Narrow minded associations demand green grass during extreme drought

Area Home owner associations have crossed way over the line on demanding owner's have green grass and live trees during times of severe drought. The HOA for Margot's Pond subdivision in Wake Forest demand owners make the neighborhood "look good" no matter what and the hired enforcer, Talis Management is harassing them to make sure they follow the demands.

Have these associations gone too far? Do they have the right to demand watering during severe drought when there isn't even enough water to insure everyone will have clean water for drinking and bathing? This is a sign that some groups don't have the brains of a rock and should not be allowed to set rules that violate measures to prevent draining reservours and water supplies that supply the whole region.

Contact your representatives or the Governor's office to ask that these associations and organizations follow the same rules as everyone else so all will have a fair share of limited resources. Email the Governor's office (Click here) or call the Governor's Office at:
1-800-662-7952 (valid in North Carolina only), (919)733-4240, or (919)733-5811.

Read more about how this problem affects you...

News & Observer
September 7, 2007
Sam Lagrone and David Bracken, Staff Writers

Grass must be green, HOA decrees
Community board cuts homeowners no slack during drought

WAKE FOREST - Amid record drought and heat that have pushed Raleigh into severe water conservation measures, residents of the Margot's Pond community off Ligon Mill Road have been told by their homeowners association to keep the grass green.

"While the Board is aware of the inconvenience presented by the heat and water restrictions, we believe that having neatly landscaped lawns of grass is of the utmost importance to our community," said a letter sent to the homeowners in August.

Local homeowners associations are loosening restrictive covenants requiring green grass and manicured lawns. But the Margot's Pond association is not giving residents a break -- and it's causing dissension among some members.

In a letter Aug. 16, Talis Management Group, which carries out the policies of the Margot's Pond HOA, required the homeowners to have:

* Healthy grass free of brown patches and weeds.

* Living trees with mulch.

* Planter beds with living shrubs and flowers.

The letter gave an October deadline to meet the HOA standards. Violators would be subject to fines or "self-help" -- a landscape company would fix the violations; the homeowner would get the bill.

Vann Holland, a member of the Margot's Pond landscaping committee, thought the requirements were too stringent. In an interview with WTVD last week, she asked the HOA to "give the homeowners a break." Read more...

Ranch homes gaining appeal

Tired of climbing the stairs every time you want something from the bedroom? And making the long drive to and from an outlying commuter home neighborhood? Take a look at ranch home living. Stylish in the 50's and later, many are being torn down so builders or buyers can build a large McMansion on the lot. In many cases this comes with a loss of a good and affordable home that can be remodeled or expanded at a much lower cost than building a new one.

Many of these homes are the right size for a starter home and need little change to provide a cozy lifestyle. Most are on lots larger than builders offer now and often have backyard space that provides an excellent area for outside recreation, a home garden or expansion of living space. With a little remodeling of old pipe systems, addition of insulation, a modern HVAC system and occasional layout changes the homes are an excellent alternative to homes now offered with high price tags.

News and Observer
July 29, 2007
Sarah Lindenfeld Hall, Staff Writer

Ranches regain some respect
Dominant lifestyle of 50's and so comfy, so American

It's easy to ridicule the ranch.

They're modest, one-story houses with small closets and low ceilings, little insulation and old pipes.

And they're common. Ranches were the predominant style in Raleigh and across the country for a couple of decades starting in the 1950s.

Now, they're a regular victim of the trend of tearing down old houses and building larger ones.

But even as the once innocuous style disappears, there is new awakening to its subtle appeal. The affordable but bland ranch home is becoming hip to a new generation and an object of desire to an older one.

Younger people love them for their kitsch. Baby boomers seek them for their stairs-free living. Read more...