Moving into a new house can be challenging, especially when it comes to navigating the rules and regulations of a homeowners association.
This is exactly what happened to one homeowner on Reddit's r/HOA who was shocked when they received a citation for the maintenance of their garden bed, specifically the yard's ground cover of ivy.
According to the post, the citation wasn't issued for a violation of any of the community's specific bylaws, so it seemed to be based on the property manager's opinion.
"On one hand, I am planning on redoing the front yard garden a bit to suit my tastes, but this feels like an overreach. He is, apparently, a new property manager, so my question is, is this valid/within his powers?" the original poster wrote.
When the OP requested a list of non-allowed plants, the property manager failed to provide one while continuing to insist on the citation.
"I don't want to be surprised with more secret rules and regulations about what plants I can and can't have, or who knows what else," the Redditor continued.
Although getting rid of the ivy in their yard — because of its potential for being an invasive species — and replacing it with native plants would benefit the environment and possibly align with the HOA's regulations, this is only one of many stories exploring the tensions between HOAs and their residents.
Working with your HOA to change community bylaws can be a great way to find solutions for those who want to make earth-friendly updates to their homes and the neighborhood's board members.
Many commenters understood the OP's frustrations and advised how the homeowner should proceed.
"Welcome to the world of HOAs! They can be good and they can be a nightmare," one Reddit user noted. "All depends on who the board members are. Best advice is to get a copy of the bylaws and read up. If you don't like what's happening, consider running for the board yourself."
"Ask for a copy of the 'approved plants' for landscaping. I bet they don't have one. Appeal the fine in writing and speak with the Board members about it. You might get it waived or converted to a warning," another Redditor commented.
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