In the United States, around 30% of homeowners live in a community with a homeowners association, according to data from the Foundation for Community Association Research.
A HOA is a localized governing body, mostly concerned with the appearance of homes in their neighborhood.
Most HOAs charge fees, and as a trade-off for the regulation, things like snow removal and public spaces are often included. However, homeowners regularly face strict guidelines on how their homes can look.
Posting a plea for help, one Redditor detailed their HOA ordeal. They shared a picture of their front yard featuring a small garden, "about the size of a twin mattress." They went on to say that their HOA told them their plants are "weeds."
"They gave us 3 options: (1) put the grass back, (2) astro turf, or (3) have a professional landscaper submit a proposal (which could also be denied)"
Unfortunately, this is an all-too-common occurrence for people who live in HOA communities. One homeowner was forced to remove a garden, while someone else was told they were unable to install solar panels.
HOAs imposing these restrictive rules make it hard for homeowners to make cost-saving and eco-friendly changes to their homes. Planting native plants or working to rewild your lawn can save you hundreds of dollars a year on water and materials, and the saved water helps our overburdened water system.
"Does anyone have any resources/materials/ideas on how to convince the HOA to let us keep native pants that are good for birds/pollinators?" the original poster said.
The helpful folks of r/NativePlantGardening jumped in to provide a ton of invaluable thoughts and ideas.
"Look up RWC 64.38.057," one person suggested. "Governing bodies cannot prohibit the installation of drought resistant landscaping. They are allowed to have rules for placement and aesthetics. But those rules cannot be unreasonably costly or otherwise effectively infeasible."
Another person wrote out a whole example letter to the HOA for the original poster. While someone else added: "This is where you need to get extremely specific about the rules in your neighborhood and how they apply (or don't apply) to your situation."
Check out our helpful guide for ways to work with, or against, your HOA. Some people have been able to work with their board to shift rules and make positive changes for their neighbors.
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