A man’s HOA cited him for lawn stripes that were too professional-looking, and told him to stop posting photos of his own yard

If you have ever dealt with a homeowners association, you know that things can get pretty heated when rules are involved. Most of us understand the basic concept of an HOA, which is funded by property owners to manage community standards and maintenance. As reported by BroBible, one content creator on TikTok, known as @thelawnglowup, is currently dealing with a situation that feels like it was ripped straight out of a comedy sketch.

According to the creator, his lawn is being flagged for being too perfect. He read a formal violation notice to his audience, which cited Section 8.4 B of the community rules regarding the maintenance of lawn quality beyond reasonable neighborhood expectations. When he read the specific description of the violation, it claimed that his lawn stripes were visible from an excessive distance and that the patterns appeared too professionally maintained.

The letter even suggested that his yard was adversely affecting neighboring lawns by comparison. He noted that he takes a lot of pride in his yard work and pointed out that several of his neighbors also maintain their lawns to a high standard. Instead of backing down, he made it clear that he isn’t going to let an HOA dictate his personal level of effort.

What the HOA reportedly demanded

The HOA allegedly told him he must mow in random directions, skip at least one mowing cycle per week, and allow visible wheel marks on the lawn. The creator responded with a firm, not going to happen. To top it all off, the notice supposedly warned him to refrain from posting lawn photographs on social media. His reaction to that was just as blunt. He said, no, we are not going to do that either.

The notice even threatened further enforcement, including potential restrictions on his reel mower usage, if he continued to display such exceptional lawn striping. A similarly strict HOA made headlines when a California HOA ordered a family to remove their American flag after 20 years of it flying without issue. Instead of toning down his lawn, the creator decided to double down. He asked his viewers if they thought he was petty before, and warned that they should wait to see what comes next.

He has continued to document this saga across his social media accounts, and in a recent update, he mentioned that he has even hired a private investigator to look into the matter. It is worth noting that HOAs do have a lot of power when it comes to landscaping. They are typically structured as private corporations or unincorporated associations and are governed by a set of documents that run with the land.

These documents, known as the covenants, conditions, and restrictions, are legally binding for anyone who owns property in the community. Depending on the rules and state law, an HOA can control everything from grass height and weeds to mulch colors and lawn ornaments. They can even levy fines for noncompliance or, in extreme cases, place liens on a property.

A 2023 YouGov poll found that 61% of people would prefer to live in a neighborhood without an HOA. Even among those who currently live under one, nearly half said they would rather live without it. While homeowners can sue HOAs for contract violations or challenge the enforceability of certain provisions, these associations are private entities and are not subject to the same constitutional constraints as state actors.