If Ya Can't Beat 'Em, Join 'Em!

A few weeks ago,
I posted about a new Board forming our HOA.

Little did I know what changes that would bring.

In the past, we've gotten letters about

moving our rain barrel,

our lawn,

recycle bins being left out,

our lawn,

our sunflowers being too tall

and

our lawn.

The new Board, I'm pleased to say,

seems quite a bit more reasonable
than the last few we've had.

A homeowner can actually breathe.

We still don't like HOA's,

but since we are here until our home sells,

at least we don't feel the irritation
of dealing with ornery folks.

One Board member enlisted my help
in clearing some of the brush

from a few of the abandoned homes in the neighborhood.

It was easy enough to do and I was glad to help.


This same member asked me to help out with the newsletter,
as the editor was unable to complete the task
due to personal reasons.
We worked together to create this publication.

It was a pleasure to be part of

changing the sour attitude of past notices

to one of positivity.

The new Board we have is using

the list of volunteers to better the neighborhood.

That's a step in the right direction.

I'm grateful for having the chance to

use my skills in support of my community.

My, how things have a way of working themselves out.



Coming to Terms

When we bought this house 7 years ago,
we didn't think too much about the HOA.
Our previous home was on a 1-acre lot with
no deed restrictions, and the neighbors could
pretty much do as they pleased.
What an awakening this change brought.
The HOA here has written us up for quite a few things,
mostly having to do with our lawn.
My letters of concern have gone unanswered,
representatives of the management company
have been downright rude and unprofessional,
and feelings of hostility have been harbored.

No more.
There's a new sheriff Board in the neighborhood
and I aim to make peace.
I know that we cannot move forward with our
homesteading plans until things are resolved where we are.
Several neighbors have even been volunteering our time
to clean up the yards of some of the abandoned homes
in the neighborhood.
It feels like the right way to approach this dilemma.

Don't get me wrong.
We will
NEVER
live in a deed-restricted community again.
It's not for us.
I've never been a follower.
I've had my issues with authority figures.
I'm a law-abiding citizen, but I like doing things my own way.
I just dance to my own drum, always have,
so I shoulda known better.
But live and learn, right?
We now know that we don't ever want to be in a situation where someone who is not paying the taxes on our house
is able to make decisions about our yard,
paint color, mailbox or how many windchimes we can have.

Until we are able to move on to the next phase in our
homesteading adventure,
we are embracing what is.
As gardening is such a part of my daily life,
and I've been working on creating a backyard habitat,
I found the following checklist mighty handy
for those of us who want what we want
but need to conform (ouch, that word hurts) to the rules.

Be Floridian in an HOA



How to incorporate new, smarter gardening techniques
in your deed-restricted community

People who love Florida know that the right landscaping
can make your yard look beautiful without requiring
a lot of maintenance. And that means you can spend
more time fishing, boating or relaxing
instead of toiling in the yard each weekend.
People who love Florida also know
that plants suited to our unique climate need
less fertilizer to thrive.
And that helps protect our lakes and bays from the icky
algae blooms that feed on fertilizer runoff,
killing fish and ruining our fun.


A 2009 Florida law gave homeowners in deed-restricted communities the right
to adopt a Florida-friendly approach to their yards.
No, this does not mean you can
rip up your lawn and turn it into a gravel parking lot
for your boat.
And yes, this is exactly what your homeowners association
is afraid of.
If you want to change your landscaping
to incorporate more plants that are suited
to the Florida climate,
start by looking at it from your HOA’s point of view.
After all, it is their responsibility to protect
your community property values.
That means they are looking out for you.
So before you begin, be sure to know your rights.
But be sure also to remember your neighborly manners.
Ready to get started?

4 steps to getting HOA approval for your yard makeover


1. First, read your HOA documents.
They will spell out your landscape requirements,
which may be different from
what your neighbors say they are.
Many deed restrictions do not require grass;
or if they do, they may not require a certain type.
But almost all require plants covering most of a home site.


2. Do your homework.
Sketch out what changes you want to make
to your landscape, and draw up a simple design
you can show your HOA board.
Help them visualize what you want to do.
Show them photos of the plants you want to use,
or completed landscapes similar to what you envision.
If you are totally clueless about landscape design,
hire a designer or gardening coach.
Our Be Floridian partners are great resources.
It’s not as expensive as you might think,
and their professional expertise may help
the HOA approval process go more smoothly.


3. Be prepared.
Write a formal letter to your HOA requesting permission
to make your landscape more Florida-friendly.
Mention that Florida law now allows homeowners
even in deed-restricted neighborhoods to install
Florida-friendly landscapes.
Keep it cordial and positive; don’t assume
they will say no or be unreasonable.
Request a meeting so that you can
show them your beautiful landscape design,
and tell them in person how your changes
will enhance the community and protect the environment,
which in turn protects property values
by keeping Tampa Bay an attractive place to live.
Be willing to negotiate.


4. Be patient.
Remember that most HOA boards are composed of residents
who volunteer to serve. They are busy just like you.
Give them time to get back to you, and don’t pester them. Make sure you start the HOA approval
process well before you actually
want to start digging up grass and moving dirt.
For example, if you plan a spring makeover,
lay the groundwork in the winter.
Save yourself a lot of trouble and don’t start
until you secure approval from your HOA.


Visit BeFloridian.org for more ideas
on how to garden the Florida way.

Hangin' Us Out to Dry...

If you look at my profile, you may notice

that I'm not exactly thrilled with where we live.

For various reasons, we decided to buy in a gated community. 

~BIG MISTAKE!~

I've posted a few times about our HOA

and the violation notices we've received about

our rain barrel, our lawn (UGH!)

and our sunflowers being too tall.  I kid you not.

Until we are able to sell our house and move north,

we have to make do with where we are.

One of our goals is to reduce our expenses

and use natural resources whenever possible.

I found a loophole in the HOA covenants.

There's a section in the documents

that addresses clotheslines.

That's all I needed to find out.

Recipe for Dry Clothes

Ingredients:

 1 contraband clothesline

 1 hole digger

1 support pole

1 bag each of crushed rock and quick-dry cement

Directions:

Rocks go into the hole...

creating a luscious first layer.

Next comes the cement

Add water, mix well.

 Check for level

Remaining ingredients pieces await the drying cement

Add toppings

Ta-da!

It looks like we'll get to use it this week

as there is not much rain in the forecast.

It feels like one small victory for us

and Mother Nature.

Let's just keep this between us, eh?

**Update**

Whoo-hoo!

(Simple things make me happy.)

I feel like such a renegade...

We Got Water, Folks!

Last week we did something that should have been done

when we first bought this house.

We got hooked up to our own water.

As is evident by the bare patches in the front yard,

rain water is the only thing that seems

to keep this grass going.

Since rain is scarce here, a well is the next best thing.

We had the choice to continue replacing sod

to avoid fines from the HOA,

or installing a well to keep the grass growing.

Although the equipment looked like something

out of a museum, it did the job.  

The owner of the company said he's been

doing this kind of work for 30 years.

How many people can say that nowadays?

They went about their work,

finding a spot on the side of the house.

Fortunately, our electric and water access

are on the same side of the house.

It costs more if it's not.

Nice jacuzzi, huh?

The actual drilling took the longest.

It still required some hands-on work.

Although I'm grateful there's water to be had,

I'm not crazy about the idea that we had to spend $1600

to keep fines at bay due to something beyond our control.

I'm trying to look at it as one more step in our

drive to be more self-sufficient.

It'll make our home more attractive to buyers,

so we thought it would pay off in the end.

The kicker is that Big K suggested I go out

and buy a few plants to put around the pump area.

No need to ask me twice!

Our neighbor started us off with a peace lily.

Considering how I feel about

living under the rules of the HOA,

I'd say that's quite fitting.

Thanks for the reminder, God

to keep peace as my constant companion.