Another renter is feeling the pressure from an overbearing homeowners association, and they are not happy. This individual is receiving incessant pushback from their HOA over the characteristics of their lawn.
HOAs draw the ire of folks all across the country for strict guidelines and a vengeful eye worthy of Big Brother. On the Reddit forum r/f***HOA, users band together against harmful policies and practices that infringe on the personal liberties of their members.
In this post, a Washington-based user laments their HOA's obsession with their property.
The poster details that the HOA had emailed them before because their lawn was not "compliant" due to weed growth. After the renter removed the weeds, the HOA reached out again to claim that the lawn was still not up to the standards set in the agreement because of dead spots that needed new planting and watering.
They didn't stop there. The final straw for the renter was that the HOA representative requested photos of new grass growth in the dead spots within six weeks of receiving the email.
The individual was so disgusted with the request for photos that they said: "This will be the first and last time I live in these kinds of neighborhoods. I don't give a s*** if it's nice."
In the comments, a helpful user finds that because the embattled renter lives in Washington state, there are statutes in place that can help them. Citing this code, the good samaritan reveals that the homeowner can install more drought-resistant options, such as a native lawn.
Fortunately, laws like this are becoming more common as more people speak up about totalitarian HOAs and the negative impact they can have on the environment. See this attempted ordinance in Jacksonville, Arkansas, as a progressive example in which a homeowner argued his meadow was, in fact, "cultivated."
HOA rules and regulations often run counter to the desires of those who live under their administrations. More pointedly, certain sustainable lifestyle choices have been outlawed by various HOAs across the United States.
Some HOAs have banned electric transportation within their neighborhoods. Others, like in this instance, require uniform grass lawns and forbid creating a more sustainable space with native plants. They even restrict how homes can be powered, with many individuals having issues installing clean energy to power their homes and save on energy costs.
Those who interacted with the post shared feelings of frustration and sought to find solutions.
One user pointed out: "You are in WA. There is a drought so you literally do not have to water."
Another wrote: "can we just try to get a bill passed to ban HOAs? it would make everyone's lives much easier."
A sage further down succinctly posted what may be the best advice for all of us: "Never ever live or rent in an HOA neighborhood."
If you're stuck in an HOA situation like the original poster, you can explore TCD's helpful guide to making changes in what feels like a restrictive community.
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