Curious Tales of Inconsequential HOA Notice Disputes: Parking and Growth

Homeowners Associations (HOAs) often face a variety of inconsequential yet intriguing disputes, especially when dealing with parking and plant growth. This article delves into two such instances, one from a golf estate in South Africa and another from a mobile home park in the United States.

Case 1: HOA Notice on Parking in South Africa

Unlike the well-known pettiness of American HOAs, the golf estate in South Africa has its own unique quirks. My daughter, who lives there, regularly invites contractors to work on the house. On one occasion, she asked if I could keep an eye on things as the workers parked on her driveway. For convenience, I parked on the grass verge in front of her house, much like we had done at her old house where large gatherings were common.

During my day-long supervising, I had to briefly leave when contractors took a break. To my surprise, a letter was left on my windscreen, informing me that I was in violation and would be fined for parking on the grass verge. The unusual part was that it was perfectly acceptable to park on the cultivated lawn between the houses and leading to the park but not on the scruffy grass verge.

Case 2: Mobile Home Park’s Assistant Manager’s Misadventure

A much more serious yet hilariously ignorance-driven issue occurred in a mobile home park in the early 1980s. The assistant manager came to me one day, claiming a squash plant was growing over the gas meter and could cause an explosion. The squash plant was so massive that it spanned the entire 40-foot length of my mobile home.

Initially, I was skeptical and unknowingly laughed off the concern. I then made several calls to find the right source. By then, the story had grown to be so absurd that even people on the other end of the line were in stitches. Eventually, I reached out to the Department of Weights and Measures, who put me at ease when they explained that the gas lines in our park were charged with a positive nanovolt of current, which repels dirt and prevents corrosion. Their concern about the explosion was mainly due to interference with the blow-out valve.

Despite their suggestion that I move the vines off the meter to make the assistant manager happy, the underlying implication that the assistant manager was unaware of his responsibilities was clear. The manager had long since moved on to the 'mobile home park in the sky.'

Conclusion

These anecdotes paint a picture of the sometimes comical yet, at times, significant issues faced by residents in HOAs and mobile home parks. While it is easy to dismiss these minor disputes as inconsequential, they often highlight the underlying challenges in community management and the need for clear communication and understanding among all parties.