A condo resident took to an anti-homeowners association subreddit to vent about the new HOA vice president, who seemed to want to cut down trees they considered messy.
"42-year-old, well-established trees being threatened with destruction by the new Condo HOA V-P because the trees drop their flowers and he feels the HOA is responsible for paint damage to cars," the original poster wrote above a screenshot of the conversation.
The VP's main concern was that the HOA would be on the hook to pay for costly vehicle paint jobs. The resident involved in the conversation feared that the mitigation measures taken would ultimately kill the trees.
"Are beach towns responsible for damage due to sea salt?" the resident asked. They also conceded that if a limb fell on a car, a tenant may reasonably expect the HOA to pay for repairs, but not simply for flowers falling.
The resident's desire to protect the trees is valid as well — they play an important role in environmental and human health. Trees absorb and store planet-warming carbon pollution, provide shade, reduce noise pollution, and provide food and habitat for a variety of wildlife, just to name a few benefits.
HOAs are also notorious for both taking actions that harm the environment, like cutting down trees, and preventing residents from making environmentally friendly and money-saving home upgrades. For example, many HOAs prohibit tenants from installing solar panels or native lawns.
While the OP was merely venting and not seeking advice, the Reddit community had plenty to offer, along with support for the poster's grievance.
"People are the actual worst," one user commented.
"In some places [there are] requirements for having X number of trees per acre, and/or removing a tree requires replacing it somewhere else," another wrote.
"Trees are way more necessary than cars with climate change and all that," another pointed out, before observing that the issue of damaged vehicle paint pales in comparison to the Earth's overheating.
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