HOAs sometimes have pretty ridiculous rules, but if the rules aren’t written in enough detail they can be used to hurt the innocent.

However, they can also be abused by the frustrated!

In today’s story, one homeowner thought he was following the rules but still ended up getting fined by the HOA.

He didn’t fight the fee, but he did fight back against the intent of the HOA policy.

Let’s see what he did.

An HOA doesn’t allow grass signs for ANY reason. Understood.

A family friend lives in a neighborhood with an HOA.

They are not horrible, but they are prickly at times.

One year, He hosted a large birthday party and put some temporary signs up.

These were for things like what side of the street to park on, where his house was, when the party ends, and to come to the backyard instead of in the house.

He had approval for the party and a paperwork trail of conversations going back a month.

But there was still a problem.

Imagine his surprise when a few days later he gets a $200 fine for those road signs.

He contacts the HoA to complain, but he gets stonewalled.

As he pays the fine, the guy at the desk says the worst thing. “Next time, read the rules.”

That ticked him off, as he made an effort to follow the rules.

He read the rules very closely.

The day after, he reads the rules and there is a sentence about ‘all grass signs’.

Clearly, it’s intended to keep those political signs away, but no where does it say ‘no political signs’.

He takes some time and gets his plan together

Time to buy some signs!

He buys some political signs for the local city council members and judges he supports that are up for election.

He then tapes them against his car windows so they are on the inside pointing out.

For a good measure, He added some bumper stickers for the ACLU, PEACE CORE, the teachers union, NAACP, and whatever else he could find in an evening.

Every so often, he keeps his car at the end of his driveway so all driving into the complex can see.

As he put it, “It’s a petty rebellion, but a rebellion none the less.”

What a ridiculous HOA policy! If only there were a way to use revenge to get them to change the policy.

Let’s see how Reddit reacted to this story.

He needs to do even more.

Here are more malicious compliance ideas…

Here’s another suggestion.

I’d hate to be the next person to decide to move!

This person actually has a great HOA president.

There are lots of ways to maliciously comply with this HOA rule!

Go wild.

If you liked that post, check this one about a guy who got revenge on his condo by making his own Christmas light rules.