Imagine moving into your new home, and it’s not part of an HOA. But then the community expands and becomes part of an HOA. Would you sign the bylaws and happily accept the HOA rules, or would you resist their authority?

In this story, one homeowner is in this exact situation, and the rules regarding pets are the real source of drama.

Keep reading to see if you think the homeowner won or the HOA won.

They got me

After I moved into my townhouse, the complex expanded with newly constructed townhomes and additional shared space.

This brought along an HOA.

Those of us who were “original” residents and had a dog before the HOA were grandfathered from the new pet bylaws.

OP resisted the HOA’s request.

When they requested dog owners pay to submit their dog’s DNA (to prevent people from leaving dog mess in the dog park and public courtyards) I declined. My argument was that I didn’t have anything stating I had to.

After some back and forth, they told me they’d provide something in writing.

They got me with malicious compliance by delivering a copy of the pet bylaws to sign, which would lock us into abiding by them.

I dropped my attitude and paid for the damn DNA test.

If OP lived in the neighborhood before it was an HOA, I think they would be grandfathered in to NOT being part of the HOA. I wouldn’t have signed the bylaws or submitted the DNA.

Let’s see how Reddit responded to this story.

There was another option.

Another person agrees that OP didn’t have to comply.

Ignoring the request would’ve been better.

Everyone seems to be saying something similar.

If you’re not part of the HOA, don’t comply.

If you liked this post, check out this story about an employee who got revenge on a co-worker who kept grading their work suspiciously low.