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This week the U.S. House of Representatives unanimously passed The Ham Radio Parity Act -- a huge victory for grass-roots advocates of amateur radio.
This will allow for the reasonable accommodation of amateur radio antennas in many places where they are currently prohibited by homeowner associations or private land use restrictions... If this bill passes the Senate, we will be one step closer to allowing amateur radio operators, who provide emergency communications services, the right to erect reasonable antenna structures in places where they cannot do so now.
The national ham radio association is now urging supporters to contact their Senators through a special web page. "This is not just a feel-good bill," said representative Joe Courtney, remembering how Hurricane Sandy brought down the power grid, and "we saw all the advanced communications we take for granted...completely fall by the wayside."
(Score: 3, Insightful) by NCommander on Sunday September 18 2016, @10:58AM
I've never heard anyone say anyone good about HOAs. I primarily live out of a backpack and rent places so I've never had the "privilege" of dealing with them.
NIMBYs are basically a variant of gatekeepers or sleepwalkers (or sheepies if you're going to be degenerative); people that refuse to accept any change around them and refuse to allow others to change because it upsets their world. I got out of working in corporate because I couldn't stand it.
Still always moving
(Score: 1) by khallow on Sunday September 18 2016, @11:59AM
I think a large part of what makes HOA such a pain is that so much of peoples' wealth is tied up in their homes. If you don't mow your lawn or you put up a funny looking gazebo, that can (though not necessarily does) negatively affect their home's value. It leads to a pathological incentive to make the whole neighborhood look perfect in order to optimize home resale value. That combined with the usual, power hungry small fish who like take over things like this, and you have a recipe for widespread NIMBYism.
(Score: 4, Insightful) by Ethanol-fueled on Sunday September 18 2016, @01:50PM
People who view their homes more as investments, rather than places to live, are the cancer killing the American dream.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by mhajicek on Sunday September 18 2016, @03:32PM
Why do they want to pay more in property tax anyway?
The spacelike surfaces of time foliations can have a cusp at the surface of discontinuity. - P. Hajicek
(Score: 2) by deadstick on Sunday September 18 2016, @02:22PM
I live in a neighborhood that has an HOA but doesn't care about it, to the extent that it pretty much withered away. Once in a while someone creates a nuisance (no crackhouses yet, but junk accumulations and such); we've found that complaining of code violations has been sufficient to deal with them.
(Score: 1, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday September 18 2016, @04:42PM
Then get it dissolved. Around here, having an HOA actually hurts property values, and I'm pretty sure it might be the same there. The reason is that people know that they can tell them how to use their property, mortgage companies know that the HOA has priority over their mortgage, the dues are basically a tax, and a few other reasons. If the HOA doesn't do anything helpful, then the cons definitely outweigh the pros.
There should be a procedure for getting rid of it in the covenant and, if that is silent, there should be a law that covers the default situation. However, be aware that in some areas, the covenant cannot override the law. The usual procedure is to get 80% or so of the people to vote to get rid of it, and that triggers the wind-up procedure. There are other ways as well, such as reconveyance without CC&Rs or administrative disillusion, but they are nowhere near as common and can have other side effects that are harder to predict. They are even more rare in situations where the HOA also owns property, significant assets or has major liabilities.
(Score: 1) by Francis on Sunday September 18 2016, @12:19PM
An HOA is only as good as the people living there. The rules can and are changed from time to time as new people move in and go through the process of changing the rules.
The rules are mostly things that are meant to maintain the property values and ensure that whatever communal resources are properly cared for. But, other things can be included. It used to be that the HOAs had rules against certain folks living in those neighborhoods and things like that eventually get tossed out when they get to court. But, some of it can seem rather silly and enforcement can be patchy.
(Score: 2, Insightful) by Ethanol-fueled on Sunday September 18 2016, @12:38PM
Amen, brother. I hate those kinds of fucking assholes. Live free or die!
Or, stated differently, one half of the problem is the law, the other half are the nosey busybodies who can't mind their own fucking business. That is the reason why good parents get referred to CPS for letting their kids play outside unsupervised.
I have an FCC General Radiotelephone Operator License (with ship radar endorsement) and have never actually used the damn thing. Maybe it's time to get me a radio rig.
(Score: 2) by NCommander on Sunday September 18 2016, @01:18PM
You'll need a ham radio ticket regardless just for the right to use amauter bands. The test isn't too bad, and none of the ham radio levels require learning code anymore. Find a VEC in your area and get onboard. If you're based in NYC, I can do some simplex contacts w/ you.
Still always moving
(Score: 2) by takyon on Sunday September 18 2016, @03:10PM
Ethanol is a San Diego slumdog.
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(Score: 1) by Ethanol-fueled on Sunday September 18 2016, @04:29PM
Sod off, you blutty doyke.
I believe in ultimate freedom.
(Score: 2) by takyon on Sunday September 18 2016, @05:53PM
I was just stating the facts!
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(Score: 2) by takyon on Sunday September 18 2016, @05:54PM
I swear on me mum, m8
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