Post by High Priestess on Feb 25, 2016 8:28:54 GMT
Matt shared on SHaring Economy Group 2 years ago
www.airbnb.com/groups/content/content-22300
HOA CHALLENGES
Hello all,
I was a very successful host before troublesome neighbors in our dysfunctional HOA decided to stick it to me and began to threaten suit against me. I had been renting out my cabin for a day or two at a time and all guests were very respectful of the neighborhood, but theres always a bad apple neighbor willing to stop at nothing to stop hospitality it seems. Right now, I face a few choices:
1). Find a quality 30+ day renter (much harder to do).2). Continue to host for free - using the term "houseguests" instead of "renters". My neighbors HATE the fact that I make money off hosting. They are very jealous but won't admit it. 3). Look for ways to get around old HOA documents that are seemingly impossible to change. 4). Sell my place and run to greener pastures.
I was just wondering if any other hosts have run into HOA challenges like I have recently. This could be a great way to share advice on how to overcome the fly the seat of your pants sort of organizations that almost all HOA's represent.
I also went to a lawyer yesterday and he said that looking through the Davis Stirling Act would be beneficial - to know and understand how HOA's run and operate. I don't have mountains of time on my hand to learn it inside and out, but perhaps someone out there is familiar enough with them to share some insight to repel crony HOA's?
Thank you,
Matt
5 comments
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Michael
Michael2 years ago
HOA?
Reply Like 1 reply
RJ
RJ2 years ago
Michael, you might find it useful to google initials you don't know the meaning of, perhaps even include the word Jargon or Slang in the search.
Matt
Matt2 years ago
Home Owners Association AKA CID's or Common Interest Developments
Reply Like
Michael
Michael2 years ago
Thanks Matt. Here in Boston it's Condo Association but I doubt anyone would figure out CA. For what it's worth my experience with the Condo Association is that cronyism is rampant particularly in groupings of twenty or less. Somehow with larger groups the reality of hiring professionals to administer, service and plan for the association is more easily understood. Subsequently, legal matters and ethical concerns are a little more easily addressed as a result of dis-identifying the issues as exclusively personal. Living with a smaller group is impossibly complex in my experience. Way too much projection of individual needs onto what is a collective phenomena and little understanding that we are all just stewards of property not kings in castles. I moved out, bought a small cottage in Maine. Much happier.
Reply Like
Matt
Matt2 years ago
Hi Michael,
Yes - it's a judgment call and not an easy one at that. I just spent the past two years and countless thousands fixing up my cabin only to get to this point now. I think with rentals, it's better to be further away from nosy neighbors that tend to try to control and dictate my affairs. The problem is: neighbors are almost always welcoming and friendly at first, then as soon as one little ting is out of line, they blow up and make themselves your worst enemy. I have literally been told by a neighbor "I am going to destroy you" -- this is the sort of people that are out here in mass unfortunately. It's why its just better to have land and personal property rights that don't commingle with other homeowner interests.
Reply Like
Lilly & Larry
Lilly & Larry2 years ago
Hi Michael,
In our HOA the owner can not be an absentee owner, thus renting the whole house to one person. There is nothing in our by laws that dictate the rental of part of the property, and frequency of rentals, so hosting for us is legal. Read your by laws to see what the rule is. My gut tells me you are probably within the law on your by laws or the unkind neighbors would have gone to the Board and mandated a compliance letter. My challenge is the state approved our permit request to collect the mandatory bed tax, but the city I rent in declined our permit to collect the bed tax. Being a host brings tourism dollars no matter why they are in your rental. Still renting and working on an appeal.
Reply Like
Deborah
www.airbnb.com/groups/content/content-22300
HOA CHALLENGES
Hello all,
I was a very successful host before troublesome neighbors in our dysfunctional HOA decided to stick it to me and began to threaten suit against me. I had been renting out my cabin for a day or two at a time and all guests were very respectful of the neighborhood, but theres always a bad apple neighbor willing to stop at nothing to stop hospitality it seems. Right now, I face a few choices:
1). Find a quality 30+ day renter (much harder to do).2). Continue to host for free - using the term "houseguests" instead of "renters". My neighbors HATE the fact that I make money off hosting. They are very jealous but won't admit it. 3). Look for ways to get around old HOA documents that are seemingly impossible to change. 4). Sell my place and run to greener pastures.
I was just wondering if any other hosts have run into HOA challenges like I have recently. This could be a great way to share advice on how to overcome the fly the seat of your pants sort of organizations that almost all HOA's represent.
I also went to a lawyer yesterday and he said that looking through the Davis Stirling Act would be beneficial - to know and understand how HOA's run and operate. I don't have mountains of time on my hand to learn it inside and out, but perhaps someone out there is familiar enough with them to share some insight to repel crony HOA's?
Thank you,
Matt
5 comments
Follow
Like
Michael
Michael2 years ago
HOA?
Reply Like 1 reply
RJ
RJ2 years ago
Michael, you might find it useful to google initials you don't know the meaning of, perhaps even include the word Jargon or Slang in the search.
Matt
Matt2 years ago
Home Owners Association AKA CID's or Common Interest Developments
Reply Like
Michael
Michael2 years ago
Thanks Matt. Here in Boston it's Condo Association but I doubt anyone would figure out CA. For what it's worth my experience with the Condo Association is that cronyism is rampant particularly in groupings of twenty or less. Somehow with larger groups the reality of hiring professionals to administer, service and plan for the association is more easily understood. Subsequently, legal matters and ethical concerns are a little more easily addressed as a result of dis-identifying the issues as exclusively personal. Living with a smaller group is impossibly complex in my experience. Way too much projection of individual needs onto what is a collective phenomena and little understanding that we are all just stewards of property not kings in castles. I moved out, bought a small cottage in Maine. Much happier.
Reply Like
Matt
Matt2 years ago
Hi Michael,
Yes - it's a judgment call and not an easy one at that. I just spent the past two years and countless thousands fixing up my cabin only to get to this point now. I think with rentals, it's better to be further away from nosy neighbors that tend to try to control and dictate my affairs. The problem is: neighbors are almost always welcoming and friendly at first, then as soon as one little ting is out of line, they blow up and make themselves your worst enemy. I have literally been told by a neighbor "I am going to destroy you" -- this is the sort of people that are out here in mass unfortunately. It's why its just better to have land and personal property rights that don't commingle with other homeowner interests.
Reply Like
Lilly & Larry
Lilly & Larry2 years ago
Hi Michael,
In our HOA the owner can not be an absentee owner, thus renting the whole house to one person. There is nothing in our by laws that dictate the rental of part of the property, and frequency of rentals, so hosting for us is legal. Read your by laws to see what the rule is. My gut tells me you are probably within the law on your by laws or the unkind neighbors would have gone to the Board and mandated a compliance letter. My challenge is the state approved our permit request to collect the mandatory bed tax, but the city I rent in declined our permit to collect the bed tax. Being a host brings tourism dollars no matter why they are in your rental. Still renting and working on an appeal.
Reply Like
Deborah