HOA and the issues that it tackles

Our neighborhood is about three years old. Board member was enacted on 08/2005. Some issues that have come to light and want to hear from other board members how they handle some of these issues.

#1 - Lawn Parking - There was nothing to combat this problem in the bylaws. In 2005 I was informed that the city of austin, texas has a city ordinace to stop law parking, but you have to opt in and also fill out appilcation to opt in and it down once a year in January. Here is my problem, I don't want to involed police to ticket someone, and take them away from dealing with real crime.

#2 - Multi-Family living in a Single-Family home. We have alot problem (mostly over crowding the street) cause a family will have their uncle, aunts, grandmom, grandpal, bothers, and sisters) all pile in a three bedroom home. We have city ordinace on this issue, but they hardly act on them.

#3 - Illegal motorvehicles (minibikes, four-wheelers, and dirt bikes) on city street and sidewalks. Again don't want to involed to ticket someone for a minor violation, and take them away from a real crime.

#4 - Renters not being informed by the landlords of the HOA and it bylaw. Most of our violation are from renters.

kenny also raises an interesting question, by talking about "real crime": WHat is "real crime"? If people truly believe that police exist to handle only "real crime", then why do legislatures bother with all these other laws? Are we setting a precedent by thinking that parking on a lawn, in direct violation of a statute, isn't a crime? Is it okay to think that speeding through a school zone isn't a real crime? Where do we draw the line?

If we don't want police to work such things, who do we expect to enforce these laws? If we expect no one to enforce them, then why have a law at all?

I have no answers.. .I just thought it interesting the thought train that kenny started for me.

Ron makes another good point, in that if people think in terms of "real crime" and "worthy of police, waste of police time", that could lead to the situations where we begin to think of certain laws being "unworthy" of police time... and that we should enforce said laws ourselves. This runs counter to what police units normally preach, which is to never take the law into private hands, and always call the police, no matter how insignificant.

This is one area where I think police could do more public awareness, and let the popular opinion and mass media do less.

Glen, you may need to clarify your statement about guns:

Perhaps you meant "In the US, over the past X years, more guns have been used in defense of life than have been used to take life" or something.

Cause I think I can argue that "more guns are used to defend life than take it", what with the genocides in the Soviet Union in 1930's, World Wars, Africa, Biafra, Sudan, etc...

point taken glen... I have found it advisable to be very clear when debating points with people to be as precise and clear as possible. The less holes in my arguement they can pick apart, the more I can keep them focused and on track. it prevents them from making straw men from my statements.

KennyD--- In Florida in order for the local police dept to enforce the uniform traffic control laws in private communities that HOA must petition the local commissioners and reach an agreement.Because most HOA'S are 'gated" and considered to have "private" roads not normally opened to the "public" these are the requirements at least here in Florida. You may want to just double check tosee if your State or municipality have similar requirements. Linda C