After An HOA Fine Over Yard Signs, He Studied The Rules Closely And Found A Way To Fight Back
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HOAs are known for having a lot of picky rules. What’s unfortunate is that sometimes homeowners don’t realize they’ve broken a rule until they get fined. It’s too bad HOAs don’t give homeowners a warning the first time they violate a rule, but they always seem to jump straight to fining the homeowners.
In this story, one homeowner who lives in an HOA was really trying to follow the rules. He didn’t realize he’d broken a rule until he got fined. He couldn’t argue his way out of the fine, but he wasn’t going to let it go that easily. He decided to look at the rules for ideas about how to get revenge.
Let’s read all about it.
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 he still got fined.
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 came up with a plan.
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
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.”
That is petty and doesn’t solve anything, but if it makes him feel better, then good for him.
Let’s see how Reddit responded.
This person thinks OP needs more signs.
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Another person has a suggestion about where OP can put signs.
This person raves about their HOA president.
Another person shares the rules in their state.
He should get as many signs as possible and put them everywhere. Maybe he could tell some of his neighbors what happened and convince them to join him.
Being petty can sometimes be so satisfying.
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