You Can't Fix Stupid

[sawguy21]

An HOA spread laundry detergent on the roofs to control moss. Then it rained filling the yards and a creek which is a riparian management area with suds. Environmental department is investigating. No, I didn't make this up. :D

[mike_belben]

how is that any different than hiring a powerwasher to come blast it off with a detergent?  


At some point people have to accept that humanity will dirty the creek and the earth is self healing. 

[sawguy21]

The powerwasher doesn't fill the yards and creek with suds, the operator can clean up as he goes.

[Roxie]

Sawguy  :D 

My son in Delaware has a HOA that doesn't permit a clothes line, the original solar power. In fact they also forbid said neighborhood children from throwing towels on the fence to dry after a dip in the pool. 

[mike_belben]

That is the associative property of homeowners associations roxy.  Put plainly, it is a reciprocal tendency for HOA's to keep out the rednecks and rednecks to keep out the HOA's.  

What does the HOA say about year round Christmas lights and washers on the porch?

[Southside]

We looked REALLY hard at a non operating dairy that really fit well with what we needed - until it was revealed that the farm was being surrounded by a HOA.  Ummm -- when worlds collide, ran away from that one.  

I can see it now..."Mommy why is that cow on top of that other cow?"... :D

[Ianab]

how is that any different than hiring a powerwasher to come blast it off with a detergent?  


At some point people have to accept that humanity will dirty the creek and the earth is self healing.

Detergent + fish = dead fish. 
Sure the water will clean up again, and the fish will come back, in a few years. But it's still not a good idea.
If someone did that to our backyard creek it would take out ~50 year old fish (eels). I'd be pretty wild about that.

[HemlockKing]

Bet the lawn smells nice a fresh now. 

[HemlockKing]

how is that any different than hiring a powerwasher to come blast it off with a detergent?  


At some point people have to accept that humanity will dirty the creek and the earth is self healing.

Heck you don’t even need to pressure wash it off all you need is water bleach and a scrubber broom... scrub.. hose off. Also bleach mixed with spray nine/water in a pump sprayer for vinyl siding and let sit for 5 minutes then hose off. The green mold comes right off like nothing. IMO pressure washing is just asking to blast water behind your siding when you really don’t need to, people who pressure wash as their job wouldn’t want ya to know that though  ;D

[Kindlinmaker]

I once heard HOA defined as another layer of government which regularly runs amuck and unchecked that otherwise intelligent folks subscribe to; voluntarily.  Wars have been fought for less infringement of rights.

And a bigger bunch of hypocrites you will never meet.  Run out to the Prius wearing the latest in recycled cloth tennis wear carrying a reusable water bottle made of ocean plastic collected in southeast Asia, made in China and shipped to the U.S.  All while their lawn care company sprays the lawn with the flavor of the month carcinogenic toxins that will run off and kill everything in their path so the neighbors can appreciate the perfect Scott lawn prescribed in the bylaws.  And the family dog can die very young of some "undefined" disease.

I've been involved with more than one HOA property and I have formed some rather strong opinions.  Not a one of them favorable.

My family has deep ties to coastal Maine which has yielded to the HOA frenzy as gentrification has taken over great swaths of land and beautiful old summer homes have yielded to McMansions during my lifetime.  The value of mixed socioeconomic communities are being lost at warp speed.  I cannot seem to locate the exact passage but a famous Pulitzer Prize winning author, who had a beautiful coastal summer estate 100 years ago, wrote something akin to..... The aesthetic distraction of a few tarpaper covered shacks is but a very small price to pay for the eclectic mix that makes our community so wonderful.  I wouldn't change a thing.....One of those profound things you read and retain for decades.  

[HemlockKing]

My family has deep ties to coastal Maine which has yielded to the HOA frenzy as gentrification has taken over great swaths of land and beautiful old summer homes have yielded to McMansions during my lifetime.  The value of mixed socioeconomic communities are being lost at warp speed.  I cannot seem to locate the exact passage but a famous Pulitzer Prize winning author, who had a beautiful coastal summer estate 100 years ago, wrote something akin to..... The aesthetic distraction of a few tarpaper covered shacks is but a very small price to pay for the eclectic mix that makes our community so wonderful.  I wouldn't change a thing.....One of those profound things you read and retain for decades.  

this is one of my biggest fears and why I'm FAR away from any city, it's already happening in this province, up to a hour outside the city

[WV Sawmiller]

Roxie,

   I think we share similar opinions of HOA's. We have a good friend in Tucson who used to talk about how great their HOA was. She told me a house in the subdivision sat empty and became a crack house. Somebody finally got some kind of special loan to buy it. Since the house had been empty a year or so the weeds had grown and died in the front yard which was an eye-sore and a fire hazard. The place was so bad the new owner had to rip out the carpet for fear of drug needles in it. As soon as he moved in the HOA sent him a nasty note telling him to pull his weeds or they would hire someone to do it and backbill him for it. The poor guy was no doubt strapped for cash and time having just moved in and trying to get settled now he is getting threats from the HOA. I asked my friend "Why didn't you all get together and have a block party to welcome him to the neighborhood and have a weedpulling party to help him out?" That's the way I was raised. 

   I don't have patience to live in a subdivision or tolerate low level politicians and bullies on an HOA trying to tell me what to do or what I can't do with my property. Places where they say you can't put a fence forward of your house or plant a dogwood or apple tree in your front yard for fear it will harm the appearance and prices of other nearby property are not for me. My thoughts are if you can't sight in your deer rifle or pee off your front porch you are too close to your nearest neighbor! 

[Brucer]

To put Sawguy's post in perspective, the suds were rising up to 8 feet above the creek down a good portion of it's length. The creek wanders through the woods, so it was pretty surreal.

[mike_belben]

I guess im just too stupid to understand the difference between rain washing detergent downhill vs a powerwasher doing it.  Seriously.

:-\

[sawguy21]

Powerwashing mixes a small amount of detergent with the water and is spread over a limited area. These clowns covered the roofs of a large complex with raw detergent, the rain hit and the lawns, parking area and creek were covered in a layer of foam.

[Southside]

Kinda surprised the authorities were able to nab them actually.  I mean from the sounds of it they should have made a clean get away.   :D

[mike_belben]

Well theyre all washed up now. 


I guess i didnt grasp the scope.  Im thinking a gallon sprayer with a quart of dawn and water mix.  Not a 55g drum of pure detergent and someone down bottom cranking the derrick handle. 

[Southside]

The image reminds me of the time I ran out of dish washing detergent.  Being a bachelor I improvised and filled the reservoir with good old fashioned liquid dish soap, Dawn or whatever I had.  Came back a couple of hours later to suds up to the counter and the cleanest tile floor you ever saw!!   8)

[mike_belben]

Ive been washing my laundry in dawn for years and showering in it for decades.  And mounting tires, degreasing engines, washing dishes.  I bet it cures hemherroids too.


Blue Dawn ultra is the milwaukee tool of soap.

[Kindlinmaker]

I got all carried away with the HOA portion of the story, which hit a nerve, and I responded to that above.    Now that I'm thinking more about it, this has got to go down in the annals of "what were they thinking".  That was a whole lot of soap that cost a bunch of money.  I don't think I've ever read any "crazy internet remedies" for removing moss using straight soap and waiting for rain.  Somebody actually went to a whole lot of trouble and effort to do this...... and they probably got paid to do it.....Oh well, I guess the title of the post says it all.

[Roxie]

Been in the same house now for 34 years. The original aluminum siding part doesn't get algae but the vinyl siding does. Another example of going backwards in technology. Never treated the lawn with anything and each April beautiful waves of dandelions and violets look as pretty as my intentionally planted hyacinths. My dirt and gravel driveway are grandfathered in as permissible by the Township but new homes must macadam the drive to get their occupancy permit. Another backwards improvement, why not let the earth breathe and perk down rainwater?  Why would anyone want a driveway that burns your feet in summer and reflects and holds heat?  

I would be an HOA's worst nightmare, but I would never buy a home and forfeit my rights to live as I please. 

Now for anyone that needs to know, that algae will disappear without any scrubbing or pressure washing by diluting one cup of white vinegar to a gallon of water and just put that in a spray bottle, spray it and wait a few days.  Gets windows sparkling clean too. Need weed killer?  Just add a cup of epson salt and a few drops of dawn liquid to the above diluted vinegar. 

[Al_Smith]

 :D Being a red neck I look at HOA's about the same as I do "time shares " .,Not for me .They might be appealing to the country club set though .

[Al_Smith]

Funny thing  about hoity toits .I've had three different women ,all city girls ,classy ladies .For some reason when I get them in the country they fit right in and have no desire to go back .They put up with my 5 to 15 cords of firewood, bull dozer in the woods ,strategically placed junk hiding in the woods and drinking beer on the patio ,out of the can .From evening dresses to blue jeans in a flash . 8)

[HemlockKing]

,strategically placed junk hiding in the woods

:D :D :D :D

[thecfarm]

I have a brother that has a $150,000 house with junk cars in front of it and probably a couple dead riding lawn mowers and various other pieces of iron too. Now nothing really a matter with that, but I'm like Al. Come to my house and you would have no idea the junk I have out in the woods.  ;)

[sprucebunny]

Here is a link to the news story. With pictures !!
B.C. creek fills with foam after laundry powder applied to nearby rooftops to control moss | CBC News

Unfortunately, the "writer" confused the word 'pillows' with the word 'billows' so the scenes as well as the writing are surreal :

[mike_belben]

the vinegar salt and soap grass killer works extremely well.  HOAs not so much. 

[WV Sawmiller]

Al,

   Forgive me for being nosy but with 3 women - are you on the "Catch and release program"? :D

[Sedgehammer]

Al,

  Forgive me for being nosy but with 3 women - are you on the "Catch and release program"? :D

:D :D :D smiley_clapping

[Resonator]

I didn't know what a "HOA" was and had to look it up. Ah, no thanks. I'll stick with living out in the sticks.  ;D

[Chuck White]

I don't know either, here's my guess:  Home Owners Association?

[21incher]

I tried  fixing stupid  once but he didn't listen. Darwin finally fixed  him for good.

[sawguy21]

Darwin has a way of doing that. ;D  @Chuck White you are correct. I lived in one, even served as president in an effort to help straighten out the finances. Finally gave up and sold out.

[GAB]

You folks are right about fixing stupid, however with the right medical team at your disposal you can sedate it.
GAB

[thecfarm]

Seeing is believing. 

[Al_Smith]

Al,

  Forgive me for being nosy but with 3 women - are you on the "Catch and release program"? :D

First wife and mother of my children, divorce .Later passed away. .Number two wife of 23 years ,rare disease, passed 7 years ago .Number three who is Mrs Smith but not Mrs Al smith ,widow of one of my best buds .We've known each other since 10 years of age .At 73 years of age marriage is out of the question but being a man of honor if she would get in the family way I would marry her .It's the right thing to do  ;)

[Ed_K]

 My son is a HMO's worst nightmare, he's really worked them up with the different ways of growing grass on the front lawn. I told him about this thread and he txt'ed about the hmo vice squad is trying to get a rule pass where your dogs an cats have to be registered and have a chip put in with dna so they can test poop and fine the owners who don't pick it up  :D .

[Al_Smith]

Now this HOA stuff where lady fair lived in Sylvania Ohio you couldn't even grow a tomato plant in the flower bed .All the lawns were done by one lawn service and all mowed at the same time .Now all that is okay if you're into that I'm just not  one of them .By the same token I'm not one to have a half dozen junk cars in the front yard up on blocks either .It's been said when  in Rome do as the Romans ---or just don't go to Rome .I'll do the later .

[WV Sawmiller]

Al,

   You are never going to never going to convince me that there is not collusion and kickbacks involved when the HOA designates a specific landscaping service. 

Ed,

   The DNA test is definitely going overboard! Next they will be demanding bells on cats - if not a leash law to protect the neighborhood wildlife, and birth control pills for them. I can't wait for the DNA tests to come back and show it is fox, coyote, possum, coon or armadillo. BTW - was this housing on the left coast? Just asking. :D

[Al_Smith]

No this was in Ohio .The land of cornfields about like Iowa but with better corn .Those fields west of Toledo Ohio are in sections minus the houses on the road frontages .5-600 acres .The muckity mucks live on the outskirts of Toledo .The county club bunch or want-a-be's of same .It's not much different in Columbus Ohio .

[Al_Smith]

Regarding the grand plan where lady fair lived it was a con game .Plain as the nose on your face .Developed and laid out by a known con man but evidently desirable to some .I do know her home sold in three says before it was  even listed in homes for sale sites or the news paper .
About 1400 square feet and valued as much as mine which is on 6 acres, brick and 2200 sq feet .On the other hand if mine were in that area it would be worth a half a mil . I didn't pay near that amount 26 years ago .

[Kindlinmaker]

I have done a great deal of research on these; initially for business reasons but then just out of plain curiosity why a person would actually elect to have someone dictating more rules limiting their lives.  Its interesting what you learn when you start doing factual research.

HOAs are not a left coast - right coast thing; they are everywhere.    Interestingly, you will hear nightmare stories from all of them at some point but the "wanabes" are normally the biggest pains; figuring what is driving them would be a whole career.  While retirement communities and affluent, upper middle class suburban communities seem to drive most of the ugliest stories, you will find plenty of ugly stories and lawsuits in the midwest and rural areas as well.

The HOAs can be as simple as keeping out the neighborhood junk yards or as complex as what color and when you paint your house or what flowers you can plant and where.  But once the HOA is established, the majority can change rules (and associated costs) to anything they want and they are generally as enforceable (including financial penalties) as any other civil law.  Many times they will be linked to a club environment as is the case with many retirement communities.  As a good friend of mine, who lived in a beautiful Florida golf community, told me 30 years ago, "it may not be perfect but it is like living in a minimum security prison with maximum benefits".  Everything in life has tradeoffs.

While they may not work for folks like us, they certainly have their benefits or they wouldn't be so popular.  They tend to help hold property values, insure you live in a relatively attractive environment, tend to have lower crime rates and keep absolutely obnoxious neighbors at bay (although the pain in the neck bylaw enforcers may be more obnoxious than "standard" problem neighbors).

Here is a thought to chew on a bit.  HOAs are a pain to set up,  a pain to administer, and cost money that everyone would rather have in their pocket.  But just like building codes, zoning laws and many other frivolous laws that limit our freedom, they are born out of a reaction to someone who would not live/operate under common sense rules and courtesy to their neighbors.  

[sawguy21]

They are very common on the left coast, it is the only way most can afford their own housing. I got into one because I had the funds available and prices were rising but soon learned the error of my ways. One of the owners was also the paid complex manager, a clear violation of ethics if not the law, and he and his cronies milked it. Eventually it went into receivorship.
The city council of Port Moody BC had a motion to chip dogs and have dna samples collected so poo going to the landfill could be traced! It was to be disposed of down the toilet, try that with a bermese mountain dog! I didn't hear if it passed. :

[WV Sawmiller]

   I read an article recently where a homeowner found a lawn ornament - a big concrete frog about 2' long or so and put it out by his flowers in front of his house. Another neighbor said his/her child was scared of frogs or maybe it was just this frog and would not walk past the house so they complained to the HOA who directed them to remove it. It might not be my cup of tea but it was not hurting anything. I remember wanting to extend my yard fence in NC when I was in the USMC and bought a home nearby and found I could not do so because it "diminished the value" of the surrounding property. I bought to live there not as an investment so I did not care about the value of my neighbors property. It just meant I had less safe area for my kids and dog to use even though I owned and paid taxes on the property. I could not plant a dogwood or peach tree in my front yard either. I am not built to live under such restrictions.

 There have been numerous cases of residents complaining about US flags flown by veterans from poles or attached to the home. Sometimes other residents say they feel the flag is offensive to them and want it removed and "in the spirit of inclusion" the HOA directs them to move it. Sometimes the courts have sided with the homeowner, sometimes with the HOA.

 I worked a couple of years in Norway and have a Norwegian daughter (former exchange student) over there. Norway is a beautiful country but they have similar rules and restrictions. Lots of Norway looks like lots of WV with mountains and clusters of homes up in the little valleys. You could not mow your lawn or wash clothes on Sunday or hang them on a line outside then. If you wanted to paint your house you had to go before the local commune and get their approval of your color scheme. Any new building or modifications had to be approved by the commune.

 Ruth said the owners of a piece of land near her died and their family did not want it so it was abandoned and the commune divided it up and gave it to various neighbors I guess so they maintained it and paid property taxes on it. She was given several acres adjoining her place but they took an acre or so off the other side of her land and gave to another neighbor to keep harmony in the community. While in the end she ultimately benefited her dad and she had done a lot of work and put in many improvements on the property the commune seized and gave to the other neighbors and she had no real say in the matter.

[mike_belben]

yay collectivism!

[Patrick NC]

I don't think I could live in a neighborhood with a HOA. As a matter of fact,  I don't think I could live in a neighborhood period. I live out in the sticks on 12 acres and prefer it that way. I can't imagine that my personality would mix well with someone who finds my flag offensive and want it taken down. In that case I would probably have to demonstrate what offensive really means. 

[HemlockKing]

How do you fellas keep yourself composed with these "HOAs"? I guess I'm imaging someone walk into my property (which you can't see jack all from the road, it's all trees) and tellin me what I can and can't do even though nothing is seen unless you actually walk into my land. Surely this is just suburb issues? I haven't heard of any HOAS around here, people literally live in shacks and a junkyard for a front yard. 

[HemlockKing]

I don't think I could live in a neighborhood with a HOA. As a matter of fact,  I don't think I could live in a neighborhood period. I live out in the sticks 

Amen 

[Southside]

Wife looked over at the milk house earlier and told me a calf was sleeping in the driveway. Oh well, she was comfortable.

I don't think I would do well in a neighborhood either. 

[Tom King]

If you can see a neighboring house, they are too close for me.  Two dog barks away is about minimum.

Our nearest neighbor is a lake house less than one dog bark through the woods.  We can hear the dog barking some weekends, and that is too *DanG close.

[gspren]

My opinion only! HOAs are like Labor unions, started with good intent and sometimes were/are needed but if they get too powerful and the officers get on a power trip then not good.

[sawguy21]

They have  their place. My stepson was raised in the city and has no clue about looking after a house or yard, his dad was a perfectionist and did it all himself. Chris lived in a detached house for a time and HATED it, they are now in a condominium and are very happy. Have a problem? Pick up the phone. We moved from the city to an acreage near a small town and loved it, neither he or his city bred cousin could understand the appeal. The kids couldn't understand no wifi for their phones :D

[Logger RK]

A few years ago My Bride was in the Hospital for a few days for Surgery & I figured I could figure out the dish washer. And as I figured more is better with the Dawn Degreaser Soap,I learned there's a limit. Only thing I could think of was to take a picture of the suds boiling out the top. She did get a chuckle out of it when She got Home. And don't let Me near it since. 

[Al_Smith]

Speaking of  suds ,I installed a whirlpool tub for a lady about 35 years ago and her moron daughter put bubble bath in it .Imagine that a bath tub with hydrophobia .

[breederman]

I got upgraded in a hotel once and it had a big ole whirl pool in it. This red neck dumped the bottle of provided bubbly stuff in and turned that baby on. I bet the suds were 3 feet high. Took me all night to get them down the drain.

[sawguy21]

 :D That would be a scene from The Beverly Hillbillies