5/2     How come home owner association costs are so high for new
        developments? And what is the point of providing private
        parks/BBQ area... why don't people use government funded
        public parks?
        \_ Public park is great when surrounding neighborhoods are
           more or less social-economically homogeneous. However there has
           been an increasing wealth gap in the past 3-4 decades creating
           more wealth and more crime at the same time. Wealthy conservatives
           sure don't like to BBQ at parks where poor and smelly
           socialists hang out, so they prefer to spend a bit more HOA to
           create their private little world to hang out. Just look
           at Orange County as the poster child example. People there are
           wealthy, ultra Republican, and live in nice gated communities
           with nice private parks, heated pools, gym, and other amenities.
        \_ Public parks are so 70s, not to mention that it is socialistic
           and evil. After the Reagan era, conservatism became popular.
           Ronald Reagan preached "self reliance", which translated to
           less tax and less public services. In another word, you are
           responsible for your own well beings and no one else. Any form
           of public service like welfare, social security, and even public
           parks are considered fat that need to be cut. So blame not your
           HOA that need to make up for a lack of public services your
           government stopped providing 20 years ago, but the people who
           love themselves too much -- the conservatives
                \- are public grazing lands and public water sold at
                   submkt costs to business interests also socialistic?
                   \_ Your brain has been classified as: you think you're
                      witty but in reality, microscopic.
                      \_ This would make a great sentence correction
                         correction on any standardized test.  Restate in
                         a non-nonsensical manner please.  -John
           \_ You are making me cry.
              \_ Why? Is it 1) You are a conservative and you think everyone
                 is dillusional except you or 2) You are a liberal and you
                 think the truth hurts?
        \_ so that the local government officials can give themselves
        bigger bonuses from saving the cost of developing public parks.
        \_ so that you can feel rich,exclusive,elitist,happy ... from
           a city planning perspective i think it is disgusting ... its
           a de facto privatization of public space ... further
           increasing disparaties in our society
                \_ Wha? If the HMA owns the space, how is it "privatizing
                   public space" in any way shape or form?
                   \_ ignore rory's rant. he's yet another left wing
                      socialist. evil.
                      \_ wow, I've been id'ed by your lame motd-tracking
                         script. i'm honored. i'm not a socialist i just
                         hate libertarians. so what is confusing about my
                         stmt? the more property you put behind a gate
                         the less public property exists, the gov't "saves
                         money" by spending less on public works, but now
                         people have to be able to afford to live in gated
                         communities to enjoy what once was avail to all.
                         \_ What part of "Welfare is a waste of my money"
                            don't you understand?
                            \_ what part of "human rights" does your Howard
                               Roarke-worshipping ass not understand
                               \_ What part of "If you don't like America,
                                  go back to Europe" don't you understand?
                   \_ read reagan post above.
        \_ because a developer can't just go in and build next to a public
           park.  "Parks spaces" = higher property values = more profits for
           developers.  Cities take forever to make new parks -- it takes money
           they dont often have. So what's the developer to do?   Make their
           own park, and make the HOA pay for it!  Few people pay attention
           to the HOA costs when making home buying decisions -- its all
           about the cost of the home.  Pure developer genius,  pure capitalist
           evil.    -ERic  (and yes I own a home in a HOA with 'park' spaces',
           however my community is also surrounded by park, go figure)
           \_ Ummm "Open Space Laws?"  In general I'm fairly sure that 5
              more houses would generate more money than a park of the
              same size.  I could be wrong though. -jrleek