'It will take years for our landscaping to recover': Tyrannical HOA cuts down over 30 trees in just 6 days, angering homeowners

Author image for JR Atkinson
JR Atkinson • Writer and Editor
May 19, 2024 3:00 PM EDT

Call me a tree hugger, but trees are our friends. They provide so much for us that it's hard to overstate. Shade, clean air, housing for wildlife, not to mention increasing our property values. And trees famously don't grow overnight. Most of them are far older than us, and some of them are tens of thousands of years old. They are our ancestors and can teach us things about our world that we're still too young to know. 

So all that said, it takes a lot of ego and self-importance to cut them down, especially if they're not hurting anyone. But that's exactly what happened to this helpless group of homeowners when an HOA went on a grassroots deforestation rampage. The tree lovers were left in a bind, heating up from the lack of shade and mourning their tree friends. Commenters had some choice words for the HOA and left some ideas for how to clean up the mess. 

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  • 01
    "This is just plain sad"
    via Arnaud Mesureur
  • 02
    HOA r/funkHOA u/throwaway22526411041 • 17h Environmental destruction caused by HOA, CA
    via u/throwaway22526411041
  • 03
    Our HOA cut down 30 trees over 6 business days. They have plans to cut down 72 trees total. Most of the ones already cut down were 47 year old, well established, drought resistant trees. The HOA has no plans to remove the stumps, no plans to replace the trees, and no plans to mitigate the slope erosion as a result.
    via u/throwaway22526411041
  • 04
    There are laws on the books in California, our County and City regarding trees. Apparently, tree laws only apply to public lands, not private properties. We were unable to stop them even with a cease and desist order. We spoke with our local City Mayor who asked the City Attorney to respond. We also spoke with our Congress woman. They couldn't do anything to stop the cutting of the trees.
    via u/throwaway22526411041
  • 05
    We have started a recall of the 3 HOA board members who spearheaded this action. The other 2 board members voted "no" and argued against this action. They voted on a Thursday night, the tree cutting started the next morning. They didn't notify the homeowners that they were planning on cutting the trees. The agenda item said "tree trimming and maintenance". Even with a recall petition, it seems we are stuck with these Board members until replacement Board members are elected.
    via u/throwaway22526411041
  • 06
    We have met with an HOA attorney. It seems we have very little power to stop the carnage. They recommend suing the HOA board. Even if we are successful, it will take years for our landscaping to recover from the loss of the trees they already cut down.
    via u/throwaway22526411041
  • 07
    We have also consulted an arborist. He said the trees they cut down did not need to be cut down. We have lost the owls, red tail hawks and other nesting birds in our development. The increased freeway noise and heat reflecting off the concrete driveways are already noticable, it's been overcast the last couple of weeks it's going to be unbearably hot this summer. HOA's and tyrants who become board members to gain power over other residents.
    via u/throwaway22526411041
  • 08
    RandomRedditGuy 54 • 17h What (if any) was their BS rationale/justification for it?
    via u/RandomRedditGuy54
  • 09
    throwaway22526411041 OP 17h They claimed it was due to cracks in some of the driveways. These are 47 year old concrete driveways with no expansion joints. Some of them. had single hairline cracks. The arborist said they are settlement cracks and not related to the trees. Our community is on a horseshoe slope. The homes are all located either on an upslope or downslope. Some of the trees were located 5-15 feet away from the driveways.
    via u/throwaway22526411041
  • 10
    teamdogemama • 5h Telling the news and sharing on social media is a great idea. It won't stop them but they will get a lot of negative publicity. Also, I know it's private property, but I'd notify the governor. Or the Govenator. (Or both!) He'd love to tell these off.
    via u/teamdogemama
  • 11
    Suzy VeeP 16h Report them!!! Call the news, get some wack-a- doodles to chain themselves to the trees- cause chaos!! HOA's
    via u/SuzyVeeP
  • 12
    ImportantTest2803 • 14h 72 trees is a huge expense. Tree work isn't cheap. I'd look in your documents for dollar amounts and when community voting kicks in. Also I'd ask for a copy of the tree company contract. It's possible your HOA needed an environmental impact statement for all that tree removal.
    via u/ImportantTest2803
  • 13
    lan Moone007 • 11h Wait like this week? Call the Audubon Society. They might have violated the Migratory Bird Treaty Act
    via u/lanMoone007
  • 14
    Massive-Beginning994.6h Why does my gut tell me there is a relationship between the HOA board and the company cutting the trees? The HOA is spending a lot of money. And not even grinding the stumps??? Do some sleuthing on the company. Likely to be some kickbacks going on.
    via u/Massive-Beginning994
  • 15
    throwaway22526411041 OP. 5h You have good instincts. We suspect the same thing. Proving it is another thing. We, the homeowners are trying to stop the next phase of the tree cutting. They are planning on cutting 30 more.
    via u/throwaway22526411041
  • 16
    constructionhelpme ⚫ 4h When it comes to tree trimming I can almost guarantee you that the arborist is giving the HOA kickbacks
    via u/constructionhelpme
  • 17
    New Awareness4075 .7h This is just plain sad. What is wrong with some people. Sure hope you save the other trees! And be prepared for higher energy bills since the shade those trees provided, keeping the whole area cooler in the summer, are no longer there.
    via u/New_Awareness4075
  • 18
    throwaway22526411041 OP. 5h Agreed. We already feel the extra heat. Our living room faces west. These trees provided shade until midday. We used to be able to keep our front door open for cross ventilation. We are now getting full sun all day long. It is very sad and frustrating.
    via u/throwaway22526411041
  • 19
    tictac205 6h Replacing the bad board members is job one- you seem to be handling this. How about a bylaw change to restrict board action without membership approval? It seems that this action was being done sub rosa if they were able to get a tree removal crew out that quickly. That fact might help persuade your neighbors that they need to throw those bad actors off the board.
    via u/tictac205
  • 20
    Safety Man35 • 3h This is why you need to attend board meetings My HOA wanted to spend $20,000 to cut down some trees in a wooded area so they wouldn't fall and damage something after the HOA had to pay $200 to repair a fence when a tree fell on it.
    via u/SafetyMan35
  • 21
    throwaway22526411041 OP. 2h Agreed. My husband is on the Board. He voted no and called for more research. Even we didn't know they were going to cut down the trees the next morning. Spending $20,000 because you had to pay $200 is overkill. They could have just trimmed the trees so they wouldn't pose a threat to adjoining properties.
    via u/throwaway22526411041

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nature tree hugger hoa trees homeowner homeownership mother nature outrage california reddit story tree property subreddit reddit thread Reddit homeowners
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