Homeowner fires back at HOA after trying to seek approval for simple landscaping change: 'Beyond furious'

Many people have felt the sting of restrictive homeowners association bylaws or overzealous boards that have limited their creativity in their yards.   

While posting to a subreddit where homeowners can vent about frustrating encounters with their HOA, one Redditor described their experience of attempting to add more plants to a garden on their property. 

The prospective gardener detailed their HOA's application process. Despite including a thorough description of their project, their application was denied.

"The HOA initially was telling me on the phone that they wanted to know the size of each plant and the measurements of the space between each," wrote the original poster. "I was (and still am) beyond furious."

It's not unheard of for HOAs to restrict what members can plant in their gardens. It is estimated that over 75 million homeowners reside in HOAs, constituting more than 30% of homes in America. 

While native plant gardens can offer homeowners benefits such as fresh produce, cleaner air, and their very own biodiverse habitat for insects and animals, some HOAs may prohibit certain plants based on their bylaws. 

Native plants and natural lawns can even save homeowners money by lowering water consumption and treatment fees, but some HOAs prevent these updates. However, there are plenty of options for revising your community's bylaws. 

In the comments section, most users offered support for the OP and shared their own experiences with similar issues. 

One commenter couldn't help but question the entire application process. "I notice there's a mention of a processing fee," they wrote. "I have to wonder if they don't approve so the management company can milk your members for frivolous fees."

"I'm on the board of a small 42 unit HOA," added a second commenter. "We're the least intrusive HOA imaginable, and I like to keep it that way. I just approved a patio project with less info included, very easy. This is excessive, like the point of this sub."

Should homeowners associations be able to determine what you grow in your garden? Yes 💯 Only if it impacts your neighbors 🏘️ Depends on what you're growing 🌼 Heck no 🙅 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

A third commenter related to the OP's struggles. "Just wait until the HOA decides that your bushes are dead and just removes them," they wrote. "My HOA did that. They never talked to me about it, never gave any warning. Just came home one day and some of my bushes were gone."

Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more and waste less, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.