It’s really simple folks, and a rule we’ve followed for the past three house purchases. Question 1: Is there a HOA? If yes, walk away — no compromise, no second-guessing, no nothing but walk away immediately. Amazingly enough, neighborhoods can stay nice without these busybodies. On the other hand, if the city starts setting up “neighborhood associations,” beware: those same would-be HOA busybodies will suddenly become “citizen activists” on your behalf, telling the city all sorts of things you want and don’t want. With nearly the same results as the HOA. It’s a major reason I moved out of Portland. And still the streets don’t get repaired.
Hilariously enough, the city government was recently trying to shut down those associations, because people actually object if a neighborhood of houses with a quaint business district is suddenly destroyed because the city only believes in mega-housing projects under the mantra of “infill” and rezones everything for only mega-complex condos. But the ones doing the objecting aren’t the in-the-city’s pocket “activists,” they’re the regular citizens, much to the city’s chagrin. The city and the (re)developers are being hindered in their greed. So sad to watch.
I’d sooner live with my parents than get a house under the HOA. I get the reason WHY, but the amount of control over a person’s home is way too stifling. Hard pass.
We have several friends who live within a HOA (not all the same). It basically comes down to being “parented” by people who like going to meetings and like having power… and who are very probably going to have an agenda other than yours. One of the HOAs has been successfully sued by a group of residents for spending money they didn’t have authority to spend without a public meeting, and then “taxing” the residents to pay for the new tennis courts and paving. The residents aren’t paying their fees until it comes even, but they’re still living with an HOA. Blch.
As I’ve always said, what’s the point of owning your own home if you still have to get permission from someone to DO anything with it? I’ll stick to apartment dwelling, thank you very much!
NEVER ever ever would I live under an HOA. I’ll paint my house any color I please (and it won’t be beige!) and hang my laundry out and grow 14 foot tall sunflowers. Good grief, homeowner sheepels actually pay busybodies to tell them what they can do with their own home and garden.
When I was a kid we lived in an old established neighborhood and one day a new family moved in down the block. A few weeks later they had a “Meet the Neighbors” potluck. Rather silly as most of the families had lived there for years but we all went and us kids played games and had fun. I happened to be inside when the new guy started to make suggestions. We should all have our house numbers painted on the sides of the driveways so emergency vehicles could find us. (Good idea and most houses already had them.) We needed a neighborhood watch program to keep an eye on peoples’ houses when no one was home. (Hey, good neighbors already did that.) And had we ever thought about having an HOA? One of the oldest residents laughed and asked why we needed to do a fool thing like that. Then the meeting broke up and a couple of weeks later the new family moved out of the neighborhood. I still live in the same house and we still have a very nice neighborhood without an HOA 40+ years later.
Every subdivision built in the last 20+ years around here has a HOA. If you buy a home, there, you ARE a member. Dues cover landscaping maintenance of common areas, pool maintenance, lighting of entrances and in condominium complex, the cost of replacement of the roofing and exterior maintenance of the buildings plus insurance. The purpose of a HOA is to protect property values. According to a city official where we lived a few years ago, HOA’S have NO governmental authority except to collect dues to cover expenses or put lien for nonpayment of dues. Most covenants and restrictions are in line with the local codes, anyway. Like the HOA cannot make you mow your 10 inch lawn, but city codes are usually at 1 foot. The city will warn you and if necessary will mow it, the bill the property owner. We had a property next door with an absentee owner who, though the house was for sale, was lax in lawn maintenance which affected home values, not to mention snake in our garage. You have the right to read the HOA rules before purchasing a home in such a community and walk away if you don’t like them. I agree that SOME HOAs have busybody boards but that hasn’t been my experience in the last 20 years and 3 subdivisions. In fact, the opposite is the case. Out of 839 homes in our subdivision, our last year’s election of new board members failed because not enough people bothered to show up to the meeting to vote.
My sister and her family are discovering the “joys” of living in a homeowners association. And their not too pleased. Well they were warned they wouldn’t like it.
I had a friend who lived in such a community. Whenever she would leave her garage door up halfway to let her cat come and go this guy would come over and shut the door—-because he did don’t like the look of a cracked garage door!
BE THIS GUY almost 5 years ago
Pig, they only want what’s best for you.
Bilan almost 5 years ago
Pig: It’s all a misunderstanding. TTYL just means Talk To You Later.
Baarorso almost 5 years ago
“BROAD POWERS”? Why you SEXIST, PIG! ;-D
kevin almost 5 years ago
Broads, but not guys?
Farside99 almost 5 years ago
Pigita isn’t going to be happy with the HOA.
Sherlock Watson almost 5 years ago
Shouldn’t that guy be wearing a uniform with an armband?
wldhrsy2luv almost 5 years ago
Don’t give the HOAs any ideas!
ekke almost 5 years ago
It’s really simple folks, and a rule we’ve followed for the past three house purchases. Question 1: Is there a HOA? If yes, walk away — no compromise, no second-guessing, no nothing but walk away immediately. Amazingly enough, neighborhoods can stay nice without these busybodies. On the other hand, if the city starts setting up “neighborhood associations,” beware: those same would-be HOA busybodies will suddenly become “citizen activists” on your behalf, telling the city all sorts of things you want and don’t want. With nearly the same results as the HOA. It’s a major reason I moved out of Portland. And still the streets don’t get repaired.
Hilariously enough, the city government was recently trying to shut down those associations, because people actually object if a neighborhood of houses with a quaint business district is suddenly destroyed because the city only believes in mega-housing projects under the mantra of “infill” and rezones everything for only mega-complex condos. But the ones doing the objecting aren’t the in-the-city’s pocket “activists,” they’re the regular citizens, much to the city’s chagrin. The city and the (re)developers are being hindered in their greed. So sad to watch.
rekam Premium Member almost 5 years ago
Stephan, very punny.
TwilightFaze almost 5 years ago
I’d sooner live with my parents than get a house under the HOA. I get the reason WHY, but the amount of control over a person’s home is way too stifling. Hard pass.
gopher gofer almost 5 years ago
when it comes to their jurisdiction, they’re taking a broad view…
B UTTONS almost 5 years ago
The H.O.A. is fearful that if any resident is content with life, they’re not living up to their mission – Happiness Objector and Abjection
sirbadger almost 5 years ago
Is the HOA guy saying that Pigata is worse than Pig? They are OK with Pig being in the house but not Pigata.
Concretionist almost 5 years ago
We have several friends who live within a HOA (not all the same). It basically comes down to being “parented” by people who like going to meetings and like having power… and who are very probably going to have an agenda other than yours. One of the HOAs has been successfully sued by a group of residents for spending money they didn’t have authority to spend without a public meeting, and then “taxing” the residents to pay for the new tennis courts and paving. The residents aren’t paying their fees until it comes even, but they’re still living with an HOA. Blch.
dadoctah almost 5 years ago
There’s a reason that HOA is the sound of someone having the dry heaves.
cdgar almost 5 years ago
Sounds like my nosy HOA.
Jimmy90403 almost 5 years ago
In loco prentis
Troglodyte almost 5 years ago
Pig, I bet Pigita wouldn’t like it that you called her a broad.
LeeCox almost 5 years ago
As I’ve always said, what’s the point of owning your own home if you still have to get permission from someone to DO anything with it? I’ll stick to apartment dwelling, thank you very much!
hawgowar almost 5 years ago
All HOA members should be flogged, then hung, then shot, then revived to do it all over again.
A Common 'tator almost 5 years ago
Only if you let them Pig…
Major Matt Mason Premium Member almost 5 years ago
And broader kiesters.
dwane.scoty1 almost 5 years ago
The Hussy Outing Assn.
Procat Premium Member almost 5 years ago
Where was the comic censor for using the term ‘Broad’
asrialfeeple almost 5 years ago
This is one of those strips where I can hear a certain Loud sister say “Get it? Get it?”
Breadboard almost 5 years ago
Pig if you see the guy with the clipboard again get the rat bat ! … Croc Power !
NeedaChuckle Premium Member almost 5 years ago
I have no idea why people PAY to live in a prison camp. I live in free range neighborhood where we don’t give a damn what the neighbors do.
wrd2255 almost 5 years ago
HOAs before hoes? :-)
jessegooddog almost 5 years ago
NEVER ever ever would I live under an HOA. I’ll paint my house any color I please (and it won’t be beige!) and hang my laundry out and grow 14 foot tall sunflowers. Good grief, homeowner sheepels actually pay busybodies to tell them what they can do with their own home and garden.
Zebrastripes almost 5 years ago
NOOOO! PIG needs Pigita! Don’t do this to him! He’s so insecure as it is….and paranoid…..
Zebrastripes almost 5 years ago
Unfortunately HOA are PITA…..
Masterskrain almost 5 years ago
NEVER buy a home in a location with a H.O.A.! PERIOD!!!!
colddonkey almost 5 years ago
H.O.A.’s = communism at its smallest but with big headed officers
Andrew Sleeth almost 5 years ago
I never liked that little porker Pigita anyway.
TheBigPickle almost 5 years ago
Broad powers, or “broad” powers?
Aladar30 Premium Member almost 5 years ago
This HOA it’s like a fandom with too much power.
YippiKiAyMofo almost 5 years ago
Yeah, powers over the broad Pig gets to date!
phboles almost 5 years ago
I would never buy a house in a neighborhood with an HOA
dave stoops almost 5 years ago
sounds like bloomberg
JudyAz almost 5 years ago
“Girl”? Is Pig taking up pedophilia?
Ellis97 almost 5 years ago
Every day with these guys. Always sticking their noses into your personal business.
tryg almost 5 years ago
Well, we know what side of the aisle that guy sits on !
asmbeers almost 5 years ago
We resolve to never live in an HOA.
WCraft Premium Member almost 5 years ago
You know, this could’ve stood alone without the pun a the end. So true!
Rose Madder Premium Member almost 5 years ago
They allow the different animals to live there [including the predatory crocs]; and the inept neighbor Bob – they must really want money.
Font Lady Premium Member almost 5 years ago
When I was a kid we lived in an old established neighborhood and one day a new family moved in down the block. A few weeks later they had a “Meet the Neighbors” potluck. Rather silly as most of the families had lived there for years but we all went and us kids played games and had fun. I happened to be inside when the new guy started to make suggestions. We should all have our house numbers painted on the sides of the driveways so emergency vehicles could find us. (Good idea and most houses already had them.) We needed a neighborhood watch program to keep an eye on peoples’ houses when no one was home. (Hey, good neighbors already did that.) And had we ever thought about having an HOA? One of the oldest residents laughed and asked why we needed to do a fool thing like that. Then the meeting broke up and a couple of weeks later the new family moved out of the neighborhood. I still live in the same house and we still have a very nice neighborhood without an HOA 40+ years later.
diegot almost 5 years ago
Who needs Big Brother when you have Big Neighbor?!
MrFixit almost 5 years ago
Every subdivision built in the last 20+ years around here has a HOA. If you buy a home, there, you ARE a member. Dues cover landscaping maintenance of common areas, pool maintenance, lighting of entrances and in condominium complex, the cost of replacement of the roofing and exterior maintenance of the buildings plus insurance. The purpose of a HOA is to protect property values. According to a city official where we lived a few years ago, HOA’S have NO governmental authority except to collect dues to cover expenses or put lien for nonpayment of dues. Most covenants and restrictions are in line with the local codes, anyway. Like the HOA cannot make you mow your 10 inch lawn, but city codes are usually at 1 foot. The city will warn you and if necessary will mow it, the bill the property owner. We had a property next door with an absentee owner who, though the house was for sale, was lax in lawn maintenance which affected home values, not to mention snake in our garage. You have the right to read the HOA rules before purchasing a home in such a community and walk away if you don’t like them. I agree that SOME HOAs have busybody boards but that hasn’t been my experience in the last 20 years and 3 subdivisions. In fact, the opposite is the case. Out of 839 homes in our subdivision, our last year’s election of new board members failed because not enough people bothered to show up to the meeting to vote.
zeexenon almost 5 years ago
Fear men with clipboards. Remember this when people are at your door for the upcoming census.
Petemejia77 almost 5 years ago
H.O.A are more fascist than Stormtroopers.
John Barleycorn Premium Member almost 5 years ago
Oh what a world what a world!
Nathan Daniels almost 5 years ago
Get it? BROAD powers???
JoePaulson2 almost 5 years ago
More likely he isn’t right for her.
knight1192a almost 5 years ago
My sister and her family are discovering the “joys” of living in a homeowners association. And their not too pleased. Well they were warned they wouldn’t like it.
jonnytest almost 5 years ago
“Broad” powers? I smell a really bad pun.
Cornelius Noodleman almost 5 years ago
No chain link fence in the front yard.
furnoir almost 5 years ago
who’re you calling a broad?
Sailor46 USN 65-95 almost 5 years ago
Mister Rodgers did not adequately prepare Pig for the people in his neighborhood.
eladee AKA Wally almost 5 years ago
I had a friend who lived in such a community. Whenever she would leave her garage door up halfway to let her cat come and go this guy would come over and shut the door—-because he did don’t like the look of a cracked garage door!
Sisyphos almost 5 years ago
“Broad” powers?! I can’t believe you said that! You’re in trouble now, for sure, Cartoon-Boy!
lordhoff almost 5 years ago
— and of course they know more then Pig does or anyone else what is best for a person; the very definition of lacking freedom.
David Peters almost 5 years ago
Power corrupts
Jaime Jean M almost 5 years ago
To think he was a bartender only yesterday
Darth Revan II about 3 years ago
If only I had this power…