A homeowner on Reddit is fed up after receiving a $50 fine for failing to meet the lawn maintenance standards of their neighborhood homeowners association.
In a post to r/f***HOA, the homeowner says the fine was accompanied by a letter instructing them to weed-eat their grass in addition to their regular mowing. The HOA's reasoning for the fine came as a shock to the homeowner, who says they mow and weed-eat their lawn every week when it rains and every other week when it's dry.
"I am kind of at a loss on this one," wrote the homeowner in the post.
Unfortunately, this kind of response from HOAs isn't uncommon. There are numerous instances of HOAs punishing homeowners for things like yards they arbitrarily deem unkept, as well as other money-saving and eco-friendly choices like rooftop solar panels, EV chargers, native plant lawns, vegetable gardens, and even composting.
With so many HOA-enforced restrictions, if you or someone you know lives in an area controlled by an HOA, it's always a good idea to understand how to navigate these disputes when they arise and how to change established rules in your favor.
Knowing how to obtain HOA rules and find state laws, who to reach out to for questions and complaints, and how to start conversations with landlords, HOA boards, and other members of the community who may also be affected will help a great deal in these instances.
In response to the homeowner's post, other Reddit users recommended similar paths of action.
"What you need to do is check your state laws to make sure such a fine is even legal. In my state laws exist which prevent an HOA from doing petty [s***] like this, even though it's in the rules," wrote one person. "They must give you 60 days to correct any issue before fining."
Other users suggested pettier responses.
🗣️ Should HOAs be able to force homeowners to change their yards?
🔘 Absolutely not 💯
🔘 Yes — it's part of the deal 🤝
🔘 Only in extreme circumstances 🏚️
🔘 We should ban HOAs 🚫
🗳️ Click your choice to see results and speak your mind
"Email the HOA when you start mowing. When you finish. When you put the mower away. When you start weeding. When you finish," joked another user. "Then email them goodnight."
"And status updates of the condition of the yard every day," added the original poster.
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