Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Who else has an HOA?
My HOA (Homeowner's Assoc.) is strict about some stuff, and totally not strict about other stuff. For instance, sheds are not allowed, but a lot of stuff doesn't get reported (like lawn ornaments, although they are very sparse).
I always worry a little though, and it's usually about eco related stuff. Like the compost bin, which I placed very strategically to avoid any complaints of an eyesore. I was just thinking about it because there was a post about a bat house. I had one before we moved in but was too scared to put it up because it would be pretty obvious and I'm not sure if we'd get in trouble.
I also hang my laundry outside, but I hang the stuff on my patio set LOL, fortunately out of sight of the neighbors. I try to keep stuff low-key, but it seems like a lot of HOA rules are not eco-friendly. I totally can't afford solar panels but they would stick out like a sore thumb.
Re: Who else has an HOA?
My DH is on the board of our HOA. Most of the rules and regulations here were made when the townhomes were built in the 1980s and have not been updated since. Ask to attend a board meeting if you have questions are concerns about anything eco-related or not. I think in most cases as long as it doesn't hurt/disturb anyone, we usually are able to do what we want.
i have an HOA and know it it pretty costly to change the CC&Rs to keep the rules and regulations legally up-to-date. our HOA instead decided to create lists of suggested things to follow so we didn't have to pay to change the CC&Rs - b/c of this we also cannot legally enforce those lists.
most CC&Rs i have seen are more about aesthetics, county/city codes and safety. i haven't seen many that take EF living into consideration. i know hanging clothing lines is an issue for many HOAs.
i would bring your concerns up to the HOA at your next HOA meeting and see what everyone thinks about it. hopefully they will be supportive of your ideas before you bring it up i would read through your CC&Rs and see if there are any areas you think might be related to your ideas.
Our HOA is more concerned about stuff in front of the house, that other people will see driving down the street. Almost anything that's in the backyard is fine. I don't have a clothes line but I do have racks that I dry my clothes on. I've been wanting a compost bin but our yard isn't that big to keep it out of the way. The guys are up on the roof installing our (leased) solar panels right now. Because of the California Solar Act the HOA cannot refuse us installing and using solar panels. They have to approve the plans and we have to show the neighbors who will see them (they're on the back roof) and get their signatures stating they saw the plans...but that's it. Maybe you have something like that where you live?
I like the PP's idea about becoming more active on your HOA board and pushing for more "green".
I loathe my HOA. In fact I have a fantastically inappropriate name I call them when I see them cruising the neighborhood in their golf carts. We can barely park our cars in our driveways without permission to do so. Heaven forbid you do something like have a clothes line. We were forcibly given the option of recycling once a week (DH and I do along with like two other houses out of about 150), but most people just use the container as an extra trash can. The only really fortunate thing for us is the back of our house faces a utility easement so as long as what ever we're doing is hidden from the street by the house we can get away with it, we have iron property fences so no hiding behind a large wooden fence.