Homeowner maliciously complies with HOA’s rules after he was forced to remove his garden: ‘This is genius’
One Redditor told the satisfying story of their boss versus an overbearing HOA.
HOAs are known for nitpicking decor and landscaping decisions, including denying homeowners the right to grow vegetable gardens. One HOA threatened a lawsuit over a garden that had been there since before the HOA president was born. Another association forced a family to tear their garden out after determining their bed was four inches too wide.
But according to this Redditor, when their boss faced a similar situation, he got the last laugh.
“In the past 10 years, their neighborhood ended up creating a HOA,” the Redditor explained. “The new board of directors … were fine in the beginning, but new management is out for blood.”
Apparently, the Redditor’s boss had a vegetable garden in the front yard because the back was too shady. According to the new HOA leadership, this wasn’t allowed.
But what was allowed? Flowers.
“Once it turned spring, he began tearing up his front yard and created a flower bed along the edge of his property on the side and the front,” said the original poster. “He then planted ‘flowers’ in his garden bed. I believe it was cauliflower, zucchini, squash, and cucumber. He followed all the HOA rules on flower beds. Must be this size with this barrier around it, etc.”
As intended, the HOA tried to cite the boss for his garden. “He went to appeal it, showed the proof that those vegetables/fruits were actually there for their flowers,” said the Redditor. “It was, after all, a flower bed. Each one of these ‘flower’ and are therefore a flower.”
Even arguing that the plants were too large didn’t work, as the Redditor’s boss had apparently measured an HOA board member’s rosebushes and kept his plants under that size.
“To this day, he grows his flowers,” the Redditor concluded.
Commenters loved the pettiness of the solution. “This is genius,” said one user.
“Advice for your boss: scarlet runner beans,” said another commenter. “They’re a dual-purpose (decorative flowers and crop of beans) plant.”
For a less passive-aggressive solution, homeowners facing this situation can also work with their local HOA board to change the association’s rules. Learn how with this guide.
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