Need help ASAP with letter to HOA!

[Kiwibird]

We FINALLY found a potential condo, it's in an HOA that typically only allows cats and dogs, but may actually be willing to consider Kiwi. We can't let this one slip away! I need a letter to go with my pet registry application. The relator suggested a few photos too, since somehow everyone (including her until today) were somehow under the impression he was a 'giant' macaw-sized parrot (I only told her we had a parrot we were unwilling to get rid of, who was quiet and had lived in apartments with us, never mentioned anything else about him!). What they don't want are undomesticated exotic animals in the sense of something that is destructive, dangerous, untamed and/or a nuisance animal. We know Kiwi is fine in communal living arrangements and is certainly not a nuisance animal (unless you want to eat dinner in peace), but these people have likely never dealt with a bird before...

Please let me know what you think and if these photos are 'cute' enough to convince non-bird people to allow him! I tried to find my very cutest photos ever of him that convey he is trained, social and not some wild beast (and one of his carrier since they seem concerned with any pet being outdoors outside a carrier or leash).

To whom it may concern:

We are very excited at the prospect of purchasing unit 10210 and joining the -------------------- community! From what we saw, it looks like a very nice place to live with a lot to offer. Our real estate agent, --------------, provided us today with a copy of the HOA rules. We saw that all pets must be registered and wanted to introduce you to our feathered family member Kiwi! We know many people have not had much, if any experience living with a feathered neighbor, so we hope we can ease any concerns you may have and inform you a little more about our bird as an individual.

We bought Kiwi in 2008 and he has been trained to live in apartment setting since the day we brought him home. Kiwi has been potty trained, cannot fly, has always been a quiet individual and is strongly bonded to us. He is highly intelligent (his species can reach the mental capacity of a 3-4 year old child!) and we do continuing ‘advanced’ trick-training sessions with him a couple times a week. He is also a very social and adventurous little bird who enjoys going for walks and day trips in his specialized carrier (see below). When we lived in another state, we lived with him in a studio and 1 bedroom apartment with no complaints. In fact, many of our neighbors enjoyed seeing him out with us and were sad to see him go. We have been renting a basement in a residential home for over 2 years and our current landlords have provided a short letter about their experience living with him in their house and said you can feel free to contact them with any questions.

Kiwi is quite small compared to more common pets. He weighs under a pound and is only about 12-13” long from head to tip of tail. As long time renters, we have always been obligated under lease to keep his area (which includes his cage and play stand) clean and sanitary, which we would naturally continue doing in our own home for his health and our own! I have attached a few photos so you can see he is quite small, well-trained and a much loved companion animal. We appreciate your time and consideration and look forward to meeting you soon!

Warmest regards,

Joe and April ---------------

Thanks so much everyone!

 

[Birdman666]

Somewhere in there I'd mention that he's smaller than most dogs or cats... and that you have had him for XX number of years, in a rental situation with no noise complaints from any of your neighbors. Other than that it's a great letter.

 

[Christinenc2000]

Look GREAT to me. What about a pic of his Cage so they can see how nice it is and how clean you keep it.

 

[Kiwibird]

Somewhere in there I'd mention that he's smaller than most dogs or cats... and that you have had him for XX number of years, in a rental situation with no noise complaints from any of your neighbors. Other than that it's a great letter.

Thanks!

This I should change "more common pets" to dogs/cats then? I did say he only weighed under a pound.

We are buying actually, not renting. I'm not sure if his setup is as relevant but it may not be a bad idea to include it anyways!

 

[Scott]

Great letter, seems like a forthright and comprehensive pitch for acceptance! I'm surprised they do not already permit birds up to a specified size! Hope we can all congratulate you soon on your very own condo!!

I've heard horror stories dealing with HOAs, so providing full disclosure and having an exemption (or better yet, a permanent change to the rules) will make life far easier!!

 

[Kiwibird]

Great letter, seems like a forthright and comprehensive pitch for acceptance! I'm surprised they do not already permit birds up to a specified size! Hope we can all congratulate you soon on your very own condo!!

I've heard horror stories dealing with HOAs, so providing full disclosure and having an exemption (or better yet, a permanent change to the rules) will make life far easier!!

I strongly dislike the idea of an HOA, but we simply cannot afford a house and a mortgage/taxes/insurance will be literally 1/2 of what renting a comparable in this market would be. We have no choice but to get into one. I think some states have higher numbers of parrot owners and are a bit moe accepting because they're more common (tons of people had them in AZ and the places we rented there had 0 issues with the idea of him so long as he wasn't a problem). Oregon, on the other hand, probably doesn't have a huge amount of bird owners and I'm guessing that's why we ran into issues moving up here and trying to buy.

 

[SailBoat]

Was a landlord for a bunch of years and had only once received such a letter. It was heartbreaking when that couple moved on to buy a home. Well constructed letter!!!!!

As a side point, HOA 'officers' also understand 'clearly' that they need that monthly income.

Maybe switch-out the first photo with the bill holding on to the toy, to a group 'family' photo of the three of you "Our Family."

Work hard at getting the names of the Officers, much better than "To Whom it may Concern." Make it personnel!

 

[Kiwibird]

Was a landlord for a bunch of years and had only once received such a letter. It was heartbreaking when that couple moved on to buy a home. Well constructed letter!!!!!

As a side point, HOA 'officers' also understand 'clearly' that they need that monthly income.

Maybe switch-out the first photo with the bill holding on to the toy, to a group 'family' photo of the three of you "Our Family."

Work hard at getting the names of the Officers, much better than "To Whom it may Concern." Make it personnel!

Good to know it might make us stand out as good people If I had a current photo of all of us, I would, but the only ones we have together we were about 20/21 and looked even younger. Current photos of me and him are either so goofy non-bird people might not "get it" or are outdoors (and they have a blanket policy about pets not being off a leash or outside a carrier outside your unit).

I will ask the relator for the names and re-read the paperwork as I think they are on it.

 

[Brittany741]

I would change from trick training over to advanced skills learning. This may help them view him more as a sentient being with deep emotional needs and less as a circus act.

I would also make sure you mention how deeply little parrots bond with their family and his life span. This will also show your level of commitment to his wellbeing and that you aren't simply owning a parrot for the novelty. Something along the lines of, we have made a lifelong commitment to our parrot with the understanding he will live almost as long as we will.

Also I would remove any photos showing an open beak. Beaks frighten non-bird people and any picture you send should minimize the size and presence of the beak if at all possible. The hoodie picture is perfect. Anything cutsie always works.

One more thing, I would write his measurement from head to butt, not tip to tail. When we measure dogs and cats, we don't measure the tail. This will help your average dog and cat person get a better idea of how small he actually is. 13" seems HUGE.

 

[cottontiel]

Who could resist that face? I really hope Kiwi gets approved!

 

[LeaKP]

With that letter I'm sure it will be fine. Having come from Florida (the land of HOA) birds rarely were even considered problems and always allowed even if it didn't say so in the HOA regulations. My sons both work in HOAs and have said the same. Good luck!

 

[bill_e]

To me, the concern for them would be screeching, and who can blame them. Would it be possible to get a reference from a prior residence?

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[Kiwibird]

To me, the concern for them would be screeching, and who can blame them. Would it be possible to get a reference from a prior residence?

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We have one from our current landlord who is able to say living in a residential house with them with uninsulated floors he has never been a bother/is not loud. We've lived here several years. Our apartment before this is in a different state and has new ownership since we left. The first apartments we lived in was about 6 years ago are also under new management, as the manager when we were there passed away shortly before we moved out.

 

[Christinenc2000]

I wonder if the "

new additions

" will be a issue

Sorry April I could not help it LOL

 

[Allee]

April, I think your letter is well thought out, well worded and an excellent glimpse of family life with a parrot. The photos are great, I think all their questions about Kiwi are clearly answered.

Best of luck to you, Joe and Kiwi. I hope this condo is your next home.

 

[Kiwibird]

I wonder if the "

new additions

" will be a issue

Sorry April I could not help it LOL

No new additions for at least a few years until we move out of this condo I'm going to just stick everything I had managed to buy into storage.

 

[LaurieC]

If possible, you might also consider attaching a brief letter of recommendation from your current landlords. The endorsement from them would probably carry a bit more weight with a future landlord/HOA board in need of reassurance about allowing Kiwi in.

Where in Oregon do you live? I've rented in several parts of Portland, and never had any issues getting into a place with my bird. My reptiles, on the other hand...just mention lizards or snakes, and watch the door shut in your face. My husband and I now have our own home, and we actually had an insurance company (American Family) refuse to offer us insurance due to the fact that we have reptiles. Yes, because so many people are mauled and killed every year by Bearded Dragons, you just can't take that chance. Idiots.

 

[wrench13]

LOL, heck I want to move in with you! G/L.

 

[Kiwibird]

If possible, you might also consider attaching a brief letter of recommendation from your current landlords. The endorsement from them would probably carry a bit more weight with a future landlord/HOA board in need of reassurance about allowing Kiwi in.

Where in Oregon do you live? I've rented in several parts of Portland, and never had any issues getting into a place with my bird. My reptiles, on the other hand...just mention lizards or snakes, and watch the door shut in your face. My husband and I now have our own home, and we actually had an insurance company (American Family) refuse to offer us insurance due to the fact that we have reptiles. Yes, because so many people are mauled and killed every year by Bearded Dragons, you just can't take that chance. Idiots.

We live in the Portland area. We had a lot of trouble getting in moving up here initially. One place even said they were super excited to have us as renters (credit history and renters history), all we had to do was get rid of our bird and we were in As if he was on par with an unwanted couch or something we would just easily get rid of for the privilege to rent with them We did get a letter from our landlords, a very nice one about how there is no insulation between the floors and he is still very quiet, never hear him at night, comes out with us and is fun to see etc...

BTW- you really have to watch out for those geckos and bearded dragons and newts and frogs! Vicious, vicious animals (noisy and messy too!)

 

[Birdman666]

Somewhere in there I'd mention that he's smaller than most dogs or cats... and that you have had him for XX number of years, in a rental situation with no noise complaints from any of your neighbors. Other than that it's a great letter.

Thanks!

This I should change "more common pets" to dogs/cats then? I did say he only weighed under a pound.

We are buying actually, not renting. I'm not sure if his setup is as relevant but it may not be a bad idea to include it anyways!

Yeah, a photograph of him in his cage would be a good idea, because most non-parrot folks don't even GET that they ever come out of their cages... Okay maybe once in awhile... like when you have to clean it or something... but REALLY... EVERYDAY? FOR HOURS AT A TIME?!