HOA not listening to residents’ concerns

Dozens of healthy, hundreds-year-old trees were killed on Christmas Eve. My neighbor removed the trees, apparently thinking we would all turn a blind eye over the holidays.

Since Christmas Day, confused animals scurry across my lawn; displaced coyotes, deer and hawks attack one another. All so my neighbor could build a fountain. According to the HOA agreement, our neighbors are supposed to vote on such decisions, or the Director of the HOA is at least supposed to take our opinions into account. I have chosen to speak up. But in an anti-democratic, apathetic neighborhood, I’m not sure my voice matters.

I have lived in Forest Glen for nearly 25 years. Over a decade ago, our neighborhood had a dispute about burning a wetland behind my house. I voiced my concern with the disruption to the natural wildlife and fought hard to keep the swamp safe, but I was outvoted. The HOA met several times and the swamp was burned.

While the swamp was once vibrant with salamanders and frogs, I haven’t seen any of them there since.

I was disappointed with the HOA’s decision. But at least my voice was heard. At least we took a vote. Now, the Forest Glen HOA does not take votes, it does not hold meetings and it does not enforce sanctions. I know “we are all neighbors and we have to get along,” which I have been told since raising my voice. But I can’t help but wonder, at this point, what’s the point of having an HOA?

I knew democracy, law and order were dying in our nation. I didn’t know these values would die in my neighborhood.

Wendy Eisenstein

St. Charles