Homeowners Associations Gone Wild




Almost weekly I email the fellow members of my homeowners association board with some insane story about another association run amok under the heading “see we’re not that bad”. 


Here are some of the gems that I’ve uncovered recently:


1. HOA To Ban Kids From Playing Outside?:  A Central Florida homeowners association is preparing to vote on banning children from playing outside – I posted this on Facebook on April 1 and had to explain that, sadly, this was not an April Fools’ joke (although there was certainly some fools involved with it): http://bit.ly/g5vmNM


2. Kids’ Lemonade Stand Curtailed by Their Homeowners Association:  again another Florida HOA detached from reality; this one wants to shut down childrens’ lemonade stands on grounds that they violate the prohibition on operating a business in the covenants: http://bit.ly/hzH11V


3. Boca Raton Condo Association Sued Over Ban on Children:  the Fair Housing Center of the Greater Palm Beaches has filed a federal lawsuit against the Boca Teeca Condominium No. 9 Association. The suit accuses the condo complex of violating the federal Fair Housing Act of 1968; the violation?  Turning away a single father of three from buying a condominium in the association because – gasp – one of his children was under the age of 15! http://bit.ly/huQQvL


4. Texas HOA: Toddler is Too Noisy, Parents Fined:  apparently the neighbor below this young couple didn’t like the sound of mom chasing their toddler around.  Worse, the little guy was…wait for it…bouncing balls on the floor! http://bit.ly/hoNzNv


5. Stuart Couple Facing a Cat-astrophe With Their HOA:  another HOA took issue with a woman suffering from dementia who had a cat which provides emotional support to the woman, saying that they were not about to bend their “no cats” rule: http://bit.ly/edNa2A


6. Annandale Civic Association Elects Dog as President: this one came to me from one of my fellow board members; these folks may have the right idea:  they elected a dog as president of their association; I’m guessing that the dog won’t be pushing any bans on children (whether they be inside or outside), and he probably enjoys lemonade every now and then.  That “no cats” policy, however, is probably going to be staying: http://wapo.st/h9FZIq