Painted into a corner
Nope, this entry has nothing to do with the painting going on at my residence right now. Rather, there is controversy in Farmers Branch again. You might remember that Farmers Branch is the little community south of Dallas that recently tried to pass a city ordinance that would ban the rental of apartments to illegal aliens.
Dallas suburb's paint idea has Latinos seeing red
FARMERS BRANCH — Some residents of this Dallas suburb that tried to ban apartment rentals to illegal immigrants now want the city to regulate which colorful hues people can paint their homes.
Although the City Council hasn't decided whether to consider any house paint restrictions, Hispanic leaders say it's yet another effort to target Latinos in the city.
"I believe controlling the color you paint your house is basically profiling the Hispanic community," said Elizabeth Villafranca, whose family owns a Mexican restaurant in Farmers Branch. "We all know who paints their homes tropical colors."
Two residents requested the council discuss mandatory exterior color standards for buildings.
Such paint ordinances are usually set by homeowners associations in the suburbs. Historical districts also regulate colors in an effort to preserve the original appearance of homes, said Jeffrey J. Rous, a University of North Texas professor who teaches urban economics.
Farmers Branch resident Tom Bohmier wonders if there's a way to balance ruling out some shocking colors while keeping individuality. One of his neighbors has a home painted in several different colors, including flashy blue.
"It tends to harm the value of the neighborhood when people are shopping for homes," he said.
But Rous, who's building a home in Farmers Branch, questions whether it's proper for government to decide which color palette is considered garish or beautiful.
"To say that we're going to have government officials dictate what constitutes good aesthetics, I'm not sure local elected officials should be making those decisions," said Rous. "I'm not sure what the need is for this."
Victorian homes are often painted bright blue or peacock green, buildings in South Beach typically have outside lights in electric purples and yellow and structures in Santa Fe blend into the desert landscape with earthen reds or dark tans.
But most homes in Farmers Branch are brick, with trim or shutters painted in neutral colors. A handful are more brightly colored, such as one wooden home with Kelly green trim or an upscale two-story house with one burnt orange side.
Residents Matt Burton and Robin Bernier proposed the color standards at a city council meeting earlier this month, presenting photos showing homes with shades they found unsightly.
Burton didn't immediately return a message for comment, and a telephone number for Bernier was not available.
But Bernier, who also supported the city's apartment ban, told The Dallas Morning News: "When you paint your house some fluorescent or garish color scheme, you negatively affect my (home) value."
For now, city officials plan no action.
"We're going to look into it and see what the legal ramifications are," said city spokeswoman Nicole Recker.
Farmers Branch leaders have become involved in the nationwide political debate over immigration.
The City Council approved an ordinance that would require apartment managers to verify that renters are U.S. citizens or legal immigrants before leasing to them, with a few exceptions. Landlords would have faced fines of up to $500 a day for violating the measure.
Voters endorsed the ordinance in May but a federal judge has blocked its enforcement, saying Farmers Branch attempted to regulate immigration differently than the federal government.
Let me start by stating that I don't like homeowners associations. I understand why they exist and I acknowledge that they can be useful in some instances. But, usually, it's just a bunch of obsessive-compulsive types who nitpick over a lot of stupid, little shit that really has zero effect on property values either because they have nothing better to do or because they enjoy bossing others around a little too much. I especially detest the idea that someone else can dictate to me what I can and cannot do with property that I own, espeically when it's a non-government entity telling me to do so. My neighborhood has a HOA, but I deal with it because it's practically impossible to find a Houston suburb that doesn't have one and I do not wish to move back into the city.
This story is a little different because it would be a government dicating what is and what is not acceptable, but the same principle applies: don't tell private property owners what they can and cannot do with their own property.
Some residents of this Dallas suburb that tried to ban apartment rentals to illegal immigrants now want the city to regulate which colorful hues people can paint their homes.
"Some residents." What does that mean? According to the article:
Two residents requested the council discuss mandatory exterior color standards for buildings.
So a whole two residents ask the council, who has not said they will act on it, to ban some exterior colors and it's portrayed as some sort of community-wide referendum on the matter? Fine journalistic work, indeed.
Although the City Council hasn't decided whether to consider any house paint restrictions, Hispanic leaders say it's yet another effort to target Latinos in the city.
"I believe controlling the color you paint your house is basically profiling the Hispanic community," said Elizabeth Villafranca, whose family owns a Mexican restaurant in Farmers Branch. "We all know who paints their homes tropical colors."
LOL. Now that's a racist statement. Who paints their house tropical colors? Someone who likes the tropics? Someone who wants to be reminded of their vacation? Someone who just happens to like tropical colors? What exactly is a "tropical color" anyway?
What better way to accuse someone of profiling a group than to profile that same group yourself.
Besides, there are plenty of white people that have awful decorating taste and would paint their houses ridiculous colors if they were allowed. I don't see a racial angle to this at all. Just another example of someone wanting to be angry about something.
Farmers Branch resident Tom Bohmier wonders if there's a way to balance ruling out some shocking colors while keeping individuality. One of his neighbors has a home painted in several different colors, including flashy blue.
"It tends to harm the value of the neighborhood when people are shopping for homes," he said.
This argument is used a lot, but no proof that it's true is ever offered. Besides, anyone who won't buy a house because there is another house nearby painted in an "unsightly" manner is probably someone you don't want in the neighborhood anyway because there's a good chance they'd be the stereotypical nightmare of a neighbor.
As with all things in the U.S., the free market will ultimately determine what your property is really worth. All the mowing and beige paint in the world isn't going to save your property value from a downturn in the housing market, nor is it going to suddenly turn a shitty area of town into a property hotbed. If you maintain and clean your own property, your house will sell just fine in any market.
Residents Matt Burton and Robin Bernier proposed the color standards at a city council meeting earlier this month, presenting photos showing homes with shades they found unsightly.
I wish someone that lived in these folks' neighborhood would paint their vehicle an outlandish color, park it in front of their house every day, and see how long it takes for their heads explode.
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