Often, we hear stories about how unpleasant folks find their homeowners' associations (HOA) due to various reasons. It is sort of understandable because, in the end, it’s your property and someone else dictating how you live does sound ridiculous. What if there was a way to slither out of the HOA? Would you do it?
Well, the original poster (OP) gleefully did it after he found a loophole in their bylaws that people were in the HOA if they were connected to the community well. All they had to do was connect to municipal water and, voila, they were scot-free from their HOA!
More info: Reddit
People often complain about the ridiculous rules set up by their HOAs and they find it unreasonable
Image credits: David McBee / Pexels (not the actual photo)
The poster discovered that only the houses that were connected to the community well were part of the HOA, so he, along with 44 homeowners, started a rebellion
Image credits: HydenMyname
Image credits: SpaceX / Pexels (not the actual photo)
They got a government grant and connected to the municipal water while also getting help from the city to do the street work for connection
Image credits: HydenMyname
This got them scot-free from the HOA and the other folks regretted not joining in their rebellion, while the HOA was stunned
Today we dive into a pleasant story where Reddit user HydenMyname, along with 44 other families, got their HOA off their backs by finding a loophole in their bylaws. The poster gives the backstory later in the comments that they already found their HOA quite restrictive but when a member yelled at his kid, he decided to take action.
After his lawyer studied their bylaws, he found an incredible loophole that people were part of the HOA only if they were connected to the community well. It almost sounded like the perfect opportunity came knocking on their door, so of course, the poster seized it.
Along with 44 other homeowners, they all decided to rebel against this and connect to the municipal water so they could happily leave the HOA. Incredibly, things worked out all too well for them after they got a government grant and a bulk price that reduced the total cost from $12,000 to $3,000 per house!
They also worked with the city to do the street work for connection and miraculously, they were free from the HOA. The poster added that now they have many neighbors who are part of the HOA while they aren’t, and many of those who didn’t join in the rebellion regretted it.
OP humorously claimed, “We literally made the HOA map look like Swiss cheese!” It indeed must have been quite a delightful moment and Redditors certainly felt so after the poster uploaded his story online and it drew a lot of attention.
Image credits: Kaboompics.com / Pexels (not the actual photo)
Research says that approximately 30% of the US population lives in HOA communities. Despite such huge numbers residing in these communities, it has been observed that 61% of Americans say they would prefer to live in a neighborhood without the HOA.
The same study has also revealed that 72% of people living under HOAs say they disapprove of the rules and regulations set by their HOAs as they are too restrictive. Even the poster had faced a similar situation where he didn’t like how a person came and yelled at his kid just for playing and then ruining their play.
It does sound pretty smart what they did, doesn’t it? Folks online were in complete awe of the clever method used by the 44 homeowners and they pitied the ones who didn’t join in. Many people were curious to know how the HOA reacted to this witty move.
The poster commented that the HOA was stunned by it all and tried to fine them for it, but their lawyer was ready with a snarky letter that stated that as they were no longer a part of it, they couldn’t be fined. Many people also commented that they would look into the bylaws of their HOAs and search for similar loopholes.
Another study suggests that the reason people don’t like their HOAs is because they act as hyperlocal governments and, in many ways, supersede all the other laws that exist. This just makes us realize why the post blew up and so many people were delighted to witness the “defeat of the HOA”.
If you (or anyone you know) live in an HOA, what are your opinions about it? Feel free to jot down your thoughts in the comments section!
Folks online were delighted that people were able to outsmart their HOA and they couldn't help but express their glee at the association's defeat
Image credits: jeswin / Freepik (not the actual photo)
