HOA cuts down tree on property of non-HOA resident, he fires back by decorating non-compliant tree with Christmas lights all year round: 'I was probably affecting property values'

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Ben Weiss • Writer and Editor
Oct 24, 2025 8:00 AM EDT

This homeowner was technically not a part of the local HOA, and yet these entitled HOA board members thought they could enforce certain rules whenever it suited them.

The irony here is that when this author first moved into the neighborhood, he actually volunteered to join the HOA and pay the monthly fees so that his kids could have access to the community pool and playground. His request was denied outright. 

So how come he couldn't pay HOA fees if he wanted to (and he wanted to!) and yet the HOA could still find a way to tell this guy what to do? Someone make this make sense!

One day, the author discovered that a large branch from a tree outside his house had been mysteriously cut down. It turns out that this branch was bothering some members of the HOA, even though technically speaking, there was nothing they could do about it. After all, the guy wasn't even allowed to join the HOA in the first place!

Still, their entitlement led them to believe they could just go ahead and cut down the branch on this guy's property. Well, think again, folks!

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  • A Christmas display with lights and decoration on top of a suburban home.
    via Unsplash+ (Roberta Sant'Anna)

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • We applaud this author for creatively finding a way to get even by actively going against HOA guidelines, knowing that they couldn't do diddly squat about it. One of these rules involved when and for how long residents can display their Christmas lights. This author decided back in May to decorate his house in the most gaudy way possible and to keep his lights on throughout the year. 

    That level of commitment is certainly admirable. Whereas most folks might let go of what this HOA did, this guy made sure he could enrage those board members while leaving them with no tools to combat him.

  • "My tree got cut by an HOA I don't belong to"

    My house is the first house in the neighborhood behind mine. I am on the corner.
    via Educational_Dust_932
  • The street on the side of my home is the HOA neighborhood, but my front yard is on a different
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  • street that isn't part of the HOA. When I moved I asked them if I could pay their HOA fees to let my kids use the pool and playground directly across the street. Nope.
    via Educational_Dust_932
  • I planted a mulberry tree on the corner of my property and started getting visits from their HOA saying that my branches were too low to the ground and it violated
    via Educational_Dust_932
  • their HOA. I told them if I was in the HOA you'd see my kids swimming in the pool. Since they didn't, they would have to deal with my tree. My kids love that tree, and still come in Spring to gather berries,
    via Educational_Dust_932
  • even though they are in their 20's Then one day I come home and someone had lopped off a big branch
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  • from the tree, one that went out over the street. I tried to find out who did it, but they kept mum about it and there wasn't anyone I could go after.
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  • SO, I rebuilt the branch using PVC, and wrapped it in bright Christmas lights (It was May), and then wrapped the rest of the tree for good measure. I did it ugly too,
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  • it was propped up with old branches I found in the woods and some rope, and just looked awful. I kept those lights
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  • on all the way until just before Christmas, when I took them down. They sent me some letters, but they just went into the trash. The HOA members
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  • who came to my house to ask me to bring them down since it was the gateway to their neighborhood and that I was 'probably' affecting property values were told to foff. They never did mess with the lights,
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  • though. I guess they were worried about what I would pull next.
    via Educational_Dust_932
  • Closeup of a machine cutting down the large branch of a tree.
    via Unsplash+ (Getty Images)

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • Rhyth... 14h ago • You'd be horribly remiss failing to complete the FAFO algorithm. Just like 5th grade, you remembered to 'show your work'.
    via Educational_Dust_932
  • Well done, you're exactly the petty justice hero we all need!!
    via Educational_Dust_932
  • thedef... 14h ago • You want the lights down? I want the name of who cut my branches.
    via Educational_Dust_932
  • Comp... 13h ago I am happy to hear the tree survived!!! I was really hoping the limb reattached. I knew it was a snowballs chance in h, but I was hoping!!!
    via Educational_Dust_932
  • A man wearing a blue hoodie holds his hands to his face in frustration.
    via Unsplash+ (Guillaume Issaly)

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

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hoa hoa stories neighbors neighborhood-drama bad neighbors neighborhood-stories entitled people karma entitled people hoa members
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