It took eight months for a Reddit user's homeowners association to tell them about a rule that controlled what they put in their yard. They vented about the issue in the r/birdfeeding subreddit.
"I got a letter from my HOA saying bird feeders are against the by-laws," they complained. "After 8 months they tell me this."
According to the Redditor, they used bird feeders to attract birds to the yard — an excellent choice for many gardeners. Birds are beautiful and entertaining to watch, and some species serve as natural pest control, eating unwanted bugs off your plants. Some even serve as pollinators.
That's especially important in food gardens, allowing you to produce a bigger crop. With the right combination of plants and supporting techniques like attracting birds, you can grow your own food. This can help you save money, eat healthier, and help the environment all at once.
Despite all of these benefits, the original poster's HOA was not interested — and that isn't an unusual attitude. HOAs across the country have been called out for policies and practices that go directly against residents' interests. These organizations regularly prevent money-saving upgrades and promote landscaping and maintenance options that are worse for the environment.
This Redditor was unhappy, but acknowledged that others have it worse.
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"Anyway, we are renters so it's not permanent," they said.
In the meantime, they were looking for bird feeding options that would fly under the radar.
"I'm looking to switch to all non hanging feeders," the OP said. "I have a group of red bellied woodpeckers that come every morning and my heart broke when they were searching for their suet feeder this morning. Does anyone have recommendations for Suet feeders that don't hang?"
One person suggested, "Just throw sunflower seeds on the ground they will eat those."
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Another possibility would be to change the rules themselves. The majority of HOAs come with the option to work within the association's own procedures to change the bylaws.
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Should homeowners associations be able to determine what you grow in your garden?
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Yes 💯 
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