Snooty Ocala Subdivision Outlaws Hurricane Katrina Evacuees

The board of directors of the Majestic Oaks Homeowners Association sent out a notice this week to residents in the 500-home subdivision, telling them that their deed restrictions prohibit them from housing people who fled the Gulf Coast after the wrath of Hurricane Katrina wiped away every trace of their lives. According to the Ocala Star-Banner, the flier distributed by the homeowners association told residents that instead of inviting "additional families" into their community, residents should simply contribute to hurricane relief funds. Essentially, they told Majestic Oaks residents that instead of sullying up the neighborhood with refugees, they should offer assistance from a distance. Really.

The board felt compelled to send out the flier when it found out that a minister living in Majestic Oaks had traveled to New Orleans to see what he could do for stricken families, and he was planning to offer three families of evacuees temporary shelter in his home. That’s when the homeowners association decided "there goes the neighborhood," and let residents know they would be in violation of neighborhood restrictions if they ignored the notices. Shocked and angry homeowners have said that this situation might make them move.

Resident Georgia Ann Bolla is one such resident, and she told the newspaper that she "went ballistic" when she read the notice. "I'm proud of what Texas is doing for the refugees, and we know what hospitality is," she said. "We have a wonderful community, but this is a disgrace." Bryce Mercier, who is both a Majestic Oaks resident and a superintendent for the development's builder, Triple Crown Homes, was also outraged by the actions of the homeowners association. "We didn't know the covenants would mean we couldn't help people," he told the paper. Resident Nancy Fisher said she took in evacuees from the hurricanes that hit Florida last year, so the by-laws shouldn’t apply to the community during the current crisis in the Gulf Coast. "You shouldn't be asked to deny evacuees a place to stay just because you have a nice home," Fisher said.

Homeowners association president Bob Watson said the restrictions imposed by the homeowners association are designed to avoid legal liability, and residents should realize that. "They're talking about their feelings, not using common sense," Watson told the paper. "We feel bad about it, very upset about it ... There's no real solution." Audrey Andrews, vice president of the homeowners association, echoed his sentiments by saying, "These are single-family residences, and that's what they were intended for." Andrews did say, however, that association residents can bring in evacuees who are family members.

Remember, this is the same homeowners association that took one of their residents to court in 1996 to make him remove a flagpole and American flag from his yard. That in itself explains a lot. This board of directors is obviously composed of a group of Hitler wannabes who know nothing about what it means to be an American. If Hurricane Katrina had wiped out all trace of their homes and their lives, what would they think of a snooty neighborhood refusing to take them in? They should be ashamed.