On Fri, 19 Dec 2008 01:02:45 +0000 (UTC), "SteveBell"
wrote:

If someone asks me to help plant shrubs, I'll be glad to
participate,

What if you and the person who asks you are the only ones who show up?
Year after year? What if even the one who asks you doesn't show up
anymore?

That's OK with me. I do this kind of stuff already for people
identified by my church.

And Mike, you won't have Mike forever.

In that case, they'll probably get Steve. If I'd known it was a
neighbor doing the work, I'd've been helping anyway.

but I'm not going to support setting up an HOA. About what do I
need to worry here?

Very little. Either don't sign anything, or read very carefully what
you sign.

I doubt what she has in mind has anything to do with signing anything,
or with forming an HOA that has "power". She just wants an organized
way to collect some money for n'hood beautification.

And that's probably a good thing, as long as the cost is reasonable,
and it probably would be, but they can't force you to give more than
you want, as long as you haven't signed anything that says they can.

(Oh, do you own your own streets or does the government?)

The city owns the streets here.

* I assume they can't impose an HOA after the fact unless we
agree. Am I right?
* What if 75% of the homeowners agree to the HOA?

They could bind themselves, but not those who don't agree.

It's unlikely this will ever get past the talking stage, but if
nothing else, it's an interesting question. I'll go talk to my
lawyer if it becomes a reality.

Don't forget, She called it unofficial. I'm sure she means no legal
contract, no binding power, like a club. You don't object to clubs do
you. Maybe like the Kiwanis club, but more selfish. They do things
for people they don't know. You'd all be doing things for your own
small group of people. (Although even the Kiwanis does things for the
town they live in, which is similar. People can quit the Kiwanis
anytime they want. And I think the dues are small and most people give
more time or money than is required. And if they can't pay the dues
they quit, but they don't move out of their home.
--
Steve Bell
New Life Home Improvement
Arlington, TX USA