One more reason not to live in an HOA

[janiedoe]

https://www.houstonchronicle.com/ne...-250K-for-feeding-17292935.php#photo-22681001

 

[Brooks_]

It is terrible. I just can't feel for people that voluntarily move into a HOA and then don't like/didn't read the rules.

 

[janiedoe]

It is terrible. I just can't feel for people that voluntarily move into a HOA and then don't like/didn't read the rules.

I read another portion of the story.
According to the rules there is nothing that says they can't feed the ducks. The reporter says they cited them on "uncleanness and smell" but that no mess/ smell was present. There was never a problem until new neighbors moved in. I really feel for this couple and the ducks. I don't know how someone (neighbor & hoa) can have so little empathy for the couple and the ducks. And 250K! Ridiculous. I hope the hoa gets some bad press.

 

[janiedoe]

I cant believe they missed the opportunity to say "a family past time has turned fowl" but, yeah...HOAs suck. I wonder if they go after people that feed stray cats?

Great turn of phrase

My daughter got a fine for feeding a stray dog. In the small town where she was living, dogs had to be licensed. A neighbor called animal control, because she saw my dd put food out. The dog had hung around on her porch all evening. They didn't care that the dog had only been there for a day, or that it was hungry. They took the dog in and issued a ticket. Fortunately the judge was more understanding.

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

I cant believe they missed the opportunity to say "a family past time has turned fowl" but, yeah...HOAs suck. I wonder if they go after people that feed stray cats?

 

[Battlepants]

Fairly sure the (up to) 250k fine is just clickbait to get people up in arms. It's more likely just some "fines shall not exceed..." clause that exists in many contracts. I rather doubt that the fine will come anywhere close to this.

Also, the article makes it sound like the neighbors have been complaining about this individual attracting ducks for years, citing waste, destroyed gardens and destroyed trashbags on other peoples properties. I don't think it is unreasonable to ask her to stop attracting wildlife.

And if someone is creating a nuisance and simply asking them to stop isn't working, this is where the fines have to come in. Some people can only be motivated to start or stop doing something when it will cost them otherwise. It sounds like we have gone way beyond simply asking and this is what has to happen now.

Ultimately, she made her decision to continue despite being asked to stop and will have to face the consequences of her actions. I don't hold a lot of sympathy for her in this situation.

 

[Brooks_]

I read another portion of the story.
According to the rules there is nothing that says they can't feed the ducks. The reporter says they sited them on "uncleanness and smell" but that no mess/ smell was present. There was never a problem until new neighbors moved in. I really feel for this couple and the ducks. I don't know how someone (neighbor & hoa) can have so little empathy for the couple and the ducks. And 250K! Ridiculous. I hope the hoa gets some bad press.

Fair.

 

[Battlepants]

I respect your opinion.
My concern is that people dump domesticated ducks there. Rather than attempting to solve that problem, they are fining a person who has empathy for the ducks. I myself, could not watch an animal go hungry. So yes, I feel for her situation.

I do agree that they need to crack down on people who dump animals. At the same time, feeding them is not the solution when it causes issues for the neighbors. The direction that I feel that this should go is a call to animal control to capture these dumped animals. If anything, for their own safety as people are attacking them with arrows and cars per the article.

 

[Geena]

And 250K! Ridiculous.

Actually it says "up to $250,000" meaning the actual fine is most likely not going to be anywhere near that. The HOA fines are just capped at 250K, and that's probably for the most flagrant offenders who refuse to comply to their demands and keep racking up fines.

In the city nearest to me it's been illegal to feed the ducks for about 20 years.

 

[janiedoe]

Fairly sure the (up to) 250k fine is just clickbait to get people up in arms. It's more likely just some "fines shall not exceed..." clause that exists in many contracts. I rather doubt that the fine will come anywhere close to this.

Also, the article makes it sound like the neighbors have been complaining about this individual attracting ducks for years, citing waste, destroyed gardens and destroyed trashbags on other peoples properties. I don't think it is unreasonable to ask her to stop attracting wildlife.

And if someone is creating a nuisance and simply asking them to stop isn't working, this is where the fines have to come in. Some people can only be motivated to start or stop doing something when it will cost them otherwise. It sounds like we have gone way beyond simply asking and this is what has to happen now.

Ultimately, she made her decision to continue despite being asked to stop and will have to face the consequences of her actions. I don't hold a lot of sympathy for her in this situation.

I respect your opinion.
My concern is that people dump domesticated ducks there. Rather than attempting to solve that problem, they are fining a person who has empathy for the ducks. I myself, could not watch an animal go hungry. So yes, I feel for her situation.