Why we love HOAs

Sun staff

Sunday, March 4, 2012 | 2:02 a.m.

We asked what you thought about homeowner associations. We were overwhelmed with your response. Here is a sampling of what people love about HOAs. You can also see what people hate about HOAs and why they think HOAs are necessary or a "necessary evil." As well, don't miss David McGrath Schwartz' "HOA 101," a great overview on homeowner associations in Nevada.

When I bought my home nearly 10 years ago, I knew that HOA was definitely on my must-have list. My home is one of the few places of calm I have in my life, in spite of being underwater like nearly everyone else I know. I do not want to come home at the end of the day to cars parked on lawns, a color-blind neighbor who might choose to paint his house lilac, dead lawns and other signs of disrepair and lack of pride that non-HOA owners and renters are permitted to get away with. ...

There are many neighborhoods to select from when choosing a house to live in. Let your first question be: “Is there an HOA?” and then be guided accordingly. It’s all about choice.

— Tricia A.

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The real bottom line is that no community is any better than the active residents who govern it. If you want the cookie cutter houses, don’t buy into a community with eclectic architecture. If you want the pastel house, don’t buy into the community consisting solely of earth tones. If you want things to be different, become active to effect change. If you are satisfied with the status quo, become active to make sure it stays that way. In any case, become a part of your community.

Elect good directors and understand that the HOA is a representative democracy. Most decisions are not made by the people, but by the board or management, sort of like a miniature city, state or federal system.

Insist that the board hire competent managers. Keep their feet to the fire.

Insist that “rules” be reasonable. Recognize that with rights come responsibility ...

Well, that’s my two cents. I love HOAs because I manage them. I love boards of directors because I work for them. But like a mule, there is nothing better than a “good” one, and nothing worse than a “bad” one. Make sure yours is good by being active and a part of the process to good community governance.

— Jim S.

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I own an HOA management company and manage several of the communities myself. I truly hope more people will discuss HOAs, but I completely understand why just the extremely bad ones make the news. ...

I would prefer to call HOAs a form of self-management. The greatest problem facing the majority of HOAs right now is the level of apathy. There are empty board positions all over the city that homeowners do not want to fill. It could be lack of commitment, no time, unruly current board members or a basic lack of understanding as to what the HOA is actually responsible for. It is this apathy that opens the door for the bad things that happen in HOAs.

— Amy G.

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I’m personally sold on HOAs because what they state in their rules were well understood by the buyers when they signed the papers during the purchase of their homes. ... The rules keep up the community standard and we don’t have to worry about houses being painted purple, pink or yellow, nor do we want to see trash or trash containers sitting on the streets or lawns, and we don’t allow overnight parking on the streets by residents, plus the many other benefits of having an HOA.

Who doesn’t like HOAs? Plain and simple: The ones who don’t like to follow the rules.

No, I’m not a member of the board and I don’t attend meetings because I like the job that the board is doing.

— Howard C.

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My husband and I purposely chose to relocate to a home with an association when moving from southern California because we value stable, attractive neighborhoods. I served on my board for five years. ... Community associations may not be Nirvana, but they are the best example of a self-governing entity. Unfortunately, not being perfect, problems arise such as owners trying to get elected to their board for a self-serving reason and not for the purpose of representing all owners. That is corrected by the next election, when they can be removed.

— Marilyn B.

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We like HOAs, don’t believe we’d live in a community without one, although it would be nice not having to pay the quarterly dues. But, if more people would be more considerate toward other people, it would be unnecessary to have an HOA to begin with.

Since that doesn’t seem to be happening anytime soon, we’ll just need HOAs to keep some of those people from living like slobs.

If homeowners are offended by having someone telling them what needs to be done all the time, well, clean up your act and I’m sure you’ll be left alone, or move someplace where you can live the life you’re more accustomed to living.

— Edwin N.

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I have lived in HOAs in three states for the past 30-plus years. Although there have been some times when the motives of the board have been at issue, I will not consider buying any home that is not in an HOA. The benefits during the economic times we currently face are obvious. Property values, even where there are numerous foreclosures, remain higher when the community isn’t in a “death spiral” of abandoned homes not being maintained, landscaping ignored, and some minimum level of compliance with reasonable rules is guaranteed. ...

To those who are concerned about the operation of their HOA, I would suggest that they get involved. Go to meetings, serve on committees, run for the board. The HOA is the homeowners, and the homeowners are the HOA.

— Mike F.

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Our board is 100 percent volunteer. Sometimes it requires 3-4 hour board meetings. Sometimes it means we’re standing next to a water line break at 3 a.m. giving onsite approval to a vendor so the homeowners have their water turned back on in time to get ready for work.

It also means that as a board member, I get to hear the rant of the indignant homeowner, upset and raging because they received a compliance letter about their dog pooping in front of a neighbor’s door.

But it’s worth it because this is where I live. And I like where I live. I like my neighbors. The condo is just the right size. It’s someplace I want to stay, not someplace I’m at while I look for something better. The HOA lets me live a way I couldn’t afford on my own. I’m home.

— Kate L.

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Like all rules and regulations, most all of us don’t like them. That being said, HOAs serve a valuable function in most cases, as without HOAs, there are individuals who will turn our neighborhoods into dumps. ... Having served on a HOA board for 15-plus years, I understand the problems and also that there are boards that go overboard on regulations and harass homeowners for no good reason. ...

Best advice for HOA haters: Get involved. Find out why your HOA has established the rules and you frequently find that it is in the best interest of all homeowners. All laws, rules and regulations are written for those who would take your property, injure you or make your neighborhood a mess if there where no rules or regulations. Honest and responsible people do not need laws, rules or regulations; they are for the few who are not honest or responsible.

— Ron C.