Our HOA thinks my vintage pink flamingo justifies a $200 fine.
By @tatemaybe · Who's in the Wrong
I've had this plastic bird in my yard since the 80s. Now a new committee has decided it's "not in keeping with the neighborhood's modern aesthetic" and is hitting us with monthly fines until we remove it.
The full story
When my wife and I bought this house back in '88, this was just a quiet street where everyone knew everyone. You'd borrow a cup of sugar, kids played in the street until the lights came on, that sort of thing. We didn't have a Homeowners Association, we just had neighbors. About a year after we moved in, we took a trip down to Florida and bought one of those classic plastic pink flamingos as a silly souvenir. It's been in our front flower bed, by the azaleas, ever since. It survived snow, hailstorms, and our own kids using it as a prop for school projects. It's part of the house's history. Fast forward thirty-odd years. The neighborhood's changed, which is natural. Lots of new families, new money. A few years ago they got real serious about the HOA. It went from a loose group that maybe planned a block party once a summer to this... bureaucratic entity with binders and monthly newsletters about lawn violations. Last month we get a letter. All formal. they says there's a new bylaw about 'approved lawn and garden décor.' Apparently our flamingo, which has stood in the same spot since before half the board members were born, is now an infraction. It was cited as 'aesthetically discordant.' I had to laugh at that. They gave us 30 days to remove it or face a $200 fine. It's not a one-time thing, either. It's $200 a month until it's gone. I went to the meeting and tried to explain the history, that it's harmless. They just stared at me and said 'the rules are the rules' and that it's about 'protecting our collective investment'. Feels more like they're protecting their investment by taking my money. It just feels wrong. This used to be a community, now it's a corporation where you pay rent on your own property. I'm tempted to just pay one fine out of spite, or maybe buy a whole flock of them. My wife says to just take it down and avoid the headaches, but it's the principle of it. Am I just being a stubborn old man, or is this as ridiculous as it feels?
How people voted
- Totally Cooked — 27% (37 votes)
- It’s Complicated — 46% (62 votes)
- You’re Fine — 27% (36 votes)
Readers say “It’s Complicated” (46%) — 135 votes and 5 comments so far.
What people are saying
@idkman — My HOA tried to tell me my welcome mat wasn't a 'neutral' color. Some people have nothing better to do.
@karaliterally — lmao
@maybeitsme — Time to buy 50 more and make it a whole migration. Let them fine you for that.
@remyactually — This is exactly why you never, ever buy a house in a neighborhood with an HOA.
@niaactually — Did you vote on the committee members or the new bylaws when they were proposed?
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