Senior citizen sent to jail for not keeping his lawn green

245

Comments

  • CommyCommy Posts: 4,984
    prytoj wrote:
    You're telling me that neither the Pops or the daughter could muster up the stuff to get a job a McDonalds for a week or so to pay for some sod?

    We can spin this all you want, but the point is personal accountability.
    You gotta problem, you find a way to solve it. Man up. 66 is not dead, for pete's sake

    Maybe we can get Obama's community organzation to lay down some gub'ment sod on that and solve his problem for him....then we can all give a big cheer for ol' timer and pat ourselves on the back. Way to go us!
    that's not the point though, A 66 year old man is in jail because of a fucking yard. Jail. yard.
  • "so....what are you in for?"

    "uhh...I didn't water my lawn"

    in America...

    holy mother of god...
    Progress is not made by everyone joining some new fad,
    and reveling in it's loyalty. It's made by forming coalitions
    over specific principles, goals, and policies.

    http://i36.tinypic.com/66j31x.jpg

    (\__/)
    ( o.O)
    (")_(")
  • CommyCommy Posts: 4,984
    "so....what are you in for?"

    "uhh...I didn't water my lawn"

    in America...

    holy mother of god...

    "Yeah I"m here for loitering."

    "Loitering?"

    "Yeah"

    "so what are you doing now?"

    "Just hanging out, kinda standing here."
  • Commy wrote:
    "Yeah I"m here for loitering."

    "Loitering?"

    "Yeah"

    "so what are you doing now?"

    "Just hanging out, kinda standing here."

    "Yeah...see that guy over there?"

    "Which guy?"

    "That guy over there standing around picking his nose"

    "Whoa!?...is he in for loitering too?"

    "No...he's in for picking his nose"
    Progress is not made by everyone joining some new fad,
    and reveling in it's loyalty. It's made by forming coalitions
    over specific principles, goals, and policies.

    http://i36.tinypic.com/66j31x.jpg

    (\__/)
    ( o.O)
    (")_(")
  • ccRyderzzccRyderzz Posts: 163
    Ok the legal system, and level of compassion for your neighbor in Florida is quite simply f-ed hard in the head.

    http://www.tampabay.com/news/humaninterest/article847365.ece

    " On Friday morning, Joseph Prudente put on a pair of shorts and his "Grandpa Gone Wild" T-shirt. He took off his wedding band and put his heart medication in a plastic Wal-Mart bag.

    Then his daughter drove him to jail. Grandpa had time to do.

    His crime? He had disobeyed a court order that he sod the lawn at his Beacon Woods home.

    His bail? Zero.

    Prudente, 66, must stay in the Pasco County jail in Land O'Lakes until the required sod work is completed, under a September court order signed by Circuit Judge W. Lowell Bray.

    "He's in prison for God knows how long because we can't afford to sod the lawn," said his sobbing daughter, Jennifer Lehr.

    Prudente has owned a home in the deed restricted community since 1998. The covenants require homeowners to keep their lawns covered with grass.

    Earlier this year, the Beacon Woods Civic Association took Prudente to court after he failed to install new sod on his browning lawn, which had withered after his sprinklers broke. The association had already sent letters telling him to resod his front and back yards by certain dates.

    In an interview at the jail Friday evening, Prudente said he thought he had made a good financial hardship case to the association: His adjustable rate mortgage went up an extra $600 a month. Wachovia repossessed his Toyota Scion. His daughter and her two young children, who had fallen on hard times, moved in with him and his wife, Pat.

    "To me, keeping the house is more important than the grass," said Prudente, a retired registered nurse from New York. "I just ignored them."

    He ignored them, too, after the association filed a complaint in court. He ignored a court order in May, signed by Bray, giving Prudente 30 days to sod the yard.

    In June, the court also awarded the association $795 in fees, which included a $645 attorney's fees and a $150 fee for "an expert witness."

    By September, there was still no sod. Bray found Prudente in contempt of court, but said in his order that Prudente could "purge himself of this contempt" by doing the required work within the next 30 days. That time expired Friday.

    "It is clear to the Court that the ability to avoid incarceration is well within the Defendant's grasp," Bray wrote.

    Representatives of the Beacon Woods association expressed regret Prudente had landed in jail. But they said it was his own fault.

    "It's a sad situation," said board president Bob Ryan, who added that the association had followed all the correct procedures. "But in the end, I have to say he brought it upon himself."

    Lawyer Thomas Gurran, who represents the association, said in a statement that the association had "just wanted Mr. Prudente to comply with the lawn restriction." He added that the contempt power of judges is essential to the system.

    "Many orders and judgements … would be absolutely meaningless if they could not be enforced by a judge's contempt power," he said. "This case is an example of what happens when someone defies an order entered by a judge in our country."

    Prudente's family said the case had gone too far. Pat Prudente said she and her husband knew they had chosen to live in a community with restrictions. "But they shouldn't have this much power," she said.

    Back at the jail — where the population is 1,132, well above the 782 capacity — Parente said he was being treated well. He has no criminal record in Florida and said his stay in Land O'Lakes was his first time ever in a slammer.

    What comes next? He doesn't know. "Should I go out and rob a bank? Then I'd be back here," he said. "But then I'd get out on bail."
    August 6, 2008

    Peter Rodman, a foreign policy expert who served every
    Republican president from Richard Nixon to George W. Bush, including as an
    assistant secretary of defense for nearly six years in the current
    administration, died Saturday in Baltimore. He was 64.

    The cause was complications of leukemia, said Danielle Pletka,
    vice president of foreign and defense policy studies at the American
    Enterprise Institute.

    Rodman was lured into government by his senior thesis adviser at
    Harvard, Henry Kissinger, then the national security adviser, and he became
    Kissinger's aide in negotiations that included opening ties to China, peace
    talks on Vietnam and the Arab-Israeli conflict.

    MORE >>>










    LETTER FROM YORBA LINDA #66 | July 10, 2008 Touring with
    the White House
    By Tom Borcher

    Tom has been a member of the Nixon Library Docent Guild
    since 2002 and is a practicing attorney in
    Los Angeles with Jacobs, Jacobs & Eisfelder.


    White House history being a "hobby" of mine, one of
    the biggest thrills in my five years as a docent at the Richard Nixon
    Library & Birthplace was when John Zweifel's Miniature White House went on
    display in 2004. ("Miniature" in this case being a model 70 feet by 30
    feet.) I developed a forty-five minute "tour" of the model including the
    history of both the model and the "real" White House." I enjoyed giving the
    presentation to our guests on weekends and holidays. The day came, however,
    when John rolled it into his distinctive semi-truck for other destinations.

    When I learned that the model was to be displayed
    at the George H. W. Bush Library in College Station, Texas, I asked them if
    I could give my presentation there. Based largely on some kind words by
    folks here at the Nixon Library, I was invited to Texas over the Memorial
    Day Weekend in 2007.

    Continue Reading this Letter >>





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    NEED I SAY MORE LEARN THE HISTORY OF THE CIVIL WAR AND INTELLIGENCE
    LOOK TO THE PAST AND BRING THE PAST IN TOO MUCH INFO IS LOST TO THE PROPAGANDA TO DUMB DOWN THE AMERICAN KIDS NO ONE KNOWS BECAUSE THE DID AWAY WITH THE BILL OF RIGHTS GIMME A BREAK
  • know1know1 Posts: 6,794
    sponger wrote:
    Fuck Home Owner's Associations. I hate them so goddamn much. They are like the gestapo in my neighborhood. It's unamerican. We're supposed to be able to live however the hell we want.

    HOA's should be made illegal. And if I ever have the time to fight a good battle, it will be against the existence of HOA's.

    People should not be buying homes as a portfolio enhancement. If a crappy house in your neighborhood is bringing values down, then so what...deal with it.

    Not every neighborhood has one. If you don't like their rules, don't live there.

    Interesting how an HOA is just a microcosm of a government....telling the masses what's good for them. It's surprising to me that some of the same people who favor bigger government don't want HOA's to tell them what to do .

    Unfortunately, it's a lot more difficult to avoid an intrusive government than it is to avoid an HOA.
    The only people we should try to get even with...
    ...are those who've helped us.

    Right 'round the corner could be bigger than ourselves.
  • ccRyderzzccRyderzz Posts: 163
    Matthew D. Kemmy and Douglas C. Hanson

    DIRTY DEEDS HEY JOE JIMI HENDRIX JOE BIDEN DO YOU HEAR ME? STOP THE LIARS STOP THE CROOKS NOW!!

    DATE: July 24, 2008
    On July 24, 2008 a Marion County Grand Jury unanimously found that the
    police officer shooting of Andrew James Hanlon, which occurred on June 30,
    2008, was a lawful use of deadly physical force.


    The Grand Jury was provided with photographs of the scene of the shooting,
    both day and night, three diagrams, as well as photographs of the residences
    of Shannon Kelley and of Andrew Hanlon's sister, Melanie Heise.
    Additionally, the Grand Jury heard the original 911 call of a burglary in
    progress and a copy of the police dispatch recordings before and after the
    shooting. The Grand Jury also reviewed the autopsy report of Andrew Hanlon,
    prepared by the Oregon State Medical Examiner's Office, the toxicology
    reports of both Andrew Hanlon and Tony Gonzalez, and the medical/mental
    health history documents of Andrew Hanlon.
    Tony Gonzalez's peophiles are protected in OR.

    videotaped interview of Tony Gonzalez. The fourth and final officer was from
    an independent law enforcement agency outside Marion County. This officer
    trains other police officers on use of force and was called to testify about
    proper police procedure.
    These witnesses were his sister, his roommate, and his best friend. While
    none of these witnesses had first hand knowledge of what occurred on the
    night of the shooting, the state believed the Grand Jury needed to hear
    information about Andrew Hanlon to achieve a fair and accurate portrayal of
    this incident.
    THE WOMAN who called 911 WAS PAID BY THE ASSHOLES WHO RUN THE MONEY LAUNDERING
    Andrew Hanlon was attempting to GET HELP KNOCKING ON THE WRONG DOOR? THE FUCKERS MURDERED HIM
    WHY WOULD THE UNITED NATIONS EVEN CARE ABOUT HIS RIGHT TO LIFE? THEY ARE NOT OUR FRIENDS!
    June 30, 2008 in Silverton OR. IS CORRUPT BY MONEY MONEY GREED AND POWER!
    11:20 p.m., Shannon Kelley was paid by the bad guys to take this guy away from his family You decide as a nation? U-KNIGHTED YEP.. DUH
    knocking at the front door of her Silverton residence as she was reading a
    book in her upstairs bedroom. Mrs. Kelley was home with her three young
    children and her parents, who were visiting from Montana. Mrs. Kelley's
    husband, Josiah Kelley, was working at a friend's house nearby. Upon hearing
    the knock, Mrs. Kelley assumed that her husband had returned home and simply
    forgotten his key ( OKLAHOMA HOBART CITY HALL BURNED TO THE GROUND)
    Mrs. Kelley reached the front door, the knocking had turned into A BITCH A WHORE A FUCKING CONSPIRACY TO KILL A>J?
    very aggressive Mrs. Kelley turned on the porch Lite
    identified as Andrew Hanlon.WITH SEVEN BULLETS IN HIS BACK FROM A PEOPHILE??? FUCKER DRUG USER ? IMAGINE THAT?

    Andrew Hanlon appeared to be acting very strangely. He was unable to stand
    still and was alternating between peering into the windows of the Kelley
    residence and beating on the front door.( HE HAD ALREADY SHOT HIM)
    Andrew Hanlon
    mistook the Kelleys' home for that of his sister's,
    Andrew Hanlon's sister can't ever see her brother again?
    color of ABUSE OF POWER?
    It has a small picket fence ? THAT HAS A WOMAN AS COLD AS ICE>>>>>TO PROTECT THE TRUTH AND THE JUSTICE OF OUR WORLD>>
    . WHO IS THIS PERSON RELATED TOO? IN THE GOVERNMENT DETECTIVES ARE CORRUPT SO WHERE IS JUSTICE?
    By contrast, the Kelley residence is a large blue two story house at the top
    of a hill located on a private driveway named Diger///ness Blvd. There are
    only three steps that lead to a very large porch. The front
    AND ONLY ONE BIG STEP TO HELL ON EARTH>> LIARS DON"T WIN

    told Andrew Hanlon to leave,
    refused. Instead, he repeatedly demanded to be let in. Andrew Hanlon was
    speaking in Old English, yelling phrases that included, "Thou shalt let me
    in!" He also yelled that he had a sword and made gestures as if he was
    swinging a sword although he did not appear to be armed. At one point, he
    peered inside the window next to the front door and shook his fist at Mrs.
    Kelley's father. He continued to yell and scream and at one point he claimed
    to be the "angel of death." As Mrs. Kelley watched, Andrew Hanlon literally
    howled at the moon. Eventually Andrew Hanlon's screams ceased to be
    comprehensible and became "guttural" and "animalistic." Mrs. Kelley had
    already called 911 to report that someone was attempting to break into her
    house. and in the background of that
    call, Andrew Hanlon can be heard screaming and beating on the door.

    Andrew Hanlon continued to punch and kick the door to the point that Mrs.
    Kelley and her parents all had to put their bodies against the door to keep
    him from kicking it down.

    Note: After Andrew Hanlon fled from the scene of the attempted burglary,
    inspection of the Kelleys' front door revealed blood, blood spatter and even
    skin tissue.

    Once Andrew Hanlon realized that he was unable to punch or kick down the
    door, he ran from the porch to the driveway, got a running start and began
    to hurl himself against the Kelleys' front door. He did this a number of
    times. After his final run at the door, Andrew Hanlon screamed something
    incomprehensible and abruptly ran off down the hill going through the trees
    and blackberries, without shoes, toward Oak Street.

    As soon as Mrs. Kelley's 911 call came in, police were dispatched to her
    residence. Dispatch continued to relay information to responding officers
    throughout the course of the 911 call. Tony Gonzalez and Silverton Police
    Officer Josh Barnett responded. Dispatch recordings show that officers
    GUNNED DOWN AN INNOCENT BOY WHO NEEDED HELP NOT DEATH!!!
    have weapons but was possibly intoxicated COPS BEGAN TRACKING LIKE HIS was AN ANIMAL HUNTING HIM DOWN
    Officer Barnett drove up Diger///ness Blvd. to the Kelley
    Tony Gonzalez was down below on Oak Street.t Andrew Hanlon was coming down , Tony Gonzalez
    parked his patrol car near the residence at 606 Oak Street and got out to
    shoot him again .

    OMY GOD details make the case unlawful This address had five vehicles parked in a row in the driveway in
    front of and to the east of the residence.

    Tony Gonzalez ALPINE?? KNOW EACH OTHER portion of the hill east of the
    residence on Oak Street, he heard branches breaking. Tony Gonzalez shined
    his flashlight into the trees and saw Andrew Hanlon. Tony Gonzalez did in fact
    know Andrew Hanlon
    personally because A.J. knew he was raping kids and was gona tell the truth
    Tony Gonzalez did draw his service weapon,
    come down Andrew Hanlon
    did come down from the trees but instead of following Tony Gonzalez's
    orders, he cut behind the first of the five parked vehicles and began moving
    west, parallel to Oak Street
    of the parked vehicles, Tony Gonzalez began HUNTING HIM AGAIN
    Andrew Hanlon, also moving west, parallel to Oak Street. When Andrew Hanlon
    went behind the second parked vehicle, he ducked down out of sight. Tony
    Gonzalez,LIED ABOUT that Andrew Hanlon may run, began to go in between the
    second and third vehicles to cut off a possible escape route. As Tony
    Gonzalez moved towards Andrew Hanlon at the rear of the vehicles, Tony
    Gonzalez heard a sound that he thought was glass breaking.

    Note: It is the opinion of investigators that the sound was Andrew Hanlon
    kicking or bumping into a recycling bin that had glass bottles in it causing
    them to clink together. THE COPS CLEANED UP THE GLASS BECAUSE IT MADE THE CASE AGAINST THE INNOCENT THAT WAS TO TELL THE TRUTH ABOUT THE DIRTY DEEDS!

    Upon hearing this noise, Tony Gonzalez believed that Andrew Hanlon could be
    armed with a broken bottle and he drew his service weapon. Andrew Hanlon
    then stepped out from behind the second vehicle. At this point, Tony
    Gonzalez and Andrew Hanlon were within five to eight feet of each other. The
    area was only partially illuminated and Andrew Hanlon was turned sideways
    and would not face Tony Gonzalez. Therefore, Tony Gonzalez was only able to
    see Andrew Hanlon's right hand. Andrew Hanlon to
    show him both of his hands and to get down on the ground. Andrew Hanlon did
    comply with those orders, so Tony Gonzalez yelled them( WHY THEM) again. Details study study LIARS DIRTY DEEDS TO PROTECT THE PHEDOLPHILES
    appeared that Andrew Hanlon was complying THEY SHOT HIM IN COLD BLOOD
    and started to reach toward the ground. However, he then stood back up
    straight and quickly bent down again, as if to touch the ground, and let out
    a scream and leapt towards Tony Gonzalez. Tony Gonzalez began to retreat as
    Andrew Hanlon chased after him swinging his arms, kicking and screaming. As
    Tony Gonzalez backed up, he cleared the two vehicles he had been between and
    continued back all the way across the driveway and into Oak Street. Andrew
    Hanlon continued advancing on Tony Gonzalez this entire distance,
    approximately twenty-five feet and Tony Gonzalez was never able to get more
    than five feet from Andrew Hanlon. At some point as Tony Gonzalez was
    retreating, he began to shoot at Andrew Hanlon in an attempt to defend his
    life under the circumstances. Tony Gonzalez fired his weapon seven times.
    Andrew Hanlon continued to chase Tony Gonzalez even as he fired his weapon.
    Andrew Hanlon finally stopped and fell to the ground just as he was entering
    the street. Autopsy results show that Andrew Hanlon was shot five times and
    that he died as a result of the gunshot wounds he sustained.

    As this incident was occurring, Silverton resident, Jeff DeSantis, was
    driving along Oak Street. Mr. DeSantis did not know either Tony Gonzalez or
    Andrew Hanlon. Upon seeing Tony Gonzalez's patrol car parked in the street,
    Mr. DeSantis stopped his vehicle. Mr. DeSantis then looked to his left and
    saw the beginning of the confrontation between Tony Gonzalez and Andrew
    Hanlon. Mr. DeSantis had an unobstructed view and was approximately
    thirty-five feet from Tony Gonzalez and Andrew Hanlon when it began. When
    Mr. DeSantis first observed them Tony Gonzalez and Andrew Hanlon were at the
    rear of the two vehicles and Tony Gonzalez had his weapon drawn. He heard
    Tony Gonzalez repeatedly say, "Get down!" "Freeze!" "Don't move!" "Get
    down!" Mr. DeSantis said these commands were made several times and were
    very clear. Mr. DeSantis then heard Andrew Hanlon make what he described as
    a "primordial war scream" and start toward the officer, trying to strike and
    kick him with what appeared to be martial arts moves. Mr. DeSantis describes
    Tony Gonzalez's BIG BAD COPPER WITH A GUN!Andrew Hanlon as similar to that of a football (MY space acct. of police guy TOMAHAWK WHAT AN EGOTISTICAL BASTARD) HE had a little dick too....
    player back-peddling and he called it "very professional." Mr. DeSantis
    heard Officer Gonzalez continue to order Andrew Hanlon to "Get down!" and
    "Stop!" Mr. DeSantis also saw that despite his
    retreat, Tony Gonzalez was never able to get more than five feet from Andrew
    Hanlon. Mr. DeSantis watched as Tony Gonzalez began to fire his service
    weapon and he saw that Andrew Hanlon continued to pursue Tony Gonzalez even
    as Tony Gonzalez fired. It was not until several shots had been fired that
    Andrew Hanlon began to slow down. Mr. DeSantis saw that Tony Gonzalez
    stopped firing as soon as Andrew Hanlon stopped coming after him. Mr.
    DeSantis saw Andrew Hanlon fall to the ground. Mr. DeSantis also saw that
    Tony Gonzalez never shot Andrew Hanlon when he was not chasing him and never
    shot him when he was on the ground. Mr. DeSantis then heard Tony Gonzalez
    immediately grab his radio and report, "Shots fired!" Mr. DeSantis attempted
    to tend to Andrew Hanlon, however, he was too severely injured and he died
    at the scene. Andrew Hanlon was not armed when he was shot.

    THE COP MURDERED THE IRISH CITIZEN AND RAPED A LITTLE GIRL
    the evidence WAS TAINTED!Gonzalez IS A PEDOPHILE PROTECTED BY OUR GOVENMENT????
    The decision of whether deadly physical force is justified does not boil
    down solely to the question of whether someone is armed with a weapon or
    not. The decision requires the application of all of the facts and evidence
    available to the legal rules. That is what the Grand Jury has done today.
    paramount STUDIOS All of the primary PLAYERS WERE DIRTY DEED DOERS
    one agency
    Grand Jury are crooks and LIARS made up of members of the
    ALUMINAUGHTY
    rendered its decision.AND THEY ARE THE IDIOTS WE PAY TO KEEP IN POWER!
    Oregon Arts Commission Announces More Than $1 Million in Grants To Oregon
    Arts Groups
    Oregon Arts Commission - 07/24/08
  • dignindignin Posts: 9,338
    prytoj wrote:
    You're telling me that neither the Pops or the daughter could muster up the stuff to get a job a McDonalds for a week or so to pay for some sod?

    We can spin this all you want, but the point is personal accountability.
    You gotta problem, you find a way to solve it. Man up. 66 is not dead, for pete's sake

    Maybe we can get Obama's community organzation to lay down some gub'ment sod on that and solve his problem for him....then we can all give a big cheer for ol' timer and pat ourselves on the back. Way to go us!
    You sir are a grade A Asshole.
  • dignindignin Posts: 9,338
    know1 wrote:
    Not every neighborhood has one. If you don't like their rules, don't live there.
    Same could be said for you.
  • prytojprytoj Posts: 536
    yield6 wrote:
    You sir are a grade A Asshole.

    socialism, welfare, the erosion of our liberties.....
    brought to us by people like yourselves.

    Whatever happened to self-reliance and self-determination in this
    country?

    You, sir, need an education.
  • prytojprytoj Posts: 536
    Commy wrote:
    that's not the point though, A 66 year old man is in jail because of a fucking yard. Jail. yard.

    Incredulous....

    No Court!!! Jail no court, jail - pretty simple.
  • prytojprytoj Posts: 536
    yield6 wrote:
    You sir are a grade A Asshole.

    again, for ingnoring a court order, if you dont know you can be thrown in jail,
    then we're just wasting time.

    But I'm trying to help the future homowners of America here, not the guy who refused to perform his due diligence:

    When you buy low and prices go through the roof, don't act like you hit the lottery. You did not make a jump in class. Improve your home, renegotiate your mortgage into a better position.

    DO NOT refi to cash out, then buy a bunch of crap on credit. Pay cash for your crap and live within your monthly income. Because ups come down, your a poor student of history if you don't know that.

    Expect repairs that will cost you THOUSANDS....air conditioners break, roofs leak, water pipes burst, and yes, grass dies.

    Know your local CITY CODE ORDINANCES, not the building codes. Also know your deed restrictions. If you don't like the rules, don't buy.

    And lastly, most courts think you don't respect them when you don't show, so it's probably a good idea to do so. If you are seen to be making an effort, you will be met more than halfway.
  • prytoj wrote:
    You're telling me that neither the Pops or the daughter could muster up the stuff to get a job a McDonalds for a week or so to pay for some sod?

    We can spin this all you want, but the point is personal accountability.
    You gotta problem, you find a way to solve it. Man up. 66 is not dead, for pete's sake

    Maybe we can get Obama's community organzation to lay down some gub'ment sod on that and solve his problem for him....then we can all give a big cheer for ol' timer and pat ourselves on the back. Way to go us!


    personal accountability for something that should not be an issue? home owners associations should be illegal due to the fact that they take away personal freedom. the fact that the government is condoning someone impressing their will upon another person is ridiculous. I just dont understand why people think it is okay for the government , or for anyone to control our lives to the smallest details. the concept of freedom these days is a lost cause. you have none. you dont have any. and it doesnt matter if you vote republican or democrat, your not going to get any.
  • prytojprytoj Posts: 536
    bizzat92 wrote:
    personal accountability for something that should not be an issue? home owners associations should be illegal due to the fact that they take away personal freedom. the fact that the government is condoning someone impressing their will upon another person is ridiculous. I just dont understand why people think it is okay for the government , or for anyone to control our lives to the smallest details. the concept of freedom these days is a lost cause. you have none. you dont have any. and it doesnt matter if you vote republican or democrat, your not going to get any.

    debate the merits of HOA all you want, and I agree totally with your arguments against.

    that said, you HAVE A CHOICE when you buy. The reason there are HOA is because there is a MARKET for them. Some people actually like that.

    If you do not like HOA, the you will buy in a neighborhood that is deed free.

    Did you know that some HOA even do your landscaping?

    The point is, you have a CHOICE and a BRAIN. If you do not exercise them properly it is YOUR OWN FAULT.
  • vduboisevduboise Posts: 1,937
    prytoj wrote:

    But I'm trying to help the future homowners of America here, not the guy who refused to perform his due diligence:

    you are assuming that the guy did not try. We don't know how big his lot was. His sprinkler system was busted- and he did not have the money to fix it. Maybe he's not a handy guy to fix it himself. For whatever reason, he did try to appeal to the board to understand his hardship and they were hard asses.

    If they really wanted to get the grass green- they could have given him options to get it that way- maybe they did? maybe they did not?- in either case- they should have worked with him instead of get it green or else?

    prytoj wrote:
    When you buy low and prices go through the roof, don't act like you hit the lottery. You did not make a jump in class. Improve your home, renegotiate your mortgage into a better position.

    DO NOT refi to cash out, then buy a bunch of crap on credit. Pay cash for your crap and live within your monthly income. Because ups come down, your a poor student of history if you don't know that.

    Expect repairs that will cost you THOUSANDS....air conditioners break, roofs leak, water pipes burst, and yes, grass dies.

    Again, we don't know his background. To suggest that he bought the house and then refi for crap- is a bad assumption. What if he needed it for medical reasons, or some kind of hardship? We don't know.

    As with some people who bought their houses during the housing boom- they could pay for it. When the banks got greedy and kept upping the mortgages- that is when problems happen. $600 a month more per month is a hard stretch.

    I'm not saying that he is not responsible for his actions, but he chose to save his house rather on the lawn. And watering the lawn takes money too.
    If it was my choice on the lawn or keeping the roof over my head- then the lawn looses.
    prytoj wrote:
    Know your local CITY CODE ORDINANCES, not the building codes. Also know your deed restrictions. If you don't like the rules, don't buy.

    And I agree, know what your buying before you put money down.
  • prytojprytoj Posts: 536
    The article states that he did not try, that he did not answer 2 court orders to comply with ordinance. No attempt to show harship to the court. He ignored everyone along the way "because hes broke".

    How many options do you need to keep your lawn green? Is the subject something that requires a symposium?

    Is he the only guy in the neighborhood who's got money problems? You know he's not. What about his neighbors who still manage to maintain their property? It's not fair to give him a pass in that light, especially if he blows off his neighbors, the HOA, the city, and the court.

    He bought in '98, well before the boom. He is well ahead of todays' market unless he re-fied and cashed out.

    Homeownership is not for everyone. It's expensive and it's work.

    It's an alarmist reaction "oh my god, an old man in jail for grass! the gub'ment totally sucks!" but this reaction separates the mind from the facts.

    I feel bad he went to jail, but he allowed it to happen to himself.
    Any other conclusion just isn't honest. And you'd know that if you can relate to his circumstance, as I can. Florida propoerty owner.
  • THCTHC Posts: 525
    I wonder how the neighbor who cared soo much about his lawn feels. does the person feel good they have sent an old man to jail for his unkept lawn??
    “Kept in a small bowl, the goldfish will remain small. With more space, the fish can grow double, triple, or quadruple its size.”
    -Big Fish
  • prytojprytoj Posts: 536
    THC wrote:
    I wonder how the neighbor who cared soo much about his lawn feels. does the person feel good they have sent an old man to jail for his unkept lawn??


    Alas, they proably didn't even know...as he ignored them all.
  • vduboisevduboise Posts: 1,937
    This is about compassion. And helping your neighbor- not about pettiness (from what I can see- someone ratted him out).
    Yes he chose to live in a community- and when he hit hard times- that community failed him.

    Yes he ignored court orders- that was his failing and his fault-100%.

    But the underling thing is that- IF he could re sod the lawn- it will just happen again-because it will not be watered... especially if the sprinklers are not working.

    Why the sprinklers are not working? maybe it will cost more than he can pay at this time.

    He cried hardship to the board BEFORE they went to court. And knowing that he could not pay, they took him to court anyway. Why? Because grass is more important that living.

    So again, they showed no compassion for him, his neighbor, and gave him no options (as far as I know) to make it better.

    If they had offered him the lawn services for a reduced rate- or something like that and he turned them down... WE don't know. The story is only half told.

    But, putting him in jail? He'll probably be in jail for a long time.
  • prytojprytoj Posts: 536
    Again I think we are just making excuses for our own limitations and placing the blame on others.

    I think we do ourselves no service in making excuses for our fellow citizens, except to further limit our own potential. sets a lower standard.

    My best client is 70 years old, and ex-smoker, a diabetic, a heart-attack survivor (quad bi-pass) and his kids live out of state.

    The man busts his ass everyday at work, does his own home repair, including bolting his plywood hurricane panels to his home windows (Just try it on for size sometime) I could go on, but The poor old man story just dont work.
  • vduboisevduboise Posts: 1,937
    its not excuses. I'm not excusing him for ignoring the court.

    But when you choose to live in a community like setting- then the community should work together for the betterment of the community.

    Putting him in jail is not going to get them what they want. Helping him find a solution- probably will.

    I'm not saying to take the responsibility of his home ownership- but help thy neighbor and you help yourself.

    And one old man is not the same as another.
  • prytojprytoj Posts: 536
    it's grass and a hose guys, not extreme makeover! It's a CHEAP and EASY fix.

    Putting him in jail SHOULD get them what they want, unless the guy wants to go back.

    The old man should never had let it get that far, and the "look what they did to me" guilt-trip would piss me off more than anything.

    We can look at our mistakes and make a choice. I choose to look in the mirror.

    And if my old guy can do it, so can yours.

    vduboise wrote:
    its not excuses. I'm not excusing him for ignoring the court.

    But when you choose to live in a community like setting- then the community should work together for the betterment of the community.

    Putting him in jail is not going to get them what they want. Helping him find a solution- probably will.

    I'm not saying to take the responsibility of his home ownership- but help thy neighbor and you help yourself.

    And one old man is not the same as another.
  • vduboisevduboise Posts: 1,937
    if it was just grass and a hose then the problem would have been solved a long time ago.

    If they allowed him to sow seeds and water it - it is a cheaper option.
    But they wanted new sod down- which is not a cheaper way to go.

    Again, we don't know how big his lot is- and they wanted front and back done. He could not afford it.

    And yes- one old man is different from another.
    Does he have health problems, etc that makes him unable to do as your 70 old man?
    We don't know his background- so assumption makes an ass out of you and me.
  • dignindignin Posts: 9,338
    prytoj wrote:
    it's grass and a hose guys, not extreme makeover! It's a CHEAP and EASY fix.

    Putting him in jail SHOULD get them what they want, unless the guy wants to go back.

    The old man should never had let it get that far, and the "look what they did to me" guilt-trip would piss me off more than anything.

    We can look at our mistakes and make a choice. I choose to look in the mirror.

    And if my old guy can do it, so can yours.
    Im glad your not my grandson, or my neighbor ..this is about whats right and wrong, throwing people in jail when no crime has been commited is WRONG period, your still an asshole.
  • prytoj wrote:
    it's grass and a hose guys, not extreme makeover! It's a CHEAP and EASY fix.

    Putting him in jail SHOULD get them what they want, unless the guy wants to go back.

    The old man should never had let it get that far, and the "look what they did to me" guilt-trip would piss me off more than anything.

    We can look at our mistakes and make a choice. I choose to look in the mirror.

    And if my old guy can do it, so can yours.


    Dude...you're nuts...
    Progress is not made by everyone joining some new fad,
    and reveling in it's loyalty. It's made by forming coalitions
    over specific principles, goals, and policies.

    http://i36.tinypic.com/66j31x.jpg

    (\__/)
    ( o.O)
    (")_(")
  • bootlegger10bootlegger10 Posts: 16,064
    Kenny Olav wrote:
    He should rob the bank that gave him that mortgage!

    There are two signatures on that mortgage.
  • prytoj wrote:
    debate the merits of HOA all you want, and I agree totally with your arguments against.

    that said, you HAVE A CHOICE when you buy. The reason there are HOA is because there is a MARKET for them. Some people actually like that.

    If you do not like HOA, the you will buy in a neighborhood that is deed free.

    Did you know that some HOA even do your landscaping?

    The point is, you have a CHOICE and a BRAIN. If you do not exercise them properly it is YOUR OWN FAULT.


    There is a market for them because people here are too willing to give up their freedom. what right does a HOA have to define terms on land that you buy. oh right i forgot. you dont own your land. you lease it from the government. so i guess they have all the rights in the world to do what they want to you, because the government is obviously enforcing it. keep letting the government take away your freedoms. and the really sad thing is, people here are endorsing the loss of personal freedom.
  • bizzat92 wrote:
    .... and the really sad thing is, people here are endorsing the loss of personal freedom.

    ;)
    Progress is not made by everyone joining some new fad,
    and reveling in it's loyalty. It's made by forming coalitions
    over specific principles, goals, and policies.

    http://i36.tinypic.com/66j31x.jpg

    (\__/)
    ( o.O)
    (")_(")
  • spongersponger Posts: 3,159
    know1 wrote:
    Not every neighborhood has one. If you don't like their rules, don't live there.

    HOA's control just about every newer neighborhood in the area. This greatly limits my options.

    I shouldn't have my housing options cut in half because of HOA's. They exist because people believe they are entitled to equity in their home values.

    Ultimately, it's the belief that homes are investment vehicles that keep homes out of the hands of the modest and financially responsible. The present circumstances are an example.
  • prytojprytoj Posts: 536
    says the non-homeowner...

    There is validity to the statement that people believe they are entitled to
    equity in their home values, but would YOU flush 300k down the drain?
    If you would then your'e a pinko commie and can leave anytime.

    Other then that, you are copletely uninformed.

    fight the power.....with ingnorance!
    sponger wrote:
    HOA's control just about every newer neighborhood in the area. This greatly limits my options.

    I shouldn't have my housing options cut in half because of HOA's. They exist because people believe they are entitled to equity in their home values.

    Ultimately, it's the belief that homes are investment vehicles that keep homes out of the hands of the modest and financially responsible. The present circumstances are an example.
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