Are you sure we have protective covenants?  I thought only the newer subdivisions with homeowner's associations (and mandatory dues) had protective covenants...Colonial Acres has a neighborhood association with voluntary membership.  I would love to be wrong on this one, but I don't think we have protective covenants.

Orange Zoner is correct.  Protective covenants are usually put on a subdivision when the plat is recorded and run for a finite number of years and then can be re-newed with signatures of a majority of homeowners - but have no real authority.

A homeowners association with dues paying members would hold more sway along with having the financial backing to pay for such things as a security patrol or to bribe a member of the city council for more attention......just kidding. 

As homeowners we DO have the right to expect that any landlords that own rental property in the area be required to maintain their property with the area standard.

Nobody wants to live next to an overgrown vacant eyesore or even worse next to a rental house filled with so many people they have to use the yard as a living room.

Imagine what that does to the real value of your home.  Your house is only worth what the cheapest one on the street is - no matter how nice it is.

We are all subject to city, county and zoning laws inside the city limits.

I am looking into the city codes and county health department regulations as to how many adults and children can live in a house given the number of bedrooms, bathrooms and square footage.  Do we even have any duplexes in the area???

In the mean time post a notice on any house that needs to be looked at closer.

Oranze zone neighbor here too

Orange zoner id not correct!  All Houses in Colonial Acres have a protective covenant, at the time you purchased your house you agreed to all the restriction in the covenant, "land use, size of house, single family dwelling, it all in the covenant that runs with the land, that you and every one Else agreeded to when you purchased your property. If you need more info.  Let me know. as to how to find your covenant. 

Aside from hiring a lawyer, how does one go about enforcing the commands of a covenant?