North Texas couple ordered to pay $7,200 for yard sign

[bcoop]

the restrictions said no signs... they broke it...

if you don't want a HOA, don't move into a home with one.

the owners are just as fucking stupid as everybody else involved

Not exactly.

I agree with the "if you don't want an HOA, move elsewhere" very much. It's why I bought in an older neighborhood. That said, I wonder if the Parker County blog is correct. I don't see how the HOA could go after them if they weren't in the HOA, and didn't pay dues. Wouldn't they have had to prove membership? What if the HOA was formed after they bought? Is it still ok then? I want to see more facts before I call them dumbasses.

[tazz007]

As they said, if 51% says they don't want it, it's gone. Time to start working on that

This is the true definition of "democracy" 51% say you must have a car in your drive way and no trucks....Guess what, you have to get rid of your truck.

That why I cringe every time I hear a talking head on TV say we are a democracy, and not a republic.

[tazz007]

Why would anyone join a HOA? Fuck that. If I want to cut my yard at 3 am with a flame thrower, I'm going to do it.

LOL I could see you doing that too.

[DamonH]

If they are going to let other put up signs, there in no reason for them to fine them so much money for theirs. I can see a $200 fine, but not $7,000. The jusge or somebody is trying to make their own political statement.

That's how the justice system works. The $7k was for attorneys fees. I'd be willing to bet using a little common sense things went like this:

HOA: 'you need to take your sign down, it doesn't fit the bylaws'
Homeowner: 'you allow some signs, we've seen them, what's wrong with ours?"
HOA: 'We make special exceptions for school spirit (Jennys' in the school marching band sort of shit), but everything else needs to be taken down'.
Homeowner: 'but you are taking away my rights!! I'm leaving it up! Sue me"
HOA: 'we'll do just that if you don't take it down'.

Fast forward to court. Judge looks at bylaws. HOA is in the right. Judge rules in favor of HOA and part of that is loser (homeowners) pays attorneys fees.

Case closed, not that big of deal IMO. Not everything is some big conspiracy theory. The homeowner took that risk when they pushed it to court.

[line-em-up]

...

That's how the justice system works. The $7k was for attorneys fees. I'd be willing to bet using a little common sense things went like this:

HOA: 'you need to take your sign down, it doesn't fit the bylaws'
Homeowner: 'you allow some signs, we've seen them, what's wrong with ours?"
HOA: 'We make special exceptions for school spirit (Jennys' in the school marching band sort of shit), but everything else needs to be taken down'.
Homeowner: 'but you are taking away my rights!! I'm leaving it up! Sue me"
HOA: 'we'll do just that if you don't take it down'.

Fast forward to court. Judge looks at bylaws. HOA is in the right. Judge rules in favor of HOA and part of that is loser (homeowners) pays attorneys fees.

Case closed, not that big of deal IMO. Not everything is some big conspiracy theory. The homeowner took that risk when they pushed it to court.

Sure, that's possible, but I doubt it. Even if it did happen that way, do you really think the city attorney spent that much time working on the case? The owners in the interview didn't come off as headstrong and stubborn to make them push for a lawsuit.

Regardless, if the HOA allowed any other sign, then I don't think they could discriminate against one person while allowing others.