Billy Dursens of CrossDove Writer

Home Owner Association fees – do you pay these or like me did you think they were only for those from the much better side of life, like a gated community or a condo complex.

Another question would be – what would you expect to get from paying HOA fees on a monthly, quarterly or yearly basis?

Would you expect something along the line of maybe yard care, street care when referencing to clearing the streets in winter weather, or maybe the use of a pool, clubhouse or some kind of activity venue like golf?

How would you feel if you were paying nearly $40 per month for the use of a pool and clubhouse and that was it? How would you feel if you had to pay that but never use either one?

That is a predicament some are in where I live, including myself.

Maybe once or twice a summer do I have grandkids that come around with enough time or interest in going swimming in the smallish, but usable pool.

As for the clubhouse, sure I used it several times the first few years I lived in the housing complex I am at, but the last year and a half, not only did I not use it – I never even put in a request to use it.

They tell me the HOA fees help pay for the coverage of taking care of the pool and clubhouse, but that is about it. So why not include maybe a person to run through our streets during a snow storm or something, as the city won’t touch it because we are considered a housing division separate from city streets – or at least that is what I have been told in the past.

On a yearly basis, the HOA fees cost me nearly $450 a year, which to some may not seem like that big a deal – but when you live on disability and a limited amount of other income, that can make or break some food purchases or an opportunity to treat my wife out for a date night once or twice a month. No offense to the folks who get the HOA money, but those date nights with the wife mean a whole lot more to me than using the dang pool or clubhouse.

You may be asking why I and the wife don’t use the pool – simple, neither of us swim and I for one am not a big fan of water due to some health issues.

You may be asking why I and the wife don’t use the clubhouse – easy, no grandkids in town to celebrate birthday’s or anything. Granted I did use it several times a couple of years ago when I was much more active in the world of local and area politics, before the political group I was with started using a different meeting place without telling me and leaving me hanging with a reservation of the clubhouse and nothing to use it for.

Am I being nit picky about these HOA fees, maybe. But when you aren’t using the fees for anything, then what is the point.

I know some places the HOA fees also cover a direct list of things each homeowner should or should not do with their property – such as colors of the outside of the home, style and amount of landscaping being done, kind of trees being planted, or fence being installed. If you have ever been in my neighborhood, then you would know this type of list or commitment does not happen.

Not really sure if any or how many actual HOA fee communities exist in the smallish community I live in, a community of between 13,000 and 14,000 residents. I do know that my HOA fees could be costlier and have some real tight restrictions on what I can and can’t do with my property and home. But to pay even what sounds like a meager amount to many, is too much in my opinion when you are getting absolutely nothing for it.

But since they threaten me with stuff because apparently the HOA fees were required in my home purchase, something which I really need to go back and dig out the paperwork and check, I will continue to try and stay caught up with them and move on.

But it still doesn’t mean I agree with it.

So, for now, I just gotta say – this is how I feel.

(Copyright@2018, CrossDove Writer – no part of this may be printed, copied or used without written permission by CrossDove Writers and Billy Dursens.)