HOA HOA HOA; Merry Christmas!

[Publius]

I've been involved with my HOA a little bit. For those that have never had the pleasure, there are an obscene number of HOAs in the US. According to HOA-USA, there are over 350,000 of them. That's three hundred and fifty thousand!

Since there are so many of these, they run the gammut in terms of their size, quality, and behaviors. Some are really good, and some are truly terrible. Most are somewhere in between.

I have a lot of thoughts on HOAs, but what brought this to my mind tonight was this story from CNN about a family who started decorating for Christmas on November 1, and then had a hissy fit when the HOA told them to perhaps not be "that family."

I have to say that I'm not terribly sympathetic to this family. If you hate HOAs, this might make your heart rate climb a bit.

None of the quotes below are verbatim. I've trimmed them down because I don't get paid by the word.

The Simonis family put out Christmas decorations November 1. Three days later, they received a letter from their homeowners association demanding they take down the decorations until closer to the holiday.

This seems reasonable to me. Particularly if the HOA has shared electricity bills, or if there is landscaping involved. Importantly, this happened in San Antonio, Texas, where it's still warm enough to care about things like weeds, lawns, and watering things. It might also be a fire hazard to have electric thingies all over the place while there is still dead and dry tinder all over. There's also still landscaping to do there. It's unfortunate that the author didn't explore the reasons for this more fully.

When the Simonis' got their letter...

"I felt shocked and angered," Nick Simonis told CNN. "The HOA has so much time on their hands."

I can understand why someone would be surprised by not being allowed to put up Christmas stuff on November 1. Most people don't read (or understand) their HOA documents, so they don't expect it to be there.

However, the comment about the HOA having time on their hands is just a playground attack based on ignorance and arrogance. HOA members are usually homeowners that volunteer to help run the HOA. They're not some mystical government appointee. They're, literally, someone's neighbor.

HOA members don't have a lot of time. I know my HOA board members spend a large portion of what little free time they have trying to do what's best for all of us in the community. I promise, they have better things to do. They do this because they care and are trying to help. Someone attacking them for their effort, without bothering to find out anything about the HOA, the people in it, or why this rule exists is part of what's wrong with society.

The letter said they needed to remove the snowman until "closer to the holiday season." It does not say when that is.

Now bear in mind, this is a letter. Not a fine, not a lien. Not a punitive action of any kind. Just a letter.

I do agree that the letter should have specified when they could put the decorations back up, but this is probably just a form letter that is sent to anyone that decorates too early. A letter that had to be sent from the management agency helping to run the HOA, and there are fees for these letters. If they want it to include the date that decorations can be put up, there's going to be a fee for that. That fee is paid for by the home owners.

"We're in the Christmas spirit just like anybody else," Nick Simonis said.

Nick might be mistaken here. No one else in his neighborhood had decorations out yet, according to the article, and I know that in my neighborhood I didn't see any decorations out that early.

Nick's family isn't "crazy about Christmas just like everybody else." Nick's family might be crazy, and Christmas may exacerbate that matter (evidence suggests it does), but that does not mean everyone else is crazy too.

"We love the holidays, and my wife is very active in it," he stated.

I love the Fourth of July. Can I start shooting off fireworks every night at odd hours starting on May 4? I'll stop in September. That's only FOUR MONTHS out of a twelve month year.

It's no more relevant how active Claudia (the wife) is in decorating for Christmas. You can decorate the inside of your house all you want. Her interest in Christmas is no more relevant or compelling than my interest in fireworks is in September.

Claudia Simonis is eight months pregnant, and her due date is Christmas Day.

Well, whose fault is that?

Why is it required that Claudia be part of putting up the decorations?

Why should someone's neighbors be punished, and the law suspended, because Claudia and (presumably) Nick don't know what a condom is? How is this anyone else's fault?

Nick Simonis said. "If the baby comes early, we don't have to worry about it."

I'd offer this to Nick: if the baby comes and you're worried about your Christmas decorations, you've got some fucked up priorities, dude.

Later on, other neighbors put up decorations in support.

The rule exists for a reason. Violating it will have consequences. For example, in this case it may cost a lot in extra landscaping fees, and since lots of neighbors are being "FREE BECAUSE 'MERIKA!" it might cost a lot more.

While that's one possible example, whatever the reason for the rule is, is probably a good reason. But rather than find that out, the entire 'hood just starts breaking the rules together.

When did bad citizenship become a team sport?