HOA tells man to take down his Christmas lights...

[Archae]

I very much doubt this story will be part of Fox's "War On Christmas" coverage.

South Carolina man told to take down Christmas lights

HORRY COUNTY, S.C. (WMBF) - A South Carolina man says his Christmas display will have to come down after the HOA’s property management company told him his decor violates the master deed and bylaws.

Douglas Dwyer said it’s been a labor of love decorating his condo, located in the Myrtle Beach Golf & Yacht Club. His home is covered with what he estimates to be about 10,000 lights, but he said the work was well-worth his time in order to brighten his neighbor’s faces.

“It came together like a Tetris puzzle so-to-speak - one piece at a time, and it just turned out to be magical,” Dwyer said.

After sharing the light show on Nextdoor, those in the surrounding residential community responded enthusiastically, with many passing by in person to get a look.

Despite that, Dwyer said he was told Tuesday by his HOA’s property management company that his décor violates the master deed and bylaws, and needs to be removed by Thursday. The area in the Myrtle Beach Golf & Yacht Club is governed by a different HOA.

According to an email Dwyer received from Old Colony Realty Property Management, “homeowners aren’t allowed to alter or affix things to the outside of the property,” citing a section of the master deed that said “junk, debris, towels, laundry or materials of any kind” couldn’t be stored on shared property.

https://www.wbay.com/2021/12/09/south-carolina-man-told-take-down-christmas-lights/

[BoomaofBandM]

1. His Trump2024 sign in the middle of it all is so festive.

[malaise]

2. Ha

Good spot

[mnhtnbb]

4. Haha. I was typing while you were posting.

I saw it, too.

[peggysue2]

7. Yup. Wondered if the Trump flag was the real reason.

Because what does that have to do with Christmas??

That being said I really hate HOA's for this very reason. All you need are a bunch of hard asses on the board to make your life miserable. Which is why my husband and I are looking for a new property without an accompanying homeowner's organization. Don't need the rules/regulations nor the fees.

[LeftInTX]

10. Yep! In Texas we have time limits for campaign signs...90 days before an election

Then, supposedly 10 days afterwards.

I'm pretty sure it was his Trump flag because a local HOA here has had to get involved with Trump signs that are long past the expiration date!

[Tree Lady]

40. We have same law in Oregon

And I am glad because some of the hate Biden flags and signs were awful. I am in 60% conservative town here. My court is okay but I see the yucky stuff few blocks away glad not my neighbors. The worst one has people living across the street with pro Biden signs and science ones. I want to ask them how they can stand it. No one puts out signs in my court but we all know what we believe, 3 dems 3 republicans. We all stay friendly. Almost zero political talk.

[Greybnk48]

60. Wisconsin too. He should be forced to take it all down

for being a dick head. He's hiding his politics behind Xmas decorations.

[2naSalit]

8. And a yard sign at the corner under the flag.

I think it looks trashy and overdone. Subtle lights are what I prefer but I am not a big fan of the holiday. I do have holiday lights in my apartment but they're just for me.

[mnhtnbb]

3. He's a Trumpster. Watch the video

and the camera just barely shows a Trump banner on his house, along with all the other decorations.

Rules don't apply to Trumpsters, doncha' know?

I live in a new development--with an HOA--and we have the standard language, too, although flags are allowed to be flown affixed to the houses. But all that stuff he has going would not be allowed in our development.

[twodogsbarking]

5. If you aren't going to follow the rules you shouldn't move there.

They told you the rules. So follow the rules.

[spooky3]

30. Exactly. People who don't like HOAs should buy elsewhere. Nt

[RobinA]

39. It's A Little Hard

to avoid them in my area. Especially if all you can afford is a townhouse or condo.

[Ka-Dinh Oy]

49. It isn't always the home owners who are in the wrong.

When my blind friends husband passed away the HOA started going after her for every little detail. I mean, they went up to her porch saw one blade of grass growing in the sidewalk and sighted her for it. They tried to fine her for painting her house the wrong color. It was the exact same approved color as it always had been. They tried to fine her for having a tree that was problematic when it was a tree that they required all houses to have. They didn't threaten any body else ( she asked her neighbors. ) As I said, they waited until her sighted husband died.

I think it sucks that this guy is a Trumper but making him take lights down that are just up for a little more than a month is stupid.

My friend and I call HOA's "Neighborhood Nazis." well at least hers.

[spooky3]

50. My comment had nothing to do with who is in the right or wrong

In HOA disputes. The point that others and I have made is that if you don’t want an HOA, which can have good or bad features, then don’t buy in a neighborhood that has one.

There also are differences in HOA rules. People should read the rules before finalizing a purchase and if they don’t like a restriction in one, eg, house colors are limited by the association, then don’t buy there, and look for a house in a different HOA.

[Ka-Dinh Oy]

52. She and her husband bought the place, had the house built, and moved in.

Then an HOA was created.. One of the reasons they got the place is because they were told there would be no HOA.

[fescuerescue]

55. That's is something that Pro HOA people don't get

Is that the rules can change based on whims.

The board if almost always a clique of liked minded people and they can take a very mild and reasonable HOA, to a fascist ridiculous organization in a single behind closed doors vote.

Also, there are lots of properties with dormat HOAs from decades back and once again, a few like minded owners can revive it.

IMO, HOA's are one of the un-american things we have here in america.

[Zorro]

57. An HOA rules change typically requires a vote from a quorum of the entire membership

In my experience HOA boards aren't out to fastidiously interpret the rules just to target homeowners for perceived violations; their primary focus is on maintaining community property values, and homeowners that let their properties deteriorate affects everyone in the neighborhood.

[fescuerescue]

59. That's what they always say

In practice, this differs wildly. Even the bad ones hide behind "property values".

No matter how onerous, how ridiculous, they always fall back to the sacred cow of "property values". Yes. that 1/4 inch stray blade of grass is going crash the economy.

However to many, including myself, the mere presence of an HOA brings down property values.

A property without an HOA is automatically more valuable to many.

[Zorro]

61. Well to each his own

I appreciate HOAs that work to maintain community standards, just as I appreciate community zoning restrictions.

I'm not one who prefers neighbors who raise chickens in their backyards, paint their homes in outrageous colors, drape their properties with political flags or banners, or use their driveways as a motor pool. But that's just me.

[fescuerescue]

64. Yea I've heard about that

From hoa enthusiasts.

But it’s never something that I have experienced in non hoas neighborhoods.

I think it just be a red state issue.

[Ka-Dinh Oy]

66. Yup, "neighborhood Nazis."

[Hekate]

69. I hope your friend was able to afford a lawyer

[Ka-Dinh Oy]

70. No, but the ass who was the head of the HOA was kicked off.

They finally voted nice people in. She hasn't had problems for years.

[Hekate]

71. I am so glad to hear that, because all that crap was just not right

[ret5hd]

6. Hey...HOA rules are a SMALL price to pay...

to keep "those people" out.

Right? Right?

[ShazamIam]

9. I might be misquiting the owner, "the Spirit of Chistmas demands a partisan political statement." /s

[Sympthsical]

11. And that is why I would never have an HOA

This guy just wants to have himself a tacky little Christmas.

Buying with an HOA is like inviting an army of Karens into your life. When we were buying two years ago, we told the realtor, "No HOA. Not now. Not ever."

We don't even do anything with our property. Some flowers out front. But who wants that level of drama, or an invitation for neighborhood Napoleans into their lives?

Next Door is bad enough.

[samnsara]

13. we rented a condo for a short time just when Mt St Helens blew and covered us in

..many, many inches of very fine volcanic ash. We had a knock on the door from the 'prez of the condo commission' bitching cuz we hadnt MOWED OUR LAWN!

EFF THEM!

[MissB]

19. This

Exactly this.

[USALiberal]

21. Lol, they are not an issue! Nt

[LeftInTX]

62. In this case, the "HOA Karens" were making him get rid of his Trump flag..

[Sympthsical]

63. I couldn't possibly care less.

I have a neighbor with a Trump flag four doors down. So what. I do not actually get electrocuted every time I walk past it.

[samnsara]

12. i will never live in a community with hoa's

[Jilly_in_VA]

14. Me either

When we went house hunting, the first thing on our list was "NO HOA".

[Freddie]

16. Me too

If I want to paint my house purple and grow corn in the front yard, that’s my right! We bought new in a development 23 years ago and our first question was about an HOA. Back then (around here anyway) they were mainly in condo communities only.

[LeftInTX]

42. Where I live, the only way to have a neighborhood pool is to live in an HOA neigbhorhood

The HOA dues pay for the pool.

Otherwise, we have city pools, but they are horribly crowded and don't even allow floaties. The hours are extremely limited too. Like mid June - mid August..plus a 20 minute drive.

This is South Texas, we have nine months of summer here. When my kids were young, we were at the pool almost every day.

[USALiberal]

23. Ours in 30 years, never an issue!

[Freddie]

15. My son and wife recently bought a house in an HOA community

Unfortunately they’re extremely common in Florida, it’s hard to find a place without it. So far so good. They put out “tasteful” white Xmas lights, I know some HOAs actually forbid any color but white (I’m on the multi-lights team myself).

[PTWB]

17. For city and suburban living, an HOA can add a lot of value to a property.

I like knowing that no matter who buys the house next door, they’re not going to be able to trash it, or rent it to people who trash it. They’re not going to be able to use the yard as a garbage dump or long term storage for sheds and boats and ATVs and old vehicles. I like knowing that minimum standards will be maintained.

As a homeowner, an HOA protects my investment and creates a more pleasant neighborhood experience.

If you want to live in a junkyard, either buy a junkyard or buy some acres in the country where your mess isn’t going to bother your neighbors.

[Jilly_in_VA]

20. Oh please.

I've lived in the city, the burbs, and now in the country, and never have I ever lived anyplace with an HOA. Never have I ever lived anyplace with neighbors such as you describe, either. Your phony defense of HOAs "holding up the neighborhood" doesn't hold water and doesn't belong here.

[PTWB]

22. I'm glad that you've never had crappy neighbors.

I have. When I bought my first house in an up and coming area I thought everything was great but not too long after I had neighbors move in and really trash their place. It hurt my property value.

If you don’t want to abide by some minimum standard then by all means, don’t move into an HOA neighborhood. But don’t bash those of us who choose to reside in areas where minimum standards are mandatory.

Since when are you the judge of what “belongs here”?

[obamanut2012]

28. 100% agree

[Jilly_in_VA]

32. I've had plenty of crappy neighbors

Apparently you are the judge of what belongs in your neighborhood. But if I want to let my son's friends park their cars on the street when they're visiting, or plant my yard in ground cover and native plants, that's MY business, not yours.

[PTWB]

33. Sounds like we ought to be thankful we aren't neighbors.

I chose to buy in an HOA neighborhood specifically because I wanted to live in an area with minimum standards.

While you may have tasteful, natural native plantings and the occasional visitor who parks on the street, someone else may use that lack of standards to let their lawn grow into an unkempt mess that attracts rodent and insect infestations. They may choose to park their rust bucket on the street with flat tires, a broken window, and body damage—a real eyesore.

And instead of tasteful decorations, they may decide that their front yard is the perfect storage location for their washing machine collection.

Not in my neighborhood. Thanks to the HOA!

[Jilly_in_VA]

34. OK, I will get off your lawn

And STAY off! Where do you live, FloriDUH or Arizona? And on what golf course, so I know to stay away? ( I hate golf anyway, so that's not an issue)

[PTWB]

35. Neither, bless your heart!

I live in a fantastic PUD that mixes single family and multi family residential, small shops, restaurants, parks, city amenities and a lot of walkability.

My small neighborhood within the PUD has its own HOA, so I get the best of both worlds.

I do appreciate your offer to stay off the grass, though.

[Jilly_in_VA]

36. I don't like lawns anyway

They are a relic of English lordship and should be abolished.

[PTWB]

37. To each his own.

I’m sure that abolishing lawns will draw a lot of support. You should suggest it as one of the planks of our platform in 2024!

In the mean time, I’ll be a good neighbor and keep up with my green, fertilized, and watered grass.

[LeftInTX]

65. Well, I haven't had a lawn since 2005, and I feel I live under a feudal system.

Mainly because a lawn mower does not require servitude, but my wildscape is a full time job!

[Hortensis]

68. :) Know what you mean. It has some nice compensations I'm sure.

As my health declines, my latest domestic garden's been going back to "wildscape;" but since it was always a garden in the woods, in our case it's mostly a matter of letting native plants and and creatures move in while deer and rabbits continue to clear away formerly decorative plantings for them.

[LeftInTX]

72. I live on 1/3 acre ranch house.

It is so much freak'n pruning and then all the woody weeds such as hackberries, greenbrier, trumpet vine, carolina snailseed...
And then in the fall, the leaves get caught in the shrubs.

The amt of pruning required is just crazy.

It is so much work and the worst thing for arthritis.

I've got everything but poison ivy down here....

OTOH, my side yard is turf and so it part of my backyard. The grass grows slow and doesn't need much mowing. When I mow it, it only takes like 15 minutes.

[Hortensis]

75. Lol, you left me something to list. Poison ivy.

Of course, like yours there are others too, all incompatible with at least the spirit of HOAs. In Los Angeles I was barefoot in the garden year round. Here, sharp things both plant and animal mean I don't even think of wandering out without shoes.

Still pruning what the deer won't eat here also, sorta. Rheumatoid here. Shrubs have gotten bigger than the reach that I always used to limit them to. Sneaky things got past me by spreading sideways, camouflaging their green against green and distracting me from what they were up to with berries and flowers.

For whatever reason, deer are lying these cold mornings on the lawn below our porch instead of in the much cushier little pasture where they tromp tall grasses down into beds. We'd replaced dying pines there with a short spreading grass that needs little mowing. They don't bother grazing it and aren't there for the sun, which won't arrive til midday. A mystery.

Happy Thursday.

[USALiberal]

24. Lol, ok! Nt

[Hassin Bin Sober]

47. You are lucky then.

When we looked for houses for my mother-in-law I remember passing on a property that looked very promising. The neighbors had motorcycles on milk crates in the driveway and an old rusted camper along side the house right on the property line. We kept driving.

It sucks when you are trying to sell your house and you have a junkyard next door. How many other potential buyers passed by that house due to the junk situation?

We had a vacant three flat next to our condo building near wrigley in Chicago. The porch was falling off the back of the building and there was garbage bags covered in pigeon shit stacked three feet high on all the decks. We finally got fed up when one of the neighbors was selling and they kept getting questions about “what’s going on with that building next door?” The city came out and cited him for the porch - it was right after the big porch collapse that killed 12 people so the city was on high alert. Turns out the owner was an attorney and slumlord. He had to clean up the property and replace the porch. He ended up selling right after for $800k.

Yeah we snitched. And I don’t feel an ounce of guilt about it.

[Hortensis]

67. ? "doesn't belong here?" It really does, Jilly, and so does

acceptance that people can and do have different valid opinions and experiences, as well as acceptance of truths that displease.

We've chosen to avoid HOAs but have family and known many others who've lived and live in properly-run HOA communities. They're appreciated most for the basic standards of maintenance they require, but are almost indispensable for owner-occupied subdivisions that have common amenities that have to be managed. Our son's and DIL's includes a pool, tennis courts, children's playground, picnic area, and walking trails along a common greenbelt.

[Wingus Dingus]

76. I've never understood why extra cars and boats and sheds and RV's and whatnot were offensive

to look at--provided the property has space to store those things out back or off to the side where they aren't too intrusive. I bought my house BECAUSE we can store such things--I have a motorhome parked alongside the house, and I don't think it detracts one bit from the neighborhood. Most of my neighbors also have similar vehicles and boats parked--as long as it doesn't look like a junkyard of decaying vehicles, what is the problem? Why buy a property where you can't even store your things?

[fescuerescue]

77. For many, it subtracts value

literally through dues, and through reduced resale value by people who are sick of dealing with HOAs.

I've found that generally it's only board members that are happy in an HOA.

The board being part country club clich and part power trip.

It's pretty rare that a non board member thinks highly of these power structures. But I run into these folks once in a blue emoon.

[LizBeth]

18. It was the Trump sign. HOA do not allow political signs. I am HOA and love it.

Never have an issue and we are allowed lights and decorations. We are not allowed trash and junk around our place, political signs, ect. Other places had decorations with no problem. Don't put a Trump sign up and he probably would not have gotten in trouble.

[USALiberal]

25. Same here! Love it! Nt

[LizBeth]

26. Everyone was warning me about the big bad HOA. I do not junkify my place and had

absolutely not an iota of concern that I could live under HOA strident/repressive rules. Didn't read the rules, don't need to read the rules. Common sense on courteous living around others.

[USALiberal]

27. + 1000

[obamanut2012]

29. same

[tulipsandroses]

31. Eh, oh too bad for him. Maybe his neighbors were annoyed by the extra traffic

I like HOAs. I don’t have to worry about upkeep. My HOA fees pays for itself in that regards.

[LeftInTX]

41. Our HOA...reinforces city code, has a pool/common area and monthly meetings

In Texas HOA's pretty much guarantee a neighborhood pool. Without an HOA, stuck with crappy city pools which are so crowded that they don't allow floaties or anything. The city pools open like mid June and close before school starts. Limited hours and having to drive 20 minutes to the closest city pool. My kids were also on swim team and got swimming lessons. We also have tennis, a small play ground and club house, but the pool is the most important thing.
This is South Texas and it's hot.

I've only been to a few monthly meetings because most of it is routine boring stuff.

[Mary in S. Carolina]

38. HOA vs County Restrictions

I know a county that restricts what you can have in your yard - broken down cars and junk. I think, they passed a law that requires all new homes to include a 3-car garage and a mandatory fence for existing homes to hide everyone's junk. Personally, I love the idea, this kept the entire county clean and kept the community together as opposed to living behind gated communities.

[Jilly_in_VA]

43. That's reasonable.

However, my SIL keeps my dad's currently non-running 1972 IH Scout in his back yard, covered and out of sight of all but his immediate back neighbor, where he and his son can work on it. I suppose you would object to that too?

[Mary in S. Carolina]

48. No - I am not objecting to anything.

I actually like brightly colored homes and I grew corn in my front yard - it was beautiful....I actually started a trend. I am just saying that no one wants to live next to the junk man. I have nothing against the junk man, just keep it behind closed doors.

[FakeNoose]

44. Well looky there - it's a big ol' Chump 2024 banner - how is this a Christmas decoration?

Snapshot taken from the OP's videotape story. This guy decorated his ugly house with Chump campaign banners and American flags. That's all it is. Ugly and stupid. Not Christmas!

[onethatcares]

45. he'd probably be the loudest voice on the block

if B L M was spelled out in lights, He'd be at every HOA meeting until he got his way.

[Behind the Aegis]

46. And here I thought "Jesus was the reason for the season".

Silly me. I am seeing more and more Xmas decorations like this, where the "central" focus is NOT the manger, or even Santa, but a political poster for the disgraced POS that infested the White House for four years. Here in OK, there is a small town with this on the parade route...



So who is REALLY waging the War on Christmas?!

[fescuerescue]

54. Just imagine the madness if an HOA wasn't there to regulated holiday lights.

[ecstatic]

56. I felt sorry for him until I saw the Trump 2024 banner

mixed in with his other tacky decorations. Lol. Take it down!

[Greybnk48]

58. He put up a giant Trump 2024 sign and is hiding behind

Christmas decorations. Fuck him!

[ExTex]

73. My wife and I were harassed by our condominium association.

Idiot officers aired grievances (I picked up the mail in shabby clothes, among others) and plotted actions against us under our bedroom window where we could hear every word. We then got a letter demanding we replace our concrete patio-- which would have cost in the thousands-- and that I show up at the next association meeting to prove we were complying. Instead we hired a "celebrity" condominium attorney with a fierce reputation. The association backed down instantly and one of the plotters vacated the complex and his unit was up for sale within a month. (We can only guess how the management company reacted when our attorney called.) For what we paid the attorney we probably could have replaced the patio; but this was eminently more satisfying.

[prodigitalson]

74. My last HOA was something akin to Maoist red guards

Not leftist in their politics but very enthusiastic about trying reeducate me through self criticism.