lanepaige+Followthe $250 fine for a trash canSomeone wrote in with a story about their HOA last month. They took their trash can out a little too early before pickup day. Nothing major — just a few hours. A neighbor reported them. The HOA mailed a $250 fine. The crazy part? Another neighbor down the street regularly leaves their bins out for days. No fines. No warnings. Selective enforcement or just bad luck? Either way, it left this homeowner furious. #House #HOA41Share
lanepaige+FollowHOA’s fines keep adding up — and no one knows where the money goes This story comes from the same neighborhood. Residents noticed that fines for “minor violations” are rising steadily. One family told me they’ve received three letters in the last two months: one for holiday lights, one for a door color, and one for garden decorations. Each fine is $50 to $100. They pay them because refusing risks escalation. What bothers everyone is not just the money. It’s the lack of transparency. No HOA meetings discuss how fines are spent. No reports show where the collected fees go. Residents feel like they’re funding someone else’s private preferences. The pool closures, the flower fines, the doubled fees — it all paints the same picture: Rules enforced for power, not fairness. #House #HOA11Share
lanepaige+Follow hoa fined a resident for planting flowers in their own yard A neighbor shared this story with me. They planted a small flower bed along the front walkway. Two weeks later, a letter arrived: “Unauthorized landscaping violates HOA rules. Please remove flowers within 10 days or face a $75 daily fine.” The flowers weren’t invasive, and they improved curb appeal. But the HOA insisted on strict adherence to the approved landscaping guide. The resident spent hours on the phone arguing. No waiver, no compromise. Just a looming fine. “It feels like creativity is punished,” they said. “And every little decision now comes with the threat of money.” #House #HOA00Share
lanepaige+Followhoa locked the pool for “private events” all summer A resident sent me a story about their HOA pool. It’s supposed to be open to all homeowners during the summer. But this year, almost every weekend was “booked” for private events. Sometimes it was for birthday parties, other times for “HOA board gatherings.” Regular residents would show up with their kids, only to find a “Pool Closed for Private Use” sign. No warning in the community newsletter. No alternative dates offered. One family counted — out of 12 summer weekends, only 3 were fully open to everyone. Yet, every homeowner still paid the same annual HOA fees. The same bill. Less access. “It’s not about the pool itself,” they told me. “It’s about feeling like the rules only apply to some people, while others get special treatment.” #House #HOA30Share
Jennifer Russell+FollowUnpopular Opinion: I Actually LOVE My HOA?! 😂I know everybody has just heard all the HOA horror stories, but I just bought into an HOA, and honestly I'm loving it. My dues are only about $200 a year, and they pretty much just cover mowing common areas and plowing snow. When I bought my first house years ago, I swore I'd never live in an HOA. That decision led to five years of dealing with some seriously trashy neighbors, constant arguments over street parking, and loud parties at all hours. It was a headache. But now, all that chaos is just gone. Nobody's parking on the street. Nobody's using loud tools at random times of the day or night. And no houses have twenty people crammed into them. It's peaceful, and it's amazing. So am I the only one who's actually had a great experience with an HOA? 😳 #HOA #HomeownerLife #UnpopularOpinion #CommunityLiving #GoodNeighbors #RealEstate #Home00Share
lanepaige+Followhoa doubled the fine after my kid played outside—no warnings, just money grab A family friend got fined $50 because their kids were playing outside past 6 pm — the new HOA rule. They paid it immediately, thinking it was a one-time thing. Next week? Another fine, this time $100. No warning, no chance to appeal. Turns out the HOA has a “three strikes” policy that doubles fines each time. The family feels targeted, especially since other noisy neighbors haven’t been fined. Neighbors whisper the HOA board members live in the “quiet zone” and are quick to punish anyone who disturbs them. Is this really about community peace — or just power and money? #House #HOA 75151Share
lanepaige+Followhoa says kids can’t play in front yards after 6 pm Last week, a neighbor told me his family got an HOA notice. The “violation”? Their kids were playing tag on the lawn at 6:15 pm. The letter said: “Outdoor play is limited to daylight hours to maintain peace and neighborhood order.” It’s summer here — daylight lasts until almost 9. But the board says evening play “creates noise disturbances” and “distracts drivers.” Now, parents are telling their kids to stay inside after dinner. The cul-de-sac, once full of bikes and laughter, goes silent before the sun even sets. Funny thing is, I’ve never heard anyone complain about lawnmowers, leaf blowers, or loud backyard parties. But kids playing? That’s a violation. #House #HOA130415Share
lanepaige+Followhoa banned backyard clotheslines — even though most people here don’t use dryers In our neighborhood, a lot of families hang their laundry outside. It saves energy, and the smell of sun-dried sheets is amazing. But the HOA just passed a new rule: “No outdoor clotheslines visible from the street or neighboring properties.” One board member said clotheslines “look poor” and “make the area less attractive to buyers.” So now, people either dry everything inside or risk fines. It’s summer, the sun is free, and we’re banning it? #House #HOA00Share
lanepaige+Followhoa says my neighbor’s wheelchair ramp “lowers property values” A few months ago, my neighbor installed a small wooden wheelchair ramp for his wife. She recently had surgery and couldn’t manage the front steps. It looked clean, sturdy, and matched the house. Last week, he got a letter from the HOA:↳ “Your unapproved structure negatively impacts neighborhood appearance and may affect property values. Please remove or replace it with an HOA-approved design within 30 days.” The “approved design”? A metal ramp that costs three times more and takes months to install. Until then, she’ll struggle to get in and out of her own home. It’s hard to understand how helping a neighbor can turn into a violation. #House #HOA21Share
lanepaige+Followhoa fined a family for holiday lights — in december One street over, a family went big with Christmas decorations this year. Lights across the roof, glowing reindeer on the lawn, and a giant inflatable Santa. The kids loved it. Neighbors took evening walks just to see the display. Then the HOA stepped in. They claimed the lights were “excessive” and violated “community aesthetics.” The family was fined $100 and told to remove half of the decorations. The kicker? This happened in early December — before Christmas even arrived. Now, the house looks half-decorated and oddly sad. And the neighborhood feels a little dimmer, literally and figuratively. #House #HOA 1116Share
