Monday, July 20, 2009

HOA bans smoking INDOORS!

Leader-Telegram Online: "Members of the Fairfax Parkside Homeowners Association on Wednesday voted to outlaw smoking inside residences that are part of the 34-unit development. The ban also prohibits smoking in shared spaces, such as porches and garages, but does allow it in yards and on patios.

Of the 19 association members who voted on the issue, 15 favored the anti-smoking regulation proposed by association President Dave Hanvelt, while four argued that residents should be allowed to smoke in their homes."

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This is an HOA in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, that was part of the USA until recently.

6 comments:

Shu Bartholomew said...

The camel's nose has been under the tent flap for a long time. Certainly this isn't the first condo to start regulating individual behavior in private spaces and it probably won't be the last.

Next, it is the invasion of the mind police.

As we say on On The Commons, "You are leaving the American Zone". Maybe we should add that we are now entering the insane zone. What do you think?

Anonymous said...

On this subject, an excellent quote by a reporter, from, over this past weekend. He is writing about an outrageous HOA issue.
The quote and the link:

"At times, these boards can garner too much power and invade the personal lives of homeowners in a way the vast majority of American citizens would never accept from our local, state or federal governments." Tom Grady, Star News, Wilmington, NC, Posted July 19, 2009 9:51:04 AM

http://critters.starnewsonline.com/default.asp?item=2401460

Kondo Kommando said...

It's an assessment preservation scheme and for their own good. Disable and dead condo residents are poor risks for paying assessments in a timely manner.

Anonymous said...

“You sign it, you eat it. The real question is whether the thing you sign gives you reasonable notice they have this power. If not, they don't.” (Resident constitutional liberty scholar, nationally recognized institute, constitutional government)

A reasoned question respecting whether there are any limitation (or should be) on an association's right to legislate conduct seemed deserving of a more reasoned response than "You sign it, you eat it."

It is a sad commentary that those who believe in the innate dignity of the individual and further believe that unrestrained government (whether federal, state, municipal, local or association) has proven to be a chief instrument in thwarting individual liberty, should seemingly fail to acknowledge the need to protect certain fundamental rights of Americans that live in homeowner associations (whether by choice or default [absence of comparable alternative housing]).

Did any Fairfax Parkside homeowner reasonably believe, or receive reasonable notice when purchasing their home, that Fairfax would someday outlaw smoking in one's home?

Anonymous said...

Kondo Kommando said...

"Disable and dead condo residents are poor risks for paying assessments in a timely manner."

Will you elaborate. Did you mean "disabled"...?
Obviously, "dead," condo owners, could not pay an assessment, justified or not. Their estates would be responsible.
However, I have found the opposite to be true, when it comes to paying LEGITIMATE assessments. Let's talk about illegal, targeted, assessments and who the victims are. Those scamming homeowners in these groups are some abusive board members and their associates getting kickbacks, stealing funds, misusing funds, lying and cheating anyone they can, providing work for friends and family, in the name of "assessments." Then, if successful, with their scam, they get their home. Many of the boards in these abusive groups appear to harbor and encourage sociopathic behaviors, by these board members and their associates, in my opinion. Live in a bad one and you will never question what really goes on!

HOAGOV said...

Have no fear folks, Rush Limbaugh is on the scene. On his radio show today he called this ban "a communist idea."

Write Rush, regardless of political affiliations, and help him understand how true he spoke.

His short comment, "A homeowners association is banning smoking inside your own house. It's a communist idea that's, finally, not coming from Washington" can be found at
http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/home/daily/site_072009/content/01125104.guest.html