RESIDENTS have slammed their HOA as “the Grinches who stole Halloween” after being told to remove their Halloween decorations.

Those living at Villa Portofino in Tierrasanta, California in 2020 were told to take down their seasonal items by November 3 or risked being slapped with an eye-watering $75 fine.

In a notice sent out to homeowners at the time, their HOA told homeowners they were “devoted to maintaining the appearance of our community to make sure property values are protected,” CBS affiliate News 8 reported.

They continued: “No property items, including holiday decorations, shall be placed on, or attached to any portion of the Common Area, including without limitation, fences, trees, shrubs, or other landscaping.”

Spooky outdoor accessories including fake gravestones, spiders and cobwebs sprawled along bushes and inflatable pumpkins were all ordered to be removed.

It is unclear, however, whether the policies are still in place today.

Residents at the time were left open-mouthed by the association’s move – given that the festive decorations had never posed an issue in previous years.

One local weighed in: “They do have the right to enforce these types of things.

“The question is: why are they doing it now?

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“This is unreasonable and it’s unamerican.”

John Baker, who had lived in the area for 32 years, said at the time: “I think we have a board of Grinches.”

Penny Sansevieri added: “I have one sad little pumpkin sitting on my fence. I got a notice saying it was a violation.”

In a statement, Jacqueline Sax, the manager of the HOA at Villa Portofino, said at the time: “We do not allow decorations within the common areas due to possible liability and it can make performing association maintenance difficult.

“Additionally, we have had issues in the past where association property such as fences were damaged when decorations were attached.”

The U.S Sun has reached out to Villa Portofino for an update.

It comes after one homeowner complained that their HOA feels like a communist state because of how much they pay and the loss of rights.

Homeowner J.K. wrote to the Orange County Register to share complaints about HOAs.

Elsewhere, a determined couple took their homeowner association to court after it declared their lawn wasn’t manicured enough.

Janet and Jeff Crouch spent $60,000 to fight the power imbalance – and they even prompted a change in Maryland’s state law.