I bought a homestead that, believe it or not, came with an HOA... Couldn't be helped. I got myself onto the board. I rewrote the bylaws to structure the corporation in such a way that it could not be used in any way that I don't approve of, I limited the power of the board to a specific set of duties and prerogatives, and set the bar for modifying the document to require a 2/3 super majority of the members. I got it passed. I rewrote the Covenants to ensure the limits and restrictions that matter were retained but all other reasonable prohibitions could be exempted at the discretion of the board, a majority petition of the residents, or via binding third party arbitration should other means fail. I got it passed It's a good system that has just enough power to perform it's intended role; for example we have roughly $300,000 in expected liabilities over the next ten years. Normally, each expense would be reactionary, if something failed for example, and paid by levying a special assessment with each member paying a share based on acreage. The last assessment for the road maintenance was roughly $5000 per member, due within 90 days of being issued. I thought there was a better way to approach the situation and drafted it. My way established a reserve fund; kept dues the same for all residential plots, cut them in half for undeveloped lots, and began directing a percentage of the revenue into that. If luck holds, within that same ten year period, we should be able to supply the fund such that there will be no need for special assessments ever again. Just because you find yourself in a situation you don't like doesn't mean you can't change it - all you have to do is decide and then act.
All of this is aside from the sociopolitical views I hold, this is simply how I drafted a common use agreement for a collective of neighbors in a society whose currency is not understood to be in terminal collapse. It's hard to write a contract stipulating that eventuality, particularly in regard to a homeowners association, so, you just pretend everything is going to be okay and get the necessary buy in to get your way. Now, when things do go bad, the HOA isn't a threat to me or my property like so many are.
Indoctrinated_USA 2 points 6 hours ago
I bought a homestead that, believe it or not, came with an HOA... Couldn't be helped.
I got myself onto the board.
I rewrote the bylaws to structure the corporation in such a way that it could not be used in any way that I don't approve of, I limited the power of the board to a specific set of duties and prerogatives, and set the bar for modifying the document to require a 2/3 super majority of the members.
I got it passed.
I rewrote the Covenants to ensure the limits and restrictions that matter were retained but all other reasonable prohibitions could be exempted at the discretion of the board, a majority petition of the residents, or via binding third party arbitration should other means fail.
I got it passed
It's a good system that has just enough power to perform it's intended role; for example we have roughly $300,000 in expected liabilities over the next ten years.
Normally, each expense would be reactionary, if something failed for example, and paid by levying a special assessment with each member paying a share based on acreage.
The last assessment for the road maintenance was roughly $5000 per member, due within 90 days of being issued.
I thought there was a better way to approach the situation and drafted it.
My way established a reserve fund; kept dues the same for all residential plots, cut them in half for undeveloped lots, and began directing a percentage of the revenue into that.
If luck holds, within that same ten year period, we should be able to supply the fund such that there will be no need for special assessments ever again.
Just because you find yourself in a situation you don't like doesn't mean you can't change it - all you have to do is decide and then act.
All of this is aside from the sociopolitical views I hold, this is simply how I drafted a common use agreement for a collective of neighbors in a society whose currency is not understood to be in terminal collapse.
It's hard to write a contract stipulating that eventuality, particularly in regard to a homeowners association, so, you just pretend everything is going to be okay and get the necessary buy in to get your way.
Now, when things do go bad, the HOA isn't a threat to me or my property like so many are.