I just built a new home in an area that has a POA, I am not a member but their newly formed POA seems to be kinda farfetched. The Pres. is very nosey, always caught him in my house checking the construction, I'd ask him why he was in my house without me there and he said he has a right to make sure I buils suitable to the POA, I told him but I'm not a member of his POA and he insist I have to join and pay dues or they will put a lein AGAINST MY PROPERTY. I had lights installed at all doorway entances, I have 1 leg and don't walk well in the dark, with my wife being in the hosp from a stroke, we havent moved in yet, but all our furniture and valuables ar in the house so I leave all my exterior lights on for security, I'm talking normal coach lights mounted on the house, well today mr. Pres. called me and said I couldnt leave my lights on at night, I do not have any closs neighbors, all wooded land, closest house at least a football feild away, but he said my lights are a nuicence when the heighbor drives by, wow blows my mind. My question is DO I HAVE TO TAKE THIS BULL ?

Probably, if you have a home owners association, with annual dues, elected officers and etc.

You need to go back and look at the covenants for when you bought the land. If you had a builder that built several homes there they would have told you if the homeowners association was mandatory. If the POA was just formed then you should be grandfathered from joining. When I bought my home it was mandatory to join the HOA and the associated dues. I do feel that he is overstepping his bounds by going into your house. The POA has nothing to do with the interior of a home but can control things such as exterior colors, lights, etc. I would be mad as well if I caught in him in my house.

Sounds all ok so far, I don't mind following rules, my problem is this pres. lights his place up like a christmas tree, I asked him about his and he said for me to keep my eyes on his place and when he turns his off he expects me to turn mine off, i asked him if there is a lights out time in their poa rules and he said no but you have to follow me. He has 2 big dogs that are always craping in my yard and i asked him to keep his dogs off my property and he says it aggread on by everybody in the neighbor hood that his dog can roam whereever they want to, he claims they are kinda the neighbor hood dogs, I asked about my dogs and he said no, you have to put a fence up to keep yours at bay. Kinda weird.

That guy is full of [censored] about the dogs. If yours need to be fenced then so do his. There is no rule that you have to follow that he doesn't. As far as the other stuff you're just stuck with it if you have a POA in the neighborhood. This guy sounds like all the rest of the 'presidents" of these HOAs, a bully with no life, so he gets in everyone elses business.

James, unfortunately, if you signed the HOA/POA contract,
you are bound by their rules.
after spending 8 years in an HOA-controled subdivision, I'm used to their heavy-handed, Gestapo-like tactics.
if all he is threatening is to put a lean on your property, it is not collectible until the sale of your property, and if you're smart,and extrememly patient you will be there long after the entity that filed the lean will be.
other than that, you're screwed, and it sucks. beleive me I know
-Brian

About the dogs, look at the city codes or city animal control. Most cities have leash laws. Take lots of photos and document everything.

No I never signed anything, bought the property with cash, with a clear deed, built my home cash, not thru a contractor, heck didn't even have to give them a copy of my house plans because there was no POA when I built, they just formed a POA and when I asked why I wasn't informed about a meeting to form a POA he said it was a closed door, invitation only meeting and I wasn't invited because they warent sure of my background.

We are way outside the city limits.

talk to a lawyer


if he is nosin in your house then you should have right to nose in his

I would not put up with it and you can have his [censored] for trespassing and harrassment

If this is the case then the POA has no control over you. Talk to a lawyer to make sure though.

When his dogs come to your property call the animal control from whatever county you live in and have them picked up.And with him being inside your house when you are not there,i believe he is trespassing.Call the sheriffs dept. and file a trespass complaint.I don't care who he is ,he is not above the law on either point.Obviously nobody has stood their ground with him before and now he feels like he can do what he wants.Good Luck!

thanks guys, think i will talk to an attorney, i actually feel a good poa can be good for the neighbor hood, but this guy is trying to control us too much, bad move to try to control a Viet Nam Vet! Can come back to bite him hard.

heck yea call a lawyer!! u spent ur hard earned money for the property n house. what was said earlier, u would be grandfathered from the newly formed poa. dont let them take advantage of you.

Don't assume or take ANYBODY's word. Go the the Clerk of the Court and pull what is on record AT THE COURTHOUSE...Nothing else matters. Look for Covenants and Retrictions and or a reference that you are bound by a POA/HOA Registered at the courthouse. Read and understand what is on file. Then you'll know fer sure.

You should have got a complete printout at your CLOSING which you were mandated to sign.

PS..the dog thing is BS. That is governed by State/County law and you can't abrogate that to any HOA or verbal agreement