New neighbor removes "No Trash Picking" sign the HOA installed on his garage door without permission

Author image for Ben Weiss
Ben Weiss • Writer and Editor
Mar 19, 2026 8:00 AM EDT

The last thing this homeowner wanted was for people in the neighborhood to think he was responsible for the unnecessary sign on his garage door. 

It turns out the local HOA installed it without his approval, which marked the beginning of their conflict.

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  • A quiet, residential street in the suburbs.
    via Chen Liu

    A quiet, residential street in the suburbs.

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

  • HOA installed a giant sign on my garage without notice.

    I need to vent about this and I'm not sure where else to go. I have an end-unit townhouse in a nice neighborhood of LA. To paint the picture, there is a row of townhomes and then when you get to the end, there's a beautifully landscaped little
    via MoronicThrowaway123
  • walking path that goes around the corner. On that path is my front door, the side wall for my patio, and then my garage. I basically walk out my front door
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  • and turn left and there's my garage along this little path. I take pride in my home and always pick up trash or dog pl p or
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  • anything else I find along that walkway. It's a reflection on me and my home since my door is right there. I want it to look nice.
    via MoronicThrowaway123

  • We're all accustomed to stories involving the strict rules and regulations that homeowner's associations demand their residents to follow. However, it's one thing to ask everyone to comply with a set list of standards that individuals in the neighborhood have collectively have agreed upon. It's a whole other can of worms when the HOA determines that they have the right to change the aesthetic of a resident's property without permission.

    It's the difference between asking someone to dress in cocktail attire for an event and throwing a dress onto the guests when they arrive at the party. This resident did not approve of an annoying sign on his garage door about trash pickers, especially because he didn't even think this was an issue in the neighborhood. 

    Besides, if this were an issue, it certainly would not have happened at a level significant enough to warrant installing an ugly sign on someone's property without checking with them first. This author did not want the considerably large younger population in his town to suddenly think of him as the grumpy guy in the suburb. So, he took matters into his own hands… and at his own risk.

  • Last week I came home and found a giant metal sign scr into the side of my garage. It's entirely in Spanish with a small "No Trash Picking" in English underneath. I ran it through Google translate and it basically d
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  • says you're not allowed to go through trash bins, you're trespassing on private property and the police will be called. The sign doesn't face the alley, it
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  • faces the walkway that leads to my door. And while the garages are all technically attached, this is blatantly on MY garage. To a casual person walking by, they'd probably think I installed it. I find
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  • the sign offensive (why do they assume everyone picking through trash cans speaks Spanish?) and tacky and completely unnecessary. I've never had a problem with anyone going through trash cans. The cans are collected on Monday. So the sign
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  • is only applicable on Sunday nights/Monday mornings to begin with, but now I have to look at it every day all year??? The people who have an issue with trash
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  • pickers can tape signs to their own bins if they feel it's important. Why do they have to permanently deface my property?! It looks tacky as h
    via MoronicThrowaway123
  • A man puts his head in his hands in frustration after learning about the HOA's trash sign.
    via Adrian Swancar

    A man puts his head in his hands in frustration after learning about the HOA's trash sign.

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

  • It's ruining the property value of the whole community but my unit in particular. Makes us look like we have crime and sketchy people coming around. It's not like the signs will even help. No one listens to signs. The HOA has
    via MoronicThrowaway123
  • no parking signs in the alley, they send emails to everyone reminding us not to park there, they send reminders in the newsletters, but guess what?
    via MoronicThrowaway123
  • There are cars parked in the alley every single day. Signs don't work, look hideous, and ruin the aesthetic of the community. Now I look like a boomer Karen with a sign on my garage but I had nothing to do with it.
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  • No one notified me. There was no discussion, no vote, no notice. It just went up. I wrote to complain and it's been a week and I haven't heard from the board.... No one
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  • called, emailed, stopped by, left a note... nothing. I have been so respectful of the board, I've always gotten written permission before I've done anything to affect the appearance of my unit. That respect was not reciprocated at all.
    via MoronicThrowaway123
  • There's nothing in the community rules about letting them post signs on your property. It says you can't remove signs by the pool, but that's for legal reasons. I see no reason I have to keep this arbitrary hideous billboard on my garage.
    via MoronicThrowaway123
  • So tonight I went out and removed it myself. I patched the holes and will paint it tomorrow. Bet you I'll hear from them by 9am!
    via MoronicThrowaway123
  • What do you think, place your bets - will they try to fine me? Put up another one? Let it go? Charge me for it? How much s will I get over this? Am I going to have to bite the bullet and deal with this sign?
    via MoronicThrowaway123
  • A blue garage door with a red sign on top of it.
    via Unsplash+ (Maria Ivanova)

    A blue garage door with a red sign on top of it.

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

  • Keep scrolling below for the best reactions from several members of this online community, many of whom expressed concern about what would happen if the HOA retaliated against the author's refusal to keep the sign on the door. What would you do if you were in his situation?

  • jerry111165 And yet the HOA will flip out if you don't paint the right shade of blue lol No HOA for me ever. On top of that they put fasteners through your garage?
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  • PNWest01 Is it possible it wasnt the board, but maybe a single board member who thinks he can do whatever cause he's on the board? Or even just another resident?
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  • Affectionate_One... They probably broke their own rules. HOA boards cant just do whatever they want they have to follow rules to.
    via MoronicThrowaway123

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Tags

neighbors neighborhood stories trash garage hoa drama trash can entitled people
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