Homeowner exasperated after finding HOA member taking pictures of his property: 'It's dumbfounding to me'

One homeowner at the end of their rope detailed why a homeowners association made terrible neighbors.

The original poster shared their experience in an anti-HOA subreddit. "My home is NOT part of an HOA," they said firmly.

"I live in the suburbs of a major metro area," they added. "So, it's a patchwork of various developments of varying ages that border onto each other. My home backs onto a neighborhood that has an HOA and they still find a way to be a pain in the a**."

According to the homeowner, the neighboring woodland, which is part of the HOA, has caused damage to their property. 

"A few years back the runoff from their neighborhood was causing my basement to repeatedly flood," they said. "I consulted a company and they installed French drains."

"… A French drain runs along my fence line, catches the runoff coming into my yard, and directs it parallel to the path and spits it out at the corner of the fence, approximately where the ponding begins. Crazy HOA lady notices one day and is pitching a fit that we can't do that."

They also recently caught a woman from the HOA taking pictures of their new fence, but she denied it when called out.

All that might be tolerable if it weren't so hypocritical. 

"I'm fairly sure they aren't policing their own residents," said the original poster. "For example, one house illegally does major and frequent work-truck engine repairs in their driveway. Passing it is like passing a toxic chemical dump."

"… A house behind me sets off massive illegal and dangerous fireworks several times a year. … One of the neighbors immediately behind me loves to burn trash. … So it's dumbfounding to me that the HOA reps are so effing bent on policing me."

Should HOAs be able to force homeowners to change their yards? Absolutely not 💯 Yes — it's part of the deal 🤝 Only in extreme circumstances 🏚️ We should ban HOAs 🚫 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

If the original poster was a member of the HOA, they might have some recourse. There are ways for HOA residents to change the rules.

But as a nonmember, that route isn't open to the original poster. 

"It's one thing to be in an HOA and deal with their pettiness but I purposely chose this house because there was no HOA and I'm still dealing with their b*******," they said. "I don't know what's wrong with people. There are far too many awful people."

Commenters sympathized with the frustrating situation. "If you know a lawyer maybe they'll write you a free cease and desist on their letterhead," suggested one user.

"You might have more legal rights than you know," said another. "Cross lot drainage violates state water codes. They might be worried about you suing them and you might legitimately have a claim."

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