Owning a home has always been considered a great achievement. Today, with inflation and an ongoing housing crisis, that success is even more frightening. As many homeowners face the challenges that rising global temperatures bring to their neighborhoods and lawns, there is enthusiasm to make their homes as eco-friendly as possible.
Unfortunately, not everyone shares the same opinion. On Reddit, a neighborhood homeowners association member is shocked by the damage discovered after a lawn care visit.
The post was shared on a subreddit that gives a voice to those who may disagree with HOA policies. He highlights a photo of the homeowner's lawn with Halloween wire lights that appear to have been run over by the HOA's landscaping company.
“Even if reflectors are placed around the things we don't want to cut, they still chop them up. With the amount we pay quarterly, it would be nice if our plants and cables were intact,” the original poster reads in her post.
Additionally, the OP shared that this wasn't the first disappointing encounter with the HOA's landscaping company and mentioned that plants had been cut through in the past as well.
The encounters occurred in other areas across the country. HOAs have been accused of preventing homeowners from making cost-saving, environmentally friendly upgrades to their homes, such as installing solar panels on the roof or installing lawns with native plants. The challenges posed by HOAs can impact both homeowners and the environment, costing homeowners more than necessary and affecting the quality of clean water and air.
Fortunately, there are ways to work with HOAs so homeowners can benefit. For example, homeowners can contact the Homeowners Protection Bureau, which has a published list of the proper agencies to contact in each state. You can also look for specific laws that support your point of view depending on the state you live in.
The best place to find your state's laws is to visit your state's website.
The US Congress maintains a list that can direct users to individual state websites.
🗣️ Should HOAs be able to force homeowners to change their yard?
🔘 Absolutely not 💯
🔘 Yes – it’s part of the deal 🤝
🔘 Only in extreme cases 🏚️
🔘 We should ban HOAs 🚫
🗳️ Click on your selections to see the results and express your opinion
In the OP's case, the destruction of both plants and decorations is harmful to the environment, reducing local biodiversity and creating waste in the process.
According to Dear Avant Gardener, using a home lawn, even partially, can do wonders for homeowners—requiring less water, less maintenance, and improving property value.
“They did that on purpose,” one user wrote.
“This is so frustrating,” another commented.
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