By Rob Hallberg, Long Realty

I hesitated writing this article, as HOA’s are often a controversial subject. Some Homeowners are for them, while others would not live in a neighborhood that has one. So let’s start by establishing what an HOA is for.

An HOA’s primary duty is to maintain or enhance the value of homes in a neighborhood, which they do by creating rules. reason. HOA’s elect Board Members to enforce these rules, which is often where problems arise.

The most common violation is the presence of weeds. If weeds become too overgrown, that may impact – negatively – the values of homes. As it is the HOA’s responsibility to maintain home values, they will send out notices of violations.

And this is where there is often disagreement – a few small weeds may be an important violation to some HOAs, while homeowners might complain that they are being excessive.

Homeowners usually have a point, as weeds will emerge just a few days after it rains, before they have time to address them. HOA Boards need to consider these factors and be “reasonable” in enforcement.

But Homeowners with a bad infestation need to understand the HOA is not out to “get them” but are enforcing the rules to maintain home values. And that is a good thing, right?