Suprise Suprise new karen got on the board and is immediately being a tyrant. We have about 30 residents and growing willing to band together to retaliate. One member has already submitted licensing application with the fcc to put in a ham antenna. We have a landscape company we hired to put in about 22 flag poles. Right now we are working towards annoying them to submission while hopefully being able to prove their selective enforcement of fines. Right to dry state so all of us are now hanging clothes in front yard to dry.
Edit: some people have pointed out that there is more context missing here. My fault, I don't post hardly ever so I'm not very good at it.
I haven't gotten hit with a fine yet, I rent so I don't make any modifications to the outside of the house, but a bunch of my immediate neighbors have received fines for things that have never been fined for in the past. Fines for things like flower beds, visible trash cans, holiday decorations, birthday bounce house rental, street parking(even tho the city owns the roads, not a gated community). I understand some of it but what's messed up is they allowed it for years then a week after the new board was installed people were getting stacks of citations at the same time.
You could vote to recall her if you have enough people?
Is she the only board member? Where are the other board members?
This shit just sounds like Karma farming, 22 of 30 residents spending $$$ for permits instead of talking to their neighbor
What is karma farming? Is this a term for something the hoa does?
Also to clarify, one of the upset residents owns a landscape company and is putting in poles at cost for anyone in the neighborhood that wants one. No permit needed because it's under the required height for our county. I think it's costing them like 75 bucks to put one in.
Its a reddit thing. Post something sure to get a community riled up and posting in response, then the account is more useful for astro-turfing.
The post doesn't really make sense, but it hits teh subs high points. Karen, new board member, flagpoles and HAM Radio towers, revenge, etc. all stuff likely to get the subscribers upvotings and posting
Ok i guess that makes sense. You are the first to actually explain it instead of trolling about it. Ty. I guess thats my fault for only posting the stuff my neighbors gossip about which is the "hot topics" that might make it seem like that. What is the benefit? Can you get ad revenue from karma like you can from YouTube subs?
Its just fake internet point that only matter to those that are chronically online. Im sure some people make money from it somehow. Probably selling those accounts with higher karma.
Amateur radio operators don't need a license from the FCC to put in an antenna, that comes with your regular license to operate. You must have misunderstood something they said.
No clue how all that stuff works but he said he was just waiting on approval to build it
Is he putting a 150' tower up? I believe that's the height that triggers a need for a permit from the FAA
201 ft
Holy fuck I'd love to see that happen in my HOA
Omg that would be awesome. I think his was only going to be like 20 or 30 feet taller than the roof
I’d love to have a huge tower. My parents had one at 170ft but no HOA.
I could possibly get HOA approval but I’d never get wife approval.
I did get HOA and wife approval door for a 40ft tall vertical antenna.
But with the property line being in 3ft away from my house anytime wise bigger would be hard
He is probably waiting on HOA approval. That would make more sense.
That would be funny actually. Would like to see the look on their face when reading the application lol
Take your 30 people and pass a new CC&R which states the following:
3.14.159: Any board member found to be guilty of the above, shall be launched by trebuchét from the community into the nearest swamp.
I can get on board with that.
the nearest swamp.a wall of spikes.
How about a compromise, flip of the coin!
I also look for the pi rule in all documentation.
How would I do that? Is that a real thing or are we just dreaming?
It could be a real thing, but you'd need a majority or supermajority of residents to agree to the change. Hardly likely.
And expect the board to fight tooth and claw against it, because they don't want their power taken away.
Ok ya thats what I was expecting. The way the election went I doubt we could get rid of her any time soon.
That's why the neighborhood has turned to petty measures lol. The idea is if they want to fine for petty things, we will do the petty things they can't fine for. If they left well enough alone our hoa would still be a pleasant place to live
Then just vote to dissolve the HOA and either become an incorporated community or be absorbed by the city/town in which it's located for tax purposes. no more HOA fees or nonsense board members.
I wouldn't even know how to do that. I'm renting so all the hoa interaction goes through my landlord and they are a nice older couple I don't like to bother. I only know the handful of neighbors that I do know as other parents at my kids school that share the bus stop and occasionally the park
The HAM radio may not fly legally, as it appears as though they're not as protected as other types of antennas. So that might be a bust. Are there any rules regarding the types of trees? If not go and get some arborvitae trees and plant those along the front of the property. They can grow fast and makes great for privacy. The add some professionally made no trespass no soliciting signs. The trees planted properly will also block what they can see from street level.
But better yet is if not only can you vote her out, is a vote to dissolve and disband the H.O.A. all together, then get rid of the restrictions of the H.O.A. from the title/deed. That will strip her of her assumed authority and power, as it also will prevent any future tyrants fro trying to run things.
It depends on the state. NC has a right to install Ham antennas law.
Got a source for that? MY HOA is trying to ban things like that and I'd like to stop them before we get lawyered.
HAM / AR is not covered under OTARD Rule (47 C.F.R. § 1.4000) because it is not mass communications.
Although some states have restricted *municipalities* from passing laws against HAM gear, none of these apply to private contractual agreements like HOAs.
You can visit the ARRL for more info: https://www.arrl.org/regulatory-advocacy
This is what I found as well, just wanted to see if I missed something.
NC law applies specifically to government zoning, not directly to HOAs as they are private.
The NC general assembly passed it when I was an active ham years ago. One of the authors was a member of my synagogue, so I was aware of it then
NC law applies specifically to government zoning, not directly to HOAs as they are private.
I'm not in one ( and never will be if I can help it)
I am, it isnt bad at all. Having said that, gates, walls, cant see my house from my gate, and a lot of acres for every lot, etc...so its not like anyone would notice me doing anything. Dues cover 24/7 gate access to the neighborhood and roving security. Less than I would pay to hire someone.
Depending on the state, some have laws prohibiting restrictions of HAM radio antenna by any HOA. This is particularly true in states that deal with natural disasters on a frequent basis.
Got a source for that?
How many of these thirty bothered to vote in the election that got this person on the board? How many of them bothered to try to run for the board themselves? Why are you only now getting involved in passive-aggressive ways instead of the normal, constructive ways that are open to you?
I think they all did. The issue is that 30 is only like 10% of the votes and less than half of the total residents do t bother to vote. I can't force other people to participate which is why we are resisting in our own way.
I love the criticism but let's keep to constructive criticism. Please share some of these constructive ways that are open to us? We are a small minority of residents that know each other, we are not a majority that can easily vote in or out whoever we want. It's easy to point out what we are doing incorrectly but have seen nothing from you on how to do it better. If you are just here to troll I can block. Lmk
I gave you constructive criticism. How many of those 30 people have ever stepped up to run for the board? When was the last time YOU did? And no, of course you can’t FORCE people to participate. That’s just a silly argument. But how much effort have you spent trying to PERSUADE people to participate directly in the governance of your HOA, as opposed to spending time getting people to dry laundry in their front yards as some weird form of “activism”? 🙄
That's not constructive because you are not offering suggestions only criticizing what we have done(which you obviously disagree with) I have not voted or run because ima renter. Others did yes but again, obviously did not win. They are not exactly "fair" elections.
Let's say if you were in this situation. You can't vote or run. 10% or so of the neighborhood actually interacts on the hoa fb group so its not easy to reach everyone in the hoa. No money to "campaign" and job has you out of town 3-5 days per week. Board is 4 of 5 retired folks with time to spare. Majority of hoa is elderly which is likely why they don't use the fb group and where the majority of the votes came from.
Share your method of dealing with this, and ignore everything that the residents have already done as "actvism"
Go door to door on the weekend, Mail reminders to everyone, be detailed in the description of what’s going on. If you cover it like you did in the original post here folks won’t understand the need for change.
You can beat them and you have a good start. The Ham tower is a classic F-off to the HOA as they can’t touch it. Ham operators are classified as emergency response and have been the only source of help in some key situations where normal communication paths have failed.
Keep us updated on what else you all decide to do.
Good luck with it.
I gave you a suggestion-spend as much time persuading people to participate directly in the governance of their HOA as you do persuading them to dry laundry in their front yards. All you seem to have are excuses why nothing constructive will work. No money to campaign? Why would you even need that, for pity’s sake? Print up information sheets, go door to door, and actually TALK to people. No time? Yes, there always is. It’s all about priorities. How important is this to you?
"Persuade them" is too vague to be a suggestion to be helpful. Give me an example of what worked for you when you had a fine abusing board and got yourself elected as president of the board?
More excuses. Stop raging at strangers on the internet and handle your life and your problems like a grown-up. Or is that also too vague for you? 🙄
OP isn't raging at strangers on the internet. He is pointing out that you are criticizing but not providing anything in the way of useful suggestions. Here, let me help you. "OP, find a solution." There, I was just as helpful.
Maybe ban together to get her kicked off the board vs turning to childish behavior?
The ones that are owners are trying to do so. I just rent so I'm more of a "peaceful protestor" which is why all I can do is petty yet satisfying acts like dry outside. And to be fair it's also environmentally friendly lol
And turning their neighborhhod into a junkyard.............
I'm confused by this? You can't just hoard junk on the front yard but you can dry clothes on a line
Radio antennas and clotheslines in the front yard? The "right to dry" laws still allow HOAs to restrict them to back yards, so I find your front yard story sus..................
The restrictions they put applies to permanently installed clothes lines on posts. Me and the houses around are tying the line between porch posts so there is nothing there when there are n clothes. We had to research that first to make sure we wouldn't get fined.
We get most of our petty ideas right here from this sub just reading about what other people have done. If you have other ideas I am all ears
Check your bylaws. There are ways to remove a board member
Wow!! Your situation sounds just like mine!! I’m a renter in an hoa, I get fines for a blade of grass reaching over touching my cars tire, even though the tire is in the driveway, and not in the grass. I’m not allowed to decorate, but homeowners are. Rules about flower beds is as follows: nobody can plant or put flower pots in flower beds, at all, but funny thing, the president next door just put big huge plastic planters with rose bushes in the flower beds around her dump, just this past summer. Her board member buddies are allowed to do it also. She also parks in guest parking, even though it is posted that residents are not allowed to park in guest parking because it’s for guests. There’s no handicap parking for anybody, in wich there should be because there are disabled elderly residents here, and you have to walk up hills to get to the sidewalk or your front yard. I hate this place. Visalia, ca
That's something that needs reported to the FHA (not the ADA though).
Yeah we tried. Civil rights, HUD, FHA. Nobody cares, it’s commiefornia. Even tried rob bontas office, and real estate dept.
That really bites in the ass, if no one will help. You may have to go through the costs of litigation, just to get things properly resolved.
Well, since I am only a renter in this hoa, I have no voice. The landlord could give 2 fucks about us, as they just keep raising the rent every year, knowing this dump is falling apart. Recently the roof had to be replaced, as it started leaking in December of 2024, it was not replaced until April 2025, even though the rental managment company knew about it. There are electrical issues, they know about it, but it’s been since September that we told them about them. They don’t care, just care about their next meal ticket every month. We’ve lived here for 10 yrs, never late on rent, always paid in full. They got nothing to complain about. As for the hoa, this whole hoa could go up in flames, I’ll bring the marshmallows. Hoa’s should be outlawed, due to the fact that there are so many restrictions, and even though you own your home, you still need some high on their horse king or queens permission to fart out on your lawn!! It’s fuckin ridiculous!!
I know all to well about bad landlords. I dislike H.O.A.s for so many reasons.
Same here. I say abolish hoa’s altogether!!
Or remove any actual ir believed authority they have or believe that they have. But abolishing them altogether is better.
Yeah the president in this hoa has been president for 20 somthin years, nobody will vote her out because they are terrified of her. She’ll fine for the most stupidest things, but yet it’s ok for her to do the same thing. The board members are the same members that were in charge when we first moved in 2016. I say just abolish them altogether. The fees are ridiculous, the only thing it pays for is the lawn maintenance. There’s no club house, just a pool.
It sounds like a forensic dive into the accounting books needs to be done. Also look around and talk around, for signs of selective enforcement. I'm an old codger so to speak (sixty eight), so I'm not inclined to fool around with people that wants to try to run over me.
Put up a home for bats, and make it as ugly as possible. Bats are federally protected.
That sounds cool
Some bats are protected but there is no protection for installing bat houses. That is a myth. If you build a structure in violation of the HOA rules and it attracts protected bats you not only face fines but you would have to pay to have the bats relocated by a professional.
Maybe a "bird house" as the hoa allows but designed to attract bats
Do you have access to a good sound system and a recording of the Muslim call the prayer?
No but that would annoy us too
I'm not Muslim, but honestly I find the call to prayer quite beautiful, along the lines of church bells.
There has to be more context. You guys seem to be escalating things quickly
Edited above also
I haven't gotten hit with a fine yet, I rent so I don't make any modifications to the outside of the house, but a bunch of my immediate neighbors have received fines for things that have never been fined for in the past. Fines for things like flower beds, visible trash cans, holiday decorations, birthday bounce house rental, street parking(even tho the city owns the roads, not a gated community). I understand some of it but what's messed up is they allowed it for years then a week after the new board was installed people were getting stacks of citations at the same time.
You mention what you are doing but no mention of what the tyrant has done
Shit ur right. I haven't gotten hit with a fine yet, I rent so I don't make any modifications to the outside of the house, but a bunch of my immediate neighbors have received fines for things that have never been fined for in the past. Fines for things like flower beds, visible trash cans, holiday decorations, birthday bounce house rental, street parking(even tho the city owns the roads, not a gated community). I understand some of it but what's messed up is they allowed it for years then a week after the new board was installed people were getting stacks of citations at the same time.
You and/or some of these 30 could run for the board - but nah, gonna "retaliate" because that's what? Easier?
Always with the complaining, never with the stepping up to do a better job.
Typical.
As a former HOA president, I did not worry about recalls. This required a 75% vote per the CCRs and I only had a 42 unit complex.
This development sounds like a real paradise to live in with all the flagpole and clotheslines....
Sounds like it’s 30 Karens to 1.
Why not try growing up and stop being a baby? Maybe having a conversation like adults?
You forgot what sub you are in lol!
There does seem to be a lot of pro hoa people here. I assume that means board members are on this sub too.
I know precisely what sub I’m in and I know karma farming when I see it
What is karma farming? I see that term in this sub but never an explanation. Is that something the hoa does to get away with abuse of power?
You don't get Reddit points for acting like an adult. It is much easier to make up stories of outrage and post them to see if people will send you well wishes and comfort.
Thank you. This can’t be real, right? Hey, you want to lower property values, go for it.
HOAs are scams regardless
No, it is not real. The part about hanging clothes in the front yard is from another HOA post earlier. As was stated earlier, they are just farming upvotes.
Yup we got the idea from this here sub. We read the story about right to dry and googled it. Sure enough it's a real thing.
How does that work? The cost of the dues plus cost of house already mean everyone is paying much more than the property is worth.
Your math ain’t mathing.
The "math" is that the house is bought at value. Then pay extra 350 a month in dues.
I'm paying for my property at its value. Then paying more for dues. That equals "more than it's worth"
Fuck hoa
The conversation ended with the board telling those that got fined "those have always been the rules, you just haven't been cited for it" what would be your suggestion for this? Criticism is fine but be constructive instead of just trolling
You are very clearly an idiot or just someone who is trying to get as many upvotes as possible by posting something that you know will generate a vigorous response from people (ie: karma farming).
I don't believe you or your story, but for argument's sake, let's say it is true...
1) The HOA is there to protect the community, both from a life/safety perspective, to take responsibility for certain common improvements, and to maintain property values by making sure that everyone in the community is following the covenants and restrictions that everyone has to agree to when purchase a home.
2) The HOA Is legally responsible for collecting HOA dues and for fining and citing any/all residents who are in violation of the covenants and restrictions. Whether or not past boards cited neighbors is irrelevant, the current board has the responsibility to enforce its rules.
Provided that the HOA covenants and restrictions clearly state what is/not permitted, the board is following the rules accordingly and fairly to all (no favoritism, no bias) then it sounds to me like you're just being a bunch of whiny ass titty babies who don't want to be told what to do.
You agreed to the rules and now you are pissed that someone is there to hold people accountable - and your collective response is to intentionally violate the rules to get more fines?
What is the point, other than wasting money and time and looking like a bunch of petulant children who don't know how to function in a community of adults.
I would definitely caution against a FA/FO with the HOA; unpaid citations can turn into liens on your property. Unpaid liens can result in foreclosure.
Perhaps instead of being a bunch of children, you should consider 1) following the damn rules that you agreed to, or 2) join the HOA and try to make changes from within.
Good luck with your karma farming, I hope the upvotes are everything you hoped they would be .
Non constructive criticism again. Thanks for trolling but we get enough of that from the hoa. I assume you are on an hoa board yourself. Seems like the only people defending hoa on fuckhoa sub are the board members.
Also I still don't know what karma farming is. Is there a way to earn money on reddit from "karma farming" is there like ads we can earn from if we get lots of karma?
[removed]
Follow the rules and get on the hoa are not constructive as they 100% oppose the very core of the post. Thanks for "trying" but your trolling is not needed. It's apparent you are pro hoa and should not be on the fuckhoa sub. Even a moron would know that.
Not mad at you as I can only imagine what your life is like if you out so much time and effort into trolling strangers. I just pity you, but I don't hate you like you obviously hate me
Rule 3 Violation:
Don't be rude. - Fuck HOAs but be civil to each other.
The fact that you need to use a name as a slur instead of the person's name is weird.
I'm assuming I could get in trouble for using her real name, it would make it easy to track back to myself as well
Indeed! Immediately demand to see the manager of this subreddit!
Perhaps the Karen’s name is Karen.