A FATHER living in California is outraged after his son was banned from playing in front of their home.
But Steven Johnson II is not backing down against his local homeowners association, which called his kid’s scootering “a nuisance.”
2
2
The California-based writer’s story went viral on social media and had hundreds of users chiming in with their takes.
In a post on X, the website formerly known as Twitter, Johnson (@cigar_sessions) wrote, “Received a letter from the HOA today that said my son riding his scooter in the cul de sac in front of our house is a nuisance and needs to stop. So, you know he and I are gonna be out there riding every f**cking day!”
He also included a photo of his son on the scooter as he walked their dog along the cul-de-sac.
Users quickly flocked to the comments to share their frustrations.
“This is literally the reason cul-de-sacs exist though?” wrote one user.
“We bought our house in a cul de sac for this very reason. My kids can roll around on their scooters without me worrying about people hauling through the neighborhood,” responded another.
Others questioned what this meant for the future of today’s children.
“Would they rather they were inside in front of a screen?” one user asked. “What’s better than the sound of children playing?!”
“I hate the increasingly anti-child nature of our society,” wrote another.
BUY OR BUST
Meanwhile, many complained about the nature of HOA’s, questioning why others would put money into a system that governs their living.
“When did HOA’s rule the world?” one user questioned, saying the desire for regulations on things like Christmas decorations is uniquely American.
“These associations need to be regulated and held accountable for their actions in my opinion,” said another.
Others commented that issues like this have deterred them from buying into a resident-funded organization.
“HOA’s need to be abolished,” argued one user.
And yet, 75.5 million Americans live in communities governed by homeowners associations, according to the Foundation for Community Association Research.
What is an HOA?
One in five Americans live in an area with a Homeowners’ Association – or HOA. But what exactly is it that they do?
- An HOA is a homeowner’s association – an organization that aims to maintain a clean and cohesive place to live for its residents.
- Entire neighborhoods, subdivisions, condominiums, family homes, or townhouses within “a planned development” will often make up an HOA.
- They also act as a governing body for tenants, who run and fund the HOA through monthly fees.
- Their principal aims are to keep the community functioning and visually appealing and to maintain property values.
- They primarily focus on common areas of a neighborhood, such as roads, parks, and pools – but may also stipulate what residents can do with their properties, such as yards and driveways.
- Often these restrictions enforce uniformity on properties, for example, ensuring most houses look the same and all driveways are clear of weeds.
- An HOA rulebook of covenants, conditions, and restrictions (CC&R) is distributed to all residents, and an elected volunteer board of directors enforces these regulations.
- Breaking these rules can result in penalties such as fines and even litigation – as most HOAs are incorporated and subject to state law.
- HOAs are often the subject of controversy, with some members feeling that the rules are too punitive and restricting, or that the leadership has too much power.
- But others like that HOAs give communities the power of self-governance, and can ensure a degree of harmony between residents.
And that number is expected to grow over this year.
The foundation predicts over 3,000 new HOA’s will form in 2024 alone.
Comprising over 30% of the US housing stock, HOA’s focus on maintaining things like roads, parks, and pools and set residents to a standard of specific rules to live by.
These rules, known as covenants, conditions, and restrictions (CC&R), are enforced by an elected volunteer board of directors.
Though protected property values appeal to some residents, others have felt constrained by their HOA, with many residents facing unexpected foreclosures.
Credit Gist New Today News in Newspaper Nigeria Headlines
