starting a new POA/HOA in my neighborhood

You may want to start talking to local property/association management companies. You will most likely want to use one anyway. Plus, they can offer you good advice and refer you to local attorneys, etc, while you are getting started.

A good resource for you is caionline.org. There, you will find a directory of certified association management professionals in your area. Their bookstore also has some great titles for someone in your situation, although it's a bit overwhelming to see how much there is to learn :-)

Remember to add caveats to:
- allow safety to override certain physical situations
- one poor decision shall not be used to justify the same decision in other cases
- eliminate any time limit on seeking to remove unapproved changes
- keep as much control over antennas as the FCC rule will allow. I fought this travesty, and still believe the gov went beyond their limitations by misusing the Interstate Commerce Clause

Get sample governing documents for guidance. Many will have things that are not good, but more likely, they will fail to have all the good stuff.

Good luck,
Hank (Pres for too many years)

fear1mike,
I live in Louisiana and just did this. It was not easy, may I add. The developer of the subdivision is who I contacted, he had a meeting with me and 8 other people that wanted to be board members. He was ready to sign it over, but we had a few demands.... We had the restrictions changed and the dues changed before he signed it over so that we didn't have to do it when we took control of it. In our restrictions is states "The developer has the right to change any or all of these restrictions at any time" so we did this. Now we are waiting on him to file with the Parish to have the right of ways changed on the plot map. When this is done in the next week he is going to call me and I, along with 3 other signers will go to the bank and he will set us up an account with money in the account as a start. After this then we think we are going to the LLC to become a Limited Liablility Corportation. I am no expert at this, but this is what I just did and I hope to help you by telling you what we did in our brand new 80% completed subdivision. HOPE IT HELPS.

To all responders to this question:
Would someone please explain what a POA (Property Owners Assn.) allows a community that a HOA (Homeowners Assn.) does not?
What would be the benefit to being a POA over HOA?
There is an additional post going on at this time re moving from HOA to POA. Could a manager or someone versed in this pls. explain? Thanks.
PaulM