I often wonder the same thing. I assume it is just another manifestation of the last 30 year slide away from direct communication and interaction resulting from technological advances ? Most could never EVER have envisioned a family, sitting at a table in a sit down restaurant, all with their cell phones in hand, "communicating" with each other and with their friends not at the restaurant... who would ever have believed that could happen ? To me, it's not that much of a stretch to imagine neighbors who can't even talk with another neighbor about a problem or impending problem. When I was growing up, if a neighbor's hose had been left partially on the grass of the next house, to the point where the grass was dying under it, the fathers or mothers never seemed to have a problem talking face to face ! And things were discussed without anger, violence, retribution. One father was able to say " Hey Dave, your hose has been laying partially in my back yard for so long it's beginning to kill my grass, you don't mind if I roll it up for you do you ? And almost certainly, when approached in that non confrontational manner, the other person would say "oh my gosh, I completely forgot about that hose, so sorry."

Over our time in the V's, we've found people are much more reluctant to even speak when they move in, so others on our street, including myself, no longer even bother to go introduce ourselves, take some cookies or a treat we made, etc. No more Friday driveway get togethers, bring your own beverage of choice and a chair, and just visit ! Actually I find it a kind of pervasive sadness when I think of how people (not the Villages) have changed, and then Covid put the "nail in the coffin" so to speak, people locked their doors, lowered their shades, and isolated. If you walked to the mail station, people approaching from the opposite direction would CROSS the street rather than take a "chance" on walking past another person outside, so obviously didn't help the gradual move toward unfriendly people ! One neighbor who always made a major effort to make new people feel welcome, went next door with a plate of warm chocolate chip cookies to greet the new people. Man/husband (?) came to door, "Hi there, I'm___ and this is my husband ___. We live next door. The reply was "I'm Bob",
not "Hi, am Bob, and say his partner or wife was not home, or thanks for the cookies, or even a word or two about "glad to meet you don't know anyone yet", just nothing. but "I'm Bob", not even a thank you for the cookies ? Then, closed the door. Neighbor figured that 2 p.m. a Saturday afternoon was just not a good time, and should have waited until they were out in the yard ! Those two words, "I'm Bob" were the only two words ever spoken to the next door neighbors or to anyone on our block in the six years they lived here. Could have happened in any neighborhood in any state I guess.

I too believe restrictions in any development are actually there to (hopefully) discourage the EXTREMES you mentioned. The old autos with no tires, the old appliances thrown out and never removed, trash, rodents, etc. but so often the "cart is put in front of the horse"; the "restrictions" are developed but the PLAN and PROCESS for making sure they are enforced is not given as much thought. That leaves a qualitative never never land where trolls find their real calling. So often getting "old" results in getting angry, jealous, mean and hateful... that does NOT have to happen.

"Karen" ? "Ken" ? Just another manifestation of this whole, new, counter world. Ridiculous, vindictive, actually really ignorant when you stop and analyze it. Why not "Susans" or "johns", if it wasn't so prevalent, and demeaning, it would not even be worth discussion !

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I come from a large metropolitan area where you do not open the door to any one. (Unless they have an appointment with you.) The first week I moved in to the house at Mallory, the door bell rang. Bravely, I hid in the bathroom till they went away. Later that day the doorbell rang again, I thought it’s probably that lady who comes with a welcome basket but tries to sell you water filtration systems. Hid again till they went away.

Around supper time the doorbell rang again. I looked out the window this time and saw a golf cart parked in my driveway. I thought well, it would be unusual to sell something by golf cart so I opened the door. It was a charming lady who said she was going to keep coming to my place until she could meet me, to welcome me to the neighborhood. I have answered every doorbell ring since then, and also got a Ring doorbell so I can see who is at the door.

This lady and I now play Mahjongg regularly at one neighbor’s house or another, and several of us golf together. We have lunches and socials and help each other out when needed. That was my introduction to my neighborhood. So, at least in some lucky neighborhoods, the tradition continues.

Are AirBnBs against the rules here? I really don't know the answer to that one. Thank goodness we don't have any of that going on in my neighborhood.

That you ,know of.

So true. It doesn't have to happen. In my occasional travel in the historic areas of the villages I've seen very few eyesores. They are there.

The answer is yes and no. They are against a couple rules (deed restriction violations), but they are rules that are not enforced. Are rules that aren’t enforced really rules?

You were the "Californians who moved to Texas"! :1rotfl:

https://youtu.be/HlDWzN6TW5Y

Yep! LOL

No in the early years in TV, everyone was of a kinder sole. If there was a problem, you just spoke to them, but deed restrictions were not on the table.

2010 seemed to be the start of a few complaints, here or there, but the “White Cross Issue” is when the vengeance showed its ugly head. Since then it has escalated beyond what anyone could imagine.

We got dinged in Pennacamp, for our landscaping, which was what the developer planted, so no violation.

Two years later in Fernandina, again landscaping the developer put in, and the color of our front door, which the builder painted.

Duval was the White Cross incident that was really a Hawaiian vine gone into hibernation.

So three strikes and swing and a miss for them

True about the commercial vehicles, the landscapers' trucks, and any truck with a lawnmower in a trailer - they seem to feel that they can park practically in the middle of a street, or on a corner, or wherever. Somehow they have become the anointed ones. They are the masters of the universe of TV Land.
.....It makes me GLAD that I cut my own grass and I wish that everybody that could, should cut their own grass. We should re-assert our right to the all-American concept of self-cutting of one's own grass........a PROUD American Heritage..............made easier by self-propelled electric lawn mowers!

You know you just kill me (with laughter) with some of your comments.

I'm very fortunate to live in a neighborhood where we greet the newcomers, some get to know them better than others but it is overall a very welcoming area. Sometimes when I'm walking up Kiley to the country club, random folks will stop their golf cart and ask if I want to hitch a ride up. I turn them down only because walking up the hill is good exercise and I enjoy the experience for its own sake. I'm usually listening to music in my hearing aids (they stream to my music app on my phone), and that puts some pep in my step. Other folks sitting in their open garage or carport will wave, and say hello to me as I'm walking. Sometimes someone will say something other than hello and I'll have to walk closer and turn my music off to ask what they said, and it turns into a lovely conversation.

We don't even necessarily introduce ourselves. We're just people who live in the same community, enjoying each others' existence.