcement. We finally caught them on camera and we called the Sheriff showed them the video. It stopped.
A couple years later we left the Nazi neighborhood.
America, the land of the free.. sure, as long as your neighbors say it's alright to be free.
We are out in the boonies now. Far from the busy bodies and folks without anything better to do but try to dictate what other people can and cannot do.

Take that, HOA.

I also live in C/FL. I know the mentality of our local population.
Congrats on your victory. Seldom do good people claim victory or totalitarian organizations.

edited for grammar​

 

[GodofPecking]

'Lecturing' in that context according most dictionaries would be considered an attack by most reasonable people.

expressing a wish is more polite than making a demand. "I wish I had ice cream too" vs "give me an ice cream" or "tell me what HOA is". I was being polite according to my culture. The next sentence explained why I'd wish to know.

I'd consider my messages to be short and concise.

The reason I'm well educated is because I ask a lot of questions. That will never change, I just avoid people who are upset by other people asking questions, their obvious loss, not mine. Good day to you.

 

[True Patriot]

HOAs are horrible. I can't think of one time I have heard a good story about one. Glad you got out of there. Are you able to move the coop? I hope so. Only 3 voters (SMH). Personally I can't see paying a mortgage, taxes and insurance. Then adding fees on top to have someone tell me what I can and can't do with my property. Good luck with Chicken Farm Acres.

 

[Brahma Chicken5000]

HOA is a fancy re-name for communism. Fascist ugly Americans dictating to other Americans, telling them what the can and can't do with their private property.
We left our fascist deed restricted property behind and moved Rural. We were not even allowed to use a clothes line to dry our clothes. Cowards would leave notes in our mailbox warning us of our infractions- which is a Federal offense btw.

To get away with having chickens, we joined a 4-H club. Hung the permit on our modest little coop. Code enforcement was called, saw the permit and said we were with in the law and said nice chickens you have there.lol. Then our coward Nazi neighbor was hopping our fence and stealing our permit copy and recalling code enforcement. We finally caught them on camera and we called the Sheriff showed them the video. It stopped.
A couple years later we left the Nazi neighborhood.
America, the land of the free.. sure, as long as your neighbors say it's alright to be free.
We are out in the boonies now. Far from the busy bodies and folks without anything better to do but try to dictate what other people can and cannot do.

Thank God I don’t live in a town with an HOA, but it feels like it sometimes. “Oh you have chickens let’s call the health department on you.” “Oh you have a cockerel let’s call the health department on you without asking talking with you” “Oh you’re composting on​

your​

property? Let’s call the health department on you and then send you a letter saying that we didn’t mean to make you give up your chickens we just didn’t like you composting on​

your​

property.” People in my town are snoopy bastards and always looking for a chance to call the cops or health department on someone.​

 

[Tooshay89]

HOAs are horrible. I can't think of one time I have heard a good story about one. Glad you got out of there. Are you able to move the coop? I hope so. Only 3 voters (SMH). Personally I can't see paying a mortgage, taxes and insurance. Then adding fees on top to have someone tell me what I can and can't do with my property. Good luck with Chicken Farm Acres.

For real. I'm beyond over it. I'm keeping the coop in my backyard for now. Our HOA has next to nothing as far as funds to enforce anything, so it'll take them a long time before they will really "do" anything. The coop can be moved if/when they really get serious about me being in violation. We're having our land cleared this week and I plan on fencing in one of the acres for the chickens.

 

[IdyllwildAcres]

For real. I'm beyond over it. I'm keeping the coop in my backyard for now. Our HOA has next to nothing as far as funds to enforce anything, so it'll take them a long time before they will really "do" anything. The coop can be moved if/when they really get serious about me being in violation. We're having our land cleared this week and I plan on fencing in one of the acres for the chickens.

Since it is right across the road I would fence off an area closest to the HOA busybody and get some ROOSTERS

Gary

 

[Tooshay89]

Thank God I don’t live in a town with an HOA, but it feels like it sometimes. “Oh you have chickens let’s call the health department on you.” “Oh you have a cockerel let’s call the health department on you without asking talking with you” “Oh you’re composting on your property? Let’s call the health department on you and then send you a letter saying that we didn’t mean to make you give up your chickens we just didn’t like you composting on your property.” People in my town are snoopy bastards and always looking for a chance to call the cops or health department on someone.​

Really, people are calling the health department on you for chickens? How pathetic. I wonder how much free time those people would have if they spent it doing something constructive instead of focusing on other people's lives and properties.I often wonder that about our own HOA board members. It must be nice to have nothing better to do than to create conflict.