A tenant in Southern California thought he had found the perfect solution to ditching his water-guzzling lawn — but his homeowners association wasn't so keen on the plan.
In a post on Reddit's r/NoLawns community, the tenant explained that he was looking forward to transforming his father-in-law's front yard into a more environmentally friendly, water-bearing garden.
“Four weeks ago I got excited and put down the cardboard and mulch,” the user wrote. “After I did it, I realized the HOA might not like this. In fact, the landlord received a friendly HOA notice in the mail that the front yard couldn't be all mulch and any changes would have to be approved by the ARC committee. Oops!…It feels like a mess.”
The HOA's resistance highlights a common tension across the country: While many homeowners and renters are trying to move away from traditional lawns in favor of sustainable alternatives, HOAs often cling to outdated rules. Lawns may look well-groomed, but they are resource-intensive, requiring constant mowing, the use of pesticides and, especially in drought-prone areas like California, enormous amounts of water.
In contrast, water yards filled with native plants can save homeowners time and money while lowering water bills, reducing pesticide use, and providing food and shelter for pollinators. Additionally, gardening is associated with mental and physical health benefits, lower food costs, and more resilient soil.
Unfortunately, restrictive HOA rules have been known to slow this progress, whether by forcing residents to replant grass, paying thousands to hire landscapers, or abandoning eco-friendly projects altogether.
Commenters were quick to sympathize with the tenant's frustration.
One user noted, “Lucky! In California, HOAs are not allowed to restrict lawn replacement with low water alternatives!!”
Another assured the poster that California law limits HOA fines, meaning they can't levy penalties endlessly for noncompliance: “They are only allowed to fine you once, up to a maximum of $100 per violation.” A third simply said what many were thinking: “How the hell are HOAs a thing in America?”
This tenant may be preoccupied with rules and bureaucracy for now, but his story underscores a larger movement — one in which more residents are ditching lawns and looking for greener, healthier ways to design their communities.
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