After receiving an unfair warning from their homeowners association, one person asked Reddit for help dealing with a kid-hating neighbor.
They explained that someone was trying to "illegally restrict children from common areas."
"She is friends with the HOA president, and they sent a letter trying to say children can't play football in the common area," the post continued. "I wrote an immediate response saying it violates federal housing law to restrict children from the common areas."
HOA community rules can't override city ordinances, state laws, or federal law. An HOA prohibiting children from playing in common areas would violate Fair Housing laws.
Kids playing outside is a ridiculous complaint, and unfortunately, it's not uncommon for HOAs to make absurd objections.
From requiring green grass even in arid environments to denying EV charger installation, HOAs can find ways to make life miserable and expensive for homeowners.
If you live in an HOA with restrictive bylaws, there are still ways to make eco-friendly, money-saving home upgrades, such as switching to LED light bulbs or installing a smart thermostat.
If you want to make a difference in your community, consider running for the board or try other ways of persuading your HOA to make choices that would be beneficial for residents.
Many suggested pursuing further legal action, while others encouraged malicious compliance. Most users found the HOA letter to be "ridiculous."
"Check your bylaws to see if ball playing is restricted in the common areas," one user suggested. "They can't make up rules."
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No way 👎 "Time to run for board president," another said.
"Do a search and see who enforces the 'Fair Housing Act' in your area," added a third. "I believe [the Department of Housing and Urban Development] and [Department of Justice] do, but there might be agencies at state/county level that do as well. Forward the letters to them."
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