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Harassed by Homeowner's Association

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HowardC

Member
What is the name of your state? VA
On Wednesday evening I attended a meeting of the homeowner's association where I live. I suggested that, in the spirit of a non-confrontational and more pleasant environment, that they modify their rule which requires cars, even those with stickers indicating they were registered with the Association, to move their cars from the common parking spaces to another parking space at least once every 48 hours. The practical effect of this is that if you travel for more than 2 days and forget to notify the, they can, and have, towed away cars that are owned by residents! Mu suggestion was to modify the time period to 72 or 96 hours. Seems like a no brainer, but they turned it down. On the NEXT DAY, I found the following notice on my car: "NOTICE: This vehicle need to be registered! If this vehicle is not registered by 8/6/07 it will be towed without further notice." It was signed by the XXX Property Owners Association Parking Committee." Now there is only one problem with the notice: that car IS registered! They may not have been able to see the sticker because I had one of those windshield covers on to protect it from the heat, but all they would have had to do was to look up the license plate to confirm the registration.
So...my question is.....and I have NEVER sued anyone in my life....can this be considered harassment (or something else) and can I take action against them? As an example of the attitude of this Board, they recently slapped a big "To BE TOWED" sticker on the back of a car whose owner was almost killed in an auto accident, was clearly not moveable, and who was making arrangement to dispose of the car! And yes, I have ran for the Board before and lost.
Thanks.
 


Just Blue

Senior Member
While I think your HOA is being .....ummmm...lets say not nice;)...There is nothing in your post that I would call harassing. If this was something they did on a continual bases and were having your car towed, then I would say it was harassment and you would have a cause of action.
 

HowardC

Member
Really?

They threatened to tow my car away BECAUSE I was not registered, even if it was. What if just let them tow it. Are they not liable then?

They HAVE put towing notices on my cars several times. This is not the first time. These people are idiots. I think they go out at 3 AM with flashlights, checking for grass more than 4 inches high, checking for cars not moved in 48 hours, checking, checking, checking. In the meantime, the upkeep in the common area sucks, with sand still on the roads from the last three winters instead of being removed!
 

Ozark_Sophist

Senior Member
Why do you own in an area with a HOA? I bet it was because you know property values are protected by a proactive HOA. Why don't you move?
 

HowardC

Member
Huh?

Uh, thanks for not addressing the problem. I don't know what you are talking about. In Virginia, complexes of townhouses have homeowners' associations. As far as the HOA, I am all for them enforcing rules against those very, very few homeowners who abuse their property. It's the confrontational part against those who are "good citizens" that I resent. I love where I live, is it ok with you if I stay? I might suggest you address the question instead of making a character judgment.
 

quincy

Senior Member
HowardC -
First of all, I have never lived where there was a HOA, and I know very little about them BUT: can't you circulate a petition among the other homeowners to have the current board members recalled? I don't know if the problems YOU are experiencing with them is common to the other homeowners (other than the guy who was almost killed and couldn't move his car within the HOA time frame), but if there is enough discontent with how the current HOA is operating, I would think they could be replaced. I also would think that a group of disgruntled homeowners approaching the Board en masse might be an effective way to get policies changed.
As for a lawsuit, it doesn't appear you have the basis for one at this point, as the other posters said.
 

HowardC

Member
Well this is amusing

The property manager wrote me an apology. She said that after the meeting, she put notices on 23 cars which she thought were not registered, more than half of all those parked in the common area. She didn't notice my sticker. And here I was, trying to emulate the fine example of the D.C, judge who sued the dry cleaner for what - $50 million? - for misplacing his pants. I hear a rumor he will be the next Supreme Court nominee.
Thanks for all your comments. The apathy at my complex is overwhelming - they had to offer door prizes at the last annual meeting just to get a quorum. I may try to run again when there is a vacancy.
 

BlondiePB

Senior Member
The property manager wrote me an apology. She said that after the meeting, she put notices on 23 cars which she thought were not registered, more than half of all those parked in the common area. She didn't notice my sticker. And here I was, trying to emulate the fine example of the D.C, judge who sued the dry cleaner for what - $50 million? - for misplacing his pants. I hear a rumor he will be the next Supreme Court nominee.
Thanks for all your comments. The apathy at my complex is overwhelming - they had to offer door prizes at the last annual meeting just to get a quorum. I may try to run again when there is a vacancy.
The parking committee here left me a similar note regarding my car not being registered. The decal is clearly visible & one cannot obtain a sticker without registering vehicles. I left a note to the Parking Committee on my car window stating so along with "perhaps you need your eyes examined." :D
 

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