In theory, an HOA sounds like an amazing idea. Makes sure the neighborhood runs smoothly, keeps things looking nice, and settles small disputes between neighbors.

But in practice, your HOA can feel like someone breathing down your neck, reminding you the second your grass has grown a tenth of an inch past the allowed height!

On top of that, HOA boards can easily become drunk with power, restricting how you decorate your house because it doesn’t fit with the aesthetic they want for the neighborhood.

Check out his hilarious story for yourself!

HOA board campaign to do nothing

I lived in a small, 18-house, neighborhood that had a deed-restricted HOA.

We had a minimal common area along the main entry street that needed maintenance and some drainage infrastructure that needed to be maintained.

Not much work had to be done at all.

So when elections came for the HOA, he decided to throw his hat in the ring, with a very unusual election strategy!

No one wanted to be on the board so I ran for the board with the slogan, “I will do nothing more than is legally required to fulfill the legal requirements of the HOA.”

This slogan was enough to get four more neighbors to run with the same slogan.

We had the typical “committees,” all with the same members and with the same idea – leave everyone alone, fulfill our legal obligations and move on.

But not all of their neighbors seemed to be in support of his platform!

I was walking down the street one day and was accosted by a neighbor who said, “You don’t deserve to be president.” I replied, “You’re right, I don’t deserve it.”

This really set her off so she started yelling at me about all the things I should be doing: planting a specific kind of flower, forcing her neighbors to do things unregulated by the HOA, etc.

So, I invited her to run for president.  I told her that she could submit a petition calling for a special election.

I even said I could guarantee that everyone on the board would sign it and probably vote for her to take on the job.

Unsurprisingly, this neighbor was none too happy.

This, of course, just infuriated her. So she started writing letters to the board complaining about everything.

We ignored the letters, which, technically was a mistake.

Our HOA documents required all letters to receive a response. She continued to send letters that had nothing to do with the HOA so we crafted a response that read,

“Thank you for your letter to the HOA board. After careful consideration we have decided to ignore it.”

We then included instructions on how to call for an election to have us kicked off the board and promised her the support of all members if she chose to circulate the required petition.

And rather than do all that, the neighbor decided she would rather just move, which was no sweat to the HOA!

She sold her house and moved. Our board continued with the same philosophy for the 12 years I lived there – nothing more than legally required and leave everyone alone.

We would hold a homeowner’s meeting once a year which was nothing more than a pot-luck dinner.

We had to invite someone from the compliance company who worked for us to make sure we covered everything required for our annual meeting and reporting.

We would always have an agenda item under new business: Does everyone promise to be a reasonable adult?

I’ve moved to a new, 14-house, neighborhood with an HOA. I haven’t yet decided if I’ll run for the board.

Sounds like the ideal HOA if I’ve ever heard of one!

Reddit wished they lived in his neighborhood, with many people pointing out the only way to change your HOA for the better is to get involved and do it yourself!

And this user said her HOA is much like this one and it drives her elderly neighbors absolutely insane, too.

This Australian user said he hated his HOA just for the simple fact of them trying to tell him how to live!

And finally, this fellow HOA board member said that most of the time, what people complain about isn’t even anything the HOA can control!

I think most people would appreciate this approach.

Because in general, HOAs really aren’t well-loved.

If you liked that post, check out this one about an employee that got revenge on HR when they refused to reimburse his travel.