HOA fines resident for planting sunflowers on his lawn, resident hires lawyer to find loophole in the policy: 'I should be able to plant sunflowers'

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Ben Weiss • Writer and Editor
Mar 7, 2025 2:00 PM EST

Sometimes, the only way to stand up to authority figures is to match their audacity. This can not only be a challenging position to take if you're a people pleaser like so many of us, but in this instance, it can also be expensive. 

That's because we're dealing with the unfortunate reality of bullish homeowner's association board members. These folks are the reason why so many people avoid HOAs in their home search; however, as we all know, sometimes, it's just unavoidable. 

Keep scrolling below for this story about a resident who refused to let the HOA deny him the right to plant sunflowers.

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  • 01
    "Won't let me plant sunflowers? Fine."
    via Unsplash+ (Getty Images)

  • Now, before we get into the details of this HOA debacle, it should be noted that these were not just any sunflowers. This dude was trying to plant 5 ft. tall sunflowers along the perimeter of his house. It's certainly a choice. It could also be an eyesore. However, it's his choice, and it's his eyesore. This man should have every right to plant whatever obnoxious-looking flower he wants as long as it's on his own property and doesn't damage anyone else's well-being. He understood this injustice and was willing to pay the cost of an expensive lawyer to prove his point!

  • 02
    Story happened a couple of years ago, but it's my favorite lawyer story and I hope you enjoy (none of the following is legal advice, don't take legal advice from randos on the internet). TL:DR - client gets to plant sunflowers.
    via MeowSchwitzInThere
  • 03
    Client walks into the office and asks us for a contract review. He then hands over an HOA contract. Before slogging through a whole HOA contract, I asked him what he was hoping to accomplish.
    via MeowSchwitzInThere
  • 04
    "They want me to dig up my sunflowers." "Your... sunflowers?" "Yes, I planted a row of sunflowers outside my house. They pranced by and said that sunflowers are not allowed per the contract I signed. So I want you to tell me if that is true or not."
    via MeowSchwitzInThere
  • 05
    "Sir, before anything else I need to tell you that this will likely be an hourly fee bill. HOAs are notorious for dragging things out. So these could quickly become expensive sunflowers." "I don't care. This is America and I should be able to plant sunflowers St."
    via MeowSchwitzInThere
  • 06
    Still thinking he wasn't that serious about sunflowers, I asked for a three hour retainer. He immediately pulled out a checkbook and paid for four hours. So I buckled down to review the alleged anti-sunflower clause.
    via MeowSchwitzInThere
  • 07
    Just for reference, the sunflowers he wanted to plant were really big (5ft) and all along the front of the house. It was a very substantial amount of sunflowers.
    via MeowSchwitzInThere
  • 08
    The contract did indeed contain a clause, with a very thorough list, on which plants were and were not allowed to be planted. The list had just about every plant I could think of, in alphabetical order (think apple, banana, cauliflower, dill...). Sunflowers included. Corn was not included, which becomes very important later.
    via MeowSchwitzInThere
  • 09
    Quick legal point - if you write 'no dogs allowed' it is normally assumed that you are talking about all dogs generally. If you write 'no labs, golden retrievers, or poodles allowed' it is normally assumed that all other dogs are allowed. Sometimes a not great
    via MeowSchwitzInThere
  • 10
    attorney will write a super long list to pad hours (read: charge more) instead of just writing 'no plants without prior approval' or something.
    via MeowSchwitzInThere
  • 11
    I called the client back in for the bad news. In explaining the above legal point, I let him know that the HOA got a raw deal from whoever drafted the contract.
    via MeowSchwitzInThere
  • 12
    "No can do on the sunflowers. But if it makes you feel any better they were probably over billed by whoever wrote this contract. Pretty shoddy work too, they even forgot to write down 'corn' but they included nonsense like 'dragon fruit'."
    via MeowSchwitzInThere
  • 13
    "So yes to corn, no to sunflowers?" "I didn't really check the contract for corn. But its not prohibited in the plant section, so probably?" "Excellent. That'll work.
    via MeowSchwitzInThere
  • 14
    I thought he was oddly happy with bad news. Then two or three weeks later he came in with a picture of his house, surrounded by huge sunflowers.
    via MeowSchwitzInThere
  • 15
    What happened? This guy drove out to the country and bought obnoxiously large and ugly cornstalks. He promptly planted them where the sunflowers had been. When confronted by the HOA he told them (paraphrasing)
    via MeowSchwitzInThere
  • 16
    to it the contract lets me plant corn. Then after some negotiation he agreed to take the corn down, in exchange for permission to plant sunflowers.
    via MeowSchwitzInThere
  • 17
    Now we are friends, he is still a great client, and he lives surrounded by a ridiculous moat of sunflowers.
    via MeowSchwitzInThere
  • 18
    Cheezburger Image 10476896000
    via Jirasin Yossri

  • Several folks in the comments section of this online community shared their feelings of vicarious fulfillment through this resident's fight and ultimate triumph against his HOA. Here's what they had to say about it all!

  • 19
    jetah Ah yes, the put something worse so you get the thing you want. I'd love to see a community with gardens out front. It's be better than just grass and they can do a food swap after harvest.
    via MeowSchwitzInThere
  • 20
    TexasVulvaAficionado It's also usually an end to a HOA fight if you go with something like "I was going to spend my hobby time on (thing I actually want that they declined) but my second choice will be installing a large HAM radio tower
    via MeowSchwitzInThere
  • 21
    that you can't argue against due to the FCCS emergency broadcasting regulations." FYI
    via MeowSchwitzInThere
  • 22
    nymalous. That guy's got a good head on his shoulders. He also consulted the right lawyer. Great story.
    via MeowSchwitzInThere
  • 23
    beccaboben HOAs are a deal breaker for me, if I buy a house, I want to be able to make my own choices about my own property,
    via MeowSchwitzInThere

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hoa hoa stories lawyer neighborhood neighborhood-drama neighborhood-stories entitled people karma funny entitled people hoa members
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