We just got a letter for parking overnight in the street! I guess there is someone riding around in the middle of the night looking for violations...I heard that our new HOA board (that's the people WE voted for) has a new member that is IN FAVOR of sending out violation letters. He has even been seen walking around looking for reasons to send out fines....(to make up for the loss of revenus not being received due to empty homes and such) We need to get this under control soon, or this new management company will be under the direction of an out of control board! The old management company was told not to send out letters until the problem was noticed more than once and not recitified. It seems these letters are going out at the first sign of any fragment of a violation. A few of my neighbors got letters too, and all for stupid stuff! We need to go to the meetings and voice our opinions.

What about the rule that was put into place for homeowners to request to use the ramadas and such for parties? I noticed a church group using the area by the fountains alot, and the management co/nor the board knew of this. I personally don't have any problem with it, but if they are going to enforce the rules, then the must enforce ALL rules........Special treatment? I think so!

Balletlover, did you sign anything that says you have to cut those plants a certain way? If you didn't, I would leave it the way you want it....that's just BS! If you did, then I would look into weather or not that can hold up. Take a picture of the way you want it cut, and send ia letter to stating the reason you want it cut that way (privacy from the greenbelt) directly to the board, (not the management company) to review it. They will then have to vote on it at a meeting....I am pretty sure you will win your case....The Management company just enforces the code, the board decides on the code. And when we have more homes actually "owned" the board will have the power to CHANGE the code, and I heard that they will get rid of a few stupid rules! Like overnight parking on the street and such, but, they need us to complain in writing and attend the meetings to get on the agenda!!!

It sounds as if the VM you left for the mgmt co was misunderstood; not "why is a burned out bulb a violation," but rather "my bulb is not burned out." From past experience with any HOA, if you call them up and respectfully alert them to the mistake they are usually reasonable. If you call up ranting and raving at them, prepare to be met with difficulty. Remember the saying about catching more bees with honey?

At our last house we used to get nailed for the garbage can being left out after pick-up, except it wasn't our trash can (after the first notice anyway ). While the tone of the notices immediately ticked us off, we tried not to take it personally. Human error occurs and as long as the HOA was willing to remove the erroneous violation from our records, we were happy.

If the "HOA Cops" are taking notes and pictures of the violations, I think that is great. No one can argue with a picture. Please note also, that if you are receiving notices, you're probably not alone and it does not mean that the HOA is not working towards correcting public area deficiencies as well as other neighbor's violations. Maybe it would behoove the residents to take pictures of the public areas and send them in too, respectfully of course.

I don't doubt your message was straightforward and clear. It's also possible that the person listening to your message has been inundated with peeved residents and wasn't in the mood for another tirade so s/he passed you off. I don't envy them the week violation notices go out.  With that said, people are not infallible, even the HOA.  Everybody makes mistakes once in awhile. What will be most telling is how quickly and painlessly they remove the violation from your file. Hopefully, it will be taken care of to your satisfaction. Good luck and try not to let their mistake get under your skin too much.