Homeowners associations are notorious for often having strict rules and requirements, but this one may be going too far.
Reddit user Empty_Monk_3146 shared a post in r/HOA seeking advice after their HOA notified them to stop watering their lawn.
"I didn't water the grass since there is a state declared drought. The letter says my yard shows drought conditions which is true because of the above," they explained. It was apparently the first notice they'd received, but also noted they checked the bylaws about grass and saw nothing about fines but assumed it fell under the expectation that homeowners maintain a lawn that represents "a first-class neighborhood."
They concluded: "I really don't mind HOAs but this just negligent water waste."
HOA rules for maintaining neighborhoods often conflict with energy-efficient and eco-friendly changes that would benefit homeowners and the environment. They often veto solar panels, which reduce energy usage and save homeowners money with solar tax credits.
Earlier this year, another Reddit user in the r/f***HOA community shared that they took on their HOA over the solar panel issue with a lawyer and won, citing a then soon-to-be-passed bill that would make it illegal to ban solar panels.
Lawns are also a major point of contention between residents and HOAs, with rules about lawn maintenance often requiring expensive and wasteful water upkeep. Replacing traditional grass with native plants helps the environment in many ways, from preventing erosion to attracting pollinators to simply being easier to maintain.
Luckily, multiple states across the country have been passing bills limiting HOAs' power to prevent eco-friendly changes. In Nevada, homeowners were actually paid to convert their lawns to native plants before the state banned grass lawns entirely in 2021.
The Reddit user currently battling their HOA over their lawn had commenters offering advice, apart from the few jokers suggesting they paint their lawn.
"The law applies to everyone (not watering during a drought) and the HOA can get in trouble for making you water. The law supercedes the HOA, the HOA must follow all current laws," one person wrote.
Another suggested reporting the HOA to local authorities, with someone tagging onto their comment that they could go to the local Sierra Club chapter for backup.
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