Martyr or Maniac? Georgia Tech Edition.

[JDjacket]

Its a slow work day...

Pay any $25 fine in pennies

 

[tmhunter52]

I am in a good vs. evil battle of epic proportions and am asking this unbiased group to provide feedback or validation.

Situation: My HOA Board has nothing better to do - shocker. After living in the neighborhood for 10+ years, the current Board decided this past fall that we needed greater uniformity with our mailboxes. To start, everyone has the same cookie-cutter black mailbox. The variation at the time was the mailbox flag color. The split? Roughly 50% red and 50% yellow. What did the HOA decide? Red was the "preferred" color.

My Response: First, my legitimate interpretation was that "preferred" does not equal "required". So what did I do? I painted my mailbox like a loyal rule-abiding homeowner and found the brightest yellow I could find for my mailbox flag.

The Fallout: I've been told for the last 7 months that while there is no actual rule re: the mailbox flag color, the Board has the right to enforce this. The lemmings across the neighborhood have left me with an 86 red/3 yellow split. If I do not submit to this atrocity, we will be fined $25/month. My wife considers my actions petty (Maniac). I'm petty? No, the Board is petty. I feel like I am doing God's work (Martyr). It has been important that I let the Board know my true feelings about this and document such in writing to the property management group, which has been deemed "embarrassing" and "I don't want to hear about it, ever, again" by the other half.

Am I a martyr or a maniac? What next steps do you recommend? This has life-changing decision written all over it, and I'm not sure what to do.

Are you a martyr or maniac? Apparently, yes.

 

[gtwcf]

Get 2 similar colors of red....base layer the flag with one of the red, and write THWg with the other....

"You said you wanted red"

 

[stech81]

check your covenant you signed when you moved in your subdivision, if you signed it is legally binding. If your problem with the mail box is not in the covenant then check the bylaws on how changes can be made. this should be done by putting out for a vote by all home owners.

 

[LibertyTurns]

I’ve pushed back successfully twice, lost once and on house sale was compelled to pay up a third time. Yes, if it’s not in the CC&Rs in the copy you had the peckerhead HOA nazis might have slipped it in afterwards particularly in that transition phase between the builder controlling the HOA and the power hungry neighborhood standards enforcer running their campaign and getting elected. Taking them to small claims court, requesting documents as part of impending legal suits, calling the police for stalking and harassment and other irritating forms behavior to push back such as finding violations on the HOA board members properties are the best tactics.

 

[deeeznutz]

You’re a martyr, you should fight this all the way to the top. Or, alternately, sell your house to move somewhere without an HOA and burn that entire neighborhood to the ground. HOAs are the devil

 

[jacketup]

We have the federal government, state government, county government, city government. That's too much already. Why do people volunteer for yet another layer of government called an HOA that is typically run by busybodies? I do not and would not live in a subdivision with an HOA.

Mindboggling, but what is just as mindboggling is people going to the polls every November and voting their freedoms away. But that is what most people do.

 

[iceeater1969]

1. Give $400 (25*12) to gtaa each year.

2. Paint a defiant 1/4" gold and while stripe around the bottom of the box. Paint inside white and bottom gold.

3. If not disallowed by Rules , put irrigated pot or a flower bed next to mail box. Plant vine which blooms yellow . Be sure to keep trimmed for mail delivery . Keep good relations w carrier( cookie at Christmas) and photo document it.

Never sue them as covenants usually say u pay their fees if u dont win. Partial win very expensive.

 

[smokey_wasp]

Call their bluff. I hate HOAs. As soon as I am able, I am getting out of mine.

(This is not legal advice. I am not responsible for the consequences. Lol)

 

[lv20gt]

I'd just change the flag color because it's not a big deal and it'll get people off your backside.

On the otherhand, just ignore the fines and don't pay and see what happens.

 

[Dustman]

Remove the mailbox flag. I never use mine anyway.

 

[Whiskey_Clear]

I am in a good vs. evil battle of epic proportions and am asking this unbiased group to provide feedback or validation.

Situation: My HOA Board has nothing better to do - shocker. After living in the neighborhood for 10+ years, the current Board decided this past fall that we needed greater uniformity with our mailboxes. To start, everyone has the same cookie-cutter black mailbox. The variation at the time was the mailbox flag color. The split? Roughly 50% red and 50% yellow. What did the HOA decide? Red was the "preferred" color.

My Response: First, my legitimate interpretation was that "preferred" does not equal "required". So what did I do? I painted my mailbox like a loyal rule-abiding homeowner and found the brightest yellow I could find for my mailbox flag.

The Fallout: I've been told for the last 7 months that while there is no actual rule re: the mailbox flag color, the Board has the right to enforce this. The lemmings across the neighborhood have left me with an 86 red/3 yellow split. If I do not submit to this atrocity, we will be fined $25/month. My wife considers my actions petty (Maniac). I'm petty? No, the Board is petty. I feel like I am doing God's work (Martyr). It has been important that I let the Board know my true feelings about this and document such in writing to the property management group, which has been deemed "embarrassing" and "I don't want to hear about it, ever, again" by the other half.

Am I a martyr or a maniac? What next steps do you recommend? This has life-changing decision written all over it, and I'm not sure what to do.

Can we vote for yes to both? lol

Belongs in the lounge

 

[stech81]

I'd just change the flag color because it's not a big deal and it'll get people off your backside.

On the otherhand, just ignore the fines and don't pay and see what happens.

After time ( and certain amount of money) they will put a lien on the house which I guess is not big deal till you sell it .

 

[TheSilasSonRising]

It isn’t your fault that some ugag vandal comes by every night and spreads Yellow Mustard on thr red mailbox flag.

 

[dhbartlett12]

Honestly, regain your independance and move.

 

[UgaBlows]

Cut your mailbox down and get a PO box

 

[dhbartlett12]

When we placed a lien on one of our builders, it cost us $120. So find out what the smallest offense is and do it over and over, making them place a lien each time, then pay. Then make a hobby of it.

 

[CuseJacket]

1. Give $400 (25*12) to gtaa each year.

2. Paint a defiant 1/4" gold and while stripe around the bottom of the box. Paint inside white and bottom gold.

3. If not disallowed by Rules , put irrigated pot or a flower bed next to mail box. Plant vine which blooms yellow . Be sure to keep trimmed for mail delivery . Keep good relations w carrier( cookie at Christmas) and photo document it.

Never sue them as covenants usually say u pay their fees if u dont win. Partial win very expensive.

On #3, I have a separate Martyr or Maniac, without a confrontation.. We had a large maple cut down in our front yard. City requires that we replant. Wife and I go to a nursery and discuss the merits of specific trees. All I'll say is it's really easy to discard trees when you know the color of their bloom and fall foliage... nothing shall be red.

Turning this thread into something not about me, I'm curious if others have made similar GT-related decisions that make sense to you, but get the side eye from others. Have to believe there's some good stories out there.

 

[Techster]

Paint the side that's always showing red. Keep the other side yellow, and add the interlocking "GT" symbol to that side.

Only time anyone will see it is if you have outgoing mail, even then I doubt anyone pays attention in that small window between the time you put it up and the time the postman (or lady) comes. It's a small protest, and your soul can feel good every time you have to mail something out.

 

[LibertyTurns]

Call their bluff. I hate HOAs. As soon as I am able, I am getting out of mine.

(This is not legal advice. I am not responsible for the consequences. Lol)

It’s a lot nicer not being in an HOA having recently relocated to a non-HOA area.

That being said you either need to be far enough away from your neighbors where it doesn’t matter or move to an area where the $$ keeps the rotting winnebago/eyesore no longer seaworthy boat/ yard full of broken down truck and car *******s away.