Funny homeowners association stories

There was a time when the homeowners association was trying to enforce a new rule about where to park bicycles. One old man in the neighborhood got really confused and ended up parking his bike on his roof. He said he thought they meant 'off the ground' and that was the highest place he could think of. It became a running joke in the neighborhood for months.

A homeowners association I heard about had a rule about not having any signs on the front lawn. But a family put up a big sign that said 'Free Hugs' just to be silly. The HOA was not happy at all. However, the family then organized a 'Free Hugs' day in front of their house with the permission of the neighbors (not the HOA). So many people showed up that the HOA finally just gave in and let them keep the sign for a while. It was a great example of the community coming together against the sometimes over - zealous HOA.

One horror story is when the homeowners association imposed ridiculously strict rules on home exteriors. For example, a family was forced to repaint their house a specific color that they didn't like just because it didn't match the 'approved' palette. It cost them a lot of money and they had no say in the matter.

The homeowners association where I used to live had a rule about the number of pets. One family tried to get around it by claiming their three cats were actually one 'three - headed cat'. They even made a little sign for the cat's collar that said 'Tri - Cat'. It was a very creative and humorous attempt to avoid the pet limit rule.

Over - restrictive rules are common. Like dictating the exact type of plants you can have in your yard. It's ridiculous when you can't plant a flower you like just because it's not on their list.

One horror story I've heard is about a homeowner who painted their front door a color not on the 'approved' list. The homeowners association fined them a huge amount and threatened legal action. It was just a door color, not something that affected the neighborhood negatively in any real way.

Sure. In one instance, the homeowners association wouldn't allow a homeowner to install solar panels on their roof. They said it was against the 'architectural integrity' of the neighborhood, even though the homeowner was trying to be more environmentally friendly. This not only prevented the homeowner from saving on energy costs but also set a bad precedent for others who wanted to go green.

Well, there was this incident where the homeowner association decided to have a 'Best Garden' competition. One of the neighbors, an old man, entered with his vegetable patch. He planted huge, misshapen gourds that looked like alien creatures. The homeowner association was so shocked at first but then they all just burst out laughing and he won the 'Most Original Garden' award.

One inspiring story is of a homeowner who faced foreclosure. Instead of giving up, he negotiated with the bank and got a modified loan plan. He then worked extra hard, took on side jobs, and managed to pay off his mortgage early. He turned his financial situation around and his home is now fully his, free of debt.

One horror story is when a family's home was damaged by a storm. Their insurer initially promised full coverage but then found every possible loophole to deny most of the claims. They said the damage was pre - existing even though it clearly wasn't. Another is when a homeowner had a burst pipe and the insurance company took weeks to even send an adjuster, causing extensive water damage to spread.