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A HOMEOWNER is furious after her HOA severely mishandled a problem she had.
The homeowner had contacted her HOA to help with a problem she had with an invasive tree species bordering her home.
However, instead of working with her, the HOA cut down over 100 trees in her yard.
One may think that cutting down the trees would solve the problem, but that’s not the case with this species.
The woman posted a detailed account of what transpired on Reddit, asking for help.
According to the homeowner, she’s been trying to exterminate two tree of heaven trees for months.
“My intention was to contact the HOA and talk to them about properly dealing with the problem, this spring/summer/fall,” she wrote.
The woman said it had taken her months to properly remove the trees from her property; however, when the HOA cut down her trees without telling her, it could possibly have led to the invasive species multiplying.
According to Rutgers Univerisity, “If a tree-of-heaven is cut and removed without first using an herbicide…the tree will respond with potentially dozens of trunk sprouts and root suckers that could emerge 50-feet from a large parent tree.”
The invasive tree species is native to northeast China and was brought to Philadelphia in the 1780s.
Since its appearance in North America, the trees have been notorious for growing extremely fast and providing a home to the invasive bug, the spotted lantern fly.
The homeowner is blasting her HOA for being “negligent” and allowing the trees to grow for years.
“The 5 tallest were 40ft +,” she wrote.
“I didn’t really learn or pay attention to it until I began a landscaping job last summer and discovered TOH roots headed towards my foundation and new trees and suckers sprouting in my yard.”
The homeowner asked Reddit users what her “game plan” should be.
“Am I about to have 600 new TOH trees?” she wrote.
Arborists quickly replied to the concerned homeowner, and told her that she may soon be swamped with TOH trees.
“Unless they treated with herbicide last summer, you’re gonna be swimming in TOH,” one user replied.
HOA crackdowns in the US
States across the country are working to restrict the power of HOAs.
- In Minnesota, lawmakers introduced a bill that would require HOA boards to create a schedule of fines and fees and distribute it to homeowners; ensure homeowners can contest an HOA fine; provide reasonable time to correct rule violations; and outlaw the practice of charging homeowners for asking questions.
- In Arizona, lawmakers are cracking down on HOA budgets. Under the newly proposed law, an HOA board would have strict guidelines for how it approves its expenses.
- In Florida, a bill was passed that restricted the amount of control an HOA could have over tenants’ property. The bill restricts HOAs from fining homeowners for leaving trash cans and holiday lights out.
- In Atlanta, bipartisan bills were introduced to reign in overly aggressive HOAs to protect homeowners.
- In California, a new bill monitors HOA elections and requires the board to comply with certain homeowners’ requests.
- In Colorado, new HOA rules require greater transparency between HOA board members and tenants.
- The Federal Fair Housing Act sets housing standards for all homeowners, tenants and landlords.
“Best advice I can give is to bring some articles…to the next HOA meeting.
“Maybe talk to some neighbors and get a signature board going or something.”
The commenter linked an article explaining the trees-of-heaven so the homeowner can show the HOA the consequences of their actions.
Other commenters provided further suggestions and herbicide recommendations on how to fix her problem.
