Judge says Ferentz can stiff neighbors on HOA fees

[mopkins]

Had a HOA when I lived in AZ. They do suck! Every year the fee went up.

I was part of a smaller HOA for a couple years and at the end of the year we had something like $85,000 leftover in the fund and there was a meeting to figure out what to do with it. I suggested we either give some of the money back to the people or lower the fees the next year and I got the most wicked looks I've ever seen in my life. Instead people overwhelmingly voted to spend $20,000 building a fountain

 

[ssckelley]

I was part of a smaller HOA for a couple years and at the end of the year we had something like $85,000 leftover in the fund and there was a meeting to figure out what to do with it. I suggested we either give some of the money back to the people or lower the fees the next year and I got the most wicked looks I've ever seen in my life. Instead people overwhelmingly voted to spend $20,000 building a fountain

Dang, what about the other $65K?

 

[mopkins]

Dang, what about the other $65K?

Well it was for townhouses not homes, so I think they keep a fund for stuff like lawn care, snow removal, etc. Supposedly every 20 years they use that fund to give everyone a new roof, but who knows if that ever happened. I moved out way before that.

 

[HaydenHawk56]

Why is that "funny"? Would you pay any sum of money to a group that you want nothing to do with? (And if you would, why?) If I lived in a place that had an HOA spring up around where I chose to build my home, I definitely wouldn't pay either.

I would say to end the distraction and be done with it. 9,200 is nothing to them. But, if he wants to take the moral high ground, that is their right.

 

[TJHawkeye]

Once you give in and pay them once, they will be back for more to pay for any idiotic idea they want and you don't.

 

[4thngoal]

I'm betting that the next house KF or his kids build, they will buy 35 acres or so.
I'm not sure what the minimum in Iowa is for a hobby farm classification, but that might be an avenue for his attorney to look into.
There is a reason people build places away from other people. Just like when you decide to build a house in the mountains or woods, you don't do it then complain about the wildlife.
Personally, I'd bury the neighbors in debt.
I would point blank let it be known, I won't ever back down and I don't care what it costs, you have now declared war on me and have thus become my new project. Never mind that my legal fees because of you will be deducted from my gifts to the hospital.
I bet the news would have a hay day with that.
No sir, I politely declined and you were an asshole. An asshole that needs to learn a lesson.

 

[Hawknigh]

Once you give in and pay them once, they will be back for more to pay for any idiotic idea they want and you don't.

Particularly if your neighbor is trying to develop the out-of-the-way property into a subdivision!

 

[JoeyLabasForPresident]

Look, pal, homeowners associations do important work. They make sure you’re taking care of the weeds, not storing junk cars on cinder block on your yard, not tossing old appliances out the back, keeping the house painted in “approved” HOA colors, They also pay to maintain common areas — home addition entrances, trees, roads.

In short, HOAs serve to keep home values up and the riff-raff out.

Really sad that the Iowa football coach, with his extremely lucrative salary and benefits, doesn’t feel he needs to be a part of that and contribute just a few thousand dollars to keep the ‘hood up. He probably also supports right-to-work.

Beyond that, the neighbors with their meager resources get stuck with the court costs of trying to get him and his entitled family to do what’s right.

Now you’re dissing on right-to-work?

 

[HaydenHawk56]

The HOA did not exist when Kirk and Fam built their house there. The neighborhood grew up around them. Then the neighbors decided they wanted an HOA. Kirk and Fam said they did not want to be in it. HOA puts a lein on KF's house and then sues him. Does that sound like the right thing to you?

I am not defending him because he is KF. I am admonishing the neighbors because they tried to force their HOA on them.

And enough socialist bullcrap about how he should just pay it because he makes a lot of money. Why should he pay for something he isn't part of and doesn't want?

The problem is though, Ferentz is not a king and we live in a democracy. So, I don't blame the neighbors their in that way. He lives in that neighborhood and the majority voted for a HOA. Now, the judge saw it Ferentz's way....at least in the first round of things..so that's that.

I think this is a silly little thing. 9,200 is nothing for money bags.

 

[4thngoal]

The problem is though, Ferentz is not a king and we live in a democracy. So, I don't blame the neighbors their in that way. He lives in that neighborhood and the majority voted for a HOA. Now, the judge saw it Ferentz's way....at least in the first round of things..so that's that.

I think this is a silly little thing. 9,200 is nothing for money bags.

Well then neither is the rate increase Alliant energy is wanting.
" if I were to buckle under the social weight of the system by adhering to laws that I do not truly believe in, then I would be extinguishing the very fire of patriotism and individuality."

 

[JoeyLabasForPresident]

The problem is though, Ferentz is not a king and we live in a democracy. So, I don't blame the neighbors their in that way. He lives in that neighborhood and the majority voted for a HOA. Now, the judge saw it Ferentz's way....at least in the first round of things..so that's that.

I think this is a silly little thing. 9,200 is nothing for money bags.

Yeah, that’s not how our democracy works. In fact, our constitution guarantees a freedom of association - and by definition disassociation. The majority in the neighborhood voted to join in a voluntary private contractual agreement. They don’t then get to force that down other property owners’ throats. You’re right, $9,200 isn’t much for him. That’s the point. Go through the courts to force his hand in joining the HOA and then force him to spend his money how you see fit.

 

[GesterHawk]

The problem is though, Ferentz is not a king and we live in a democracy. So, I don't blame the neighbors their in that way. He lives in that neighborhood and the majority voted for a HOA. Now, the judge saw it Ferentz's way....at least in the first round of things..so that's that.

I think this is a silly little thing. 9,200 is nothing for money bags.

I vote we solidify our online community and make HH56 pay $9000 so that we don't have to have as many pop up adds.

Your neighbors should no be able to force you to join into a legally binding covenant after the fact.

The amount of money is meaningless. How much of your money are you willing to give your neighbors for something you don't want, knowing that it will open the door to them taking what they want when they want?

 

[GesterHawk]

The problem is though, Ferentz is not a king and we live in a democracy. So, I don't blame the neighbors their in that way. He lives in that neighborhood and the majority voted for a HOA. Now, the judge saw it Ferentz's way....at least in the first round of things..so that's that.

I think this is a silly little thing. 9,200 is nothing for money bags.

Also, we don't live in a democracy. We live in a constitutional republic founded on democratic principals.

 

[JoeyLabasForPresident]

Also, we don't live in a democracy. We live in a constitutional republic founded on democratic principals.

This is a silly quibble. We also live in a democracy, but not a direct democracy (At least not on the federal level). A presidential republic is a form of democracy.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democracy

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Presidential_system

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democratic_republic

Edit: I’ve used Wikipedia as an easy source, but obviously you can find other sources if you aren’t happy with that.

 

[Adam]

Look, pal, homeowners associations do important work. They make sure you’re taking care of the weeds, not storing junk cars on cinder block on your yard, not tossing old appliances out the back, keeping the house painted in “approved” HOA colors, They also pay to maintain common areas — home addition entrances, trees, roads.

In short, HOAs serve to keep home values up and the riff-raff out.

Really sad that the Iowa football coach, with his extremely lucrative salary and benefits, doesn’t feel he needs to be a part of that and contribute just a few thousand dollars to keep the ‘hood up. He probably also supports right-to-work.

Beyond that, the neighbors with their meager resources get stuck with the court costs of trying to get him and his entitled family to do what’s right.

You need to do more research before you spout aspersions about what is right.

 

[Adam]

The thing I find funny is that Ferentz could not just cough up the 9,200.00 dollars from the seats of his sofas. Pocket change to him.

Rich people fight petty things on principle too. Did you think that was just for poor people?

 

[Adam]

The problem is though, Ferentz is not a king and we live in a democracy. So, I don't blame the neighbors their in that way. He lives in that neighborhood and the majority voted for a HOA. Now, the judge saw it Ferentz's way....at least in the first round of things..so that's that.

I think this is a silly little thing. 9,200 is nothing for money bags.

Do you typically submit, because resistance is too hard?

 

[BVHawk95]

The problem is though, Ferentz is not a king and we live in a democracy. So, I don't blame the neighbors their in that way. He lives in that neighborhood and the majority voted for a HOA. Now, the judge saw it Ferentz's way....at least in the first round of things..so that's that.

I think this is a silly little thing. 9,200 is nothing for money bags.

That's a terrible comparison. A) HOA's have nothing to do with democracy or government. B) That's like saying Native Americans should have just rolled over and accepted US rule because "it's a democracy".

KF was there first. He was there before the HOA, and he wanted no part in it, fees OR benefits.

If KF was somehow profiting off of the HOA's existence while not paying his dues, maybe you'd have a point. But he's not, so he shouldn't have to pay, which the courts rightfully agreed with.

 

[HaydenHawk56]

You need to do more research before you spout aspersions about what is right.

Ha, your opinion. Some of you are taking this way to seriously. I think this is a silly legal thing anyway. Pissing over 9500 dollars.

 

[HaydenHawk56]

Rich people fight petty things on principle too. Did you think that was just for poor people?

No and I said just as much.