If you think things are rough, let me tell you a little story re:my HOA:
-
If you think things are rough, let me tell you a little story re:my HOA:
My neighborhood HOA was very chill... so chill I never heard from them. Until suddenly the board sold us out to a management corp who jacked up our fees & vowed to crank up "enforcement" (sound familiar? it gets better)
1/n -
If you think things are rough, let me tell you a little story re:my HOA:
My neighborhood HOA was very chill... so chill I never heard from them. Until suddenly the board sold us out to a management corp who jacked up our fees & vowed to crank up "enforcement" (sound familiar? it gets better)
1/n...my suburban neighborhood RIOTED. And by "riot" I mean the local plugged-in mom-realtor called *me* because I'm the local trouble maker with my rainbow lights, political signs, solar, and native garden.
Fam, I did not know this woman but she knew just who to call.
2/n -
...my suburban neighborhood RIOTED. And by "riot" I mean the local plugged-in mom-realtor called *me* because I'm the local trouble maker with my rainbow lights, political signs, solar, and native garden.
Fam, I did not know this woman but she knew just who to call.
2/nMe: Yes, this is completely fucked. You should stage a takeover of the board. Better yet, disband the HOA.
Her: Oh. Um. Yes. Yes, you're right.
Me: Damn straight I am.
(I'm literally LOLing through all this too)
3/n -
Me: Yes, this is completely fucked. You should stage a takeover of the board. Better yet, disband the HOA.
Her: Oh. Um. Yes. Yes, you're right.
Me: Damn straight I am.
(I'm literally LOLing through all this too)
3/nNow here's the key: I DID NOT STEP UP. Other than being an agitator and encouraging rebellion, I was like, fam, you gotta take the lead on this, I'm busy saving us from the fascists and climate crisis.
BUT BOY DID THEY STEP UP. Held meetings, took votes, put the corp on notice...
4/n -
Now here's the key: I DID NOT STEP UP. Other than being an agitator and encouraging rebellion, I was like, fam, you gotta take the lead on this, I'm busy saving us from the fascists and climate crisis.
BUT BOY DID THEY STEP UP. Held meetings, took votes, put the corp on notice...
4/nOf course the management corp tried to fight it... they came with their sleazy powerpoint about how YOUR NEIGHBORS ARE VIOLATING THE HOA SETBACKS. Like they vowed to get out tape measures. I am not kidding.
What they didn't expect: literally no one wanted that.
5/n
-
Of course the management corp tried to fight it... they came with their sleazy powerpoint about how YOUR NEIGHBORS ARE VIOLATING THE HOA SETBACKS. Like they vowed to get out tape measures. I am not kidding.
What they didn't expect: literally no one wanted that.
5/n
This middle-class neighborhood just self-organized their way into taking back the HOA board, booting out the corp, holding elections, forming new committees for community events, lowering fees... just democracy-in-action&I love to see it.
Just got the email. Never been happier to pay HOA dues.
6/n
-
This middle-class neighborhood just self-organized their way into taking back the HOA board, booting out the corp, holding elections, forming new committees for community events, lowering fees... just democracy-in-action&I love to see it.
Just got the email. Never been happier to pay HOA dues.
6/n
TL;DR if you think we can't self-organize & use basic democracy to take back our communities from sell-outs & corporate takeovers, and NOT ONLY THAT but increase sense of community & work on making things *better* with community events...my neighborhood would like you to know it 100% can be done.
-
J jwcph@helvede.net shared this topic
