Homeowner frustrated by HOA's strict policy on how they can use yard space: 'What are my best options?'

If you live in a community governed by a homeowners association, you may have experienced some of the rules and regulations firsthand when making decisions for your home.

One Redditor recently expressed frustration with the way their HOA's policy on tidiness may clash with their desire to start composting for their home garden.

Bound by restrictions on their home's outward appearance — that is, keeping it free from eyesores, per the post — the homeowner reached out on Reddit for advice, worried that large compost piles could create a visual nuisance or attract insects. 

"What that basically means is, I can't have an open pile or just 'a random barrel,'" the original poster explained. "It can't attract visible swarms of insects. It can't smell, and it can't look more visually offensive than a plastic bin."

According to the OP, these restrictions make it difficult to implement a composting discipline for their food and yard waste, leaving the scraps that could be repurposed to instead be trashed.

"What are my best options?" they asked.

Unfortunately, this Redditor isn't the first to encounter barriers in making their home more environmentally and financially sustainable.

HOAs often resist home improvement measures such as solar panels, native plant lawns, and compost piles. It's not just a major environmental roadblock to individuals who want to make greener choices; it's also a financial burden, as many of these upgrades can cut utilities and electrical costs.

Composting food scraps, for example, can help you save money on fertilizer while ensuring your plants thrive organically on your compost's nutrients. By reducing the amount of food waste that ends up in landfills, you're simultaneously working to curb the planet-warming methane pollution they release.

One option to make HOA regulations more forgiving is to work with the board to change the bylaws. The home improvements that HOAs deny may cost you hundreds or even thousands of dollars, so getting involved would likely be worth the investment.

Should homeowners associations be able to determine what you grow in your garden? Yes Only if it impacts your neighbors Depends on what you're growing Heck no Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

Commenters were quick to offer other possibilities to the OP.

"Vermicompost system or a tumbler," one user suggested. "Both will keep pests other than small insects out and will just look like bins."

"Your compost wants some moisture and air," wrote another. "Use a large premade compost bin then? Your kitchen scraps are all greens, add newspaper or cardboard regularly to keep the stuff breaking down."

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