HOA tells Clearwater officer to move her police cruiser into her garage or face legal action

A Clearwater police officer is facing an ultimatum in her East Lake neighborhood: Stop parking her marked police cruiser in her driveway, or pay hundreds of dollars in violation costs.

[christophermartin]

I have never heard one positive story about an HOA in my entire life.

[joshglassman]

I’m a general contractor and have never come across a HOA that wasn’t corrupt or filled with childish egotistical, arrogant people.

[michaelpcoffee]

I will never sign away my property rights.
'We'll let you buy it; but we won't let you own it.'. Is insane.

[yummm]

My current HOA president is an absolute Karen.

[gordonramsay]

"Move the car, or we're calling the police."

"I am the police."

[kevinbishop]

the fact people buy houses knowing a community of others can dictate what you do with your own property is insane to me.

[mikegordon]

Had a friend who lived in a HOA neighborhood. Pick up trucks were not allowed to park within the neighborhood unless garaged. Contractors were only allowed access during business hours. I drive a beater pickup and they always seen me coming, it got to the point where I would harass them with my presence. They would try to call a tow service to remove me but the tow service said they were responsible for the bill if no law was being broken. Since I was a visitor I just told them to kiss my trailing part.

[WillC]

I still don't understand why anyone would ever live in a HOA community. The thought of someone telling me what I can and can't do to or on my property blows my mind.

[michaelbrown]

And the lesson here: NEVER buy a home with an HOA !

[davidwhite]

Easy way to fix this, never live in an HOA community.

[wickedbird]

😮😮My 94 year old mom loves having 2 police cars park near to her house. Break ins just don’t happen often on her block.

[nightlightabcd]

Why would anyone buy a house under HOA?!

[patmcbride]

One simple rule: Do NOT live in an HOA development. EVER!

[rrbone]

Moral of the story: never move to a place with a homeowners association.

[arguz]

The sad part is that the officer has to spend his money on attorneys fees for this litigation and the HOA spends “YOURS” to validate their power 🙄🤦‍♂️🤷‍♂️

[uknighthuntingvision]

We in the U.K. have gated communities as well, but in no way, are we dictated by any group such as a HOA. Our house, our rules!

[ab]

HOA's are places where Karens do their on-the-job training!

[tigersete]

For those looking for updates:

The HOA yielded because there was a grandfathered in permission from the former HOA that "let" the officer park her unmarked police vehicle. The new HOA said that the next owner must sign an affidavit explicitly acknowledging they are not to park government vehicles in the drive way. Clearwater HOA has not issued a comment beyond "speak to our attorneys"

After hearing that multiple HOA's and their parental management companies are not allowing marked or unmarked government vehicles to park in their perspective driveways, state legislators passed and signed a bill into law allowing Marked and Unmarked government issued vehicles to park in their neighborhoods and in their driveways.

Clearwater HOA to this day has made no further comments.

[davidhall]

How are these HOA's able to wield so much power and assert so much control?

[sd]

Remember if you hate freedom and love rules then move into a HOA