HOA expense vs personal

Our HOA recently replaced a wood fence that was 16 years old and rotten with a new vinyl one. There was one or two homeowners who were against replacing it period and after much grief we had the HOA Attorney send out a letter to the entire membership stating the BOD was complying with the vote to finish the fence. These homeowners have continued to cause issues too numerous to go into detail. When the first section of the fence was completed we put in landscape edging to make sure the mow crew did not ruin the fence with their mowers or edgers. It was black edging and landscape rock. The portion we just finished needed edging also and due to the cost being nearly the same as concrete edging it was decided to go with the concrete. We had to have a minimum of 300 ft (which we did not have) so one homeowner who already had brick edging said she would pay for the balance and remove her bricks to get the minimum ft. This homeowner filled out a architectural form for her property for the new edging. Now one of the homeowners who has been causing issues says she wants copies of the ARC forms for this property and the section for the fence which is the HOA perimeter fence. There was no ARC form for the HOA portion of the concrete edging. We know from past experience she s going to make a huge issue out of this. Any advice on how to handle a response to her? Just an FYI nothing we ever tell her does she believe or agree with. It is a nightmare.

oops, I intended to write that you have now set precedence.

Sorry, I was listening to the debate when I was typing.

The HOA has a right to lien the owner for the bills which is better than fining them. Some states don't allow for liens for fines. So it's just best to go right for the lien which will cover your legal costs for filing too.

Here's what I had developed as a response over the years. This is used usually to address those members who are more "squeeky". Repeat this "If you sue your HOA, you are suing yourself and your neighbors". Understand the logic behind this statement and it will open things up for you and the complainer. It may take a bit to sink in but eventually when they are hit with the bill...It sets in quickly...

Don't knee-jerk at every proposed legal action. I must have been threatened lawsuits several times a month. Here's the deal. Tell them to go ahead an sue. Most likely they never will and just send a letter from an attorney. Which is just legal mumbo jumbo to make your HOA jump at their feet. If your HOA is correct in it's stance, you have nothing to worry about. If they do sue, put it on their dime NOT yours. Simply file a counter-suit. It's cheaper and can sue for anything too. Put your lawyer to work rather than drafting letters...

Sometimes you just got to plant your feet in the ground and say "Come on...What you got?". It throws people off their feet when all they got behind them is a bunch of air. I don't use this approach for everybody but sometimes you just have to stand against the wind and be okay with taking a few punches. The punches usually miss....