Homeowners in Oregon took to Reddit after discovering their neighbors had killed several pine trees in their neighborhood. A couple from a street over-employed someone to "top" the trees in what was a dedicated green space to improve their view of the mountain.
"Someone from the HOA must have caught wind of it and the tree cutting was reported to the city," the original poster said. "Based on the communication we've received from the city, it seems the people who cut the trees and the people who paid to have the trees cut have received no penalty or punishment."
They sought advice in the r/legaladvice subreddit to see if they had any recourse for the damage done to the community.
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Should HOAs be able to force homeowners to change their yards?
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Absolutely not 💯 For many trying to make more eco-friendly lifestyle changes in their homes, and even neighborhoods, whether by planting trees, adding solar panels, or collecting rainwater — pushback from neighbors can be frustrating. Some neighbors can make it harder for homeowners to follow through on their sustainability efforts: like this neighbor whose car oil spilled all over their street or this one who had plants hacked down in front of someone else's apartment.
What can you do when you run into neighbor trouble? It's important to establish clear communication and set firm boundaries. Doing so can help prevent issues before they start. If problems do arise, keep records of any incidents or property damage, and if necessary, involve local authorities to keep conflicts from escalating.
While this homeowner wasn't able to prevent the pine trees' demise, they can still take steps to seek accountability and push for stronger protections of their dedicated green spaces to prevent similar incidents in the future.
In this case, commenters were quick to point out they need to take legal action.
"It is possible/likely that the HOA will pursue your neighbor for the value of what they destroyed," one commenter noted. "Certainly if you get an assessment to pay for the tree replacement, you should press the HOA board to seek the money from the responsible party."
"Talk to a lawyer, but it seems like they're trying to remedy the situation so be prepared to be disappointed," said another. "As for pushing the city to take action you can complain, but they've determined anything else isn't worth their time and they're probably right."
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