Just walked my HOA fine letter back to the board president's house

Got a $75 fine for having a sprinkler head sticking up 2 inches too high in my front yard. Meanwhile the guy three houses down has weeds taller than my 5 year old. I took the letter, walked 4 doors down, and handed it to the board president in person. Asked him if he's gonna walk over and measure my grass height too. He just stood there quiet. Has anyone else dealt with an HOA that picks on tiny stuff while ignoring real problems?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_sean4d ago

You ever notice how HOAs are basically just high school hall monitors who never grew up? They get this tiny bit of power and suddenly they're measuring your sprinkler head with a ruler while a whole jungle is growing next door. It's like the people who complain about a leaf on their lawn during a drought - some folks just gotta find something to control because they can't fix the big stuff in their own lives. You did the right thing though, calling him out face to face makes it real for them. Bet he checks his own yard three times before breakfast now.

spencer_chen65d ago

I've been that guy handing a fine back to the board president (didn't work, by the way, they just mailed another one). Honestly, my best tip is to start documenting everything - take photos of the weeds next door and your sprinkler head, then bring them to the next HOA meeting. They usually back off when you prove they're being selective, especially if you threaten to get the city involved for inconsistent enforcement.

the_sean4d ago

Whoa, I gotta disagree a bit here. Dragging the city into HOA drama usually just makes everyone dig in deeper and wastes your own time.