BOND

 THE HOA....one of the worst ideas

For over 25 years I have lived in a home with a Homeowners Association. An HOA. Twice before I was an HOA Board Member. To quote my neighbor Ron, "It is a thankless job." 

In 2019 we moved to Hillcrest, a Gated Community on the hills in Carbon Canyon. To our south is the Chino Hills State Park. To our north is Tres Hermanos, a land conservancy. We are just 5 miles away from the city of Brea in a remote quasi wilderness sandwiched between two very large "parks". It's not like Montana but we do have coyotes, deer, and rattlesnakes. See the photo from our yard overlooking the Canyon. 

Six months after we moved in a neighbor invited us over to a meeting. Homeowners had several complaints about the Builder and the HOA the Builder ran. As the Builder wrapped up final construction the HOA became a true Homeowner group. My wife, Pam, was the first HOA President. 

I tried to help get neighbors elected to the HOA Board. Our little community only has 76 homes. Getting elected means, you need 37 votes. It sounds easier than it really is. Many of our neighbors are not from the US. They bought their home for cash as an investment. Some rent the home. Others have never lived here, and the home is empty. Many only visit a couple times a year. They call it their "California House." 

About 50 families live here year-round and only 20 really get involved in the Community. I supported my neighbor, who invited me to their home, to be elected with Pam to the HOA Board. At first it seemed like we were making real progress. Then it went off the rails. My goals and Pam's goals were much different than our neighbors. I want the HOA to do as little as possible. Our neighbor wanted to "get even" with the builder over petty issues like wind screens and irrigation lines.

We ended up in an argument over Landscape. We have over 100 acres to maintain and it is our biggest cost. Our neighbor threatened to sue me, and Pam said she was done and quit the HOA Board. For another year we ignored the HOA. Then our Gates kept breaking. Over 12 times the entrance gates broke or malfunctioned. Many of us questioned why this wasn't being solved. Then two homes were burglarized. We live out in a remote place and nearly everyone goes to work during the day. Homes are vacant for 12 hours. 

Last January homeowners attended an HOA meeting in an attempt to get answers, fix security and gates. The HOA board ignored us. My original neighbor was the new HOA President. The same one who tried to sue me.

So, I began a new campaign to take control of the HOA Board a second time. I asked people to run for vacant Board positions. Nobody wanted to do it. So, in May, I ran for HOA Board, the "thankless job" Ron would not take. I won with just 21 votes. The HOA Board drug out the election and reporting but in the end I won. The Board President quit..."health reasons". The HOA Manager quit..."we need a better fit."

Now I am trying to solve some of our petty problems. It is not easy to build consensus and support for things that need to be done. Everyone has their own good ideas. None of them wanted to run for the HOA Board but they still have their own ideas.

My guess is this will go badly and I, like Pam, will quit to be away from the silly crap.