A Florida home renter posted on Reddit a letter of noncompliance from their homeowners association for failing to maintain their yard. The letter left the resident "freaking out," as they felt they had adhered to previous requests from their HOA.
The original poster shared: "I have no idea what the violation is at this point. …Does it look like we're getting evicted?"
Over 75 million U.S. residents live in some form of a homeowners association. HOAs are notoriously picky with their rules, and they often prioritize aesthetics over the environment to preserve property values.
Sometimes, HOAs come off as villainous with their decisions as they fight to keep the status quo.
Recently, a different Redditor shared that their HOA fined them for having "excessive weeds" when the lawn was actually gravel xeriscaping, a drought-resistant and more environmentally friendly option.
Another North Carolina HOA ordered the removal of all gardens in an elderly community, taking away a hobby and its health benefits.
Some other Redditors pointed out that, in this case, the HOA is using this notice as a possible scare tactic, mentioning that a notice like this should go to the owner.
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Other commenters noted the confusing terms that the HOA used: "The requirements and the violations are rather subjective...What is 'first class' but also 'good?'"
Turf lawns and their traditional maintenance have wide-ranging environmental impacts. One study found that running a gas mower for one hour produces 11 times more planet-warming pollution than driving a new car in an hour.
Turf lawns also allow invasive plants to grow, which limits biodiversity, requires harmful pesticides to be maintained, and demands wasteful amounts of water to survive and grow.
The fight to loosen restrictions from HOAs is happening around the country. States like Florida, California, and Texas recently passed laws to improve transparency around notices and limit association fees. Other states like Maryland and Colorado moved to block HOAs from banning native plant gardens.
Check out TCD's guide on changing your HOA's rules.
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