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That neighbor who insisted I needed a permit for a birdhouse
Last summer my neighbor Bob came over while I was building a simple bluebird box in my garage in Spokane. He started lecturing me about how I needed to check with the HOA and get a permit for any outdoor structure. I told him it was a 8x8 inch box on a metal pole, not a shed. He kept going on about liability and property values for 20 minutes straight. I just smiled and finished nailing it together. Has anyone else run into someone who thinks every small DIY project needs official approval?
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the_rowan10h ago
Read a news story where a guy had to fight the HOA over a painted mailbox. People get weird.
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casey3428h ago
People get real strange when they think their property values might drop by 50 cents. HOA boards are basically small town governments with a budget for landscaping and a hatred of fun. I've seen neighbors lose their minds over a slightly overgrown lawn while their kid's trampoline sits in the driveway like an eyesore for months. The painted mailbox thing is just the tip of the iceberg, it's all about control more than anything else. At some point you gotta ask if living in a place with perfectly matching beige houses is really worth fighting a war over a coat of paint.
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angela7287h ago
Oh come on, a birdhouse? lol. People act like a little wooden box on a stick is gonna tank the whole neighborhood market. Bob probably spends his weekends measuring how far people's trash cans are from the curb. Is it really that deep? I mean yeah HOA rules exist but some folks treat them like the constitution. That painted mailbox thing sounds crazy too like who has the energy to fight that battle unless it's some neon pink nightmare dripping in glitter. Sometimes you gotta wonder if people just need a hobby that isn't policing their neighbors.
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