One homeowner took the admirable step of joining their HOA in hopes of advocating for more eco-friendly choices. They took to Reddit to get some advice for the best rules, regulations, and programs to bring to the leadership group. "I recently infiltrated my HOA's board of directors, and now it's time to start influencing."
According to This Old House, 30% of the U.S. population is governed by an HOA. Bankrate detailed the benefits of these organizations, which can help cover costs of amenities like landscaping, maintenance, parking, shared utilities, and safety and security.
Unfortunately, HOAs are better known for being controlling, overbearing, and making life hard for their residents. Homeowners have had to contend with restrictions on everything from lawn length to their ability to install solar panels.
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Should homeowners associations be able to determine what you grow in your garden?
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Yes 💯 Like this OP is demonstrating, joining their ranks may be one of the best ways to turn the tide and help make your HOA friendlier to the environment. If you don't want to join the board, you can also work with your neighbors to advocate for change, attend meetings, and write letters.
Luckily for this Redditor, the commenters had plenty of advice.
One person even laid out a local law in Maryland that may help strengthen the OP's argument. They explained, "House Bill 322, which gained bipartisan support, passed with near unanimity and became the Low-Impact Landscaping Law. When the legislation was enacted on October 1, 2021, Maryland became the first state to protect homeowner control over eco-friendly yards."
Someone else pointed to the water-saving benefits of native plants. "Are they paying to water all of these spaces? If so, talk about the cost savings of plants made for your eco-region. Less watering."
Another person recommended grants and reimbursement programs. "Some counties have programs that will offer reimbursement for some practices, and there are some programs and grants that the HOA could apply for that would pay for some plantings."
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