Homeowner Associations (HOAs) can be very beneficial. They help maintain neighborhoods and keep property values high. While most HOAs have rules and regulations that make sense, there have been some outrageous HOA rules we’ve seen. Sometimes board members interpret the rules to fit their own personal preferences. Here are five examples of strange HOA rules or those that went a little too far:
- Neutral Colors Only: Forget about expressing yourself through the exterior color of your home. There are actually many HOAs that restrict outside door and trim colors to neutral colors only.
- No footwear on the porch: There have been documented examples of some homeowners being fined for having muddy, or even clean, shoes on the porch outside their doors.
- Matching Shingles. Absolutely no exceptions: A man in Florida tragically lost his wife and infant son when a plane crashed into their home. When he started rebuilding the home, the HOA fined him for having shingles that didn’t match.
- No parking in your own driveway: If you have a garage, some HOAs will prohibit you from having a vehicle in your own driveway for more than 24 hours.
- No playing outside: Believe it or not, there is more than one case of HOAs trying to prohibit children from playing outside. In one case, an HOA board member claimed playing outside was “dangerous” for kids. In that same case, parents threatened to sue the HOA board, so the board postponed their vote.
In most situations, you won’t have problems with your HOA as long as you comply with the rules and regulations, which are generally voted on and put in place to benefit the community. However, before purchasing a home with an HOA, always read the rules and regulations first so you are familiar with them and don’t get sideswiped by strange HOA rules or outrageous fines.