[classicman]

I've dealt with some crazy crap from my HOA. I used to go to the annual meetings and listen to the differing perspectives on direction, enforcement... Things got so ridiculous I stopped going. There was more bitching and complaining.......

Fast forward about 15 years ... The shit has hit the fan. The same 5 women who were running the HOA have completely mismanaged the entire thing. They have chosen to enforce rules and regulations as they saw fit and on to whom they decided. This has led to several lawsuits ... more debt ... no transparency ...

Long story short, The power these nosy nellies got by lack of participation from the homeowners created a nightmare scenario for everyone. The situation we are in now is radically different. Enough people got pissed off to vote most of them out which is a good thing, but there are couple people who hold proxies for out-of-state landlords and this gives them an unfair amount of power and control. One thing which led to the problem. Over the last two years we have turned to a more active association, better neighborhood and more people are helping each other than ever.
This past years snow storms saw groups of neighbors all getting together to shovel as teams. That would have never happened in the past. Neighbors alternate cutting lawns - I'll do yours and mine this week - you take next week... that sort of thing. The interaction with the association has made a lot of positive things happen. They are not all bad.

BUUUUUTTT - Some of these people are friggin insane.

Some of the rules are there for a reason - property values. Fine I got that. I understand that very few people want a purple shed right next to the property line. Or a dog breeder with all that brings.

They had a man sent to jail for not sodding his lawn? WTF?
Banning smoking in YOUR own home? That must be a rental situation or something.

I've lived the best and worst of them. I've been on both sides. They aren't all nuts and the solution to this is . . . if you don't like the way things are - GET INVOLVED.