A frustrated homeowner recently turned to Reddit to share a baffling situation involving their homeowners association, sparking a wider conversation about overreach and property rights.
The Reddit user explained that their HOA "negotiated a deal with new landscapers that included mowing all the townhouse front lawns" in their community, even though townhouse owners are responsible for maintaining their own yards.
The board, they said, "thought that we would all be super happy about this." It seems, according to OP, that this was not the case.
After repeated calls to the HOA manager, the issue still hasn't been resolved, and the mowers recently returned, carving up the grass that had been freshly maintained. "It looks ridiculous," the user wrote.
While this case may seem like an isolated misunderstanding, it highlights a growing frustration among homeowners across the country who say their HOAs make decisions that strip away individual choice, particularly when it comes to eco-friendly yard updates.
Homeowners in several states have reported their HOAs blocking projects. One Kansas homeowner, for instance, was looking forward to getting solar panels despite HOA regulations. Another homeowner faced similar challenges to those of the OPs after discovering landscapers had suddenly removed all of the plants in their yard.
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The barriers to these updates may seem unfounded to some homeowners, as they are known to not only support the environment but also save the owner major amounts of money in the long term.
A native lawn, for instance, can save up to $3,000 in water, fertilizer, and pesticide expenses over 10 years, and can cut water usage by 1.75 million gallons in the same time.
Luckily, there are methods and tactics one can use to negotiate with their local HOA and navigate changes to bylaws. Ideally, working with your board can help you create greener, more affordable community standards.
In the meantime, commenters were quick to back the original poster.
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What is your least favorite lawn chore? Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. |
Mowing the grass 🌱 "They mean well but still no one asked for their grass to get double mowed and torn up lol," one user remarked.
Another added, "This is clear that [the] lawn is your responsibility. The HOA had no right to enter into a contract on your behalf."
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