Homeowner devastated after HOA work crew 'went rogue': 'Your HOA should fire them'

Is it possible for HOAs to hit a new low?

For one Redditor, it seems that it is. They posted photos of several boxwoods that looked like they had been butchered. 

Apparently, their HOA landscapers "went rogue." The plants had been tended for years by the poster's mother, who passed away and left them for her child to care for. 

That had been going relatively well until the HOA botched things up so badly that the original poster was "too p***** to even look at them." After some time to grieve, the OP wanted to know how to save them. 

HOAs around the country are known for having draconian rules. They generally force people to have lawns and limit the water- and money-saving landscaping that you can do. 

While some of these rules may actually be unenforceable, according to Realtor.com, other times you may get charged fees if you don't fall in line. 

That's disappointing, because tending your own plants, whether they are food crops or not, has a number of benefits. For example, you can design a more aesthetically pleasing yard when you add different colors and textures. 

These plants, especially native ones, often need less water and fertilizer than typical monoculture lawns do, which is good for your budget. 

Meanwhile, the Mayo Clinic noted that people who work in their gardens get more physical activity than others, so gardening can help you be healthy, too. You may even be able to lower your risk of getting cancer. 

That's all on top of the ways that gardening can lower your carbon footprint, prevent soil erosion, and provide places for pollinators to live and do their work. 

What's the hardest thing about taking care of your yard? Mowing the lawn 🏡 Controlling weeds 🌿 Keeping pests at bay 🐿️ I don't have a yard 🤷 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

If you want to change your HOA's laws, join with your neighbors and start a new movement in your area. 

Other Redditors agreed that what this HOA did was awful. 

"They're not landscapers and your HOA should fire them," one person said. 

"Maybe save the one good one for another more shaded part of the yard or for in a big outdoor planter since it was a gift from your mom," someone else suggested.

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