Is Loving Your HOA a Losing Game?

In 2018, The Washington Post reported on why homeowners hate their HOA. The article was based on a survey by Insurancequotes.com. The Post reported that about 29 percent of the U.S. population lives in a HOA according to Community Association Institute. Only 57 percent of people participating on the board said they loved their HOA and 33 percent who never participated on in the HOA said they loved them. Baby boomers ranked higher in their love of their HOA while Gen Xers ranked lower. Most stated that they hated their HOA because of fights at the meetings. Interestingly, the survey showed that the most complained about restrictions are lawn maintenance, parking regulations, and pet restrictions. But, the most wanted restrictions were parking, noise regulations, and cleaning up after pets. 

Most homeowners would probably agree that they don’t like confrontation. I think there are ted talks about that. Having difficult conversations is nerve wracking to anyone. I am a lawyer and I have to deal with those situations almost daily. Especially if there are confrontational arguments at every board meeting. But, that is where management and the attorneys can step in and help. Having a third party mediate the situation can be beneficial. 

HOAs are important for two reasons. First, HOAs help to protect the homeowner’s investment. Buying a house is very expensive and time consuming. The homeowner wants to make money, not lose money. When it is time to sell a house, the homeowner does not want to owe more than the house is worth or beg people to buy it. If there is a house next door that is completely covered in tall grass and weeds and is painted bright pink and purple, the homebuyers looking to buy will probably want to look elsewhere (maybe not, maybe they like the uniqueness of the neighborhood). 

Second, HOAs are important because they bring people together. I know…it doesn’t seem like it. But, going to meetings brings people together to work towards a common goal. The people within a community want their neighborhood to look nice and function. The hardest part is finding common ground, but there are people working for the HOA to help. Sometimes it takes a neutral third party to bring it all together in a positive way. In my experience, the HOA wants to work efficiently and cost effectively for the benefit of everyone. I generally don’t meet individuals that want to work against the HOA. 

I worked for a HOA that constantly had huge 18 wheelers parking overnight in the neighborhood. The noise and smell were terrible. The residents got together, signed a petition and had signs erected by the county that restricted parking overnight. Everyone was so happy and proud that they did it together. In another occurrence, a veteran was having trouble mowing their grass. The neighborhood got together and figured out a way to help that individual. It was inspiring. These stories are why I do this job, to bring people together to figure out solutions. Being a part of a HOA doesn’t have to be difficult or constantly confrontational. Being apart of a HOA can be rewarding and inspiring. I just wish there were more stories out there about the positive outcomes instead of only seeing why people hate their HOA. I guess I will just have to keep posting.