Homeowner Slams ‘Overzealous’ HOA After Being Fined $200 for Flowers in His Yard — Board Responded in the Pettiest Way

A HOMEOWNER has been fighting his HOA for years over his seasonal plants, resulting in hundreds of dollars in fines.

In 2018, Jimmy Schmidt disclosed that he spent two years going back and forth with his HOA in a Texas neighborhood over its bluebonnet flowers.

two

two

Shmidt grew up with the flowers and wanted to plant them in her home, local NBC affiliate KXAN originally reported.

According to the owner, for wildflowers to bloom they need to dispel their seeds to grow again the following year.

However, during this period they can easily be confused with weeds.

His HOA, run by a company called Real Manage, initially fined him for the flowers, mistaking them for weeds, but reversed course when he called and explained the situation.

But his problems didn’t stop there.

In two years, he claimed to have received more than six different fines for weeds.

At one point, someone from management sent him a photo of his yard, saying he needed to cut the grass more.

“I paid part of it because I thought I was probably partly to blame, but I think she got a little overzealous,” Schmidt said.

Schmidt received more than $200 in fines from his HOA.

He admits he had some weeds in the yard that needed trimming, but at the time the yard was very wet.

Schmidt added that weeds tend to grow along with bluebonnets, so it would be a hassle to try to remove them all.

The plant enthusiast said he was frustrated by his HOA’s misunderstanding of plants and what it takes to keep them alive.

Schmidt said he would love to talk to the folks at Real Manage, hoping to keep their factories alive without paying hefty fines.

“I think more communication would be the most important thing, I think that would be the best thing,” Schmidt said.

A representative from Real Manage told KXAN that bluebonnets are permitted and no resident should be asked to take them down.

However, the spokesperson never specifically clarified Schmidt’s case.

US Sun has reached out to Real Manage for comment.

What is an HOA?

One in five Americans lives in an area with a Home Owners Association – or HOA. But what exactly do they do?

• An HOA is a homeowners association – an organization that aims to maintain a clean, cohesive place for its residents to live.
• Entire neighborhoods, subdivisions, condominiums, single-family homes or townhouses within “a planned development” will often constitute an HOA.
• They also serve as a regulatory body for the tenants, who manage and finance the HOA through monthly fees.
• Its main goals are to keep the community functional and visually appealing and maintain property values.
• They focus primarily on a neighborhood’s common areas, like roads, parks, and pools — but they can also stipulate what residents can do with their property, like yards and sidewalks.
• These restrictions often impose uniformity on properties, for example, ensuring that most houses look the same and that all sidewalks are free of weeds.
• An HOA Rule Book of Covenants, Conditions, and Restrictions (CC&R) is distributed to all residents, and an elected volunteer board of directors enforces these regulations.
• Violating these rules can result in penalties such as fines and even litigation – as most HOAs are incorporated and subject to state law.
• HOAs are often the subject of controversy, with some members feeling that the rules are too punitive and restrictive, or that the leadership has too much power.
• But other HOAs like this give communities the power of self-government and can ensure a degree of harmony among residents.

HOA ISSUES

Other people across the country have also faced major problems with their HOAs.

A woman named Seanna took to X (formerly known as Twitter) and revealed that she was reported to her council for having a lawn decoration.

“My HOA had a whole meeting about me because people were complaining about my 12-foot skeleton. he saidadding a laughing emoji.

She added that her HOA has also had issues with other people putting things on their lawns, including one of her neighbors.

“The HOA also went after someone who had signage for Down Syndrome Awareness Month.

“Within a week, more than 40 of us had them in our backyards and placed them in green spaces. I have six in my garage for next year,” she said.

A different woman responded to Seana, saying HOAs need to learn to “pick their battles.”

“Isn’t the rule that Halloween decorations or any decorations are allowed for up to 30 days after the holiday? This HOA needs to pick its battles. Why wouldn’t you support Down Syndrome Awareness Month? It lasts for a month. The signs will come down. No big deal”, she wrote.

“The sign thing is just stupid. I have one for Memorial Day (my husband was KIA) and I can’t wait for that letter to arrive so I can scream. I also have a huge banner I want to put up, but it’s going to storm “, replied Seana.