05/12/2003

By CATHY KIYOMURA / KING 5 News

MONROE, Wash. - Homeowner Alan Hord is moving, but not because he wants to. He says his homeowner's association plans to evict him Tuesday.

“My house isn't big enough to satisfy the homeowners association,” says Hord.

Hord’s home is just under 2,000 square feet. But the homeowner's rules in the four home development, says a house has to be 3,000 square feet.

KING Alan Horde is being evicted from his home because it's too small.

“They passed a covenant that said I had 3 years to build the house,” says Hord.

That was back in 1997. Hord says he always intended to build a 3,000 square foot home, but the sagging economy put his plans hold.

He says he doesn't know exactly why the other homeowners won't budge and want to evict him.

The attorney representing the other owners declined to comment, citing ongoing litigation. He says the situation goes back to a settlement Hord signed 22 months ago. That settlement said Hord agreed to build a bigger house by May 13 – Tuesday - which is also his third wedding anniversary.

Instead of celebrating, Hord faces eviction. His attorney is helping him move.

“It's a perfect example of how homeowner's associations can be tyrannical and use their majority vote to perform some horrible acts,” says attorney Rob Vienneau.

So Hord continues to move.

Under the covenant code he can't store his personal belongings inside his house because the homeowners' association doesn't recognize it as an approved storage structure.

Alan Hord still has financial responsibility for the house he's being evicted from. For now, he'll move to a small fixer-upper in Woodinville, but he's hopeful he'll be able to work something out with his neighbors in Monroe.