Condo window-blinds requirement

On Oct 22, 7:52 am, salvali...@gmail.com wrote:
> I have been living in my 470 sq foot condo for about 7 years and am a
> single male. I recently received a notice in the mail stating that "I
> have the wrong color or do not have drapes on my windows" and that
> "all windows have to have a shade, blind, or drape in good condition
> and of neutral color."  and that if I don't comply within a month, I
> may be fined.

As you state below, you do in fact have blinds already, so isn't the simple solution to this "problem" simply to inform the condo board that you do have acceptable blinds installed?

>  I had a bunch of boxes on the window sill, and it probably looked
> messy from outside, so I went and tried to clean that up.

Good for you.  That's probably what drew people's attention to your window in the first place.  If you don't make an unattractive mess, no one will notice.

> I actually
> do have blinds, but I have always had them up, so after getting the
> letter I put them down.

Jiminy Xmas, they're not telling you that you have to keep them down at all times, just that you need to have them installed.

> I have limited space in my unit, so it's hard
> for me to keep the place neat with all the stuff I have.

I don't see the relevance to the blinds issue.  Maybe you should have less stuff, or rent a storage unit, or find a bigger place.

> I am on the second floor.

Which I guess means your cardboard boxes in the window are a lot more obvious to passers-by than they would be if you were on the 42nd floor.  Otherwise I don't see why you mentioned this.

> I have allot of anxiety about the economy and spend alot
> of time camping as well, so I try to live cheaply which is why I have
> a small condo.

OOooohhhh, kayyyy, but we're wandering a bit far from relevance here.

> Alot of the people in the buildings that comprise the
> condo I live in are Brazilian renters and I think the board is
> probably alot of landlords trying to maximize their rental potential.

Speculate all you want, but whether the board is mostly absentee landlords or resident owners, no one wants their condo to look like a dump, which it does if you keep your cardboard boxes in the window.   And the fact that most of the renters are Brazilians is so totally irrelevant I wonder why you mention it.

>  What really concerns me is that I only have one large window in my
> entire unit, with no porch. I basically live in a cave and with global
> warming my unit has been even warmer than it usually is.

Ooooohhh Kaaay...... although global warming is only raising the average global temperature a couple of degrees over the course of years, which is hardly noticeable in terms of personal comfort regardless of its long term effects.  Your town probably just had an unusually warm summer.

> This makes it
> hard for me to sleep and get fresh air. I have two large fans in the
> window to blow air into my unit. I don't like air conditioned air
> which I think is unhealthy and likely makes me sick, so I try to use
> the fans as much as possible.

Oooohhhh Kaaaay, again.   But no one is saying you can't keep the window open and blow fresh air into your unit.

<rest of anxieties and speculations snipped>

>  Please tell me what you think about this and whether I should be
> concerned and what options I might have.

What I think is (a) don't make mountains out of molehills and (b) don't assume they're out to get you and (c) keep the boxes out of your window, and keep your unit's window looking neat from the outside, and you won't have anything to worry about.

All you probably have to do right now is notify the condo board that you do in fact have neutral-color blinds installed.   They may want to come and inspect, and you should let them.   Anything beyond that would depend on whether you are just being paranoid, or whether they really _are_ out to get you.   But I wouldn't assume the latter based simply on what you've reported so far.

Also, try to take a deep breath and relax.   Good luck,

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Mike Jacobs
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