This might win the prize for the most stupid HOA rule

By Deborah Goonan, Independent American Communities

 

Now here’s a report that you might expect from The Onion, the infamous internet site for satirical and entirely untrue news stories.

But, no, this KCRA report featuring residents upset about a new HOA “garage door policy” is apparently for real.

Believe it or not, Auburn Greens HOA has enacted a new rule that requires all residents to leave their roll-up garage doors wide open all day, from 8 AM to 4 PM Monday through Friday. And if residents fail to comply, they can be slapped with a $200 fine.

The reason for this rule: one homeowner had someone living the garage?

So deal with that homeowner, and leave everyone else alone!

 

HOA garage door policy draws Auburn residents’ ire

Auburn Greens wants residents’ garage doors open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday

KCRA Updated: 7:24 PM PST Jan 4, 2018
Max Resnik

PLACER COUNTY, Calif. (KCRA) —
A Placer County homeowners association is mandating that its residents keep their garage doors open throughout the day during the workweek.

The policy, according to a notice taped to residents’ doors, states that people who live in Auburn Greens face “an immediate hearing notice and subjected to a $200 fine” if they do not comply. The notice states the policy was enacted in October.

According to board member Norma Brewer, the policy was put in place after it was discovered that a resident was allowing people to live in his or her garage. She would not comment beyond that.

Read more (Video):

http://www.kcra.com/article/hoa-garage-door-policy-draws-auburn-residents-ire/14755270

Here are the photos of the HOA’s notice, posted by KRCA on Twitter.

 

This garage door policy is just plain stupid for so many reasons.

Obviously, leaving a garage door open all day invites home burglary. According to Nationwide Insurance company,

A home burglary occurs approximately every 15 seconds in the United States.

On average, a home burglary results in a dollar loss of about $1,600.
About 30% of all burglaries are classified as “unlawful entry,” meaning the burglar was able to gain entry without using force – often through an unlocked door or window.

Nearly 66% of all burglaries are residential, and of those, 62% occur during the daytime, between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m., when no one is likely to be at home.

And the U.S. Department of Justice reports that in 2011, 3.4 million Americans reported burglaries.

Does Auburn Greens want to increase the odds of its residents becoming victims or burglary?

It may be time for residents to inform their home insurance providers that their HOA is intentionally increasing their risk of home burglary. Insurance attorneys will have plenty of work to do, suing the HOA for reimbursement of claims paid to their insured homeowners and tenants. After all, compliance with this ridiculous rule is likely to be a significant contributing factor to loss of personal property.

 

And what about safety considerations involving violent offenders?

Think of a single parent with school age children that arrive home before the parent returns from work. A child predator or ex-partner with a history of domestic abuse can easily enter an open garage and break into the house, mostly hidden from view. How frightening is that?

 

And, of course, there’s the colossal inconvenience. Why in the world would the HOA board want to force owners and residents to remove everything from their garages, and then try to find space for all of the stuff in their homes? Some of that stuff could be hazardous, especially around small children – think propane tanks for the gas grill, cleaning solvents, lawns and garden tools.

Just plain stupid.

To fine residents $200 for disobeying this unreasonable rule ought to be considered a crime.

I trust that widespread negative media attention will lead to a reversal of this policy as soon as possible.