Neighborhood Associations

[cindycat]

In looking to move to the OKC area, we find that almost everything these days is being built as a gated community. I assume there are neighborhood associations in those areas. When we lived in OKC before, we had a few CC&R's (no pigs, no sheep) but no formal association. Here in western Washington, I'm secretary of an association that always has someone fighting with someone. There are people who, because of past actions, refuse to have other people in their homes. The main subject of contention is the view - the mountains and water views. A house is a foot outside the building envelope or a tree intrudes into someone's view by six inches. I've told my neighbors I won't have to worry about that in central Oklahoma because there won't be a view!!

Do any of you have experience with neighborhood associations in the OKC area?

Thanks.

[bretthexum]

They mean well, but sometimes they are a pain in the arse. It really varies between communities. And then you get the enforcement police (usually an old lady with nothing better to do). One had the nerve to tell us a family members car was parked too long on the street while they stayed for a week.

They do help keep the neighborhoods cleaner but some of the rules are just ridiculous. Again - varies by neighborhood.

[metro]

That's such a broad question, you really need to paint a smaller picture of what areas of town or specific neighborhoods your interested in. Obviously, the public at large aren't near as vocal or educated on such issues as people are in the PAC-NW, but that is rapidly changing and long overdue. I'd encourage you to call Neighborhood Alliance Neighborhood Alliance , they are the non-profit that basically serves as a central hub for all the neighborhood associations. They can help you out and give you advice more specific to what you are looking for. I'm assuming your interested in Edmond since you're posting this in Edmond, Edmond for the most part is an upscale gated bedroom community.

[SoonerDave]

There are as many associations as there are neighborhoods, some good, some bad, and it all goes back to the people in them. There's really no way of knowing how any one group might behave from year to year based on how the ownership in the area changes, leadership changes, things of that nature.

I think you run the same risk of finding either extreme down here; good, constructive groups on one hand, and anal-retentive power-tripping wannabes on the other. They can make your life absolutely miserable should they so desire...which is the primary reason I don't like them...but that's an entirely different philosophical debate.

[kevinpate]

> anal-retentive power-tripping wannabes

No conclusive evidence to support the claim, but my general sense, garnered from customers in several spots around OKC and in Oklahoma generally, is that ARPTW's are the fastest growing demographic in the HOA communities, and they like to become HOA officers.

You likely couldn't give me a home covered by the typical HOA agreement, unless it was a no strings gift. Then I could sell it to someone I did not like very much and live elsewhere.

[SoonerDave]

Maybe its an unfortunate consequence of human nature, but it is frustrating that it seems too many well-intentioned HOA's morph into monsters, and then typically just by the dreaded ARPTW's. A neighborhood I lived in several years ago didn't have a "formal" HOA, we just had a very handy retired gentleman who didn't mind handling the yard work in the common area (it was a small neighborhood), and we just divvied up his gas expense along with a few other items. We even had a block party one year. I'm no expert, but that was a pretty nice "HOA" in my book....

..then I hear about people who just live to mak others miserable, eg flagpole diameters, mailbox height, and I just shake my head....