California resident gives entitled HOA 39 days to learn the law about green grass: 'State law is greater than HOA fantasy rules'

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Remy Millisky • Writer and Editor
Sep 30, 2025 5:00 PM EDT

When it comes to battling HOAs, you're going to have to dig into the fine print. 

If you've ever lived in HOA-ruled territory, you probably know this all too well. HOAs aren't exactly beloved organizations in most parts of America. They're known for being petty little tyrants, groups full of Karens, who care about things like… bringing your trash cans in exactly on time, or making sure you never park your car in the street in front of your own house, or making sure your home is the exact right shade of brown to match all the other homes. In theory, HOAs are supposed to enforce rules that really matter… but the reality is that they love to force huge fines upon everyday people for some really innocuous things. 

When HOAs get involved with lawn care, it really grinds my gears. Oftentimes, if someone's lawn is too long, you may want to go talk to that person before you tattle to the HOA. Maybe their mower is broken, and you could offer them yours, or maybe the person who usually handles lawn care is sick, and they need some extra help around the house. What won't help is burdening that family with like, $400 a week in fines! Now, their lawn is untrimmed, and they've got to figure out how to pay up to these HOA ghouls. 

Check out the way that this person handled their HOA's lawn care suggestions! It's quite satisfying, and commenters loved it, too. 

Next, read about the way that a stepmother's 50th birthday party was totally ruined by her pastry chef family member: "Stepmom was livid." 

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  • 01

    "They gave me 30 days to fix my grass. I gave them 39 days to learn California State Law."

    Today the HOA dropped me a love letter - a citation claiming my front yard's brown patches need to magically turn green in 30 days. Cute. What they don't know is that I know my rights. I
    via u/RizNwosu
  • 02
    live in California, where drought advisories aren't just "suggestions," they're law. And state law > HOA fantasy rules. Translation? They can go pound sand... or better yet, pound the
    via u/RizNwosu
  • 03
    brown spots in my lawn until the cows come home. Those patches aren't "ugly," they're law-abiding, water-saving heroes.
    via u/RizNwosu
  • 04
    f_crick Start drying all your clothes hanging them near the street. California is a "right to dry" state and they can't stop you, but they can try in vain.
    via u/RizNwosu
  • 05
    Loganthebard I used to work for a bank monitoring foreclosed homes and we'd have our contractors spray paint the grass green. It was cheaper than dealing with the HOAs/city violations when we couldn't water.
    via u/RizNwosu
  • 06
    Man in gray shirt points at woman in gray shirt in argumentative way with grassy background with trees
    via Afif Ramdhasuma on Unsplash+

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • 07
    MessMysterious3... Someone reported my "overgrown" front yard. It's 100% established native plants and only requires water 3-4 times a year on top of being a wildlife habitat. Not only did the inspector who came out tell me she loved all the flowers but I now have a "wildlife habitat" sign she suggested and I'm
    via u/RizNwosu
  • 08
    registered with the cities rewilding/conservation program. Twice a year our city puts on walking garden tours and my house is marked as an example for pollinator and rare native plant garden. Loads of species from the Channel Islands here that you won't find anywhere else! Maybe a few botanical gardens in coastal Southern California.
    via u/RizNwosu
  • 09
    White home with large yard full of dried grass surrounded by green trees
    via Nassim Wahba on Unsplash+

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • 10
    PassengerNo2259 To all the people saying paint it, why? Grass turns brown when it goes dormant from heat and lack of water. It's not de d it will come back, basic circle of life stuff. Why spend the time and money to paint it just so that it looks good to the HOA?
    via u/RizNwosu
  • 11
    To OP, if you think any of your neighbors are watering illegally, especially any on the HOA board, report them to whoever sets the watering restrictions. Do it every single time. F the HOA fines make them pay some real ones.
    via u/RizNwosu

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hoa lawn house home owners association california grass home
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