Freepik/Reddit
HOAs are usually there to micromanage everyone else’s homes, despite it being, you know, other people’s homes.
But in this case, an entire neighborhood got together and fought back against the new neighbors who were trying to impose gardening rules on older inhabitants, claiming “code violations”.
Read the story and see how they solved the issue.
I live in a sort of pocket neighborhood. When I first moved here, everyone was pretty chill.
Mostly lovely older people. No HOA. As neighbors got older and less active, we took care of each other. Mowed each other’s lawns, etc.
As people retired or downsized, a younger group moved in. New couples, children, corporate types. And the code violation complaints start rolling in.
They disturbed their harmony. Now there would be extra garden work to do.
Our town is not too bad. Grass has to be less than 12″ tall, no brush, etc.
But one weird quirk, if your flowers and plantings are not clearly marked as landscaping (like borders around flowerbeds), they are considered “lawn” and must be cut to under 12″.
So suddenly, we had to dig up things like flowers planted along the sidewalk, or bulbs that bloomed seasonally.
But there was a loophole.
Then one of the neighbors discovered that our state has a “wildlife habitat” designation for areas allowed to grow wild.
The only rule to apply for a “wildlife habitat” permit is that half your plants must be native.
That is easy compliance.
Say if you have 25 trees, shrubs, and plants in your yard, you can plant 26 native flowering plants and now you’re a “wildlife habitat”.
Deal!
Post your little state-approved sign, and the city code compliance can’t touch you.
Every other house in my neighborhood is now a wildlife habitat.
Play stupid games, win double the plants!
Let’s see what Reddit has to say about this.
The audacity.
Yup.
A reader shares their thoughts.
This commenter shares their opinion.
Same.
Exactly.
That’s the best.
I love this kind of “revenge” where things get better despite the bad guys’ efforts in making things worse for everyone.
If you liked that post, check out this post about a woman who tracked down a contractor who tried to vanish without a trace.