While I would never want to live in an HOA, I can understand why some people might. HOAs often have strict rules about what you can and cannot do on your property, including what color you can paint your front door, what kind of fence you can install, and what you can put in your yard as far as yard decor.

This story is not about an HOA, but the person who wrote it would probably benefit from living in one. She’s upset about her neighbor’s garden gnome. She hates looking at it.

If she lived in an HOA, the HOA board would probably make the neighbor get rid of the gnome. But she doesn’t live in an HOA, so she took matters into her own hands.

Let’s see if she went too far.

AITA for Causing a Neighborhood Feud Over a Gnome?

I live in a usually peaceful suburban neighborhood where everyone gets along—until recently.

It all started when my neighbor “Tom” placed a flamboyant, suggestive rainbow-colored lawn gnome in his front yard.

This gnome isn’t just any gnome; it’s about 2 feet tall, posing provocatively, and adorned with a rainbow hat covering its private parts.

It’s been the talk of the neighborhood and quite frankly, an eyesore.

OP couldn’t stand the gnome.

Most of us have kept our opinions to ourselves, but the gnome is directly across from my living room window, and it’s been driving me nuts.

In a moment of frustration, I decided to take action.

One night, I sneaked over and moved the gnome to Tom’s backyard, thinking it would be out of sight and out of mind.

Tom was really mad about the gnome.

The next morning, Tom was furious.

He knocked on my door and demanded to know if I had anything to do with his “missing gnome.”

I tried to play it cool, but eventually, I admitted what I did.

Tom was livid and accused me of trespassing and vandalizing his property. He also revealed that the gnome was a symbol of pride and acceptance for his recently out son, and it had deep sentimental value.

The neighbors are turning against her.

Now, Tom has rallied a few other neighbors against me, saying I disrespected his property and crossed a line.

Some neighbors are accusing me of being judgemental, which was never my intention.

I genuinely didn’t mean to cause this much trouble—I just wanted some peace and quiet without that suggestive gnome staring at me.

AITA for moving my neighbor’s rainbow gnome without permission?

Yes, that was crossing the line.

Let’s see how Reddit responded.

This person thinks she really overreacted.

Another person agrees that she shouldn’t have gone on his property.

Exactly. She did trespass.

It’s not that hard. Stay off other people’s property.

I understand that she didn’t like her neighbor’s choice of yard decor, but maybe he doesn’t like how she decorates her yard either. I’m sure she’d be upset if he walked over to her yard and moved a flower pot to the backyard or something ridiculous like that.

She doesn’t have to like his yard decor, but she doesn’t have the right to move it or remove it.

If she wants to police her neighbors’ yards, she should move to an HOA.