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What is considered a house trailer?

SC_camper
Explorer
Explorer
We have been living in our sticks and bricks neighborhood for eleven years. Neighborhood has HOA with covenants. We moved into this neighborhood because the covenants didnt prohibit rv campers. Covenant reads "No house trailer or mobile home shall be placed on any lot either temporarily or permanently". Further in the covenant stats "All boats, trailers and all vehicles other than automobiles shall be kept under suitable cover". We filed a request, with site plan, for a travel trailer cover(Adco designer) and location on our lot where the tt will be stored. Request was approved and its been no problem since.
Now there are other homeowners saying that campers are prohibited. Campers and rv's are "house trailers". Anyone dealt with this terminology in a HOA Covenant before? Thanks for any input.
54 REPLIES 54

dons2346
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Explorer
2012Coleman wrote:
This is a house trailer - you should already know what a mobile home is



This looks like a "tiny house". They can be considered in two ways. One is a house trailer. The other one is that of an rv. You will fine some tiny houses that are RVIA certified just like a motorhome, park model, etc.

SC_camper
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Explorer
DutchmenSport wrote:
I lived in a place where, after 10 years, told me I could no long park my travel trailer there. The trailer had to be moved or I'd be fined.

I moved the trailer all right. I moved it to the next county and I moved with it. It's now been another 10 years and we live in the camper more than in the house now. I've never regretted moving, in spite of all the aggravation it took to sell the old house. .


Im sure the fine would be less than rv storage fees, for a while anyways. But we basically had the same thoughts on moving the camper, right behind the dang Uhaul when we moved everything else somewhere else. Seams the issue has been swept under the rug for now.

SC_camper
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Explorer
westernrvparkowner wrote:
I think you might have an even bigger fight with the "kept under suitable cover" clause. To me, that would mean inside covered storage, not under a tarp, which is what they are going to claim your Adco Designer cover basically is. Is this a targeted move against you specifically, or are there other, perhaps less attractive, RVs being stored in the neighborhood?
.

I talked with the HOA seven years ago about approved covering. At first it was, has to match the house siding, shingled roof, concrete floor and garage door. So I asked for approval for a 20x40, story and a half tall building, in the back of our 1/2 acre yard. They were not happy about the size so I suggested the Adco as a low profile alternative. They were on board for that. Personally I would be happier with some type of structure to store it under.

SC_camper
Explorer
Explorer
Thanks for all the input folks! So many great points. The meeting was tonight and it seams Ive been stressing out for two days over little of nothing. A few busy bodies, that feel the need to try and point out anything that they dont like, are the ones trying to be heard. A homeowner asked about the "violations" people were complaining about. One of the busy bodies spouted off about boats and campers were not allowed. I quickly asked her where it says no campers or boats. When she said the covenant, I firmly corrected her that boats and campers were NOT prohibited by the covenant but needed to be under an approved covering. Another busy body made some smart a.. comment about covers actually being used and the HOA president moved on to other issues. The only other mention of campers was from a homeowner that commented that the 2 campers he knew of in the neighborhood were very nice campers and saw no problem as long as they were in the back yard, couple others agreed.

It seams that the issue is quieted for now, no defining of House Trailer, no approval but no violations expressed. Ill call that a win for now.

Dutch_12078
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Explorer
bikendan wrote:
Ozlander wrote:
MrWizard wrote:
I always thought house trailer was mobile home
House trailer was the old term, mobile home the new term

While they can be moved, they are not self contained (that's a biggie)
And are designed to be moved and then set up,
Not for going camping

I think if you ask, you will find the HOA covenant is to keep members from placing a mobile home on the property and living in it

Not a restriction of RV storage, as long as stored by the rules

The people complaining, don't know or don't care
But they are wrong


Mr. Wizard got it right. The key, not self contained.


I agree, mobile homes, park models and destination trailers don't have holding tanks. Therefore aren't self-contained.
Question is, willing the HOA agree.


Not to quibble, but doesn't that rule out a lot of popups, teardrops, etc.?
Dutch
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bikendan
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Explorer
Ozlander wrote:
MrWizard wrote:
I always thought house trailer was mobile home
House trailer was the old term, mobile home the new term

While they can be moved, they are not self contained (that's a biggie)
And are designed to be moved and then set up,
Not for going camping

I think if you ask, you will find the HOA covenant is to keep members from placing a mobile home on the property and living in it

Not a restriction of RV storage, as long as stored by the rules

The people complaining, don't know or don't care
But they are wrong


Mr. Wizard got it right. The key, not self contained.


I agree, mobile homes, park models and destination trailers don't have holding tanks. Therefore aren't self-contained.
Question is, willing the HOA agree.
Dan- Firefighter, Retired:C, Shawn- Musician/Entrepreneur:W, Zoe- Faithful Golden Retriever(RIP:(), 2014 Ford F150 3.5 EcoboostMax Tow pkg, 2016 PrimeTime TracerAIR 255 w/4pt Equalizer and 5 Mtn. bikes and 2 Road bikes

DutchmenSport
Explorer
Explorer
I lived in a place where, after 10 years, told me I could no long park my travel trailer there. The trailer had to be moved or I'd be fined. A couple of the hot-shot wanna-be social lights put their houses up for sale and pushed the issues on all RV owners so their property would sell for top dollar. The zoning rules were written in such a way, it was impossible to park an RV on your property, unless it was, maybe a pop-up you kept stored inside your garage.

I moved the trailer all right. I moved it to the next county and I moved with it. It's now been another 10 years and we live in the camper more than in the house now. I've never regretted moving, in spite of all the aggravation it took to sell the old house. My grandson can go to the back yard and pee on the trees if he wants and we can burn our own trash if we so desire. We have an outside fire pit and enjoy having a corn field for back yard neighbors and a bean field for front yard neighbors.

If it ever happens again, I'm selling the house completely and hitting the road full timing. I sleep where my camper sleeps! It's just that simple.

JAC1982
Explorer
Explorer
I should also add, I've seen covenants like this in older neighborhoods where the lots were sold to individual owners... to prevent an owner from living on the lot without a permanent house there.
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JAC1982
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Explorer
I'm the President of my HOA, and our big project this year was overhauling our design standards (which includes rules about trailers) since the developer did a poor job of writing them.

To me, "house trailer" means a mobile home or something like in the post above mine... aka a "tiny house". The rule sounds like it was written to prohibit a second residence on the property. In my own neighborhood, our rule is up to 1 RV (motorhome, 5th wheel, TT, popup, etc) and up to 1 other "trailer" whether that's a boat parked on a trailer, a utility trailer, etc. All must be parked behind the fence, or where a fence would go in the case of people who have not put in fences (ie not in the driveway or in the front of the house).

As for someone saying that they aren't approving RVs, you don't know the circumstances. It could be that someone parked their camper at their house without approval and they were told that they need to get it approved or move it, and they took that to mean they weren't allowed. Or they submitted a plan that involved them parking it in their driveway or without suitable cover and the plan was rejected. This kind of stuff goes on ALL the time in my neighborhood... someone will get a violation letter and start spouting off on places like NextDoor or the neighborhood Facebook page, without telling the whole story and without getting further clarification before whining to everyone about it.
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2012Coleman
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Explorer
This is a house trailer - you should already know what a mobile home is

Experience without good judgment is worthless; good judgment without experience is still good judgment!

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fj12ryder
Explorer III
Explorer III
Tyler0215 wrote:
A house trailer is whatever the HOA says it is. There is no standard definition.
That's my thought, trying to fight the HOA can be a losing proposition. The fact that you've been storing it for years should help, but logic doesn't work with governments.

Edited for spelling.
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bukhrn
Explorer III
Explorer III
HOA, another term meaning , everyone that doesn't live or believe exactly as I do is wrong. :R
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wra
Explorer
Explorer
SC camper: I would advise you to produce your trailer's registration to the HOA. If it is licensed as a vehicle, it is an RV. If it is registered as real property, it is a mobile home.

bukhrn
Explorer III
Explorer III
This from Merriam - Webster https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/house%20trailer
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Ozlander
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Explorer
MrWizard wrote:
I always thought house trailer was mobile home
House trailer was the old term, mobile home the new term

While they can be moved, they are not self contained (that's a biggie)
And are designed to be moved and then set up,
Not for going camping

I think if you ask, you will find the HOA covenant is to keep members from placing a mobile home on the property and living in it

Not a restriction of RV storage, as long as stored by the rules

The people complaining, don't know or don't care
But they are wrong


Mr. Wizard got it right. The key, not self contained.
Ozlander

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